Day 7: The Waiters

Saturday, January 23rd, 2016
Revive FLORIDA



Have you ever had to wait for something?  Maybe you waited for a bus that took forever to arrive.  Perhaps you waited and waited for an answer that would determine which direction you would go in. Perchance you're waiting now for a specific date on the calendar to arrive so you can attend a special event.

For me and my team,  Day 7 of Revive 

highlighted two special people who had 

been praying and waiting a very long time 

for revival to arrive.

Immediately after prayer, my team --  Rhonda, Daren from Indiana, and Pastor Dan Gorf  -- headed out to Palmetto to find the church on our map. While we drove, Daren prayed out loud and asked the LORD to highlight where we were to go.  At the very moment he said the word "highlight" Sister Rhonda had a vision of a blinking yellow light that she'd seen before when she visited Loving Hands Ministries.  She wasn't surprised to find that it was in the same vicinity of the church we were going to pray over.  We decided, right then, that would be our second stop.

We arrived at the church and found no one home.  It was cold and windy, so Rhonda and I snuggled together arm-in-arm and prayer walked around the church building.  Daren and Dan treaded the perimeter of the church property saying their own prayers on the church's behalf.

As Rhonda and I came around the church, something very peculiar happened.  I had the strangest sense that a dragon-like creature was on the roof of the church with its tail wrapped around the steeple.  How odd!  Truth be told, I was cold and would have liked to get back in the car and move on, but I couldn't shake this vision.  What did we have to lose?  Nothing!  So we followed the leading of the Holy Spirit and began pulling down demonic strongholds -- especially that of Religiosity.

"I see you up there!" I called out.
"It's time to leave!  
We're evicting you from the property 
in Jesus' Name!"

We continued, in the authority of Christ, to cast spirits of darkness to the foot of the Cross, rendering them powerless, and finished our prayers with a blessing.

I know it sounds weird.  It was weird.  I'm somewhat unaccustomed to such intercession, but I have noticed that, more often than not, these suggestions for prayer are right on target!  That said, I think it was a most effective prayer meeting!

Before long, we were back in the car, following our GPS to Loving Hands -- a ministry dedicated to setting men free from addiction.  Pastor Wendall Wilson and his wife, Nancy, are the overseers there.  Rhonda informed us that Pastor Wendall was recovering from throat surgery due to cancer and Nancy was quite sick herself.  She was sure they would appreciate the visit and the prayers!

When we arrived we were ushered into Pastor Wendall's office.  He greeted us with the most loving welcome and a smile.  He was excited to hear first hand what was happening with Revive.  He wasn't getting out much these days, but had been tuning in to the Revive evening services online.

He and his wife had invested prayerfully for decades --

trusting that a revival would one day come to Sarasota.

We gathered around Pastor Wendall in a huddle, anointed him with oil and began to pray for healing when a Word of Knowledge came forth.

"Well done, Wendall!"  said the LORD.  "But I'm not done with you yet."
Before the Word was complete, God clearly stated,
"You will see the revival you've so faithfully prayed for!"

Rhonda and I left the men to talk and moved into the living room where Sister Nancy was resting on a recliner.  She was so excited to see us and to hear that revival was stirring in the community!  Suddenly she began to sing forth, with boldness, an old Christian chorus:

"There's a mighty revival sweeping this way!

There's a mighty revival sweeping this way!

There's a mighty revival sweeping this way.

So trust and obey.  Let come what may.

There's a mighty revival sweeping this way."

I was fascinated by how valiantly Sister Nancy sang this old song.  Both her and Wendall were "Waiters" who faithfully prayed for decades for revival to come.  

I didn't know it then, but within a month, Nancy would go to be with the LORD.  I had to wonder, if like Anna in the Bible, she had held out to see the manifestation of a Word God, Himself, had given her.  Did she know in her spirit that morning that her assignment to pray for revival was complete?  Maybe.  She'll have to watch it transpire from "up there" while her husband, Wendall, watches from his earthly vantage point.  

Bravo!

Meeting Pastor Wendall and Nancy strengthens my own ability to Wait.  I feel like I've met True Waiters -- those dedicated to active waiting -- praying and believing -- no matter how long it takes -- for God to bring the manifestation of the Word proclaimed in the prayer closet.

What a blessed day!
Gail