As many of you know in February we attended Winter Bible Seminar in Tulsa, OK. Elaine and I have been going to these meetings for close to thirty years, but this year we witnessed something much deeper.  In the midst of a wonderful move of the Spirit Pastor Kenneth W. Hagin declared, “we are in the beginning stages of revival!”

People often say, “Well, God will do things in His time.” You might be surprised to learn that this is only partially true. For example, when it comes to the blessings of redemption, there is no set time. Anything Jesus purchased in the plan of redemption through His blood legally belongs to us now.  We can receive these blessings now. We do not have to wait for healing because the Bible said that we were healed 2,000 years ago by Jesus’ stripes. God did not have any set time to save us either; He was just waiting for us to hear the word of salvation and do something about it.

2 Peter 3:9 states: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Just as soon as the light of God’s Word comes, faith rises up in our hearts, then we can reach out to take hold of the blessings that already belong to us. We receive salvation by faith, why should it be any different for healing or receiving the Holy Spirit? These blessings are all received according to our faith.

Deuteronomy 30:19
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: KJV

God has always given the choice to us. He redeemed us and set us free from poverty sickness, spiritual death, fear, lack, failure, and all its side effects. He gave us “all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3).  There is no set time for these blessings of redemption because the Bible says; now (today) is the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:2).  

However, it seems God often does have a certain time for revivals and moves of His Spirit.  For example, Galatians 4:4 says that when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son.  Mark 1:15 says that the time of God was fulfilled.

There was a set time for Jesus to go to the Cross and be raised from the dead. There was a set time for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on the earth. And there seems to be “seasons” in which God is moving and stirring the heart of his people, trying to wake up his people, we call that revival.

Acts 3:19-21
19 Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins. 20 Then wonderful times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will send Jesus your Messiah to you again. NLT

Discerning the times in which we are living is important. God has appointed times for revivals, but just because there are set times for those things does not mean they will automatically happen.

Within these time frames, God prompts people to pray for these moves of God. Every revival in history can be traced back to believers who sensed God was about to do something, and they began to pray in that direction until it came to pass.

2 Chron 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face , and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. KJV