REVIVAL: Windom’s Hope is Jesus, August 26th and 27th at BARC

Listen to the Ministry Radio Program on KDOM 1580 AM & 94.3FM Every Sunday Morning at 7:45 HERE

I want to thank Cindy Mansfield of TBN Albuquerque for inviting me to appear on this program! What a blessing to share what Jesus has done and is doing in my life! I am now preparing to return to my hometown of Windom, Minnesota for REVIVAL! Please now watch TBN! I was able to share about my growing up in Windom and how God has moved me now to return. I was interviewed by a tremendous man of God,  Pastor Michael Bryant. I also got to meet Pastor Aaron D. Thomas that day! WOW! Powerful man of God! Amen!  I wore that brace, pictured above, for over a year and was told that I probably would not walk or run like the other kids, also me and Sharon are pictured, my angel! Thank you LORD! FGGAM will be 4 years young in August!………watch now! Please! God Bless you and yours!

Picture is of the historic Cottonwood County Courthouse in Windom, Minnesota, my hometown.

We are so blessed beyond measure of all the prayers for the Windom Revival. This morning we want to share with you the prayer that Pastor Richard Mansfield of Albuquerque is praying for us. Pastor Richard is known as one of the strongest leaders for God in New Mexico. We are so very grateful for his love. Pastor Richard is a Pastors, Pastor. Amen!

Pastor Dewey, thank you once again for allowing me to participate in your upcoming outreach event. May God use you greatly! Heavenly Father, we are so grateful for Your love, mercy and grace. You love us so much that You gave us Your only begotten Son so that no one should perish but instead have eternal life by putting our faith in Him. Thank You for entrusting us with the ministry of reconciliation. As Pastor Dewey prepares to go back to his home town, we ask that You prepare the way for the ministry that You’ve called him to do in Windom, Minnesota.  Holy Spirit begin working on the hearts of the people that will be attending the revival meetings that will take place at the BARC on August 26-27th. Bring the hurting, broken and lost so that might find the healing and restoring power of Jesus Christ. We’re believing You for salvations, healings, re-dedications and calling to ministry. Place Your anointing power upon Pastor Dewey, Pastor Richard Gordon, Pastor Elness, Coach Boelter, Paul Dokken and others that will be sharing the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Anoint Pat Fisher, Sharri Johnson and the Windom Cordhustlers as the minister through music. Let there be a hunger and thirst for righteousness as they preach the truth. Holy Spirit draw in individuals, families, couples both young and old that they might receive the message that You have prepared for them to hear for such a time as this. We want to thank you in advance Lord for all that you will do at the Windom Revival in Jesus name, Amen!

Pastor Richard Mansfield of New Beginnings Church in Albuquerque, NM

Updated: 8/1/16:

Pictured is Dewey and his Dad Wally, who served for many years on the Windom Fire Dept.

Windom Revival Update From Dave Fjeld of the Cottonwood County Citizen in Windom Minnesota

