A Prophetic Look At the Lakeland Outpouring

A PROPHETIC LOOK AT THE LAKELAND OUTPOURING


As many of you know, my husband and I were blessed to head out to Lakeland, Florida the beginning of May. We really felt lead by His Spirit to go and looked forward to not only going to see what God was doing in Lakeland but to also finally meet face to face with two dear, precious sisters in Christ who we have been ministering with over the net for several years now. We left our comfortable home in Connecticut and headed out to sunny Florida with great expectation and excitement.

What we did not expect was what greeted us upon our arrival home. Not even home yet, a call had been made from one of the woman at the new church we attend wanting us to call back so that we could set up a time to get together with the elders of the church. When I heard it, my heart sank. There are times when you just know what is happening, we were going to be challenged on what we had seen and received at Lakeland, Florida. I guess what grieved me the most is that there is no doubt in my mind that the people of this church love the Lord. The elders are precious saints who desire to do God’s will. Billy and I love them and are blessed to gather with them each Sunday. But we knew just by the phone call we knew that our trip to Lakeland and the Florida Outpouring was troubling them and I felt that Billy and I had become the ‘wandering lambs’ in their eyes. At this time, let me note that when we first came to their church I sensed a “religious spirit” in the midst. I mentioned it to Billy after the service and then lifted it in prayer, knowing that I did not have the full meaning of why the Holy Spirit revealed that to me. This revelation began to unveil itself more months later after we came back from Florida. And, truthfully, I do not want to get into a whole lot of ”he said” “she said” here. Billy and I would gladly stand beside these dear saints, our brothers and sisters in Christ, should the need arise. Their love for the Lord blesses our hearts and we know it blesses His heart as well. What is shared above is just to show that what happened to us when we came back from the Outpouring in Florida is happening throughout America within the body of Christ. Many are saying that this is not a move of God that is taking place in Lakeland but is coming from the enemy’s camp. Others are saying that God is pouring out His glory in this hour and that Lakeland is only the beginning. There is so much controversy over the Lakeland Outpouring and the man who is leading it that it could make one’s head spin at the velocity and force that is being stirred up. What I will say is that it is bringing great division in the body of Christ and many wounds to the precious saints with child-like hearts. How sad it is when brother fights against brother. Where is our confidence in the finished work of the cross? Do we not believe that the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us to all truth? And how often do we seek His heart in a matter and instead take what man has said regarding a spiritual matter as being total truth?

How come when Todd Bentley was healing the sick in foreign countries and bringing many to the kingdom of God through Christ Jesus no one had anything to say about him one way or the other? I’d be curious to know how many people each of us individually has brought to salvation through our Lord? How many of us were willing to leave our home country to follow what the Holy Spirit was doing in this hour?
OK, you have questions about the man, but what about the fruit that is coming forth from this outpouring? Is that the work of satan or is it the work of God? Perhaps it is the fear of being in the end days that has caused us to “critique” the works of those who say they come in the name of Jesus Christ, fearing they might be deceived, after all Scripture says that “if it were possible, even the elect would be deceived (Matthew 24:24). Well, if we are in fellowship with the Lord, following the leading of the Holy Spirit, it would not be possible to be deceived! Dear saints, it is not the following after man’s teaching that can and has saved us. It is not the many works that we do that brings about our salvation and right standing in God. It is not even how well we have memorized Scripture that has restored us back to God. It is the finished work upon the cross that Jesus did and it is our fellowship with Him and the one that He sent that opens our understanding of our heavenly Father’s will and ways. Do we truly believe He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him? If we go astray can He need lead us back to Him? It is imperative that we remember and walk in this truth, “Greater is He that is in you [me] than he who is in the world“(1 John 4:4b). Glory to God! Yes, we are to test the spirits and if they believe that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, Scripture says they are from Him. Todd Bentley, though speaking a lot in the first person, has many times said it is Jesus who is healing and that He deserves the glory. Todd tells the people to set their eyes upon Jesus, to worship Him and that it is Him that we need. He talks about the finished work on the cross and how we are to be fellow laborers with Christ Jesus, taking the gospel everywhere we go, not just confining it in our church buildings. I say, “Praise be to God! That is what we are called to do, take the gospel to the nations, healing the sick, setting the captives free, raising the dead. Glory to God!” Dear Saints, is that not what our Beloved Lord commissioned us to do? If God has chosen this man to bring forth revival, which I believe that Todd is being used as a revival fire starter, then we need to be praying for him rather than ridiculing him.


WHY I BELIEVE THIS MOVE IS OF GOD
About nine or ten years ago the Holy Spirit sunk in my spirit that God was about to move in a mighty way upon the earth where the name of Jesus would be declared to all the nations and there would be no doubt that Christ Jesus, indeed, is the only begotten Son of God. I saw the truth of John 3:16 coming alive to the people of the world, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This knowing in my being was not placed there by man but by the Spirit of God. It was so real and I anxiously awaited it to come to pass. As one year passed and a new one began I would cry out, “When, God? When?” The longing was deep to see His hand touch the earth and for the name of Jesus to be exalted and given the honor that was due Him. I would see the sin that was rampant in our country growing exceedingly so and my heart would break, crying out the more to God, “Forgive them for they know not what they do.” As I interceded for this nation and the nations of the world I knew my voice was not alone, that God had raised up those who would pray “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” While darkness came we knew His light is greater. When despair of the surrounding circumstances seemed to envelope me, His loving arms always brought comfort and hope. Praise be to God for His wondrous love and goodness!!! He would do what He promised to do. Glory to God!!!

