The Coming Awakening

We stand at the threshold of another Great Awakening. It’s coming though many will not recognize it, at least not in its infancy. Some revival prophecies are nothing more than a desire for exciting worship services and a renewed hope for church growth. This awakening, however, will be the purest outpouring upon the earth since the days of the twelve apostles.

Signs of the revival will include the ministry of spiritual gifts, miracles, and millions of people laying down all to follow Jesus Christ. New converts will not only “profess Christ,” they will follow Him wholeheartedly.

The most outstanding mark of the awakening will be the courage of these new believers. In Acts chapter two, 120 disciples reappeared from the Upper Room prayer meeting as fearless followers of Christ. To follow Him, they expected to take up their cross and risk their lives for the sake of God’s kingdom. There’s a new generation of disciples arising that’s just as fearless, believers who risk everything, even their own lives for the sake of the gospel. Traits of the early church will resurface as young and old recognize in Jesus Christ, something and Someone worth dying for.

As in the days of Jesus, miracles will be so numerous that it will be impossible to count them all. Miracles will no longer occur merely in crusades or church buildings with a renowned evangelist at the forefront. Most miracles will take place on streets, in neighborhoods and businesses, and at home meetings led by unknown men and women, boys and girls. Christian groups will spring up in schools. From the school administration’s perspective, they’re student-led, special interest groups. From heaven’s perspective, they’re small churches led by student pastors. Some of the most effective preachers will be children and teenagers. God will display His glory through unknown believers, “little people” of no reputation or credentials.

The atmosphere of God’s Presence will cull preachers motivated to make a name for themselves. This mindset, carried over from past revival eras that billed the evangelist as the star of the show, will cease to work. Many pastors and evangelists, however, will repent of selfish ambition, and in humility, join others to spur on the current move of the Spirit.

Mature saints will equip the young, and the younger ones will honor their spiritual fathers and mothers. A surge of ministers will emerge from the business community, schools and universities. Still, others will be senior saints who come out of retirement to reap the harvest and disciple believers. These willing servants will obey the Spirit’s prompting to traverse their communities, cities, and nations to take the gospel to whoever and wherever the Holy Spirit leads them. Young and old, will lead prayer meetings and fellowship groups as small clusters of believers arise in homes and places of business.

The church will no longer measure effectiveness by numbers and crowds, though the number of new believers will swell astronomically. Instead, fruitfulness, faithfulness and the Presence of God will be the bar for success. The church will honor those who “overcome by the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony and do not love their lives even unto death” (Rev. 12:11).

A refreshing mark in this awakening will be how God’s true servants stand in the shadows so that Christ gets all the attention and glory. They’ve learned how it weakens the church when there’s a clamor for notoriety. So as not to hinder or grieve the Holy Spirit, leaders in the awakening are careful to fulfill their leadership roles with little or no recognition. Because humility will be a major virtue of the awakening, people will not see, and often not know the church’s most honored and revered leaders. God’s people will lift Jesus Christ up as the Lord and soon, coming King.