America’s
“Great
Awakenings”
Forecast
It’s Future
STRANGE
CLOUDS are
on the
Church’s
horizon. On
one side
these clouds
have the
silver-lining
of revival;
on the
other, the
blackness of
disaster.
The Church
faces both.
And these
dark clouds
are not
military
combat alone
but storms
of
horrendous
spiritual
battle. I
dread
telling you
this.
But–regret
it as I
may–I
believe the
Bible’s
forecast of
end-times
events is
upon us.
First, the
good:
In the early
1740's
Colonial
America was
shaken by
the
preaching of
Jonathan
Edwards and
the revival
known as the
“Great
Awakening”
swept the
Colonies.
Beginning in
New England
this
spiritual
blaze ran
the full
length of
the Atlantic
seaboard,
affecting
the whole of
American
society. As
much as any
other
spiritual
influence,
it not only
awoke
slumbering
churches and
careless
Christians
but created
such hunger
for
soul-freedom
that the
Declaration
of
Independence
and the
Nation’s
separation
from England
became
inevitable.
But, not
everyone was
happy with
the revival.
Tragically,
some
churches and
pastors who
opposed the
Spirit’s
unusual
manifestations
sank deeper
into radical
unbelief and
denial of
Scripture
truth.
For example,
in 1741, the
Dean of Yale
University,
the Rev.
Samuel
Johnson,
became
alarmed at
the effect
George
Whitefield’s
preaching
was having
on the
students at
the
University.
Whitefield,
who was
contemporary
with John
and Charles
Wesley and a
personal
friend of
Benjamin
Franklin,
experienced
“miraculous
signs”
attending
his
ministry.
The Dean
wrote a
friend in
England
about these
strange
physical
manifestations
affecting
those who
heard
Whitefield
preach. Not
only the
students, he
lamented,
but whole
congregations
were being
seized with
some kind of
bizarre
power. In
criticizing
Mr.
Whitefield
and other
revivalists
Dean Johnson
failed to
mention that
a wave of
God-fearing
morality,
intense
prayer, and
love for
Jesus, was
also
gripping the
campus. His
complaint
said:
“But this
new
enthusiasm,
in
consequence
of
Whitefield’s
preaching
through the
country and
his
disciples’,
has got
great
footing in
the college
(Yale) ...
Many of the
scholars
have been
possessed of
it, and two
of this
year’s
candidates
were denied
their
degrees for
their
disorderly
and restless
endeavors to
propagate it
... We have
now
prevailing
among us the
most odd and
unaccountable
enthusiasm
than perhaps
observed in
any age or
nation ...
even their
bodies are
frequently
in a moment
affected
with the
strangest
convulsions
and
involuntary
agitations
and cramps,
which also
have
sometimes
happened to
those who
came as mere
spectators
...”
Johnson knew
that Samuel
Buell,
another Yale
graduate,
had preached
in Jonathan
Edwards’
church in
Northampton,
Massachusetts.
He wrote
Edwards and
to his great
dismay
learned that
the same
peculiar
manifestations
had also
occurred
there. In
effect, the
“anointing”
on George
Whitefield
and Jonathan
Edwards was
passing to
other
evangelists.
In the
pattern of
Elisha
receiving
the Spirit’s
impartation
from older
Elijah,
Whitefield
and Edwards
were
spreading
the fire of
God to
younger men.
Today as
then, the
anointing
can be
caught,
sought,
taught--but
not bought.
Fortunately
for us,
Edwards
described
Buell’s
preaching in
a letter to
another
friend, the
Reverend
Thomas
Prince of
Boston. He
said:
“There were
some
instances of
persons
lying in a
sort of
trance,
remaining
for perhaps
a whole
twenty-four
hours
motionless,
and with
their senses
locked up
but in the
meantime
under strong
imaginations,
as though
they went to
Heaven, and
had there a
vision of
glorious and
delightful
objects.”
