A REVIVAL OF HOLINESS
By David Wilkerson
A revival of holiness is coming to this nation. The sparks have already been ignited by the Holy Spirit, and everywhere I travel now there are signs of a glorious awakening, with multitudes of God's children hungering and thirsting for righteousness. The Bible predicts that when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against him. Holiness, the true righteousness of Christ, is the standard. That blood-stained banner of holiness is being raised over the battlefields of sin and corruption and soon, very soon. There will arise a crescendo of voices crying out to the Lord: "Cleanse us. Consume us. Lift us out of the mire and filth of this age. Bring us back to holy living and heavenly mindedness. Purify us and keep us unspotted from the world."
The young Christians, and especially young ministers, are sick and tired of all the religious game playing. They are weary of all the interdenominational bickering and doctrinal hassles. They are hungry for a faith that will keep them clean and pure in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation. They are beginning to call on the Lord for an awakening in our country, and for a vision of God's holiness.
I hear their cries from coast to coast - they tell me, in essence, "We do not want some kind of theological system. We are tired of materialistic teaching and preaching that leaves us so empty and dry. We don't want to be told how to be successful or prosperous. We are young, so we don't relate to health messages. We need to be convicted of sin - to know how to grieve over our backslidings and pleasure-loving ways. We want to know how to yield our bodies to Christ in total surrender - and know what it means to be holy. We need a gospel that shows us how to stay clean in this filthy age.
I believe that even now my pen is anointed by the Spirit of God when I tell you that He is going to sovereignly move upon His church and awaken it anew to Bible holiness. The chosen of God are going be stirred in their inner man; the Spirit is going to convict and tug and pull - until believers are once again yearning for spiritual cleansing and deliverance from the power of sin.
Backslidden, cold-hearted church goers are going to be shaken and convicted by the powerful probings of the Holy Spirit. Judgment will begin in the house of God, and the Lord's holiness will be revealed in the inner man. Secret sin is going to be exposed, everywhere, and many, many Christians are going to be convicted and warned by God to lay their sin down, forsake it, or be judged openly, severely."
Lukewarm, backslidden ministers are going to see the standard of holiness raised in the land, and they will either turn to the Lord with fasting and praying, with tears and godly sorrow, and repentance - or, they will resist and be confirmed in their deadness and unconcern. But I believe every true minister of Christ who longs for restoration of Purity in the church, will experience a new call to diligent prayer and a renewed hatred for private and national sins.
We are going to see old-fashioned Holy Ghost conviction falling upon both sinners and Christians in churches all over this nation. I take that to be a Holy Ghost fact. It's already beginning to happen. In few months we received letters and phone calls from various ministers throughout the country telling of the sovereign moving of God's Spirit in their churches, with entire congregations completely shaken by powerful conviction of the Holy Spirit. Ministers report a renewed emphasis in their preaching against sin and compromise in their churches. They tell of people running to altars and repenting, crying out to God for a new baptism of love and cleansing in their souls. Covetousness, bitterness, and worldly-mindedness are being confessed and forsaken. Their people are beginning to turn from wicked ways, and there is now a returning to the old paths of righteousness, by faith. Without being forced, they are beginning to fast and pray for a new vision of mercy and grace.