A
Rousing Call – To God's Revival Remnant!
By W. C. Moore
In a time of Israel's sore declension, God sent John the Baptist to “Prepare the way
before” the Lord (Malachi 3;1; Isaiah 40:3). John, one man, was a forerunner of Jesus’ ministry on earth. It will
not be some one outstanding prophet who will prepare the way for the second coming of Jesus. God will raise up a remnant and
will send them forth in the power of the Spirit to sound the alarm (Joel 2:1), to get the hungry and humble Christians ready
for the coming of the Lord, with lamps all trimmed and burning, and vessels filled with oil – filled with the Holy Ghost.
The Church is one body but with many members. God works through groups of people in the Church age.
Let us look at John the Baptist’s history, and the prophecies concerning him. His coming
was foretold (Matthew 3:3), but it also took prayer to get the prophecies fulfilled, and in fact, he appeared on the scene
directly in answer to prayer, for the angel told Zacharias, “Thy prayer is heard; and thy wife … shall bear thee
a son … John” (Luke 1:13).
Ask!
Revival must also be prayed down and, though prophesied in the Book of Joel, revival will
come directly in answer to prayer. See Luke 18:1-8, and Joel 2:12-17, with Joel 2:18-29. “I will yet for this be enquired
of … to do it” (Ezekiel 36:37). The Lord says, “Ask …” (Matt. 7:7).
Many were to rejoice at John the Baptist's birth (Luke 1:14) – so revival will bring
joy to those who accept the truth and walk in the light, though the “praying through” for the revival will be
characterized by a “solemn assembly” (Joel 1:13,14; 2:12-17).
John was born at a time when it appeared most unlikely that a child could be born, for both
Zacharias and his wife were old, and Elizabeth was barren (Luke 1:5-7). In like manner, the end-of-the-age revival which we
now look for will come in the midst of a “desert” condition. (Isaiah 40:3; 43:19; 44:3), when such a thing seems
impossible. “With God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37). Some will be slow to believe that a revival is
coming, just as Zacharias doubted (Luke 1:18), and they, like him, may be struck dumb – without an anointed message
until revival breaks.
Literal
Fulfillment Expected
The “desert” condition prevailing in so many churches today is one of the signs—not
of the final state of the Church—but of the condition the Church will be in when revival from heaven comes. “I
will even make … rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19). “I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and
floods upon the dry ground: I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed” (Isaiah 44:3). Let us not take away anything from these
prophecies of God.
It was said of John that he should “go before Him [Jesus] . . . to turn the hearts
of the fathers to the children … to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:7). And this is the work
of God’s revival remnant in these last days before the second coming of Christ – to turn the people back to God,
and to stir them up to get ready for the Lord’s returning.
John was to go forth in the power of Elias. So God is preparing a people to go forth in power
into His harvest fields. John was to be great in the sight of the Lord (Luke 1:15), and the revival remnant will be “a
great people and a strong” (Joel 2:2). John was to be filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb. This
remnant will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the beginning of their ministry. Elisabeth “hid herself” for
a time before John was born, and God has many “hidden away” ones now who will go forth at His command due time
to do the Lord’s work of preparing a people for the second coming of Christ.
The bringing forth of John was God’s way of “taking away … reproach among
men” (Luke 1:25), in the case of Elisabeth; and the bringing forth of this remnant of God’s chosen and equipped
messengers will be God’s answer in these last days to the prayer which the Holy Spirit has indicted, “Spare Thy
people, O Lord, and give not Thine heritage to reproach” (Joel 2:17).
John the Baptist came before Jesus’ first appearing and he had a short, intense ministry.
The revival of the last days will be intense, short – a lamp-trimming time (Matthew 25) – sweeping the whole earth
before Jesus appears the second time. Souls will be saved in this last-hour revival, as the Spirit-filled, with blazing testimony,
proclaim the truth of God in His power – just as it was prophesied of John, “And many of the children of Israel
shall he turn to the Lord their God” (Luke 1:16).
Zacharias lost his testimony through unbelief. Instead of just simply believing what God’s
messenger said – he looked at the unlikely conditions, the barrenness of natural appearances. Mary believed God’s
messenger (Luke 1:38) – and what a marvelous testimony she had, with the joy of the Lord (Luke 1:45-55). As in the days
of which Mary spoke, the Lord, “hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled
the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away” (Luke 1:52,53).
God
is Calling “The Hungry”
Today it is to those who are hungry for more of God, to those who are grieved because of
the fearful conditions existing among God’s people – to them the Lord is speaking, and from that remnant will
He yet call a people to go before Him in the power of the Holy Spirit – to prepare the way for the second coming of
the Lord. Let us believe the message of God’s Word, though our faith may be tested (Luke 18:7,8).
Let those who are praying for revival be encouraged. God wants us to be concerned about the
prayerlessness, lack of love, gossiping, shallowness, frivolity, worldliness and slothfulness of professing Christians in
these awful days. God notices – and approves – when we are “grieved for the affliction” (Amos 6:6)
of His people. See how He marks and spares those that “sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the
midst” (Ezekiel 9:4-6).
He
Satisfieth The Longing Soul
Psalm 107:9
God, who has put that “cry” for revival in our very heart and soul, that same
Holy God is faithful to answer that heart-cry of His own Blood-bought people “which cry day and night unto Him”
(Luke 18:7). So let us “always … pray and not … faint” (Luke 18:1).
The Holy Spirit who inspired Joel to write of the coming revival – that very same Holy
Spirit is stirring up the hearts of the hungry and humble saints of God in these last days to pray and believe and hold on
for the fulfillment of those promises – that God will restore the things which the Church has lost (Joel 2:25-27), and
that He will give us the rain from heaven – the Harvest rain – the outpouring of the Spirit in preparing us for
the coming of the Lord, even the former rain and the latter rain in the first month (Joel 2:21-32).
Hold on in faith, praying the prayer for revival which the Holy Spirit has put on your heart
until God answers. Then continue walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16); and in faith and obedience until Jesus comes.