Awesome! The
following
year, in
1742,
Edwards
attempted to
explain in
another
correspondence,
"If there be
a very
powerful
influence of
the Spirit
of God in a
mixed
multitude,
it will
cause in
some way or
other a
great
visible
commotion."
His own
wife, Sarah,
lay immobile
under the
Spirit’s
power for
seventeen
days. During
the height
of this
revival
while
preaching in
Boston,
George
Whitefield
refused to
speak until
the people
in the trees
had come
down. He
knew that
once the
power of God
hit the
outdoor
audience
people would
drop out of
the trees
like acorns.
A little
more than 40
years after
Jonathan
Edwards’
death, in
the early
1800's, the
Holy Spirit
fell again,
this time on
rural
Kentucky,
and the
“second
awakening”
shook
America.
Known this
time as the
“Cane Ridge
Revival”,
“signs and
wonders”
identical to
Jonathan
Edward’s day
swept
through the
crowd of
20,000 to
30,000
worshipers.
James Finley
was
overwhelmed
by what he
saw and
wrote, “I
stepped on a
log where I
could have a
better view
... The
scene that
then
presented
itself to my
mind was
indescribable.
At one time
I saw at
least 500
swept down
in a moment
as if a
battery of a
thousand
guns had
opened upon
them ...
Many, very
many, fell
down as men
slain in
battle and
continued
together for
hours in an
apparently
breathless
and
motionless
state.”
In another,
more
close-up
description,
a witness
recounted
that
“several
stout men
fell as
though a
cannon had
been
discharged
and a ball
made its way
through
their
hearts.”
While some
lay as dead,
“slain in
the spirit,”
others shook
uncontrollably,
shouted, or
staggered
about in a
drunken
fashion. At
times,
roaring
noises
echoed
through the
forest. The
howling
racket and
unusual
bodily
effects were
quickly
accepted by
those
present
because of
the godly
character-change
that took
place in the
people.
It has been
my privilege
to preach
several
times at
this 200
year-old
log-Meeting
House near
Paris,
Kentucky--each
time
mentally
comparing
the
manifestations
that
occurred
here in 1800
to identical
ones in 1740
and those I
have seen at
the Toronto
Airport
Fellowship
in Canada.
The same
thing
happened
when I spoke
at the 800
year-old St.
Mary
Magdalene
Anglican
Church in
England.
Every inch
of floor
space in
that
historic old
building was
covered with
the fallen.
In other
meetings
people have
been carried
out in the
arms of
friends--totally
unable to
walk or
drive home.
Some who
determinedly
resisted the
Spirit
collapsed in
the church
parking lot.
In one
meeting, an
elderly
widow had to
be driven
home by a
police
officer and
spent part
of the night
in her car.
A Ph.D.
atheist
college
professor
had to sleep
on a
friend’s
sofa because
he was
unable to
walk or
drive.
Such people
frequently
become
radically
joyous,
uninhibited,
zealous.
Other
“drunken”
symptoms may
occur. It
was this
charge of
drunkenness
that was
laid against
the Cane
Ridge
meeting.
Modern
Christians
who
repudiate
these
experiences
are simply
showing
their
ignorance of
church
history--and
God’s
sovereignty.
Instead of
fearing the
effects of
the Holy
Spirit--no
matter how
challenging--we
should be
grateful for
His
presence.
Even so,
church folks
today are
offended by
such drunken
behavior,
their
dignity is
insulted,
their pride
outraged,
and many
times have
left the
building. I
have seen
some run out
the door
when the
Holy Spirit
came visibly
upon the
congregation.
Acts 2:13.
And no
wonder. At
the Feast of
Pentecost,
even the
devout Jews
failed to
recognize
God’s
presence and
accused the
disciples of
being
drunk--“filled
with new
wine.” I
mention the
similarity
in the Holy
Spirit’s
historic and
modern
manifestations
to reinforce
the fact
that He has
been from
“age to age
the same,”
(quoting
Martin
Luther). But
be aware!,
human
resistance
only makes
the Holy
Spirit more
determined
to confront
the church’s
phariseeism
and
religious
ego.
