God spoke to me more than six years ago and gave me the formula for revival in America today. Out of the vision I received from the Lord, I wrote Awake America, a nation under siege. The book identifies and explains in great detail the enemies that are destroying the underpinnings of our great nation and how the Body of Christ must respond with genuine revival.
Basically, we must respond in two ways: prayer and unity. Within the perimeters of prayer must be confession and repentance (for the coldness of our hearts; for our prayerlessness; for seeking our own agenda and building our own kingdoms rather than seeking God’s agenda and building His Kingdom; and for unforgiveness, toward God and toward our fellowman). As long as people harbor hurts, bitterness, and unforgiveness in their own hearts—whether toward God or man—they cannot receive forgiveness.
The twin brother or sister to prayer is fasting. Jesus stated that some things can only be realized through fasting and prayer – it takes a combination of both: fasting to bring our will into submission to God’s Will, and prayer to make us obedient to God’s Will.
The second part of the Revival formula is unity. Prayer and unity are the indispensable elements to revival. A good friend told me a few days ago that God had spoken to him a couple of weeks prior and told him that the essential elements to revival were prayer and unity.
J. Lee Grady recently interviewed Ruth Ruibal, the widow of dynamic revivalist Julio Ruibal. Julio Ruibal was martyred in 1995. I would encourage every reader to read the entire lifechanging article (detailed in The Marks of Genuine Revival, Part 2, Fire In My Bones, Charisma News Bulletin, available at fireinmybones.com). Every response by Mrs. Ruibal to Lee Grady’s questions was powerful. One response illustrates the importance of the vision God gave to me about unity.
Mrs. Ruibal was asked, “How did your husband’s death spark revival in Colombia?”
She replied: “One of the most historic events took place at Julio’s funeral. The president of the ministerial association asked that since Julio was so strong about unity, we should make a covenant of unity right then. All the pastors came forward…we embraced one another and made a simple covenant that is written profoundly in our hearts even today. ‘We are one and we will let nothing divide us!’”
When asked about the churches in America, she replied: “We need to move beyond the generic needs of the church and become more personally involved in seeking His face. Once we see His holiness, we can truly repent. …True revival would change the direction of our nation. If we don’t have such a revival, I am afraid we are on our way to destruction.” She gave a good Word to the church: “I do believe a revival will come and with signs and wonders that will follow. And the revival will affect all of society and heal our land as well.”
Julio Ruibal brought revival to Bolivia and Columbia but it cost him his life. In losing his life, he found it. Revival costs. Genuine revival in America will cost. The question is: “Is the Church in America willing to pay the price it will cost?”
