The Fire of God - Revival

Hi Friends,

I was praying this morning, to hear from the Lord.  He is so faithful.  I asked him what I should write about, and he gave me a vision.  I am very excited about this vision, because it is about something that has been on my heart for a very long time.  I believe it concerns a revival in various places within our nation and around the world.  It is time to return to the Lord.  I was reminded of the scripture:

“For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false.  Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”   Habakkuk 2:2-3 

The Lord gave me a vision perhaps 20 or so years ago.  It was sometime after the Brownsville Revival had ended.  This was the vision:

The Weather Map

I saw a woman as a meteorologist next to a map of the United States.  I saw flames coming out of the map.  It seemed to be emanating from the Toronto region.  Then I saw the flames move across the map.  

When the vision ended, I asked the Lord with excitement, “Do you want me to go to Toronto?”  He answered, “No–I want you to pray that revival comes here.”  And here meant New Jersey!  Hallelujah!  I have been praying for revivial ever since.  Because of the lawlessness and wickedness in our nation, we should have a sense of urgency to pray that our people would return to God.   A bonafide revival is what we need to turn our nation around.

If we do not put the brakes on godlessness soon, we will become like Israel was long ago.  When Israel was in moral decline, and testing the Lord’s patience, God allowed the ark of God to be captured by the Philistines.  The ark of God was where the presence of God dwelt.  

When Eli, the high priest, heard that his two sons were killed and that the ark of God had been captured, he fell back on his chair and broke his neck.  When his pregnant daughter-law learned of her husband’s death and that the ark of God had been captured, she immediately went into labor and gave birth to a son.  In sorrow she named the child “Ichabod,”meaning “inglorious” or “without glory,” because the presence and glory of God had now departed from Israel.

We do not want our nation to continue on its path to destruction.  If there was a time to return to God it is now. 

Everyone who loves the Lord should understand that seeking him on behalf of our nation is imperative.  Our nation needs a revival.  We need the power and the presence of God to move the hearts of the complacent to see with new eyes, to see with the eyes of faith, to see a new day for our country.  We want to see and experience the presence of God having a real effect on our government, schools, businesses, and especially in the lives of our families, friends and neighbors. 

I would remind us all of the scripture that stands as a promise of God for a nation that calls upon the Lord:

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”  2 Chronicles 7:14

The ball is in our court.  It is the body of believers that are called to repent and to change our wicked ways.  It is not in the pointing finger of blame and accusation that causes God’s hand to move.  No, it is in humility and with a contrite and repentant heart that moves the heart of God.  This is the lesson that Jesus taught about justification:

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”  Luke 18:9-14

We should also remember this:

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  James 4:6

So let me share the vision that the Lord just gave me.

The Matchbooks
In this vision, I saw about 15 to 20 matchbooks on a white surface.  There was one matchbook that was facing upright for me to see the cover.  The cover was white with a drawing of a pink flamingo.  Under the flamingo was the word “Paradise.”

This is what I believe the vision means:

The matches represent fire because they create a spark and a flame.  When a match strikes a rough surface it explodes into a flame.  But without the two surfaces coming together, nothing happens.  The match stays in the matchbook.  So if the believer is a match, what is it that the believer must encounter to get ignited to create the flame?  Is it not the Baptism in the Holy Spirit?  Yes– of course it is, for John the Baptist said of the Lord Jesus: 

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”  Matthew 3:11-12

Jesus baptizes us in the Holy Spirit and with fire.  It is the gift that he promised his disciples. If they would wait in Jerusalem they would receive this spiritual empowerment.

“And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”  Acts 1:4-5

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is the anointing that creates a fire within the believer.  With this greater infilling of the Holy Spirit the believer is empowered with holy boldness to share the gospel fearlessly, and to perform signs and wonders that confirm the message of the kingdom of God.  Before receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, they were in the upper room, with the door shut, fearful of those who hated Jesus and had him put to death.
But after receiving the power of God and the fire–they could not help but speak boldly of “Jesus as the Messiah, the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings.”  

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.  And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.  And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.  And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.  And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?  And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?  Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,  Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome,  both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”  And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”  But others mockingly said, “They are filled with new wine.”  Acts 2:1-13

 With the Holy Spirit, they had the power heal, to raise the dead and to perform signs, and wonders.  In spite of tremendous suffering at the hands of wicked men, desiring to squelch their message, they continued sharing the gospel.  And Luke records in the Book of Acts:

“So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls…And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Acts 2:41, 46-47

The fire of the Holy Spirit is needed today.  There are too many believers that are complacent and not concerned for the lost, not concerned outside of their own little social sphere of families and friends.  God has given us a mandate – the Great Commission–

”Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:15-16

The flamingo in the vision of the matchbooks represents Florida.  I got this vision just a few days ago, and today I am in Florida visiting my born again sister, a true worshiper of God.  As I am writing this I am sitting at her church, while their choir/worship team are in  practice.  I cannot help but get up and dance and sing myself while they are worshipping!  God is worthy!