It’s not every day that Windom hosts a revival, but that’s what’s happening Aug. 26 and 27 at the BARC Auditorium in Windom. (BARC pictured above, formerly the Windom High School and Auditorium, Dewey used worked as a custodian there in the late 60’s early 70’s, His Dad, Wally, also served as a custodian at the school in the 50’s and 60’s before becoming the Supt. of Transportation)
That’s when “The Windom Revival: The Hope of Windom is Jesus” comes to town.
Again, Windom native Dewey Moede is leading the revival and is bringing in native sons, Pastor Bob Elness, Minnesota High School Hall of Fame coach Franz Boelter, and Paul Dokken, who now lives in Sioux Falls, to speak to what they hope will be a packed auditorium.
Moede was told by Windom resident Clara Nelson that the last time Windom hosted a revival of this magnitude was in 1972 when Lowell Lundstrom’s team came to Windom. Nelson told Moede that she still has the pamphlets and other items from that revival. Nelson, you may recall, is part of a group of women who are praying regularly for the revival.
Moede said last week that he is expecting to arrive in Windom a day or two prior to the start of the revival. He and Pastor Ricky Gordon are teaming up to drive all the way to Windom from their homes in Albuquerque, N.M.
“We have a trunkload of Bibles and other materials that we want to give away during the revival,” Moede says. “We want to give.”
Moede is excited to see what the Lord is going to do through this revival and admits that he is excited to be speaking about Jesus in his hometown.
“I am still in disbelief that I’m going to my hometown to speak about Jesus and how much I love my hometown,” Moede says. “But I’m not coming there for myself, I’m coming there to share my love for Jesus and my love for this community where my life started.
“It’s my way of saying thank you to Windom as much as I can.”
However, Moede won’t be the only one speaking. Elness, Boelter and Dokken also will be sharing, in one form or another, on both nights, Moede says.
Although the final details are still being worked out, Moede shared some plans for the opening night of the revival at which time longtime Windom coach and booster Jack Kelly will be honored. There will be a couple of special presentations and then all four men will share how Kelly impacted their lives.
In addition, First Responders, including ambulance, fire and police personnel, will be recognized.
Moede will bring the message that night which will focus on his love for Jesus and the place where that love was founded – Windom.
Moede admits he has no idea what to expect when leading a revival.
“I’m just praying that we have more than 25 people at this revival,” he says.
“From now until I come to Windom, I am focused on prayer.”
Moede says he will spend these next three weeks finalizing the details, structure and speaking order for both nights of the revival.
Watch for a revival preview on the Faith & Family page in the Aug. 24 issue of the Citizen.
Beauty on Highway 62
The revival is expected to be a “beautiful” couple of nights of celebrating Jesus.
But that’s not the only beauty in Windom right now.
If you’re out for a leisurely drive around the community on one of these late summer evenings or, perhaps, a Sunday afternoon, you’ll want to take a drive up Highway 62 east of Windom. Indeed, make sure you drive by the neighboring residences of Dick and Linda Vortherms and Dr. Harold and Marge Basinger.
You will enjoy the beauty those couples have produced in their yards with flowers boasting every color of the rainbow.
Here’s a hats off to the Basingers and Vortherms for treating us to some floral beauty!
Strong year for Pirates
Here’s a shout out to the Windom Pirates!
The last couple of years, the Pirates have been teetering on success, but always came up a bad inning short or were unable to hold onto a lead late in the game.
While that happened from time to time this year, the Pirates matured in 2016 and earned their way into the Region 13C playoffs. This is still a young bunch of players, but they definitely clicked on all cylinders during the second half of the year.
If they can keep this group together for one more year, I think you’re going to see great things from Windom’s town team ball club next year.

Pastor Dewey Note: We thank the Citizen and Dave Fjeld for all their support! The folks at the Citizen are amazing!!!!

I also want to thank Rod Byam of Windom who represents FGGAM. Rod’s support has been awesome heading up our efforts for God in the Windom area.

Rod is also supported by a committee of folks who are making things happen in preparation for the Revival! We cannot thank you all enough for your efforts and prayers! Amen!

I just got another call from a person in Windom, who called to voice her support and prayers for the Revival! PTL!

All for God’s Glory Alone! Amen!

We covet your prayers for the Revival, a powerful movement of the Holy Spirit, Revival begins with prayer, AMEN!

Update 6/9/16:

Pastor Dewey Moede Note: I asked Pastor Jerry to write a post on Revival as FGGAM prepares to go to Windom, Minnesota for Revival on August 26th and 27th of this year. Please keep us in your prayers……….

 Christian revival is an increase in spiritualinterest or a renewal in the life of a church, with a local, national or global effect.  We need to understand that this revival referred to, is not necessarily the same as the series of preaching events using the same name.   There are some individuals who are “revived” at the revival meetings, but not often the whole of the church.  This may be because a major thrust in revival meetings is usually seen to be evangelism; seeking to bring the lost to salvation.   However, I have seen that unless the church is revived, changed in all things worldly within, those the church wins to Christ in revival meetings, will soon become as they are now!

Revival of the church/churches, the restoration of the church itself to a vital and fervent relationship with God after a period of moral decline, is what I am addressing in this writing.

Biblical accounts of national moral decline and restoration during the history of the Israelites, illustrates revival.  In particular, narrative accounts of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah emphasize periods of both national decline and revival associated with the rule of various righteous and/or wicked kings.

In the American colonies, the First Great Awakening was a wave of religious enthusiasm, among Protestants, that swept the colonies in the 1730s and 1740s, leaving a permanent impact and model on American churches.   It resulted from powerful preaching that deeply affected listeners, who were already church members, with a deep sense of personal conviction and salvation by Christ.

Pulling away from the normal and ingrained ritual and ceremony, the First Great Awakening made religion to become intensely personal to the average person by creating a deep sense of spiritual lack and redemption.   Unlike the Second Great Awakening, that began about 1800, which reached out to those outside the church, theFirst Great Awakening focused on people who were already church members.   It changed their rituals, their piety, and their self-awareness.

