131 - It’s Time for Revival!
Letter from the Editor:
Since the Day of Atonement, we have sensed a significant shift in the spiritual atmosphere. Our hearts are overflowing with thanksgiving for God’s verdict of mercy rendered on that day. We believe, as Daniel wrote, that the time has come for the saints to possess the kingdom (Dan. 7:22). In light of this, it is vital that we advance together with wisdom in prayer. Today’s briefing offers fresh insight and a historic perspective to guide our intercession, including a prophetic exhortation from Lou Engle. Let us be encouraged and press on towards the fullness of revival that God has promised.
– Cheryl Amabile
It’s Time For Revival!
Just before the COVID lockdowns in 2020, Lou Engle had a remarkable dream that has just come to pass. We believe it speaks to the times we are now in. It was set at a large gathering in Washington, DC. In the dream, Lou was the president of the United States and he stood on a platform facing a sea of people. It felt somewhat chaotic as he was being ushered towards the microphone to speak. Uncertain of what to say, Lou suddenly thrust his arms into the air and the crowd erupted in unified shouts of “REVIVAL! REVIVAL! REVIVAL!” Then he awoke.
Weeks ago, on October 12th, Lou actually stood on a large platform at the National Mall for the A Million Women gathering. Before him stretched crowds as far as the eye could see. At one point, he recounted the dream and thousands joined in a deafening chant of “REVIVAL! REVIVAL! REVIVAL!” This scene would not have been possible in 2020, as the pandemic hindered gatherings of this magnitude. We believe Lou’s dream pointed prophetically to this moment and season in time.
Lou has joked about the idea of him being president, saying, “That would be a disaster!” However, we interpret his role in the dream as symbolic of the praying church gaining spiritual authority over the White House. This was partially fulfilled during the recent elections. Now the ekklesia must maintain prayer covering over President-elect Donald Trump and continue to govern over the affairs of government in the months and years to come. As Psalm 2 describes, there is a hill above Capitol Hill and we are seated there with Christ in heavenly places:
“Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.” “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.’” — Psalm 2:6–8
We also believe this dream signifies that it is time for national and global revival. This clarifies our marching orders. As Zechariah exhorted, we are to “ask the Lord for rain in the time of the latter rain” (Zech 10:1). In the wake of October’s climactic prayer event, we’ve also pondered Elijah’s confrontation on Mount Carmel. Immediately after that victory, Elijah put his head between his knees and prayed until he heard the sound of heavy rain. Shall we not do the same?
Just recently, Lou had another dream in which he approached Nate and Christy Johnston. Christy said to Lou, “It’s Acts 2 time!” and they began weeping. Nate and Christy are a sign and symbol of what God is doing across the Body of Christ as He moves through both His menservants and His maidservants. Meanwhile, the second chapter of Acts opens with the phrase: “And when the Day of Pentecost had fully come.” God is after fullness! Both male and female. Jew and Gentile. Psalm 2 reformation and Acts 2 salvations. Let us persevere in prayer until the fullness of God’s Spirit sweeps the globe!
‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’ — Acts 2:17–21
Below is an excerpt from The Briefing 017 - The Latter Rain, in which Lou Engle writes about the historic cycles of Holy Spirit outpourings and how we are to partner with God through prayer. We believe it is important to revisit God’s prophetic timeline and the principles therein, as they speak directly to the current situation with Israel and the nations.
THE LATTER RAIN by Lou Engle
Years ago, in the 90’s, I experienced a prophetic swirl that I believe is pointing to a specific time of fulfillment. I woke up one morning with an intense desire to read two books that were very dear to me: Rain From Heaven by Arthur Wallis, the father of the Charismatic Movement in England, and Shaping History Through Prayer And Fasting, by Derek Prince.
The catalyst of that desire was a specific chapter in Shaping History, titled “Fasting Precipitates the Latter Rain”. I looked feverishly for those two books but I had either lost them or given them away. For a whole day I experienced groanings of the Spirit, praying that I might find those books. I wanted confirmation that a movement of fasting would precede the latter rain revival.
That night I was scheduled to speak in Lancaster, California. Before the service I was preparing in Pastor Joe Sweet’s office when he suddenly rose from his desk, walked to his bookshelf, and called me over. He reached down and pulled off his shelf the book Rain From Heaven and said, “I think you’re looking for this book.” It was shock and awe! I knew God was confirming His promise.
