What is a real awakening ?

The manifestations you see in a so-called revival do not matter. It is not a true movement coming from God unless it is centered on the harvest! The rain of the Holy Spirit always falls to produce a harvest of souls.

God poured out His Spirit at Pentecost to loosen and prepare the soil so that the seed of the gospel could be sown. Believers filled with the Spirit have been sent from the Upper House throughout the world to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

After almost two thousand years of sowing and growth, now is the time of the harvest ! All those who have died in Christ to this day represent the first fruits of the early harvest. The Lord waited patiently for the moment of His final and powerful harvest.

"Be patient then, brothers until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the laborer awaits the precious fruit of the earth, taking patience with him, until he receives the rains of the first and the latter season" (James 5: 7)

"Then I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication, and they will turn their eyes toward me, whom they have pierced" (Zechariah 12:10). This passage speaks of the promised rain of the late season which must precede the last harvest.

Many so-called movements of the Holy Spirit disappeared quickly because they were centered on man - focused on gifts, personal improvement, happiness. But if a movement is really inspired by the Spirit, it results in a hunger to reach a lost and moribund world. In fact, Jesus made the connection between the harvest and the lost souls when He said : "Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:38).

Every true release of the Holy Spirit focuses on this prayer of Jesus. The few rare revivals reported as true revivals have all been blessed with a great harvest of souls. There is no real awakening without a great gathering of lost souls !

David Wilkerson