The new style of powerful preaching, and the way people practiced their faith, breathed new life into Christianity in America.   People became passionately and emotionally involved in their faith, rather than passively listening to intellectual discourse in a disconnected manner.   Ministers who used this new style of preaching were generally called “New Lights”, while the preachers of old were called “Old Lights”.   People began to study their Bibles at home, which is a trend in America that has been lacking for many, many years!

Largely, the western church, the American church, is spiritually asleep and she does not yet realize it.   For the church, competition with the world in music, in entertaining the masses, and even in church growth strategies modeled after the world of business, has lead to her moral decline.   And, the moral decline of the church may be seen as directly responsible for our national moral decline.

This word revival is not evangelism, although the long-term result of a church made alive will be evangelistic. Evangelism is important!  However, revival is what God sends, not to the lost, but to His own people, the church.  In revival, God does a new quickening work in those who have life, yet who have grown lethargic and weak through sin and neglect; they have “left their first love.”

Here are a few definitions of revival, which I whole-heartedly endorse as my biblical understanding:

“Revival is that sovereign work of God in which He visits His own people, restoring and releasing them into the fullness of His blessing.” (Robert Coleman)

“Revival is an extraordinary work of the Holy Spirit producing extraordinary results.” (Richard Owen Roberts)

“Revival is a return to spiritual health after a period of decline into sin and broken fellowship with God… Revival is for God’s people when they need to be forgiven and restored to life, spiritual health, and vitality”  (Blackaby & King -Fresh Encounter, Lifeway, 1993)

“We need a work of the Holy Spirit of a supernatural kind, putting power into the preaching of the Word, inspiring all believers with heavenly energy, and solemnly affecting the hearts of the careless, so that they turn to God and live. We would not be drunk with the wine of carnal excitement, but we would be filled with the Spirit. We would behold the fire descending from heaven in answer to the effectual fervent prayers of righteous men. Can we not entreat the Lord our God to make bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the people in this day of declension and vanity?” (Spurgeon)

The pathway for revival:

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”    (2 Chronicles 7:14)

However, that is the whole point and the barrier, is it not; getting the Church, God’s people, to humble themselves, to pray, to seek God’s face, and repent, genuinely?

So, should we pray for revival?  YES! That is what the Psalmist is doing in the verses below:

“Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, And revive me in Thy ways.” (Psalm 119:37)

“Revive me according to Thy lovingkindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Thy mouth”  (Psalm 119:88)

“Great are Thy mercies, O Lord; Revive me according to Thine ordinances” (Psalm 119:156)

“Wilt Thou not Thyself revive us again, That Thy people may rejoice in Thee?”  (Psalm 85:6)

“Lord, I have heard the report about Thee and I fear. O Lord, revive Thy work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy”  (Habbakuk 3:2)

We cannot manipulate God toward a work of reviving us.   Revival is the work of God.  We pray for it from a sense of humility and repentance because we are dependent upon Him to send it.

“Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.”    (Psalms 85:6-7) “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine handagainst the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.”    (Psalms 138:7) “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”      (Isaiah 57:115) “O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.”      (Habakkuk 3:2)

Oh Beloved Church, what is preventing you from humbly seeking God for the revival of you, your church, His Church?      Oh, LORD . . .

“Revive us again; Fill each heart with Thy love; May each soul be rekindled With fire from above.

Hallelujah!  Thine the glory. Hallelujah!  Amen. Hallelujah!  Thine the glory. Revive us again.”

********************************************************************

UPDATE 6/8/16:

The response has been powerful from the Windom area! Powerful movement of the Holy Spirit! Please keep the Windom Revival in your prayers! 

We thank the Lord for people like Dave Fjeld of the Cottonwood County Citizen who are helping to get the word out about the FGGAM  Revival in Windom August 26th and 27th! Here is an update that Dave wrote in the June 1st edition of the Citizen:

My friend Rodney Byam, and lead man on the Windom Revival, “Windom’s Hope in Jesus” sent me a picture of My Dad and Mom’s grave site in Windom, Minnesota. I miss them so much, the best parents anyone could have, solid people of God. Dad served in WW II, enlisting in the Marines at age 17. Served most of WWII in China. He was on a ship that was carrying Marines to invade Japan before President Truman ordered the dropping of the bombs. Coming back home he met my Mom, Ruth Caraway, from south of Windom in Jackson County. They both were Godly, serving the people of Windom in many ways, as Bus Supt. for the schools, Fireman, Head usher and Mom as cook at the Winfair School and Dad’s right hand. I so loved celebrating Memorial Day back home, with parades and visits to the cemetery to honor those who served. My Dad also put flags on the graves of deceased Fireman. Grandpa Chris Moede was also a Windom Fireman, passing away in 1927.

