Times Of Refreshing
"Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, "and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, "whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
"For Moses truly said to the fathers, 'The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 'And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.' Acts 3:19-23
What people need more than anything else in life besides repentance is a good outpouring of the Holy Spirit or times of refreshing that come from the presence of the Lord. In such an outpouring God in a few seconds can do what years of perspirations cannot do including saving loved ones, healing sick bodies, delivering captives and blessing His people financially! Jesus taught that the sick needed a physician and similarly it’s the hungry ones who need to be fed. God’s word is still unchanging:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Matthew 5:3-8
Yes the meek shall inherit the earth and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be filled in a good outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Yes, what God’s people need more than anything is a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon them and their land. Then real changes comes to all just like it did in the Welsh revival:
The Welsh revival was a mighty invasion of the Spirit; God's Kingdom radically manifested on earth. "The earnings of workmen, instead of being squandered on drink and vice, were now bringing great joy to their families. Outstanding debts were being paid by thousands of young converts. Restitution was the order of the day. The gambling and alcohol business lost their trade and the theaters closed down from lack of patronage. Football during this time was forgotten by both players and fans, though nothing was mentioned from the pulpits about it. The people had new lives and new interests. Political meetings were cancelled or abandoned. They seemed completely out of the question since nobody was interested. The political leaders from parliament in London abandoned themselves to the revival. Walls between denominations completely collapsed as believers and pastors worshipped their majestic Lord together." One of the outstanding features of the revival was the confession of sin, not among the unsaved only, but among the saved. All were broken down and melted before the cross of Christ.
Throughout the revival, Evan Roberts constantly stressed the necessity of dealing honestly with sin, complete obedience to the Holy Spirit, and the preeminence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Evan Roberts was instrumental in bringing healing to an entire country because he cared and wept and prayed. He embraced the broken heart of God and offered it back up to Him through prayer and intercession. As a result "wherever he went, hearts were set aflame with the Love of God!" [i]
There was nothing previously organized: it was the mere manifestation of the Holy Spirit. It seemed as though he himself had come over Wales and had taken control of that country. The services lasted four or five hours. The Presence of God was majestic and the prayer groups were full as well as the churches. What was extraordinary was that the bars closed because there were no customers, who in repentance of their sins, no longer attended. Jails were empty, because there were no delinquents during those two or three years that the revival lasted. The football stadiums were empty because the players were preaching about Jesus in one neighborhood or another. Some called this revival the greatest of all Pentecostalism. The artists and famous musicians were among the people, singing hymns. Simply speaking, heavens were open for that nation and practically the rivers of the Throne of God were flowing upon the people of Wales.
The bars were not the only places to be emptied. Dance halls, theaters, and football matches all saw a dramatic decline in attendance. The courts and jails were deserted and the police found themselves without any work to do. The story is told of policemen who closed their station and formed a choir to sing at the Revival meetings. Long-standing debts were repaid, church and family feuds were healed and a new unity of purpose was felt across the denominational divides.
Perhaps the most dramatic change that took place was that worked in the hearts of the miners. Coal mining is far from the romantic occupation it is often portrayed as. These men did back-breaking toil in cramped conditions with the constant threat of roof-collapse and explosive gases. Yet when the Holy Spirit touched them, He transformed their lives to such a degree that the pit-ponies could no longer understand instructions given to them, so accustomed had they become to receiving blows and being sworn at! The men worked with a renewed vigor that set production figures souring. When work was done they would hurry home for a quick meal and a bath and then be off to the chapel until the early hours of the morning, singing hymns as they went!
There was a new excitement about eternal things. Family devotions and public prayer meetings were started and continued regularly for years. The sales of Bibles increased to such a degree that the shops sold their entire stocks. Everywhere there was a new spirit of prayer and an urgency to preach the Gospel. The effects of the Revival were not confined to the Principality. Reports of the events in Wales were distributed internationally in newspaper and magazine reports and the Holy Spirit repeated what He had done in Wales from America to Australia.
While short-lived the Welsh revival was of great power and widespread effect - over 100,000 saved in two years. The revival was hallmarked by spontaneous singing guided by the Holy Spirit, with no choir, no conductor and no organ.
Yes, it takes a miracle and the power of God to change the negative things in our lives and circumstances. But the God that we serve is a miracle working God with whom all things are possible. Nothing is too hard or too difficult for our Lord to do. He still stills the storms of life and calms the troubled seas. He still heals and delivers. He makes the blind to see and the lame to walk and gives victories to His trusting ones. He still rewards the righteous and avenges them of their enemies! He still pours out His Spirit upon the land and brings about great changes. Yes, those who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. God’s word is unchanging:
'Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,' says the LORD; 'and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,' says the LORD, 'and work; for I am with you,' says the LORD of hosts. 'According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!' "For thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; 'and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,' says the LORD of hosts. 'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says the LORD of hosts. 'The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,' says the LORD of hosts. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says the LORD of hosts." Haggai 2:4-9
So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts. 'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" ' " Zechariah 4:6-7
Yes, by God’s Spirit mountains become nonexistent things! Yes, by God’s Spirit the impossible becomes possible! Yes, by God’s Spirit poverty becomes prosperity, defeat becomes victory, sickness becomes health, in justice becomes justice, lack becomes abundance, loss become restoration and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field. God’s word is true:
People shall mourn upon their breasts For the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine. On the land of my people will come up thorns and briers, Yes, on all the happy homes in the joyous city; Because the palaces will be forsaken, The bustling city will be deserted. The forts and towers will become lairs forever, A joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks- Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is counted as a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness remain in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places, Though hail comes down on the forest, And the city is brought low in humiliation. Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, Who send out freely the feet of the ox and the donkey. Isaiah 32:12-20
[i] PRAYER MAKES HISTORY, David Smithers
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