Florida had an awesome visitation from the Holy Spirit in Brownsville, in the 1990’s.  Now it is time for the entire state to be ignited with the fire of God.   On the match cover under the flamingo was the word “Paradise.”  Paradise is the name the Lord gave to our eternal home when he spoke to one of the thieves on the cross. 

Then he (the thief) said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43

The word “paradise” reminds me of a dream that I believe came from God many years ago.  It began with an aerial view of the western coast of Africa. I heard that the water was moving away from the coast of Africa at the speed of 400 miles per hour.  Then suddenly I found myself standing on a pier that went from the coast to an inland city quite a distance from the pier.  The very long walkway was elevated from the ground perhaps 20 feet.   I had been on the pier, and as I approached the shore, I saw an elderly couple sitting on the sand with their feet close to the water’s edge.  The man was lying down with his head in his wife’s lap.  She was holding a straw hat over her husband trying to shield him from the hot sun.  I heard her say that they had saved their money all these years to retire to a place of comfort in the sun.  Her husband was dying.  She complained of her disappointment that their dream of spending their retirement years in comfort and in a warm climate were now ruined.  She had hoped that everything was going to be wonderfully idyllic and carefree.  But now she was in despair and had lost all hope.

After hearing her anguish, I realized that she had placed her hope in temporal things: her money and a place in the sun.  I knew that the shore was not for me, but I was to go to the city at the opposite end of the walkway. The pier and walkway was packed with people so that to go in the direction of the city was difficult.  I had to maneuver between and around everyone.  

This was one of many dreams where God showed me that to walk with him, would require me to continually go in the opposite direction of everyone else.  All the people were heading toward the beach, for like the older couple, they thought that everything that was good, and right and comfortable would be found in the direction of the shore.  Everyone appeared to me to be tired, because the line was not moving.  But in spite of not moving, their eyes were still looking in the direction of the shore.

Without God, our lives are hopeless.  Without God, people search for peace and meaning in all the wrong places.  I know so many that are expecting this life and the world to give them what their hearts desire.  But the world has nothing to offer, nothing that satisfies the longings of the spirit within. Some try to satisfy their heart’s desire with material possessions, and things that swell their pride. Others fill up on sensual pleasures: food, entertainment and sexual diversions. And others try to find meaning in the arts, in culture and in education.  But all these things fill up the soul  and build up the prideful heart.  We call this the pride of life, what one has and what one does.  It is empty and causes the spirit within to remain dead.

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.  For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.” I John 2:15-16

We need to see that Paradise cannot be found on this earth, unless it is the taste of heaven that we experience in the presence of God in prayer and in worship and in awe of his work in creation.  Paradise is found only in him.  And it is the free gift of God for those who love him, who have given themselves to the Lord.  Our spirit is made alive in him.  We need the Lord’s Holy Spirit to indwell us, for that is what gives us true peace and joy.  God alone can satisfy the desires of our spirits.

It is our spirit that communes with God.  Our spirit is eternal.  We have life with him and apart from him there is nothing but death.  Our soul is also eternal, but it is the part of us, our will, our thoughts and our emotions that can be led astray and enticed by the things of the world.  The people on the walkway were heading towards destruction.  Their hearts were set on earthly things.  We need to set our hearts on the Lord himself.  He is our treasure and our great reward.  

So the vision is about the fire of God that helps us to say no to our flesh and to be alive to the things of God. It is the power to overcome temptation, and sin. It is the power to be witnesses to those who are on the walkway of life, going the wrong direction.  We need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to do the will of the Lord, to overcome the things of the world that hold us back.

We need a revival, we need the signs, the wonders and the miracles to reach the lost.  So please pray with me.  Pray with great expectation and confidence that you are praying the will of God.  Pray to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.  Do not let anyone tell you that “It is not for today,” for they are greatly mistaken.  It is the power of God; it is the anointing that we need to overcome our own flesh and to do the will of God.  Do not short change yourself by:

“having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”  2 Timothy 3:4-5

“Having a form of godliness but denying its power.”  This is much of the Church today.  We do not want to belong to a powerless church.  We want the power of God to move within each believer so that we can be an asset to the kingdom of God rather than a hindrance. The Lord found the Church of Sardis to have fallen short of what he desired for them:

“‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.  Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.  Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.  Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.  The one who overcomes will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ Revelation 3:1-6

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit gives us the power to be overcomers, to overcome our weaknesses, so that we can will to do the will of God.

“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”  Matthew 12:30

Life is short and the Lord is returning.  We must gather with him.  Let’s pray that a revival will come to our nation, to our families and our loved ones.  Let us seek the Lord while he may be found.  And remember the Lord’s words:

“As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me.  Night is coming, when no one can work.”  John 9:4  

Please seek the Baptism in the Holy Spirit for yourself if you do not yet speak in tongues.  It is the initial evidence that you have received the Baptism.  We want to see all believers ignited with the Spirit of God and with fire!  

Please share this message.  God bless you!