God provides rest in Revival

We’ve surpassed the 72-hour mark since the Holy Spirit fell on Asbury University’s campus. Since then, the Lord has moved inside Hughes Auditorium and beyond; people are driving down, flying in or falling into worship right where they are. 

This morning’s cry to God: “There is no one like You in the heavens or on the earth.”

Oh, how true is that statement? Our God is omnipresent; He is anywhere and everywhere, all at once. He is omniscient; all-knowing of our wants, desires, pains, joys and hearts. He is omnipotent, all-powerful. He created the world in six days and chose to rest on the seventh, which is an act of creation in itself. 

God created rest. Specifically, He created rest for us because while we are created in His image, we are not all-knowing or all-powerful. We have limits. This revival has proven it. 

We experience exhaustion in all senses— physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. One of my friends fell asleep against one of the chapel’s walls because she had only gotten 10 hours of sleep in the past three days. Another Asbury senior confessed feelings of anger and then a fear of repenting; it took a lot out of them. 

But God provided peace and restoration. 

“And now, the pit in my stomach is gone,” they said. 

Even in revival, God calls us to rest. Matthew 11:28-30 says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Yesterday, Asbury chapel speaker Zach Meerkreebs made a call for all who were weary. In boldness, he asked them to stand and for anyone who didn’t to surround them and pray for them. 

I was exhausted; my heart was weary. Yet, instead of standing, I found myself crouched at the altar. I can count the amount of times I had an altar call in my life on one hand. I have never been afraid to go and pray for others and in my bedroom, I often fall in my knees and lift my hands. But there’s something different about bowing down in a room full of faces, some of which you know and others you don’t. 

And I didn’t know everyone who laid their hands on my shoulders or recognized all the voices praying. But when I opened my eyes, there were these two women who stayed and continued talking with me. They spoke encouragement over me, and called out a spiritual gift I didn’t know I possessed. Yet, at the same time, they asked me questions about my heart. 

My heart has been battling bitterness, from past and current circumstances. And one question they asked wrecked me: “Have you forgiven them?”

I hadn’t. And I broke at the realization. 

I sobbed at the altar, asking God to help me, and He did. He gave me peace. He gave me rest. 

And that night, I got to embrace the very people I had finally forgiven. Only God can do that. Only God can uproot deep bonds of hurt we’re not even aware we’re attached to. 

There is power in surrendering control over to the One who can actually handle it all. 

Asbury freshman Kade Edler shared how the past five months have contained some of the darkest times in his life. A few days, he cried out to God to break him out of the cycle of his pornography addiction.

“I was so tired,” Edler said. “I had experienced God before and I would be on fire for a month or two but then it would fade and I would fall back into my old ways…Then Wednesday happened and I have been changed forever. I have confessed everything that I have ever done, and since I did that I have felt so free. There were people I have never met who were praying over me and shared their stories with me. I have been surrounded by a community of brothers who will push me to seek God with my whole heart. He will reign forever and ever. And I will see my God one day in heaven.”

There is power in the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, come rest on us. You’re all we want.

Executive Editor
  1. Thank you Jesus. Please please please keep moving. Keep going deeper and deeper and may this spread to the four corners of the earth. You and You alone are God and we are so thankful.

  2. Praising God for this new outpouring of His Spirit. Praying it spills over to the whole country. Open eyes and hearts to understand Your love and gift You have given through Christ.

  3. Yesterday, just touching the link to The Asbury Collegian, I am one of the persons who the HS fell on–even in another state! LORD Jesus, come. Come that we are receptive, repentant, reconciled/ing, restored, and in every redeptive way needed in each of our lives. Come, with Your power, purity, prophecy and proclamation that our changed lives changes the world for You and You alone. Let us continue to adore and honor You in humility–in this moment of holy glory and all the days of our lives. I say “Yes, Lord, yes.”

  4. Both of our kids graduated from Asbury and my husband is a Dean across the street. I am in IL for the weekend but am constantly hearing so many wonderful testimonials of the changed lives, healings, forgiveness, and commitment to serve God wherever He sends them. The community is so very glad to see what this outpouring of the Holy Spirit that God has graced AU with, and now His calling for Holiness and Faithfulness is spreading slowly, steadily worldwide. I’m in prayer, along with thousands of others, and can’t wait to return home to witness the Grace and Peace He has shown around Wilmore this week…Marcy Thobaben

  5. I’m writing a blog about this revival and sharing the link to your article. I’d like to open the blog with the picture you share here. Are you OK with that? I’ll link it to this article.
    This revival is so exciting, awesome, and needed at this very moment in time. Blessings on all of you and let’s pray it spreads to other campuses!!

    PS I’m a Christian author and speaker

  6. Yes i.wondered how the students were gettingg their rest. The moravians kept a 100 year prayer meeting going by raffling out time slots to the prayer room to always have people holding it down…from that came such a powerful missions movement even wesley whitefield and william carey owe to the moravians testimony and bible studies.anyways if this is gonna keep going Ill pray yall can find a rythm of rest and can prioritize daily delighting yourselves in the Lord- ultimately whats going to keep you going, intercessory prayers are hard work! I love how paul washer breaks prayer into 2 kinds “boots off” -delighting yourself in the Lord, worship praise etc and “boots on” -intercessory and thats draining spiritual warfare! Gotta spend time resting and delighting yourself to have the fuel to do the rest….anways praying for yall! Keep holding it down!

  7. Thank you for your inspiring stories from this revival! I’m an ’84 alum who visited campus for the first time in over thirty years this past summer. When I walked into an empty Hughes auditorium that day, I was overwhelmed at the presence of the Holy Spirit and quickly found myself on my knees at the alter. I am praying that Asbury will soon be recognized as ground zero for revival across this country and around the world.

  8. We are uplifted by awareness of this outpouring. Praise Him for His mercies. Let healing be a miraculous part of this happening and protect all those traveling to share in the Spirit moving!

  9. Wonderful article! My husband and I were saved in1974 at age 25 when we were hippies into drugs, alcohol, and near-divorce, when the Holy Spirit was poured out across the nation. It wasn’t concentrated in one location, but in churches, colleges, home prayer meetings, national organizations like Women’s Aglow and Full Gospel Businessmen’s Association, etc., that were open to the reality and move of the Holy Spirit. We have had tastes of it over the decades but we long for it again in what we believe is currently beginning on a large national and international scale. Keep up your good work in the Kingdom of Heaven that is at hand! —Sibyl Clark🙋🏻‍♀️❤️😊

  10. Beautiful lines: “Only God can do that. Only God can uproot deep bonds of hurt we’re not even aware we’re attached to.
    There is power in surrendering control over to the One who can actually handle it all. “

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