The following morning I was teaching a prophetic class. One of the students came in and said, “Mr. Engle, I was down at the Anaheim Vineyard this morning and a man shouted, ‘I know you are going to see Lou Engle today. Give him this book Shaping History Through Prayer And Fasting, he’s searching for it.’”
God does not bring these kinds of whirlwinds simply to entertain us. He was shouting: “There’s coming a time for the outpouring of the latter rain and you must pray and fast to give birth to it!” The scripture commands us in Zechariah 10:1, “pray for the rain in the time of the latter rain” but how do we know when it’s time?
Joel chapter 2 gives us the paradigm for recognizing these times and seasons. Joel’s prophecy is set in the context of the utter destruction of the economic system of Israel due to the nation’s spiritual apostasy. The prophet gives God’s prescription to the crisis: he calls for united fasting and prayer, after which he promises the restoration of the land of Israel and the outpouring of the latter rain of the Holy Spirit on all flesh, i.e. the Gentile nations. By these two things we know we are in the time for Joel 2 fastings: (1) the outpourings of the Holy Spirit among the Gentiles, and (2) significant happenings concerning the state of Israel.
Historically, in 1948, the Holy Spirit was poured out in a movement called "The Latter Rain". They had been fasting for three months in the winter of ‘47 and ’48, inspired by a book called Atomic Power With God Through Prayer and Fasting that had become a catalyst for a worldwide fasting movement. Also in 1948, we see the second dimension of fulfillment of Joel’s fast in which God says that He will restore the land, the grain, the oil and the new wine. This is exactly what happened in 1948 when Israel became a nation and the land was restored to the Jews.
In a similar fashion, in 1967, Israel took back the entirety of Jerusalem in the Six Day War. For the first time since the destruction of the city in 70 AD, Jerusalem was back in the hands of the Jewish people. In both ‘48 and ‘67 there were wars fought concerning these historic transactions. At the same time, in 1967, the worldwide Charismatic Movement began, the Jesus Movement was manifested, and Jews began to come to Christ in unprecedented numbers. Do you see it? Once again, Gentile outpourings and natural historic events taking place in the land of Israel flowed together.
In 1976, I moved to Ashland Theological Seminary in Ashland, OH, not far from Columbus. There I made a vow to seek Acts 2 no matter what the cost. That vow sent me on the journey that I am now on - calling for Joel 2 gatherings of corporate fasting and prayer, believing for Acts 2 outpourings. I have to believe that TheCall has been a Joel 2 preparation for the fulfillment of my personal transaction with heaven. I’m still looking for Acts chapter 2.
I am personally convinced that my early prophetic experience of receiving the two books is pointing to a present fulfillment of a fresh outpouring of the latter rain and a next step of restoration for the land of Israel. When Daniel knew it was his time, he set his face to fast and pray. Revelation demands participation! Therefore, over the next several months we are calling for seasons of fasting across the wider body of Christ. Let’s contend for that fresh outpouring of His Spirit and for God’s hand over the affairs of Jerusalem and Israel.
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The excerpt above was written before Israel's present multifront war, which adds great urgency to its application. This past year the rage of Satan against God’s plan and His people has been on full display. However, those of us who are in Christ have been given authority over all the power of the enemy (Lk 10:19). Now we must use it. In 2021, we were given a significant dream highlighting Psalm 102:13-17 and the blossoming of the fig tree and the vine, symbolizing both Israel and the Gentile Church (see The Briefing 095 - The Fig Tree Has Blossomed.) Let this passage be our decree:
“You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come. For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, and show favor to her dust. So the nations shall fear the name of the Lord and all the kings of the earth Your glory. For the Lord shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory. He shall regard the prayer of the destitute and shall not despise their prayer."
Chris Berglund recently had a dream in which he understood that we were the “executive branch” of the Lord (Is. 11:1). Our responsibility was to execute His justice on the earth. As we declared what was being proclaimed in heaven, he saw angels releasing arrows dipped in blood. What a glorious glimpse into our partnership with the unseen realm! We don’t always get to see how God accomplishes His purposes, but He promises to fulfill what He has spoken. Therefore, let us arm ourselves with Communion and with the flawless Word of the Lord, until the battlefields become God’s harvest fields and the nations shout His praises.
