I don’t know about you, but by the end of 2020, I was WORN OUT! Honestly, it started some time in the fall for me and by October, I had enough sense to step down from all my positions in the community and church because I knew I needed rest. I would tell my friends through sobbing tears “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I think I’ve lost my sparkle!” I was weary and depleted and could not form a thought or do anything productive. Not even read the Word. I would just lay in the bed or sit in my chair during my quiet time listening to music, tears pouring down my cheeks and say “God, you know” trusting He would meet me there. I slept and slept and over the final 2 months of the year, finally felt somewhat rested, but something was still missing.

So when my church started their annual 21 day fast on January 10th, I came prepared to ask God for a lot – not things per se, but I have questions that need answers, I have situations that need clarity and of course, I am believing for salvation, deliverance and healing for my friends and loved ones.

 I spent the first day of the fast in tears.  I went to say “Good Morning God” at 6:00 AM and the waterworks started.  The experience was unexplainable.  But day 2, even among these new found, never-ending tears, I was intentional to ask God what He had in store for His people this year.  And boom, did He hit me with a powerful word.

REVIVAL

At first I groaned, not because I don’t want to see revival…I’ve heard so many people buzzing about revival is coming and how it’s going to be the same, but greater than before. I just haven’t really felt that was right in my spirit. What I know…God is an infinite God with infinite ways to pour out His Spirit. I don’t believe He’s going to do the same thing twice. It’s my personal opinion that He would rock the socks off any human expectation.  He tends to keep it my spicy in my life, so I assume He would keep it that way for others!

Over the last several days in my prayer time, I asked Him to take me deeper and really explain what he wants with this revival. This is what He gave me:

Three words: refresh, refine, renew

He said, “There will be an outpouring of My Spirit on each one of my children in a personal and private way. This is a time of exposure and healing; a washing and cleansing of sorts. Tears will be shed as chains are broken, strongholds torn down and deeper levels of healing experienced as my people enter the secret place and allow me to fill those abandoned and lonely areas.”

Then I heard Him say, “I am pouring out My Spirit, filling the hearts of those who love Me and serve Me.  I’m washing over their weariness and exhaustion with bountiful joy and endless energy.  I am exchanging their weakness for strength founded in Me.  I am mending their brokenness and restoring their weary souls.  I want to revive the hearts of My people so they will have the strength to do My Will.”

Wanting more insight to this prophetic word, I turned to the dictionary because I’m a word nerd. Even if I think I know the meaning of a word, I like to look it up and see all the definitions given because when you aren’t studying vocabulary, you can forget a thing or two over the years. Here is what I found:

1) REFRESH: Restore strength and animation, to freshen up, give new strength or energy, reinvigorate

2) REFINE: remove impurities, to improve or perfect by pruning or polishing

3) RENEW: replace something that is broken or worn out; to make like new; restore to freshness, vigor or perfection

I see your mouth hanging open in awe. Don’t worry sis, I had the same reaction. It stunned me at first because I had pictured revival as gatherings of people worshipping and being slain in the spirit or experiencing divine healing. However, the longer I allowed God’s word to sink in and really bask in its glory, it has really taken root and explained so much of what has been stirring in my heart recently. I sat there dumbfounded that He was pouring out exactly what I needed (and I believe most of us need) through personal revival…I only had to allow Him in to refresh me so I would have the stamina to expose the impurities that needed to be refined so He could renew me. I was in! This is what my heart had been longing for.

But wait, it gets better…I looked up the word revival…

REVIVAL: restoration of force, validity or effect

Then all of a sudden, I felt God urging me to understand…He wants to give us new strength and energy (REFRESH), so we can go through the process of pruning and polishing (REFINE), because He wants and needs us to be made like new and restored (RENEW) so we can look forward to the battles ahead. He needs to restore our force (REVIVAL) on the battlefield…to fight the enemy, intercede for the lost, teach the young and raise up a new generation of believers who walk in their authority in Christ, operate in their spiritual gifts and do the will of the Father.

You and I, and every believer is a force to be reckoned with when we are walking in our authority in Christ. But when we are battle weary, jaded from hit after hit, we need a revival, a restoration of force so we can be effective in the kingdom.

If you’re wandering in the wilderness right now, desperate for a refreshing of His Spirit, ask your Father for a revival for your heart.  He’s determined to reach you, but because of His gentleman nature, you have to INVITE HIM IN!  So make the time, lay there in silence if you can’t do anything else, shed the tear and allow His healing power to wash over you with every tear you shed.  I pray each one of you will experience the manifest presence of God during this season in a new and breathtaking way.

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