As I was with Moses

The Welsh revival was a profound spiritual awakening. From late 1904 until early 1905, the Holy Spirit’s outpouring in Wales directly impacted 100,000 souls for the Kingdom of Heaven and yielded inspiration for countless millions.

Few revivals have been so well documented and thoroughly considered as the Welsh Revival. Evan Roberts, a young ministry student, is principally credited with launching this wonderful expression of God’s heart. An entire region came under the influence of God’s Spirit, transforming it virtually overnight.

Even so, the wonderful fruit generated from this revival is only a token of what is to be demonstrated in the coming days. Something of great spiritual significance is imminently poised to be released in the earth. Nevertheless, significant preparation is essential to steward favorably the coming grace for revelation and power.

Frank Bartleman was one of the earliest influences in the 20th century Pentecostal outpouring. He knew something about discerning times and seasons and spiritual transition and wrote of it in “Azusa Street: The Roots of Modern-day Pentecostalism” saying,

“The present Pentecostal manifestation did not break out in a moment, like a huge prairie fire, and set the world on fire. In fact no work of God ever appears that way. There is a necessary time for preparation…men may wonder where it came from, not being conscious of the preparation, but there is always such.”

There have been incredible preparatory advances made in recent years. Many believers have devoted themselves to the lessons learned from the Welsh revival and others like it. These are transitional days and a Heavenly door is about to be opened wide for those positioned to apprehend it.

Visiting Wales

The last week of August 2005, Wanda and I were conducting a conference in Bridgend, Wales. It was genuinely invigorating holding meetings in this historically significant region.

A big portion of our ministry has been devoted to understanding prior expressions of spiritual outpouring and its contemporary relevance. I had already shared in the meetings our message of modern church history and the seeds of revival that were sown for the present Pentecostal movement.

Part of the time-line that I share is as follows:

1885-

Bethshan Conference on Holiness and Healing, in London England; under the leadership of William Boardman and A. B. Simpson.

Many historians acknowledge that the present Pentecostal movement was first initiated in this June, 1885 meeting. Alexander Dowie and others pointed to the London conference as the seed-bed for the healing movement they enjoyed. This conference laid the foundation for the corporate restoration of the Spirit’s in-filling and the activation of spiritual gifts.

Some reports acknowledge that as many as 2000 leaders converged on London to discover that divine healing is the “children’s bread.” A. B. Simpson first visited William Boardman’s healing houses in London and brought the concept back to the United States. It was popularized by Alexander Dowie in Zion, IL.

1896 –

Dowie commissioned His Apostolic church in 1896 and founded the city of Zion, Illinois a few years later. His entire ministry was built upon great demonstrations of healing and deliverance. He was a prolific author and steward of spiritual truth that was circulated internationally through his publication, “Leaves of Healing.” It is unfortunate that his later years were obscured in controversy and deception. Even so, he was a great pioneer of the faith.

Gordon Lindsay honored Alexander Dowie in his periodical, Voice of Healing, acknowledging that Dowie was a “stalwart preacher who proclaimed Jesus Christ both Savior and Healer.” Lindsay states that, “In a single-handed crusade in Chicago, and against great odds, Dr. Dowie established the right to pray for the sick without interference from civil authorities. Tens of thousands testified of healing under this man’s ministry and his work was without a parallel in his day.”

1904/05-

A few years later Evan Roberts launched the 1904/05 Welsh revival, setting the stage for the Azusa Street revival under the leadership of William J. Seymour.

Although the Welsh outpouring most likely did not accomplish the fullness of its mandate, it left an indelible mark on this generation’s perception of community transformation.

Visiting Moriah Chapel

Naturally while in Wales, Wanda and I looked forward to visiting Moriah Chapel and the site of this landmark event. On Saturday, August 27, our friends in Bridgend arranged for a tour with the local custodian. The Saturday evening service was to be our last session because of a early return in order to arrive home before hurricane Katrina made landfall.