Several
Church of
Christ
pastors came
to my
meeting and
found
themselves
prostrate on
the
floor–even
though their
denomination
heatedly
rejects the
miraculous
demonstrations
of the
Spirit. One
man lay face
down,
laughing
non-stop,
for two
hours. He
was drunk.
Today, these
men are
“full
gospel”
believers,
excitedly
witnessing
the power of
God. But
they are not
alone;
medical
doctors,
college
professors,
athletes,
attorneys,
other
professionals,
have
identically
been felled
under the
presence of
God. At the
same time, I
have
cautioned
thousands,
“Outward
signs happen
but they are
not what we
are trying
to achieve.
We are
seeking the
empowering
of the Holy
Spirit.”
So it was at
Cane Ridge.
People found
themselves
howling,
bodies
retching on
the ground,
women and
children
shrieking,
as God
violently
ejected
demons and
smashed
religious
strongholds.
Almost
overnight,
the Holy
Spirit
sovereignly
re-built the
moral
structure of
Kentucky and
sent the
American
Church
spiraling
into new
growth.
Within two
and one-half
years,
Kentucky
Baptists
increased by
10,000 new
members.
Methodists
added over
6,000.
Presbyterian
records are
not
available,
but the
Synod
reported
“thousands.”
After
visiting the
scene, the
President of
Washington
College in
Virginia
said, “I
found
Kentucky the
most moral
place I had
ever been
in.” This
was a
radical
change from
its previous
condition of
violence and
depravity.
With the
influx of
instantaneous
conversions,
churches
suddenly
found
themselves
in a new
role of
ministry.
Methodists
and Baptists
quickly
adapted to
the
challenge by
using newly
converted
circuit-rider
and
farmer-preachers;
Presbyterians,
with their
unyielding
demand for
classical
education,
would not.
By the time
new
Presbyterian
pastors
returned
from
Seminary,
the revival
was over. In
an attempt
to correct
that
problem, the
Cumberland
Presbyterian
movement was
born.
What the
Presbyterian
Assembly
first had
difficulty
accepting at
Cane Ridge
was
the“falling
exercise” or
what they
termed,
“slain in
the Spirit.”
This was
first
reported in
the Gasper
River
meeting in
1800, but
the number
“struck
down”
reached its
height at
Cane Ridge.
One reporter
explained:
“Some feel
the
approaching
symptoms by
being under
deep
convictions
... It comes
upon others
like an
electric
shock ...
They will
continue in
that
(fallen)
state from
one hour to
24 ... often
continuing
in that
state many
days.” The
Presbyterian
Assembly,
after
evaluating
the
startling
nature of
the revival,
finally
placed its
official
sanction on
the event by
saying, “On
the borders
of Kentucky
and
Tennessee,
the
influence of
the Spirit
of God seems
to have
manifested
in a very
extraordinary
manner.” The
following
year, the
Assembly
further
declared,
“Doubtful as
the nature
of the
revival
there first
appeared ...
the Assembly
do
exceedingly
rejoice ...
that its
author is
God and its
effects
highly
desirable.”
One of the
Presbyterian
documentaries
detailed how
the fallen
were
“collected
together and
laid out in
order ...
which like
so many dead
corpses,
covered a
considerable
part of the
floor. At
Mr.
Alexander
Camble's
meeting
house a
number
became
affected ...
On Cabin
creek ...
about sixty
persons were
struck down
... Next
Sabbath, on
Flemming
creek ...
about 100
persons were
struck down
... At
Concord ...
a number
were struck
down ..
about 150 ..
At Point
Pleasant ...
250 were
struck down
... At
Indian Creek
... 800
struck ...
at Cane
Ridge ...
300 were
struck.”