I owe Windom a lot…it gave me such a solid Christian foundation. I get to pay back Windom during the “Windom’s Hope in Jesus” Revival August 26th and 27th at the Barc.

As one of the custodians at the school, now called the BARC, I was in charge of the section for about 6 years, cleaning the auditorium! Great memories and many special meanings to all of this!

Lets fill the BARC for Jesus! Unity in Him!

The Revival will feature the music of well known Christian piano player Patricia Fisher of Windom and the ever popular Christian fiddle player Shari Hardaway Johnson from West Virginia. Pat and Shari will be with us both nights leading us in worship music as we come together in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to worship Him and Praise Him!! We Give our Lord thanks for the community of Windom and what He has done for us!  All denominations are welcomed! Come as you are! If you do not know Jesus, please come, we would love top show you the love of Jesus Christ! Amen!

I will be blessed to express my love for Jesus and what He has done for me and how growing up in Windom built my Christian foundation, from the doctors telling me I may never walk and run like the rest of the kids to now at 60 still preaching and playing softball and giving the young guys a run for their money!!! LOL! LOL!

I will be preaching both nights with a message that God has given me for the Windom area.

I have talked to many of the Pastors in Windom including Pastor Gary Wiens of the First Baptist Church, Pastor Sarah Tade of the American Lutheran Church, which I grew up in!………and they express their Godly support through prayer for the Revival. We are so very thankful for this! Amen! I am in the process in talking to every Pastor in Windom by phone and Rodney Byam is helping me reach into the County and into Jackson County.

Pastor Dave Lightner, who had been the Pastor of Windom Evangelical Free Church has been a huge blessing in helping us with his counsel! Pastor Dave is still very active in the Windom Ministerial Association.

Windom natives Pastor Bob Elness, Minnesota Hall-of-Fame Coach Franz Boelter and Paul Dokken will also share their love for Jesus and the Windom Community. All three have a special love for the Windom area and a God given message top share with all!

Let us fill the BARC!!!!!!!!!!!! Both nights, start at 5pm, August 26th and 27th! Fill the BARC for JESUS! Coming together in the love of Jesus to worship Him and Praise Him and show our love for Cottonwood County, Jackson County……all of the Windom area!!!!!!!!!!

We will also honor Windom Hall-of-Fame Coach Jack Kelly, a strong man of God on Friday night. Along with all first responders, which is very special to me since both my Grandpa Moede and Dad served on the Fire Dept. in Windom for years!

Please make plans to be at the BARC both nights, let us raise the ROOF in celebration of the love Jesus has for us all!

The Holy Spirit is moving so powerfully over Cottonwood County as we approach August.

Clara Johnson from Windom called and said that, “Dewey, you must come and wake us up!”

The Holy Spirit is waking us all up!

Clara also said that her and nine other women are meeting weekly and praying for the revival! PTL! PTL!

Revival starts with prayer and the leading of the Holy Spirit! Amen! Praise Jesus!Here is an older post that will help you know my heart about Revivals…….

Yesterday there was a powerful movement of the Holy Spirit in Belen, New Mexico. Many thanks to Pastor Andrew Dominicus of Holy Ghost and Fire Ministry Fellowship Church in Belen for holding this Revival at Anne Becker Park. So many people coming together for our Lord, a powerful movement of the Holy Spirit.

Ask ten people what is a Revival, and you probably get ten different answers. In 2008 Time to Revive out of Dallas, TX, headed by Kyle Martin, held a Revival at the brand new Santa Fe, NM Convention Center, it was the first event held there!

This was a turning point in my life, now as I look back years later.

Kyle and his wonderful Ministry had a tremendous effect on New Mexico. There was a tremendous change for God during this Revival and after. I was manager at KKIM Christian radio at the time. We broadcasted live the press conference where the secular press was all upset about this REVIVAL! The Mayor backed out of the Revival, saying there was HATE being preached! There was no hate being preached, hundreds came all week long to the Revival, I had not seen anything like it in New Mexico. At the press conference I interviewed at least 8 Pastors that stood with Kyle and Time to Revive. The secular press that came armed for “war” retreated with the love and respect that was shown to them.