The visit was inspiring. The elderly gentleman lived his entire life directly across the street from Moriah Chapel. He warmly and enthusiastically shared incredible testimonies and first-hand knowledge of friends and families influenced by this revival.

He related how taverns and pubs were shut down because there were no customers spending their hard earned money on alcohol and promiscuity. He remembered how jails were no longer filled with criminals, but transformed into community centers serving the revival. The entire region was transfigured under the spirit of conviction. Many of the local families continue to serve God as second and third generation legacies of this revival.

I stood behind the pulpit for an extended period of time and imagined how it appeared in 1904 as the building filled with the cloud of God’s presence and the altar flooded with tears of repentance. My only thought was, “Lord, do it again, and more.” With that we returned to Bridgend for our last service.

Moses My Servant is Dead

That evening during worship, I was contemplating the message that I was going to share. This was now going to be the culmination of the conference and I wanted to leave the people with a spiritual deposit for hope and restoration related to their heritage.

As my mind was focused on this objective, I heard the Lord’s voice speak to me saying, “Moses my servant is dead.” As soon as that statement was made, I was immediately reminded of Deuteronomy 31:2-3, declaring,

And he [Moses] said to them, “I am a hundred and twenty years old today; I am no longer able to come and go, and the LORD has said to me, “You shall not cross this Jordan. It is the LORD your God who will cross ahead of you; He will destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua is the one who will cross ahead of you, just as the LORD has spoken

With that realization I then heard the Lord ask the question, “how long has been since the seeds for the modern Pentecostal movement were sown.” As often as I had preached the historical account of the last century’s spiritual heritage, I had never actually done the math. As I calculated in my mind that this was the year 2005 and the beginning was 1885, I then realized it had been 120 years. I knew that the Moses Era was over. We have been called out, but we have not yet crossed over.

The Lord is saying to this generation,

Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them– the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses…. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you- Joshua 1:2-5

The season of transition is upon us and a new commissioning is about to be announced in the order of Joshua.

The Moses Generation

This last 120 years of spiritual activity has functioned in the order of Moses. Clearly, Moses was one of the greatest men of God who ever lived. His intimate friendship with the Lord set a standard we aspire to today. Even so, the totality of his original mandate was not fully achieved in his lifetime.

Moses brought the people out of Egypt under God’s mighty hand of power through miracles, signs and wonders; but, that generation did not cross over into their destiny. According to Deuteronomy 29:4, they did not possess the revelatory anointing essential to co-operate with God.

Their eyes and ears were not opened and their hearts were not devoted to the revelation of Heaven’s plan. As a result, they were disqualified and a season of discipline ensued.

Nevertheless, the next generation emerged with spiritual hunger and desperation that captured Heaven’s attention and positioned them for their inheritance. That is the same model we have followed over the last century.

Naturally, that is not to point a condemning finger at the saints of the prior generation. Clearly, there was a remnant of very godly people who openly embraced the fullness of God’s desire. Even so, a prudent analysis of history reveals that the corporate church as a whole did not embrace the open door opportunities set before them to cross spiritual Jordan.

According to John G. Lake’s analysis in 1925, “the people were more captured by the phenomena of God than the Person.” That mistake was made during the early 20th century and repeated in the ’50s. For the 21st century generation to cross over in a Joshua anointing, it will likewise require God’s great-grace for walking intimately with Him, along with a thorough understanding of the lessons learned from past achievements and failures.

Hebrews 13:7-8 declares,

Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

This biblical admonition requires that we remember and be constantly mindful of those who have gone before us. Furthermore, we are to consider well and observe accurately the end of their lives. This examination positions us to imitate their faith. In so doing, the Lord will do through us what he did through them by mighty expressions of His power and authority, because He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

The Lord promised Joshua that He would walk with him as He did with Moses. Our assurance is the same. As the Lord accompanied the mighty champions of the last century, so also will He be with us. Even so, what we do may appear totally different. Joshua’s accomplishments were distinctly different from those of Moses.