During those years of waiting the Lord taught me how to hear His voice and discern what was from Him. My relationship with my Beloved grew and continues to grow. He let me know that this next move of God would not look like I might expect it to and He reminded me how many of the Jewish faith did not even recognize Jesus as their Messiah for He did not come in the manner that they had come to look for. This coming move would be the same, not looking like we would expect. He also reminded me of John the Baptist, the one who declared “prepare for the kingdom of God is at hand” who wore camel hair and leather, eating locusts and was rough in appearance. John wasn’t the typical person in that day and I was instructed to keep this in mind.

At the end of 2004 the Holy Spirit began giving me prophetic words of what the new year would bring. In the prophetic word for 2008 the Lord showed me that this would be a year of kingdom building and of the realm of angels being opened up to the believer. He spoke to me that February was an important month and that we “are entering a day of greater understanding and fellowship with Him who holds the government upon His shoulders.” He said that He is birthing His glory upon the earth. It was revealed that we would see many signs, miracles and wonders taking place and that a new healing wave was coming forth. He spoke of more as well.

When February came I not only looked forward to celebrating my husband’s 60th birthday and the birth of our three grandchildren, I also waited expectantly to see what God was about to do. When the month had passed, I thought I had missed Him or was off on my timing. When I heard of this outpouring taking place in Lakeland, Florida, I sensed this is what the Lord was talking about and I rejoiced (still wondering why I heard “February” as the time it would break forth and not April!). I sensed this outpouring was what the Lord had spoken to me about years before.

And it was by the Holy Spirit’s leading we headed to Florida - not to receive healing but to be obedient and to take back God’s anointing and glory back to our state. But when we came back from our trip there we hit such opposition that we truly had our faith tested. Wish I can say that we stood firm and did not waver at all. To be honest, good arguments were given and we had to consider them and bring them before the Lord. Our own walk the Lord was brought to question and it was a hard time. We began researching about past revivals and seeking His will all the more. There were times when I just wanted to give it all up and, if possible, go into a cave where I could be with Him and close the rest of the world out! But here and there the Lord would provide us things to remind us that it was His will that we go to Florida and that He had been speaking to us, guiding us all along.

Oh, if patient the Lord will give us the answers we put to Him. About a week and a half ago I was led to read a post from the Elijah List entitled “Revival Chronicles: Chasing Mantles and Receiving Anointings” by Jim Wies. In this article it spoke about the history behind the current Lakeland, Florida Outpouring which can be traced back 20 years ago. I found the article very interesting but the thing that nearly blew me away was found under the heading, “Catching the Fire and Giving it Away”. Here is what I read:

“...It was 10 years later, in the beginning of 2008 (February 20-23), that Patricia King invited Todd to be a keynote speaker at an "Extreme Prophetic" conference she held in Phoenix, Arizona, called "Raising the Dead." That conference turned out to be a significant milestone in the ongoing chronicles of revival. A man named Denny Cline, Pastor of the Vineyard Church in Albany, Oregon, who had been a friend to Todd and had hosted meetings with Todd in the past, came to the conference on a prophetic mission. He came with the sole agenda of proclaiming to Todd that there were new angelic hosts being assigned to Todd and his ministry to assist in a new wave of healing and revival fire.

A Dawning of a New Day
It was on one of the last nights of that conference that a prolonged and holy silence settled in upon the meeting at the end of a time of worship. After a long pause, a prophetic word came forth over the meeting, declaring the following: "For those in this place who sense that you have crossed over a new threshold, the Lord declares,

'Surely you HAVE crossed over a new threshold and have, as it were, turned the corner into a new day, says the Lord. For surely this is a new day, not only for you, but also for the entire Body of Christ. And even as there have been times in which historians looked back and said, "That was the dawning of a new day for the Church," even so, those with spiritual perception will look back upon these meetings and this time as the time when a new day dawned and a new level of breakthrough occurred for the Body of Christ.'"

A few short weeks later, Todd began what was supposed to be a short series of meetings in Lakeland, Florida. They began with about 700 in attendance, but God poured out a glorious gusher of His glory and healing power, and the crowds quickly swelled into thousands. Many signs and wonders and dramatic miracles are taking place…”

Glory to God! In February the Lord spoke through a man of God and declared that we have, indeed, crossed over to a new threshold and that it is for the entire Body of Christ - not just one man but the entire body of Christ if they are open and willing to receive. That was confirmation that I had heard the Lord correctly regarding the importance of February 2008. Praise be to God!

In the days ahead I will be sharing more about the Lakeland Outpouring and what the Holy Spirit has been showing me about what is taking place upon the earth. After much seeking of the Lord and His Word, prayer and soul searching, my husband I a fully believe that God is moving through this young man, Todd Bentley, to shake the lukewarm church and to set ablaze those who desire to be used as His vessels of honor to carry His glory to a lost and dying world. But make no mistake, while we acknowledge God is moving through Todd Bentley and others, it is upon Jesus we set our eyes and our devotion, desiring to bring glory to the Father through the Son and to fulfill the commission given to ALL saints. Jesus instructed us to “And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:7-9) Let us also remember what we read in Matthew 28:18-20, ’And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.’

Dear Saints, this is not doing church as we know it. If anyone or thing is off it is the American church that has clung to a religious system being encased in the four walls of a building. A lot of the discord that is coming forth is from that religious system that does not want the American church to walk in the authority and calling given to her by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our hearts have gotten cold and we want “order and structure”. When Jesus came He shook up the religious system of that day and so will we if we follow after Him whose has commissioned us to walk in His authority. God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. He can speak through a burning bush, a donkey, a stammering man, a man who sends another to his death, a woman judge, a locust eating man of the wilderness, a uneducated man, a man who struggles with homosexuality, a tattooed man and pretty much any one or thing He chooses to speak through so let us be sure we have discerned by His Spirit rather than our flesh, amen? Amen!

May we continue to seek Him for His truth, in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.