In spite of
the glory
that fell on
Kentucky, a
dark cloud
soon spread
across the
land.
Old-line
religious
attitudes
returned to
the scene.
Pastors
began
disagreeing
over
theology. In
a few years,
unity was
destroyed.
Churches
divided. New
denominations
formed out
of the
wreckage.
Strangely,
some became
extreme
isolationists.
Ezra G.
Gillett,
historian,
and David
Rice,
Presbyterian
pastor, were
eye-witnesses
of good and
bad events
at Cane
Ridge. They
wrote:
“Infidelity
was laid
prostrate
but churches
were rent in
sunder. The
deadness and
the lethargy
of religion
were broken
up.” David
Rice said,
Of that
“revival of
the Spirit
and power of
Christianity
... we have
sadly
mismanaged
it; we have
dashed it
down and
broken it to
pieces.”
Even though
“infidelity
was laid
prostrate
... the
deadness and
lethargy of
religion
broken up,”
churches
were also
“rent in
sunder.”
While sin
was given a
death blow,
lives
changed,
morality
restored,
homes
rescued,
congregations
were also
dismantled.
Our question
is, Why
would this
happen? How
could a
genuine work
of God
devastate
churches?
Hear me
carefully:
It was not
God's work
that
destroyed
churches. It
was the
peoples'
stubborn
resistance
to the
Spirit that
brought
destruction.
“Religion”
took command
over
spirituality.
Correspondingly,
I have been
in meetings
that God
powerfully
impacted--lives
were
rescued, men
and women
delivered
from
life-long
bondage,
people
dramatically
changed--only
to have the
pastor
fired, the
church
divide, and
the devil
triumph.
Why did it
happen?! How
can good
people do
bad things?
Religion
always has
difficulty
accepting
change in
its' ranks.
Once
tradition is
established,
it usurps
total,
absolute,
authority
over
Scripture,
the Spirit’s
guidance,
and good
judgement.
Historically,
this has
been true;
altering
denominational
patterns
becomes a
Heaven-Hell
struggle.
And at Cane
Ridge, the
Holy Spirit
altered
everything.
He not only
demanded
change--He
demanded
radical
change.
Traditional
views were
overturned.
With no
forewarning,
the frontier
church found
itself in a
tug-of-war
between its'
stable past
and a very
uncertain
future. In
the struggle
that
followed,
many forgot
that all of
God's moves
had been
moves had
been
radical.
Dividing the
Red Sea,
bathing
Mount Sinai
in fire and
thunder,
opening the
earth to
swallow the
families of
Korah,
piling up
the waters
of the
Jordan,
crashing the
walls of
Jericho,
raising the
dead,
opening the
eyes of the
sightless
with spit
and dirt,
blinding
Saul of
Tarsus,
paralyzing
the mouth of
Zacharias,
killing King
Herod,
causing
disciples at
Pentecost to
resemble
drunks,
dropping
Ananias and
Sapphira
lifeless
before the
church,
wrapping
Elymas, in
darkness had
been
radical.
Very
radical. The
modern
church is
happy to
read about
it but very
unhappy to
experience
it. So?, who
is the
authority,
God or the
Church?
The fact
that not
every one
who came to
Cane Ridge
got saved,
added to the
chaos.
Cursing,
gambling,
fights,
occurred
within
ear-shot of
the
preaching.
Some had no
interest in
the Lord and
were
attracted
only because
of the
excitement
of the
crowd. In
Satan’s
desperate
attempt to
stop the
hand of God,
he found
believers
and
unbelievers
who would
cooperate
with him.
Some sincere
worshipers
were unable
to cope with
the
non-religious
atmosphere
that
ultimately
forced its
presence
onto the
revival.
Some became
determined
to regain
control, to
end the
strangeness,
and restore
the old
order. When
they
succeeded in
that effort,
unity was
destroyed,
new
denominations
were born,
and the
revival,
locally, was
ended.
