Day 1: The Kickoff

Sunday, January 17^th, 2016, 6pm.  That’s when Revive FLORIDA officially started.  All I did was show up.   I had no idea that God was about to pour out a blessing on my life that I could barely contain. 

Winning the lost to Christ 
would no longer be a dream, 
but a reality.

Of course I’d led people to Christ in my 33 years as a Christian, but not nearly as many as I had hoped for.  More often than not, I suppose it always seemed so complicated -   so awkward - so Jehovah's Witness -  ya know?   Sure, I had learned, over the years,  different methods -- The Roman Road and Evangelism Explosion, to name a few, but they took some time to really get up to speed with and I never seemed to be able to sustain those methodologies in my everyday, normal life. They came and they went and so did my soul-winning.

It's funny how the LORD prepares you for things.  About a week ago, I drove by a parking lot on Fruitville Road where I had led a woman to Christ several years back.  The LORD reminded me of how special that moment was for the woman.  In fact, not long ago, she tracked me down and left a message on my phone stating how blessed she was to have found her faith that night in a parking lot of all places. As I smiled with contentment, I heard the LORD whisper this in my ear:

"That’s why I want you to show up for Revive FLORIDA. 

Many will give their lives to Christ and

I don’t want you to miss out on that!"

 If that weren’t enough coaxing from God, a few days later, just prior to Revive’s Kickoff event, I was out in my neighborhood walking when suddenly a vision flashed in my head.  It was a picture similar to something I’d seen a long time ago – 33 years to be exact. 

When I gave my life to Christ in 1983, 

God gave me a vision for the lost.  

Like a movie playing in my mind, He showed me a long line of people coming around a mountain and stopping at the foot of a small wooden bridge.  One by one, the person at the head of the line would step forward, climb up onto the side of the bridge and jump off into a deep abyss.  Standing nearby, I waved my arms in the air, calling to the people, shouting… 


“Stop!  You don’t have to jump!  Let me tell you about Jesus!  He will save you!”  

I was crushed and heartbroken that no one came, but ...

God told me to never stop calling out to people.  

He said every once in awhile, 

someone would come to hear what I had to say.

This day, however, while walking around the neighborhood, the vision was a little different.  I was standing at the head of another line -- this time facing all the people.  One by one each person stepped up to me, we held hands and I led them in the Prayer of Salvation.  WOW!  I couldn’t stop thinking about that  -- especially knowing that Revive FLORIDA was just days away.  I had to wonder, "Was this a preview of what was coming?" Then it dawned on me...   Regardless of this great vision,          

I wasn't going to lead anyone to Christ

if I didn't show up!        

        
The kickoff service was amazing.  My home church, The Harvest  was filled to overflowing, yet I didn’t know most of the people.  They had come from churches all over Sarasota, as well as from other states where Revive had previously been.  Something really unusual happened that night in the midst of worship. It was so powerful, I will never forget it.   Quite unexpectedly, I began to weep and a warm joy, that I had never experienced before, flooded my heart.

“What is THAT?”  I exclaimed to the LORD.

“That’s what UNITY feels like.”  He responded.

“That’s what happens when the Body of Christ drops their theological differences and traditions to win souls for the Kingdom.”

With that, I remembered a powerful Word that had been spoken in my church about a year earlier…

"Unity is the Heartbeat of God!"

I’d never experienced such a thing before – not in such full measure.  It was wonderful seeing the Amish, Mennonites, Brethren, Baptists, Charismatics, Pentecostals, Non-denominationals, Catholics and more - all together worshipping God. I loved that feeling!  It was the feeling of a FULL heart.   I had to believe that God was pleased – and we really haven't even gotten started yet.

That sealed it for me!  Right then and there, 

I was ALL in -- FULLY committed -- READY to give 100%

Who wouldn’t want to be a part of THAT?

All for Jesus!

Gail