November 23, 2015 is the International Day of the Bible. Christians around the world are celebrating the Word of God, which has now been translated, at least in part, into over 2500 languages. In America, we also celebrate Thanksgiving this week, the beginning of our nation's freedom to worship God. The day before I began writing this post, I spent a few minutes thinking about what I am most thankful for this year. God, family, and YOU - my readers - top the list, of course, but what really creates thanksgiving in me is that there is such a wealth of Christian resources available to so many of us around the world today. Think about it: in the United States alone, there are multitudes of Bible-believing churches within driving distance, along with Spirit-filled conferences, prayer meetings, and worship gatherings. You can even get a ministerial degree online! You might also have noticed that thanks to technology, I can link all the Bible verses I use on my website to Bible Gateway, a powerful Bible search engine (www.BibleGateway.com). Bible Gateway, in turn, circulates my blog along with many others to their readers around the world. Online study of the Bible is so common now that even in our church services, we often see people pull out their cell phones when the pastor says "please turn to the book of Hebrews!" Advances in technology are not just impacting the US. In the 1980's it was prophesied that one day, Chinese workers in the rice fields would have 24/7 access to Christian programming - via a "device like a TV on their wrists." This was long before anyone had conceived the idea of smartphones and smartwatches. Today, Chinese readers make up the second largest group of readers for our "His Inscriptions" blog - outranked only by readers in the United States! The Multiplication of the Word Brings RevivalThe "smartwatch prophecy" was the last in a series of three events prophesied by Bob Jones that would happen before the "One Million Soul Harvest." We are living in an era of nearly unlimited access to the Word. The Holy Spirit, of course, knows no limits! We are also on the edge of a huge ingathering of souls. Some of you have prayed for years for corporate revival, and I believe we are very close. Here's why. In the Bible, there is a recurring pattern, illustrated below: 
Persecution of believers leads to multiplication of the Word, which then leads to revival in the Holy Spirit. A good example of this is found in Acts 4:16-31. The early church faced threats of persecution, which led them to pray the Word more intensely. As a result of prayer, the building where they were assembled was shaken and they "were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the Word of God with boldness." That's revival! Jesus also illustrated this same pattern when He broke bread for the 5000 (Matthew 14:13-21). The Word of God Himself took bread (a symbol of the Word), broke it (persecution), prayed a blessing over it, and it was multiplied. Thousands of people were revived - physically nourished - because of the multiplication of the Word. It was a natural example of a spiritual principle. (For another example, see Acts 12:24). Historically, what seems to be the "breaking" of the Word - whether Jesus, broken in body, or believers, persecuted for their faith - results in multiplication of that same Word, and a stirring up of faith in others by the Spirit. So on this day to celebrate the Bible, I am thanking God for His living Word that energizes and revives me. And I'm praying for you, precious readers, whether you are in America, China, or any other nation. I'm praying that you will pray the Word until you access the Spirit. And that you will pray in the Spirit until you gain deeper revelation of the Word. The Word and the Spirit are intricately linked, and powerful in combination! May you see a greater multiplication of the Word of God in your lifetime. May you pray the words of the Bible over the harvest of souls that has yet to come in to the Kingdom. And may you know the empowering work of the Holy Spirit in your life, reviving you and all those whom your life touches. © Deborah Perkins / His Inscriptions *Legal Disclaimer: I receive no compensation from the organizations described here, nor from links you click in this article. :-)
Right now, Deborah Perkins is outside collecting fresh eggs from her coop full of chickens. While she enjoys cooking breakfast for her hubby and three boys, her true passion is to help people Discover Life-Giving Communication with God. Her weekly blog, mentoring classes, and online Christian Resource Library are all free to subscribers who want to grow their prayer life. Join the His Inscriptions community today!
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September 2024
AuthorA severe hearing loss from childhood caused Deborah Perkins to develop what she now calls her secret weapon: tuning in to God's voice. A Wellesley College graduate and an award-winning writer, Deborah is now a wife and mother of 3 boys. Deborah has devoted over 25 years to professional and lay Christian ministry in New England and beyond. Her passion is inspiring people to cultivate greater intimacy with God. 
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