In time,
Cane Ridge,
became
history and
the old log
Meeting
House left
empty and
alone. But
events here
left a
permanent
mark on the
American
Church:
First,
evangelical
fire swept
North
America.
Secondly,
Cane Ridge
forced
succeeding
generations
to study a
painful
question:
Why have
great moves
of God been
torn apart
by Christian
hands? To
answer that,
we turn to
the message
of Jesus. He
said to the
Pharisees,
“You shut up
the Kingdom
of Heaven
against men:
For you
neither go
in
yourselves,
neither
suffer those
who are
entering to
go in.”
Matthew
23:13.
Again, Jesus
said to
them, “You
reject the
commandment
of God, that
you may keep
your own
tradition.”
Mark 7:9.
God save our
generation
from
repeating
that tragic
mistake! We
should pray,
“Jesus,
invade every
Church in
America with
Your ‘signs
and wonders,
challenge us
by your
power, and
make every
congregation
another
‘Cane
Ridge.’”
Years
following
the Kentucky
out-pouring
there were
numerous
“after
shocks” of
revival
across the
country. In
1827, Adel
Sherwood, a
New England
evangelist,
who had been
anointed by
the Kentucky
fire came
south,
preached to
a huge
gathering in
the woods at
the Towalaga
Baptist
Association
at Eatonton,
Georgia, and
the power of
God struck
like
lightening.
One witness
said the
place
“looked like
the
aftermath of
a battle.”
Bodies were
scattered
through the
forest. The
Spirit’s
sudden
baptism of
power shook
the state
for a full
decade with
thousands of
Baptist
conversions–and
at a time
when many
Creek
Indians
still
occupied
territory
west of
Georgia’s
Flint River,
and
Cherokees
occupied the
mountains.
Church
historians
who are
honest in
their
reporting
are
compelled to
admit that
all of these
revivals
were
accompanied
by the same
manifestations
of the Holy
Spirit. And
going
farther back
in time,
such power
was not new
to Colonial
America or
the Kentucky
frontier: In
the 1600's,
Pastor James
Glindening,
a British
Puritan, and
numerous
others of
his era, had
the deacons
lay the
slain under
the trees
until they
recovered.
Finally:
The
Prophetic
Part
Much as I
would like,
I cannot
dwell wholly
on America’s
past. While
I rejoice in
the hand of
God in our
national
history, I
am also
aware of
America’s
painful
future. Much
of what I
now say is
grievous for
me to write
and will be
more so for
you to read:
I believe
the Bible’s
forecast of
end-times
events is
upon us.
First, the
good:
1. America
is destined
for
wild-fire
revival as
we have
never before
known it. By
far, the
future
revival will
exceed
everything
Colonial
America,
Cane Ridge,
and other
revivals
experienced.
In effect,
those will
be mere
tokens of
the Revival
yet to come.
The
end-times
work of the
Holy Spirit
will be
totally
beyond the
range of our
understanding.
We have no
frame of
reference
with which
to compare
it. In size,
numbers, and
power, it
will vastly
exceed
first-century
Christianity.
John 14:12
2. I can
compare the
release of
Kingdom
Power in the
future
revival only
to a
violent,
electrical
thunder
storm. It
will
commence–and
continue--like
lightening
exploding
over a
forest of
trees.
Spiritual
flame will
be
everywhere.
Authentic
gospel will
replace our
current
religious
chaff.
Ordinary
believers
will find
themselves
as conduits
of
incredible,
unstoppable,
holy power.
Where James
Finley saw
500 swept
down at Cane
Ridge,
future
preachers
will see
5,000. Where
Edwards saw
a
congregation
with “their
senses
locked up”
seeing
“visions of
glorious and
delightful
objects” for
24 hours,
future
preachers
will witness
whole cities
under such
power.
Miracles,
signs,
wonders,
healings, as
in the Book
of Acts,
will be
back.
Children and
young people
will be
used. Church
buildings
will be
inadequate
and
unnecessary.
