Spontaneous Revival: The Prophetic Invitation of the Asbury Revival

When you see evidence of a Holy Spirit outpouring, it’s an indicator light.

It’s a supernatural invitation summoning you to do something so that you can experience that same measure of Holy visitation.

Asbury is an Invitation

Presently, we are witnessing the Spirit of God moving powerfully across the Earth—most notably at Asbury University (although, I am convinced we have been experiencing the rumble of Great Awakening for many years now, most notably in 2020 with the CA Beach Revivals hosted by Saturate, the North GA Revival in Dawsonville, the eight-year plus Fresh Start Revival in Peoria Arizona, the culture of revival at the Ramp in Hamilton, AL, and so on).

Bottom line: The “wells” of revival are reopening, as Asbury had at least two notable revivals in the past, most popularly and widely recognized, the 1970 Asbury Revival. God’s movement yesterday should provoke us to expect a fulfillment, or completion of that move today. He finishes what He starts, and Jesus is returning for a church that is compatible with His Second Coming—a glorious bride so in sync and in step with the Holy Spirit that the church and the Spirit are speaking the same language, saying the same thing concerning King Jesus: Maranatha… Come!

God is Not Repeating the Greatest Hits of the 1990’s

Immediately, our tendency is to want to go where God is moving. That’s important for sure. But then I sensed the Holy Spirit spoke to me with sobriety saying, “I don’t want a repeat of the 1990’s.” The 90’s was a historic time of revival, from the 1993’s Rodney Howard-Browne camp meetings at Carpenter’s Home Church in Lakeland, to the 1994 Toronto Blessing (truly, one of the landmark moves of God in history that impacted the world), to the 1995 Brownsville Revival (which saw over two million people visit an Assembly of God Church in Pensacola, FL and thousands of people either give their lives to Christ, or re-dedicate their lives to Him), and then the Smithton Outpouring in the cornfields of Missouri, where God descended in power reminiscent of the great frontier revivals of Cane Ridge and the Red River Meeting House.

These are all glorious moves of God that must be honored as memorials of Holy Spirit visitation… but a memorial is never meant to produce stagnancy. A memorial should not create a culture of reminiscence; it should provoke us to pray, “Lord, do it again,” and then, become a people willing to “do again,” what they did to experience revival.

It’s time to ASK for the Rain… because it’s raining!

Asbury University is a summons right now. Should you go and visit? Absolutely, yes. But if you cannot make it to Asbury University, I have good news for you: You too can experience the outpouring of Holy Spirit right where you are. No one is safe.   

How can you experience this blessing of revival? Zechariah 10:1 tells us exactly what to do when God is pouring out His Spirit: you ask for rain in the time of rain. Obviously, it’s the time of revival and outpouring, so you need to ask for it for yourself.

Generally, we refer to this “asking” as prayer. But there is a kind of prayer that is compatible with revival.  Humdrum prayer won’t suffice.  Kumbaya prayers won’t break open the heavens. We cannot be half-hearted in our prayers.  Back in Christian School (before I was redeemed, of course), I remember we loved “prayer request time” at the beginning of class.  Why?  Not because we were Intercessors-in-the-making, but the longer we focused on “prayer requests,” the less we needed to do in terms of class work. We trivialized prayer. We prayed for Aunty Sally, and my neighbor’s book, and then of course, there would be the kid with “Ten Unspoken” prayer requests. Let’s do an honest assessment of our adult prayer lives: sometimes, does it seem like we are just going through the motions and prayer is a drag? I suggest prayer is a drag because it’s robotically going through lists, it’s sanctified complaining, and it’s “righteous gossip.”

Where are the voices that will shatter darkness and tear open the Heavens over a territory because they contend, travail and intercede until a breakthrough takes place?

Are your prayers compatible with revival?

I’m not suggesting Father God is seated in Heaven with His hands clenched around revival, waiting for the loudest, most intense prayers. Rather, I do believe Heaven is looking and listening at the tone of your prayers—how hungry are you? How thirsty are you? Are you satisfied with where you are in your walk with God—or are you divinely unsettled? Do you read the Bible and wonder, “Why aren’t we seeing or experiencing what is clearly available through the power of the Holy Spirit?” It’s legal to be hungry and thirsty for more than theological knowledge. There is nothing wrong with you if your heart burns to see the words on the page become demonstration in and through your life.  These qualities have historically marked revivalists.

There’s no question about the faithfulness of God or integrity of His Word; we know Scripture is true. So, if the Word is true, and we are not seeing the Word come to pass, it’s a provocation for us to cry out in prayer until everything He promised comes to pass—and I am referring to the great and glorious last-days promise of a Holy Spirit outpouring that impacts all flesh.

When you see and hear about God moving, smile, celebrate, praise the Lord, and then ask for the same rain of Holy Spirit outpouring to saturate your life, your family, your school, your church, your city and your nation. It’s raining… so ask for the rain.  It’s time!