In the Order of Moses

Following the Holy Spirit’s outpouring at Azusa Street, our nation witnessed one of the greatest spiritual awakenings since the day of Pentecost. The 1946-56 “Latter Rain” revival was unprecedented on multiple levels. We have written on this subject in various articles and will not take the space here to enumerate the many wonderful things God did.

The important aspect for this text is the original commissioning that is credited with launching this revival. All historians agree that William Branham was the predominant figure responsible for initiating this national and international healing revival.

On May 7, 1946, after a night of agonizing prayer and travail, William Branham received a visitation from an angel who delivered a divine commissioning directly from God’s throne. This account has been well documented and the fruit of the revival itself testifies of its validity.

Gordon Lindsay, founder of Christ for the Nations, wrote of this spiritual experience saying, “The results of the angelic visitation to William Branham have been a steadily rising tide of revival that has sounded out throughout the world, and the end is not yet.”

The Book of Acts plainly substantiates the labor of angels working closely with the early saints. God’s ways have not changed.

The angel said to Branham, “Fear not. I am sent from the Presence of Almighty God to tell you that your peculiar life and your misunderstood ways have been to indicate that God has sent you to take a gift of divine healing to the peoples of the world. If you will be sincere and get the people to believe you, nothing shall stand before your prayer…not even cancer!”

The angel went on to tell William Branham that he would take the ministry of healing around the world and eventually pray for kings, princes and monarchs. Brother Branham responded by saying, “how can this be since I am a poor man and I live among poor people and I have no education.” The angel then continued the commission saying, “as the prophet Moses was given two signs to prove that he was sent from God, so will you be given two signs.”

For approximately 30 minutes the angel stood before Bro. Branham explaining the commission and the way the ministry would operate in the supernatural arena. The important point of this teaching is Brahnam’s role as the principal figure launching the “Latter Rain” revival; his commission came in the order of Moses.

His commission and healing ministry began in 1946 and by 1948 the world was aflame with revival fire. Millions of people were saved, healed and delivered of severe oppression by God’s sovereign touch in the years following the visitation.

This exceptional demonstration of God’s power was launched in the order of Moses. This past generation has been a Moses generation. We have now come to the end of this phase of God’s plan and are about to shift into the Joshua commissioning.

In the Order of Joshua

Much has been spoken and written in recent years about the emerging Joshua Generation. Many people have prophetically foreseen this transition. The Church has now crossed a threshold in Heaven’s time-line for the apprehension of this promise.

One of the difficult things for the modern church has been to adequately understand spiritual transitions and timeliness. It has been our observation that most shifts of this nature develop slowly with one season overlapping into the next.

Although 2005 ended a 120 year cycle, it may take some time for this new manifestation of God’s attributes to be fully revealed. Even so, it will transpire.

Joshua was promised the same manifestation of God’s Spirit that rested upon Moses. Like Moses, Joshua had his “burning bush” experience. However, the Lord did not appear as a pillar of fire in a bush that was not consumed, but as “Captain of the Lord’s Host.” He said,

No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant? — Joshua 5:14

The Lord was with Joshua as He was with Moses but in a different manifestation of His nature. He came NOW as the mighty warrior God. So shall it be in this day.

A holy militancy is about to emerge in the Bride of Christ. Many leaders will begin to surface with a Joshua anointing. Joshua means “Jehovah Savior.” This form of leadership will function in the Church with concise direction and profound anointing for salvation and deliverance.

These leaders will also do in the last days what Paul did in the beginning. Paul brought to the Church the message of God’s Kingdom by a revelation of Jesus Christ. He wrote in Galatians 1:12,

For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

Great and profound mysteries of the Kingdom are about to be unfolded that will begin to displace the giants that inhabit our inheritance. These will not be the precepts of man but the manifestation of Jesus Christ. This will be a wonderful and rewarding season of Church history.