This revival changed the atmosphere in New Mexico…The Holy Spirit moved across New Mexico, more people got involved in government, in what was going on at the State Legislature, unGodly legislation was stopped by the people of God! It was an AWAKENING in New Mexico! Christians became more involved in our government, not for themselves, but for God and His ways.

Time to Revive helped REVIVE the people of New Mexico for God. It was a wake up call from God.

Hearts were changed for Jesus.

During the Revival, I told Kyle that God had moved me to start a radio program for him on KKIM. Kyle started and went on to be one of our most listened to programs ever!

I also met two other gentleman thorough Time to Revive that impacted my life so powerfully, John Lay, who now owns and operates Dignity Hospice in Dallas and Houston, John also serves as an adviser to FGGAM. The other person I met that really impacted my life was Mark Doering of Dallas.

I also then became a Board Member of Time to Revive, I served for about 4 years. I learned a lot about Ministry through Time to Revive, which does Revivals all over the world now. I call Kyle, a young Billy Graham I traveled with Time to Revive to Asheville, N.C. several years ago, I broadcasted live from there on KKIM. I also was part of the team that went out and reached into the community to minister to folks, to go where the people are.

So many Wiccen witches live in Asheville, right in Billy Graham’s back yard there. I was told that more Wiccen witches live in Asheville than any other place in the United States.

Hearts were changed for Jesus in Asheville.

I will never forget the sermon that John Lay preached one night in Asheville, WOW! POWERFUL!

I learned from the best on how to change the atmosphere for God. Seek God’s face, pray, fast, pray for a powerful movement of the Holy Spirit, not your movement, but a movement of the Holy Spirit, pray for lives to be changed.

To many hold “High School Pep Rallies” and they do nothing but that, a pep rally, that fizzles soon afterwards.

A Revival changes hearts for God.

We must come to a place where we, this includes Pastors and Church leaders, where we renounce our self-focused approach to life and turn the attention and control over to God. When this happens, God orients us to Himself and to the purposes He is accomplishing around us. We must have a God-centered outlook. 

When I served as Pastor Jim Montoya’s Associate Pastor in Los Lunas, NM at the Open Door Church of God, we held about a half dozen revivals, some at the Church and others at city parks.

One of the first things I did when God called me out of KIKIM radio and to form FGGAM for HIM, was to travel to Efland, N.C. to take part in Hope in Today’s Revival. Sister Karen Rowe is founder of Hope in Today,  I met Karen while I was with KKIM, she had a program on KKIM, Karen asked me to come and preach! WOW! WEE! POWERFUL MOVEMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! The atmosphere was changed in the Efland area and never has been the same! Hearts were moved so much in that community! Karen is a powerful women of God, her husband is a powerhouse for God! Blessed to have Karen as a writer here at FGGAM!

The Revival that FGGAM held in Reserve, NM in August of 2015 was powerful. It was held at the First Baptist Church and it involved the entire community! Pastors of different denominations spoke, healing’s took place, baptisims took place…….all for God, hearts were changed for our Lord Jesus Christ. Fruit is still coming forth from that Revival. You can see the fruit.

Yesterday I was blessed to Preach for Jesus at the Belen, NM Revival hosted by Pastor Andrew Dominicus of Holy Ghost and Fire Ministry Fellowship Church in Belen. There was a POWERFUL MOVEMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT over Belen yesterday! Young and old came to hear many Pastors preach the good news of Jesus Christ and there was music with a message. The atmosphere was changed for Jesus over the Belen area! Hearts were changed, just like Pastor Jim Montoya would do, Pastor Andrew was prepared to baptize people right there in the city park! PTL! for BOLD MEN! The horse trough was filled with water! Amen!

There are plans for Revivals in Quemado, NM and Grants, NM this summer. I have been asked to preach in Grants. Please pray for these Revival’s hosted by the Baptist Church.

FGGAM is planning to hold a Revival in Windom, Minnesota this August. The dates are the 26th and 27th. This Revival is very special to me. I do not have the words to express this movement of God. I have been praying for this since 2009, when I became a Pastor. I prayed over the Revival in Reserve for almost 2 years! Everything of and by God starts with prayer! Windom  is my hometown. It is where my Christian foundation was built. It is where I had many people, from School teachers, Sunday School teachers, Community leaders, my family raise me up in the ways of God! Amen! This Revival is meant to pay back Windom for what it has done for me! My friend Rodney Byam in Windom is heading up a group of Friends who are leading the charge for God is getting this all set up!

