I’d like to take a moment and share with you an experience (or two, actually) that I had recently. It’s been said that when you hear the same message two or three times, you should pay attention because God’s trying to tell you something. I have taken that to heart here.
The other day I was watching a devotional video by Dutch Sheets. You can watch the full video here but the following account really spoke to me:
Dutch relayed a dream someone had shared with him. In the dream there were several prayer warriors (intercessors) laying in ambulances dying. The attendants working on them – hoping to revive them were angels.
The patients’ hearts had stopped. This was in reference to the fact that their hope was dying. They had succumbed to the idea their efforts were done in vain and no longer believed them to be effective.
Eventually, one of the attendants called out that he finally got a heartbeat. The others quickly asked what he did to revive the patient. He responded, “Tell the old stories of what God has done in the past.”
When we know what God has done, then we know what He can do!
Dutch went on to talk about connecting to the stories of the past (Biblical ones as well as victories of great spiritual leaders and revivalists). He said, “When we do this, He (God) can then continue through our generation what He began in previous generations.”
Our time is not its own separate story but, rather, a continuing part of the story God has already begun.
The next day my husband shared a video with me that someone had forwarded to him. In it, the speaker mentioned going back and studying the great revivalists (like Finney, Whitfield, and Edwards). This was the second time in two days I had heard the importance of studying our past as well as these great spiritual leaders. The message was not lost on me.
wHAT tHIS mEANS
You see, when we forget about our past, when we forget all the great things God has done, we lose our hope. When we look around us, especially right now, we pretty much see chaos everywhere. There’s social unrest, political unrest, economic unrest, and most importantly spiritual unrest. It can all seem very daunting. It can begin to seem like there’s no point in praying for change.
But God has been in many dark times. He has brought revival in the most unlikely places and through some very unlikely people. We must remember this truth so we can have hope for the future. All is not lost. God still reigns supreme.
In fact, God is creating a most opportune time right now. Yes, the world seems to be in chaos, but the good news is that – “THE GOOD NEWS” is needed more than ever. People are longing for hope and looking for it in a lot of wrong places. It’s our job to redirect the “search algorithms” so they find it.
I know it may sound strange to hear but this is a great time to be a Christian. We are not defeated. We have been blessed with the privilege of reaching out to thousands of people longing for a hope they do not have. This world is ripe for the picking. Rediscovering how God changed hearts in the past will guide us into changing hearts in the future.
Yes, it can be done. When the fire of God is lit, it spreads, and NOTHING has the power to put it out!
Thanks for stopping by!
Armor up! Spread Truth! Pray big!
Love conquers all!
Really good message. It has been been an eye opener for you Dad. Thank you for bringing this to others.