Lakeland Revival – Eye-Witness
June 16, 2008
“A couple of weeks ago I began to receive phone calls and emails asking me if I knew anything about a “revival” that was going on in Lakeland, Florida. Since that town is less than an hour away from me I decided it was important to find out what was happening in my own “back yard,” so to speak.”
The excellent Herescope blog has started to publish a series of articles by Pastor Gary Osborne called “Lakeland’s Recycled Revival”
Gary describes himself as a Pentecostal Christian who believes that the gifts of the Spirit are for today and that God still baptizes people in the Holy Ghost. Having attended meetings to see Todd Bentley in action, as well as watching Todd’s show on GOD TV, Gary is far better placed than me to write about the ‘Lakeland Revival’.
So far, only part one of the article has been published. I’m certainly looking forward to reading the rest.
June 18, 2008 at 9:02 am
I went to the Lakeland Revival May 30 and 31. The worship service was anointed heavily by the Holy Spirit and during that time as Todd called for us to reach out to Jesus and receive what God has for us. My wife, daughter and granddaughter received healing in their back and leg as we prayed for one another. My granddaughter was delivered from a chronic allergy problem. She went back to her doctor and was taken off her medicine. The doctor said she didn’t know what had happened to her, but she didn’t seem to have the problem she once had. My daughter was glad to tell her what happened! Thank you Jesus
June 18, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Thanks Michael.
I’d be interested to know what you think about the articles at herescope.com.
How do you assess whether a meeting is ‘heavily anointed’? What criteria do you use?
August 6, 2008 at 3:25 pm
… what people need firstly is getting the book of acts Pentecostal experiences.. and they will naturally next care for the poor people, act like real anointed Christians. http://groups.msn.com/HolySpiritCome
…Many Christians are doing their own thing, trying to live a life without Jesus, without even taking to him now often too.. Jesus himself hath said without me you can do nothing.. nothing!!!
http://anyonecare.wordpress.com/2008/08/02/great-links-great-christian-literature/
August 9, 2008 at 11:59 am
I think this actually belongs under the most recent post by seeking church, but I’ll put it here as it’s also in response to the nonconformer’s comments.
I’m observing two phenomenon in some believers at the moment:
Firstly, there are those who are having Pentecostal experiences as you’ve said, yet their actions and lifestyles are not reflecting the nature of Christ. They are not bearing the fruit of the Spirit as stated in Galatians 5. Jesus warned us that we will know them by their fruit. So pentecostal experiences are not what we are to use to assess the son’s of God with, but fruit. Granted that fruit bearing is a process, it is not instant, but may take some time for the individual to mature in their discipleship to the point where they no longer live, but Christ in them. The bearing of the fruit of the Spirit, which is basically self-sacrificing love, (see 1 Cor. 13:1-13 Amplified Bible) is the proof that you’ve reached the standard required of you.
Secondly, there are those who appear to be obeying the commandments that Jesus gave us to a large extent, yet they have gone off in their own strength to fulfill them. They are not in close communion with Jesus through the Holy Spirit living in them. They are doing what they think is right and good (and I dare say it is), but its not necessarilly in line with God’s agenda at this time. We can easily try to obey Jesus’ commandments in the flesh, and not in the Spirit (which is what he requires). Only close communion with Him (abiding in Him) and obedience to what He’s saying at this time will get us into that groove. Otherwise we could be very busy doing stuff He isn’t asking us to do and so isn’t of the Kingdom but is of the world.
August 9, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Just to clarify a bit more:
Jesus has commanded us to:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (The Great Commission Matthew 28:18b-20a)
When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. (Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Luke 9:1,2)
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. (Matthew 10:8)
The first category of people I’ve mentioned in my last comment are trying to carry out these commandments but without the love required of us, only achievable as we crucify the flesh and allow the life we live to be Christ living in us.
The second category, are trying to show the love of Christ to the world, but are not seeing the call to carry out the great commission given to the body by Jesus. If we are disciples of Christ we are all called to carry out the great commission which is to disciple the nations, which itself includes the other commands to preach the gospel of the kingdom, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons, all in the love of Christ asstated above. Anything else isn’t what He has commanded us to do as disciples, however nice and good it may seem.
August 9, 2008 at 1:12 pm
… and a bit more while I’m on a roll:
Matthew 7:15-23
A Tree and Its Fruit
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
This is a pretty stark warning. I think its time the church started getting serious about such warnings!
Father’s will is quite clear.
Firstly that we become like Jesus in His nature, through the daily crucifying of the flesh so His life can flow through us – which is pure, selfless love to others, including our enemies. It is from this oneness with Christ that we will then perform the other commandments to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons, in the manner that Father requires of us, which is love. Anything not done from this oneness with Christ is not pleasing to Father (see scripture passage above).
And secondly, from this place of being one with Christ, we go out into the world and teach the nations everything we have learned, so they can do the same.
If we feel inadequate to fulfill these commands, that’s a good sign! Its a good starting place. We need to get on our faces before God and ask Him to help us learn to do those things we cannot do eg. loving our enemies. Then buckle up!
August 9, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Bashing Pentecostals Christians, evangelists, on the net even by even the fundamentals is a popular sport in the Roman coliseum it seems these days too
It even seems too many professing, evangelical, Christians still think they can lie about, slander, abuse others, other Christians on the enter and they can get away with it too, because the met is supposedly unregulated. and because if their own right of free speech. Free speech is a right you still have to use wisely, But one can be sued for libel on the net still in Canada according to the Queen’s courts, and this should applied now in Australia, Great Brian and other commonwealth countries now too. In Canada the RCMP certainly admits to monitoring the net.. While the Internet is in Canada unregulated by the government , the Police courts still do regulate internet abuse. Of specific interest was the continual ongoing consistency of deformation of character, personal attacks, Libel, slander, bullying, the invasion of privacy too.
http://thenonconformer.wordpress.com/2008/08/09/libel-on-the-net/
October 19, 2008 at 3:58 pm
I can find many things that I look for here! Thank you very much!