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.
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.