THE Greatest Awakening
It was about five days before the last presidential election of 2004 when we were given the most extraordinary opportunity to go into the Washington Cathedral to worship and pray. For two nights we were given free run of this very special place where "the president's go to church." This is one of the rare places where government and religion of America come together. I had heard of the Washington cathedral before and had seen glimpses of it broadcast on television during governmental / historic ceremonies that are held there. But I never realized what an exceptional place this was in the natural and in the spirit until we walked in on that first rainy night.It was an enormous and gorgeous cathedral. The only time that I had seen architectural beauty that could compare to this was the cathedrals of Europe. As I walked down the grand aisle towards the ornate altar I let out a sound with my voice and I was certainly not disappointed. I was surrounded by the acoustic beauty that effortlessly loomed throughout this sacred setting.
I could hardly believe that God was opening the door for us, (my wife and I and another adult couple and then a bunch of twenty somethings who populated houses of prayer from across the nation), to come and worship and pray in this stately and strategic place. It was just our gang and a few friendly but covertly curious guards. It seemed somewhat surreal, but here we were bringing in guitars and hand drums. The first thing we did was carefully move the extra large grand piano to the center so we could accommodate our close knit drum/worship circle. There was still something important about being together and intimate in this mammoth place.
Angels!
As we sat down and began to worship I was at once overwhelmed by the most incredible feeling that stirred a great sense of awe and wonder in me. First I could feel an extraordinary amount of angelic activity. I looked around and I could see that others were feeling the same thing. We began to declare and testify "there are angels here -- angels everywhere!" I hardly even knew many of the people who were together worshiping but we instantly had the same witness about what was happening. Everyone could just feel it! It was electrifying!
Joy and wonder filled our hearts as we began to worship our Lord. Amazingly, it somehow felt like we were sitting at the base of Jacob's ladder and there were angels running up and down freely. Then I realized that this place is a portal and that the Lord had sent his angels to do his bidding across America. I began to realize the extreme honor we had been given to just to sit here and intercede for our great nation.
We were surrounded by a peculiar anointing that I had never felt before. I asked the Lord, "What is this that I am feeling?" The answer was immediate, "This is an Abba anointing." And before I could ask the next question there was another answer, "This is the presence of Father God that you are feeling." I realized that this cathedral is a place where the fathers and government (Father God) of our nation come together.
I was in awe and I thought what do I do with this information? We continued to worship and to declare scripture over our nation at this critical juncture. Then the Lord began to speak, "This nation is trying to push me out. But I am coming in. America will know me. They will know me either as Father or as Judge. I long to be known as their Loving Father -- as Abba."
Modern Day Circuit Riders
Then I knew the Lord wanted to break out into our nation and deliver us from our wicked ways. I said, Lord we need another great awakening!" He said, "Don't talk to me about a great awakening." This shocked me! He continued, "Only talk to me about the Greatest Awakening. The days are evil and what is about to happen will be above and beyond what has been before." He began to speak to me very clearly that we had about a four year window for things to shift and to begin to trigger the Greatest Awakening in our nation. I asked the Lord what would be a sign of this happening? And he answered "When you see the modern day circuit riders begin to ride you will know the Greatest Awakening is at hand."
From studying church history in America I knew what the Lord was referring to - it was the circuit riders of old. They were the ones who were responsible for laying the groundwork for the great moves of the Spirit in our nation. They were mostly young men in their 20s and 30s who were willing to unselfishly sacrifice their lives for the Gospel. Many rode on horseback for hundr thousands of miles in all kinds of weather and resistance. Many literally gave their lives to further the good news in our nation and to usher in the greatest awakenings.
That very summer a YWAM team that had been called by God to travel and minister in all 50 states contacted us and stayed with us at our facility in Nashville, TN. Since then we have heard of multiple teams, (including the Cause USA) made up of mostly young adults that are beginning to go out to the highways and byways and preach the radical gospel in the cities and in the most forgotten rural places. They come with an arsenal of prayer and fasting, radical worship combined with compassionate good deeds and a sense of justice. These kind of movements will only continue and increase as we near the great last day Harvest.
Getting the Inside Out!
God is indeed stirring in the hearts of His people. Things can no longer remain the same. There is a massive second Reformation that has begun in the church. God is transforming the Church from the inside out. And one of the ways he's doing this is he's taking those who have been inside and he's just getting them out. It is imperative that we follow the Holy Spirit as He leads us out from our complacency and the comfort of hiding in the church and the self centered familiarity of our religious circles. He is calling us to the streets and into all facets of society to be a light in the darkness. We are called to be a light that can dispel even the greatest darkness of our times. Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden." (Matt. 5:14)
In recent years, I believe there have been very few believers in America that have been accused of being "a friend of sinners" as Jesus was. Jesus was well integrated with society, but He was not of it. The western church has been far too worldly and too much in our own world. We have been isolated, and insulated and constipated.
The modern day circuit riders are presently being called out -- and they know who they are. The times are changing and there is a Harvest Fire that is now beginning to burn in the hearts of God's people. This is an unstoppable fire -- it is the same passion that Jesus had for the salvation of souls that is now beginning to burn in the hearts of God's people.
In the midst of bad news all around, let us be of good cheer and get into position. It is imperative that we move with the Spirit in these most critical and exciting times. It's late for our nation, but it's certainly not too late -- The Greatest Awakening and Harvest is at hand!!!
The days are evil and it is a most critical time for our nation. We are being prepared to be part of the solution -- burning shining lights that are not hidden under a bowl. Now breathe in deeply these reformational words of JESUS! Get ready to move as the Spirit leads you.
"Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full." (Luke 14:23-24)
In recent years, I believe there have been very few believers in America that have been accused of being "a friend of sinners" as Jesus was. Jesus was well integrated with society, but He was not of it. The western church has been far too worldly and too much in our own world. We have been isolated, and insulated and constipated.
The modern day circuit riders are presently being called out -- and they know who they are. The times are changing and there is a Harvest Fire that is now beginning to burn in the hearts of God's people. This is an unstoppable fire -- it is the same passion that Jesus had for the salvation of souls that is now beginning to burn in the hearts of God's people.
In the midst of bad news all around, let us be of good cheer and get into position. It is imperative that we move with the Spirit in these most critical and exciting times. It's late for our nation, but it's certainly not too late -- The Greatest Awakening and Harvest is at hand!!!
The days are evil and it is a most critical time for our nation. We are being prepared to be part of the solution -- burning shining lights that are not hidden under a bowl. Now breathe in deeply these reformational words of JESUS! Get ready to move as the Spirit leads you.
"Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full." (Luke 14:23-24)
Scott McLeod
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