Kindling Ministries, Ron Allen's Blog

Expecting Revival

This is a summary of my message from July 26, 10 am. The podcast with Carolyn's song can be downloaded from www.hccfw.com.

The turmoil of the seventies seemed irreversible. Disillusionment with government and the war in Vietnam, sexual promiscuity, and drug abuse were rampant. The church seemed stuck in form and luke-warmness for the most part. Then God sent a revival among young people called the Jesus People awakening. Jesus was real and multitudes encountered Him. Calvary Chapel and Vineyard Christian Fellowships were birthed out of this revival. We read Hal Lindsay's, "The Late Great Planet Earth," and expected Christ to return any day. Communes were popular, and love ruled the day. We expected everything was going to change for the better forever and it didn't. But millions of dear souls found God and their lives were transformed. In the Old Testament we read in 1 Kings 1-19 about a great revival led by Elijah. After an astonishing victory against the forces of darkness in chapter 18, we find Elijah running from Jezebal in chapter 19. After a long journey, out of steam, Elijah was met by God. Wanting to die, Elijah soon found out that God had other plans in mind for him. He was sent back and given an assignment. Disappointed that his expectations for revival didn't get met, Elijah had given up. But God reminded him that He wasn't done yet and the greater work of the Spirit was ahead, not behind. I have experienced five major moves of God in my life and ministry. Right now things don't seem to be going the way I thought they would go. But God is saying there is a work to do. He has more for his people. Revival is on the way. Expect God to finish the work He has begun. And the emerging generations, the lapsed Christians who were once on fire, and the luke-warm church is going to experience a major reviving move of God in these days.

A Dream about Wales

The following is two emails that I sent Andy Booth while he was in Wales a few days ago.

Dear Andy, I just woke out of solid sleep vividly remembering the word the Lord gave me when we first started going back to Wales. "The Lord said to me, If you will go and help redig the ancient wells of revival and spiritual fervor in the land of Wales, whatever is released by my Holy Spirit will be your inheritance to bring home to Fort Wayne." I always thot it significant that we met in Builth Wells. Plural. I awoke with the distinct impression that we were redigging multiple wells. And that we have been digging for over 14 years now. I believe one well is a well of healing, a place and a grace for pilgrimage where there is particular blessing for all kinds of healing. I think that is why I am especially drawn to St. David's well. Another well I awoke thinking about was a well for music, singing, for worship and praise. I could hear the hymns of revival being sung all over Wales, not just in choir concerts and at ball games, but a tidal wave of hearts and voices entering into the courts of God with thanksgiving and praise. This well is releasing a vitality in every stream and tradition of the church, particularly wedding the intimacy and passion of what was first release in the 80's with Vineyard, but would swell in another wave that would sweep up the ancient Celtic language of the heart in poetry and prose, in melody and harmony to transform every rite and liturgy it touched with the sounds of heaven on earth. Healing and worship would flood out of Wales, and flood into Fort Wayne, and out across the land. Another well is a well of deep spritual devotion and fervor, the establishment of holy orders, where divine invitation is met by human response with the disciplined committment of stepping out beyond the call of duty to a grace of committed life that focuses and releases great maturity, fruitfulness and power. I think the disciplines of intention that Ignite has written are first fruits of that kind of thing. And it certainly was common in Celtic Christianity. They had orders for focus and impact based on common disciplines. I think that is what is stirring in me with something like the "Order of St. Barnabus." It is what stirs us when we read the "The Vision and the Vow."  Well, I feel better that I have put it down. At least those three wells. A well of healing, a well of worship, and a well of disciplined and ordered intention. Somehow I think that has something to do with what is happening to you and for you this week, and for that matter for the rest of us here as well. I saw a river of anointing gushing out of your mouth and out of your life as you returned. And I have the renewed sense that you yourself are an ongoing first fruit of that promise. And I saw it increase as we went back and forth between Fort Wayne and Wales. "Here is love, vast as an ocean..." Blessings, Ron  (No, I didn't have anything weird for supper.)

Hey Andy, it dawned on me that today is 8.8.08. It is your wedding aniversary of course. Congratulations. But I seem to remember a few months ago that Aug 8 was significant for you in other ways as well. In light of my midnite email, and as eight is the number of new beginnings, and today is 8x3, and I thought of 3 wells... I thoought that was amazing. Also today is the start of the Olympics, lots of contests between the nations... Well, I don't know what it all means, but it seems auspicious. Blessings, Ron

So does anyone have any input?

God appointed conflict

Satan has never been a threat to the Kingdom of God. God could take out the whole kingdom of darkness in the blink of an eye. Remember when God sent Israel to Eygpt to pick a fight. Ps. 105:24-38, "God increased His people greatly, and made them stronger than their enemies. He turned their hearts to hate His people, to deal craftily with His servants. He sent Moses his servant, and Aaron whom He had choosen. They performed His signs among them, wonders in the land of Ham... He brought them out with silver and gold, and there was none feeble among His tribes. Eygpt was glad when they departed, for the fear of them had fallen upon them." God blessed and multiplied Israel till they were a threat to the Eygptians. Then God hardened the hearts of the Eygptians and provoked them. God poured out plagues upon the Egyptians and brought Israel out of bondage loaded with treasure. God often leads us into conflict not because He is abandoning us, but because He is up to something redemptive. We will never live a moment in conflict without divine purpose. God is always working in my life redemptively, provoking and provisioning me till I move with Him into the fulness of His promises for me. We must align ourselves in faith and let God lead us where He alone can take us.