It’s already been a week since I preached at the Revive us Again Conference. What a powerful time in God’s presence, praying, fellowshipping and receiving ministry.
In addition to local ministry from myself, Donna MacNeil, Peter Anderson and Tom Lennie, our key note speaker was Dr RT Kendall.
RT’s ministry was thought provoking and challenging as he called us to not settle for Ishmael but to wait for Issac.
My own message was: the Lion is rising.
Let me share a snippet of that message with you.
The Lion is Rising
John the Baptist marked a season of spiritual transition.
God’s people had been living through several hundred years of spiritual decline – and suddenly John emerges with a fresh Word of the Lord and people begin to flock to the waters of baptism.
I believe we in Scotland and the UK, are also in a time of spiritual transition.
CS Lewis, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: “Aslan is on the move- perhaps has already landed." C.S. Lewis
The Wind of the Spirit is blowing. The Lion is rising.
Justin Brierley wrote an article, for the Spectator, that was published on 30 March 2024, with the title: A Christian revival is under way in Britain
He writes:
“They say God moves in mysterious ways. As a believing Christian, I see signs that he is moving in the minds and hearts of secular intellectuals. Many of them are recognising that secular humanism has failed and, against all their expectations, seem to be on the verge of embracing faith instead.
Some have actually become Christians. The author and poet Paul Kingsnorth surprised his readership when he announced his conversion in 2021. Russell Brand is now calling himself a Christian and says he plans to get baptised. Ayaan Hirsi Ali says she has embraced Christianity after realising she was ‘spiritually bankrupt’. The tech pioneer Jordan Hall recently went public about his conversion to Christianity.”
A report from Peter Anderson on 28th March paints a similar picture for Scotland, His update was titled:
GOD IS ON THE MOVE IN SCOTLAND
What followed was amazing!
• Churches are growing
• Churches are being planted
• People are making commitments to follow Jesus
• LOTS of people are being baptised
• Prodigals are coming home
The list of conversions and baptisms just went on and on and on.
4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
And of course, it is important to remember, that the large crowds gathering for baptism wasn’t really revival, it was just the birth pangs.
The greater was still to come.
The ministry of the messiah had not yet even begun.
. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
It’s as if John is saying,
‘You aint seen nothing yet.’
“If you think this harvest is impressive, wait to you see what happens when Son of God takes centre stage.
And when Jesus steps on the scene, it levels up big time. Healings. Miracles. Crowds. Death followed by resurrection!
But even that wasn’t the finale.
Technically even that wasn’t revival. There was MORE!
In other words, the purpose of Jesus’ ministry was Pentecost!
And Pentecost was the incoming of God!
Pentecost was the empowering of the church for mission.
Pentecost transforms those seeking the Fire into those who spread the fire.
At best the ministry of John the Baptist could be described as Pre-Revival Days.
At best what is happening in Scotland, in Britain, and in other places is the beginning of pre-revival days.
Those of a certain age will remember Scottish Song writer, Iain White’s song by the same name:
We're reaching out to You again
We're in the upper room again
We feel the Spirit's wave
We're in pre-revival days
We're kneeling on the floor again
We're crying out for more again
We're seeking for Your face
We're in pre-revival days
The wind is blowing. The Lion is Rising.
Comments