Lakeland Revival True or False?
In the ‘Christian community’ there has been a lot of talk, thousands of emails circulating about the revival meetings that were held over one hundred days in Lakeland, Florida. The meetings came out of a planned three day conference with a man named Todd Bentley.
The healings and miracles that came forth, the hundreds of salvations were of God, not Todd. Then it was revealed that Todd had some problems that required him to step down from the ministry for a time of healing and restoration. What the problems are makes no difference since competent men and women are working with the the Lord on Todd’s behalf, on the situation.
What is appalling is the attitude of the those who ‘are called by My Name’ condemning, complaining and declaring that much of what took place, or even all of what took place was not of God. I wonder if those who were healed and received salvation would like to give back those supernatural acts because Todd was less than perfect. We have only one perfect man, Christ Jesus. Jesus, the Holy Spirit, respond to those seeking and believing as well as the leaders. The character and nature of any leader is the responsibility of God, who is very good at what He does.
We must be accountable to God, in the same way Jesus responded to those of His day.
Jesus confronted the accusers of the woman caught in adultery, (which Todd was not, to my knowledge) recorded in the book of John, Chapter 8, verses one to eleven. Then Jesus released the woman with a gentle but convicting commandment to go and sin no more. Jesus sent her away without counseling or condemnation. “But, that was Jesus.” Yes, it was.
I had received an email on this that set my soul on fire, and into hours of prayer. I could not sleep, and as I forgave and repented for much and many, the Lord gave me a vision:
We, Jesus and I, were sitting by a creek high in the mountains in Colorado, one of my favorite places, especially with Him. Jesus told me to look at the water—it was beautiful, clear, with sparkles like small diamonds bouncing off of it. It was just pure joy to watch it and all that happened around it as it cascaded down stream. I was smiling…then Jesus said, “Look now.” There was a metal cup with a handle on it, floating down stream, it was fairly good size, it had no holes, but had dents in it and looked rather beat up. Then before I could look away the water turned an ugly grey. The sparkle was gone and dirt seemed to be flowing with the water making it very murky. What happened I asked. “The water is like a fresh renewal from a mountain stream. The cup, the damaged leader. The dirty murky water is full of despair, judgment and condemnation; just as the mountain streams are polluted by the careless in your society.”
I hung my head and breathed a heavy sigh, “Can we clean it, can we make it better?” “Those who drank of the fresh water will keep what they have. There is now a bitter taste in the stream. You will need a new stream out of the flesh of the mountain. You would do well to protect the cup from which you drink as it can be very easily dented. This is warfare, not play time. I do not pour out rivers of dirty water. Dominion is yours. However, so is despair, judgment and condemnation. The enemy will use the sin nature of man, that he helped to create, to poison the flow.”
I quickly remembered, “You have told me in the past, we are either warriors or prisoners of war, our choice.” “Yes, I did not give you the ability to bind and loose to be left in the pages of My Book. Forgiveness is the purifying tool for the cup, blessings and spiritual warfare; and you may use many cups in which to drink, but do not drink with your eyes closed. Watch for those (demonic evil forces) who want to steal the cup.”
I was back in my dark bedroom….I still could not sleep, not until I wrote this vision.
“What should I do with it now, Lord?” “Give it to the world, post it, the world needs My direction.” And all I could say was a quiet, ‘Amen’! I did sleep well after that.