Vision
of Supernatural Pentecost
By
Ivan Q. Spencer
"...I saw the movement grow in great numbers, but
not in power, and the supernatural become less and less..."
In
the autumn of the year 1912, while spending much time in waiting upon the Lord in the Rochester Bible Training School, where
I was a student, the Lord gave me a vision and revelation of the Pentecostal movement during the remaining part of the dispensation.
The Pentecostal outpouring had only taken place about six years before. The Lord let me see the groups and handfuls of Pentecostal
saints here and there, scattered throughout the world, and revealed to me the purpose of this world-wide diffusion. They were
to bear the light of the supernatural ministries that He had given them and to intercede for greater things for the peoples
of their localities.
Then
I saw the movement grow in great numbers, but not in power, and the supernatural become less and less. Then I foresaw times
of siftings and testings, and afterwards, a glorious outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The word “revival” stood out
before me, for two or three days, in red letters in almost any direction that I looked, and the Lord said to me, “If
you stand true to Me through the testings and siftings, I can use you in that glorious revival of the end of the age.
The
Lord showed me something as to what this revival would be like. I saw the supernatural in miraculous healings, raising of
the dead, transportation of the saints as in the case of Philip, but also the judgments falling upon great numbers as in the
case of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. This vision has remained with me during these twenty-two years since that time; and in times
of sifting and testing, when I have been tempted to go back to secular work where I had before been prosperous, the Spirit
has again and again brought it vividly before me.
In
December 1924, while traveling through a blinding snow storm, with snow to my knees, to keep an appointment on Sunday afternoon
near Endicott, N.Y., the Lord spoke to me about opening the Bible School which is now (1935) known as the Elim Bible Training
School. The words He gave me were: “I want you to open up a Bible School for the training of young people for the supernatural
ministry of the last hour.” Again I was reminded of what the Lord had in store for us at the close of this dispensation.
During
these past years I never have considered that my ministry was of any great value; though I had had a definite call into the
Gospel ministry in 1910 when I was a Methodist, at the time of my conversion; yet the call of the supernatural Pentecostal
ministry came at the time I received this vision. Today my faith is much stronger than ever in what the Lord has in store
for us in this last hour. The Lord has encouraged us by vision, revelation and prophecy very much of late that the showers
of the latter rain are about to fall. Truly, it is the time for the Holy Spirit to be poured out upon all flesh: that is,
upon all nationalities and the unsaved as well as the saints. I also saw in the vision the overcomers were translated right
in the midst of this marvelous outpouring. I am fully assured this will take place.