God is moving powerfully for the “For God’s Glory Alone Windom Revival”, so far, joining me are Pastor Bobby Elness out of North Carolina, a graduate of Windom High School, Bobby lived right across the street from me on 11th Ave! Franz Boelter an awesome man of God, who graduated with Bobby will also be speaking. Franz is a member of the Minnesota Coaches Hall-of Fame. Franz just lived up the street from us on River Road. My Dear friend Paul Dokken who graduated a year ahead of me will also be speaking. Paul and I became Friends when we served together as football student managers for Coach Ron Meyer. Paul preaches at a Boys Ranch near Sioux Falls, S.D. Paul is a pilot for Delta.

Revival does not start with us, it starts with the Will of God and the movement of the Holy Spirit in the people that are leading the way, it has to be of God. Nothing Godly happens unless God is leading the way.

Revival is planting seeds for God and then fertilizing them on a regular basis. Helping raise them up in God.

I do not ask for much folks, but would you please pray for God’s Will for the Windom Revival and pray for funding? A reminder that FGGAM is a 501c3 non-profit. Please help us continue to spread the good news of Jesus Christ all over the world! FGGAM.ORG reaches nearly a half million folks over the world every month, including countries like Israel, Russia, with news and inspiration and my sermon podcasts, we give all GLORY TO GOD! We not only preach the good news in New Mexico, but all over the world!

Sharon my wife, and I thank you all for your love. Without Sharon, this ministry would not happen, she works full-time to help fund this ministry.

We love you all! Thank you for anything you can do to support this movement of God.

John Belew of Santa Fe, NM a FGGAM supporter: “Dewey, you are everywhere!” We are out and about for our Lord Jesus Christ, doing the workHe assigned us to do. Love you John and Melba!

If you are interested in having FGGAM come to your area for a Revival, please just send me a note! PTL!

Here is one of the best posts I have ever read on REVIVAL! It was written by Pastor Bill Ruhl who serves as Vice-Chairman of FGGAM.

I asked Pastor Bill Ruhl of Global Destiny Ministries and Vice-Chairman of FGGAM to set the stage for Revival in in Reserve, New Mexico August 14, 15, and 16.  Revival 2015

Revival is not a church event, but a lifestyle for believers. It is not something you do, but something you become. Revival is the life giving Spirit breath being breathed into you. Those that were asleep awaken and those that were dead in their trespasses receive resurrection life. Revival happens when those who have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying, respond to the Savior’s voice, and “Come Forth”!

Revival is about pursuing God’s presence daily, at every occasion, in every circumstance, so much so that the atmosphere shifts and the culture around you changes. We don’t pursue revival for the Church, God pursues the Church to participate with Him in revival for their community. When revival comes the Church is awakened from its slumber and that activity in turn causes the community around it to arise from the dead.

My favorite scripture for this revival understanding is:      Eph 5:14 – “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” (NKJV) Awaken church, come alive you who are dead in your understanding, and the Light of Jesus Christ shall shine upon you, illuminate the Truth, and give you Light! Wow…What an amazing revelation from the Word!

Revival is activity within the Church and the culture. If you don’t have both you don’t have revival. And revival is only sustained for as long as people’s hearts are pressed into what God is doing and not offended by what He is doing during this appointed time. Blackaby, in his instructional teaching “Experiencing God”, said if you want to be a part of the move of God, find out where he is working and join Him there.” Notice we join God in what He is doing, we don’t direct God to what we think should be done. Revival is necessarily God inspired, Spirit driven, and Jesus focused; We look to see and listen to hear what the Father is doing, not to take control, but to join Him as obedient participants.

Revival is not a return to the old, but participation in the birthing of a new thing. Paul said in Phil 3:13-14… “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind (the old things that lulled us to sleep) and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward (I am awakened to) the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (NKJV – italic portion mine) We are called to press on to that which is now at hand, the fresh move of God.

Revival is a time of the Church growing stronger in the revelation and illumination of the Word. It is a time of Kingdom growth by many salvations. And it is a time of overall spiritual growth in a region by a greater awareness of God’s manifested presence that openly affects both the Church and the surrounding culture.

God is always in revival mode and in a revival mood. His call is for us to “Come forth!” and join Him in what He is doing today!

Pastor Bill Ruhl – Global Destiny Ministry – Vice Chair FGGAM

 Pastor Dewey Note: God gave may a vision to go to Windom, Minnesota 6 years ago and preach the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ in my home town, which I love so very much. It is where my Christian foundation was built. Please pray in your war room for this effort for God. This write up was in the Cottonwood County Citizen last week. It is written by a strong man of God, Dave Fjeld.