Old-time
Christian
“performance”
will be
impossible.
Professional
preachers
will find
themselves
unneeded–and
unwanted.
Millions of
Holy
Spirit-empowered
believers
will move
like tsunami
waves into
Mosques,
Synagogues,
Universities,
Airports,
Department
Stores, and
all public
places. But
know this:
Opposition
will be
incredibly,
unimaginably,
inconceivably,
fierce. Hell
will fight
with its
worst fury.
Demons will
visibly
manifest in
public
places.
3. How will
this happen?
I hate to
tell you but
preceding
the Revival,
Islam will
rise
worldwide
with the
bloody sword
of
anti-Christ
in its hand.
In my
opinion we
are in the
twilight
hours before
that sword
falls. For
America and
western
civilizations,
the attack
on New
York’s Twin
Towers will
prove to be
only the
opening
paragraph in
terrorism’s
big book.
Violence,
riots,
chaos,
street-fighting,
bloodshed,
are facing
society and
the church.
Suicide-bombings
will destroy
countless
congregations
and church
property.
Cathedrals
and historic
buildings in
America and
Europe are
doomed.
Westminster
Abbey,
Canterbury
Cathedral,
other
historic
Christian
buildings
will be
bombed.
Governments
will be
unable to
protect
them. As in
Fez,
Morocco, in
the 8th
century when
Moslems
dipped their
hats in the
blood of
slaughtered
Christians
and paraded
in the
streets, so
it will be
again.
In a recent
survey, 40%
of England’s
3,000,000+
resident
Muslims
approved
suicide
bombing. Do
the math!
Safety as we
now know it
will end.
Men will be
driven to
God by sheer
desperation.
In a word,
it will be
open warfare
between
demons,
darkness,
and the
Kingdom of
God; Jesus
said, “Men's
hearts
failing them
from fear
and the
expectation
of those
things which
are coming
on the
earth.” Luke
21:26.
4. But will
not the
Church be
raptured
away from
the earth
before these
things
happen?!
First of
all, there
can be no
Revival
without the
Church. My
advice is,
“Pray that
we be spared
even the
least”, at
the same
time “be
prepared for
the absolute
worst.” Best
of all,
“When these
things begin
to happen,
look up and
lift up your
heads,
because your
redemption
draws near."
Luke
21:28-29.
5. Finally,
in Heaven we
will rejoice
that “Our
light
affliction
which was
but for a
moment
worked for
us a far
more
exceeding
and eternal
weight of
Glory!”
Hallelujah!
The
Incredible
Power Of
Hatred
Politicians
may try to
disguise
Islam’s
history of
bloodshed
and murder
but the
truth is
written
across every
page of
history.
Islam’s
“gospel” is
one of
violence and
death. Not
only so, but
Heaven is
gained by
killing
non-Muslims.
In a recent
survey of
British
Muslims
(many of
them born in
England)
nearly 40%
said suicide
bombings
were
acceptable
if directed
against
Jews. A
lessor
percent
endorsed
suicide
bombings
against
non-Jews.
But this
acceptance
of violence
is not new.
The history
of Islam is
a virtual
river of
bloody
massacre and
unspeakable
violence. It
has gained
its position
as a
world-religion
not by
conversion
but by
killing. At
its dark
core, Islam
knows no
forgiveness,
no mercy, no
pardon.
Recently in
Afghanistan
an eight
year old
boy, driven
by hunger,
stole a
piece of
bread and
was punished
by having
his arm
crushed
under an
automobile
wheel. The
child was
forced to
lie in front
of the car
while it
drove over
his arm and
destroyed
it. This was
done in a
public-style
execution
with
loud-speakers
and a gang
of
on-lookers
approving
the child’s
mutilation.
No one came
to his
rescue. Not
even his
parents. No
one threw
themselves
over him
pleading for
mercy. Why?
Allah and
Islam know
no mercy.
