Asbury Revival, Worship, & Shut-Down Cities

Dear Friends,

Over the last week, I received dozens of calls, texts, emails, and messages about the revival happening at Asbury University in Kentucky.  

About two weeks ago, the Presence of God showed up in chapel in a special way.  The students lingered and the worship and prayer didn't stop...as of this writing it is still going. People began to hear about what was happening and came to experience it for themselves.   In one clip I saw, the entire room sang "worthy is the Lamb" for five hours straight.  Make no mistake, what's happening at Asbury is Heavenly Worship, because people in Heaven sing "Worthy is the Lamb" 24/7, day and night.  When you see what happens in heaven taking place spontaneously on earth, pay attention.

Providentially, a prayer movement for college campuses in the US called the Collegiate Day of Prayer had planned to host their national broadcast from Asbury College months in advance on February 23, 2023.  As believers around the world pray by name for thousands of college campuses on February 23, the CDOP broadcast will be coming live from a center of revival.  This "coincidence" makes me think God is good at planning and the leaders of the CDOP are doing a good job following Jesus! 

Recently Pastor Andrew Brunson joined Global Family to share lessons learned through Persecution.  This message is a huge encouragement--take a listen!

This week, I spoke to Jared Crouse, a friend and ministry partner who visited Asbury last week.  Jared shared with me how he had been in the prayer and worship movement for years, but the atmosphere at Asbury was heavier and more weighty than anything he had ever experienced.  "It's a real outpouring," he said.   As we talked,  I commented on how amazing it was that there is no "celebrity leader" in the forefront and how people are not angling to take responsibility for it.  In fact, there has been a conscious effort to divert media attention, much as Jesus used to divert attention away from his ministry.  I've noticed that even usually antagonistic media sources have not been able to say anything bad about what's happening.  Jared mentioned that he personally knew one of the leaders who was stewarding the move.  This man's idea is that the Lord is throwing a banquet and that they should allow people to come and eat as long as the Lord wants to keep the table open. I'm impressed with this man and the other leaders there, and pray this humble, Spirit-led leadership continues and increases.  Hearing these reports is an answer to our prayers.

Jared also shared about how looking around the room he saw a number of famous Christians present.  However, the spotlight wasn't on them or on anyone else.  Everyone was simply worshipping.  Jesus was there--He is a big deal.  "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain!"

What's happening at Asbury seems to be an outpouring of the atmosphere of Heaven, the glory of God in a way that's making Heavenly worship, singing "worthy is the Lamb" 24/7, and lingering in the presence of God for weeks, a reality on earth as it is in heaven.  When we talk within 10 Days about "Cities stopping to recognize the worth of Jesus", this is what we are talking about.  We're talking about what's normal on Heaven becoming the manifest, visible, and dominant reality on earth.  What's happening at Asbury is a contemporary example of what I believe God wants to do and will do in cities around the globe.  To visit His people with a weighty glory that makes us One, just as He and the Father are one (John 17:22).

Three years ago, we saw cities shut down by a virus.  Now, we're seeing a campus stop normal life to recognize the presence of Jesus.  A number of people have asked me, could this outpouring be the beginning of something bigger?  

Two years ago, I wrote my sense at the time that God was saying "Humility before Honor" over His Church, and that as His people we were in a season of being humbled in preparation for God releasing Honor on His House.  What's happening at Asbury is an example of the Honor (or Glory) of God being released on His people.  

Is it the start of something larger and more sweeping?  I don't know.  I pray that it is.  I am certain that those who are being touched by God at Asbury will never be the same.  I'm also confident that we need what's happening there in every city around the globe.  God is no respecter of persons, and He shows no partiality.  Let's ask the Lord of the Harvest to pour out glory on His people, that the worthy Lamb who was slain would receive the reward of His suffering.

Amen,

Jonathan