I’m sorry this column is a day overdue. The reason is that I have been at the World Prayer Centre annual Prayer conference at Swanwick (see link) There is nothing quite like a prayer conference for lifting the spirit and making ground in the Kingdom!
One strand that came out of the conference was very relevant to the blogs of the last two weeks, namely the very dark background that we frequently find to revivals. So this column is just a comment on that strand.
Eddie Lyle (Open Doors) led us at one point in a very informative, passionate and sobering time of intercession for the persecuted church. Much of the focus was on the Middle Eastern countries and the appalling oppression, hatred and violence that so many Christians faced because of their faith. We were left in no doubt of the cost of their discipleship, nor of our responsibility to them. At the same time he noted some of the extraordinary supernatural manifestations of the presence of Jesus to many Muslims in that region, leading them to faith. Later on a mission leader on a direct link from the U.S. gave a startling and fuller review of those manifestations across the Middle East. They are astonishingly akin to the revelations that we find in Acts. There are dreams of Jesus; there are manifestations of Jesus in terms of light; there are angelic manifestations; there are direct instructions given to people to go to particular places at a particular time (cp. Ananias to Paul) and there are spiritual visions. They are widespread. The consequence of this kind of activity is powerful and deep conversion. We are witnessing revival in New Testament terms, apostolic revival in the most closed and difficult and least evangelized areas of the world.
Putting these two parts of the strand together we get to a place of heart rending intercession yet profound praise.
The fact is that in some of the most appalling situations in the world of the 21st century God is at work in the deepest manner possible. We have a century of huge blessing ahead, whatever else may take place.
Bob
One strand that came out of the conference was very relevant to the blogs of the last two weeks, namely the very dark background that we frequently find to revivals. So this column is just a comment on that strand.
Eddie Lyle (Open Doors) led us at one point in a very informative, passionate and sobering time of intercession for the persecuted church. Much of the focus was on the Middle Eastern countries and the appalling oppression, hatred and violence that so many Christians faced because of their faith. We were left in no doubt of the cost of their discipleship, nor of our responsibility to them. At the same time he noted some of the extraordinary supernatural manifestations of the presence of Jesus to many Muslims in that region, leading them to faith. Later on a mission leader on a direct link from the U.S. gave a startling and fuller review of those manifestations across the Middle East. They are astonishingly akin to the revelations that we find in Acts. There are dreams of Jesus; there are manifestations of Jesus in terms of light; there are angelic manifestations; there are direct instructions given to people to go to particular places at a particular time (cp. Ananias to Paul) and there are spiritual visions. They are widespread. The consequence of this kind of activity is powerful and deep conversion. We are witnessing revival in New Testament terms, apostolic revival in the most closed and difficult and least evangelized areas of the world.
Putting these two parts of the strand together we get to a place of heart rending intercession yet profound praise.
The fact is that in some of the most appalling situations in the world of the 21st century God is at work in the deepest manner possible. We have a century of huge blessing ahead, whatever else may take place.
Bob
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