Florida Outpouring and Children

Photo courtesy of Ernest von Rosen, www.amgmedia.com

I started to write another post on children and worship but I've canned it for the moment.

I have been watching a lot of the Florida revival meetings this week. I have listened to Todd Bentley in various forms for a couple of years now and I have the utmost respect for the prophetic and justice emphasis of Freshfire Ministries. Well worth reading his biographical details on the website. He not only has some testimony but is aggressively bringing the kingdom in healing and evangelism. Reminds me of Rheinhard Bonnke.

If applicable, suspend any preconceptions you may have for religious programming, God TV etc (as I had!!), and listen to the prophetic words and watch for the signs which match up with stuff you have longed for and prayed for. Ignore the cultural context in which prayers/words are delivered if it stands in the way for you. Please don't discount what God is doing if it looks different from what you're used to. I reckon that's what people had to do during the Great Awakening and I know for sure its what they had to do in the two Lewis revivals (see Colin Whittaker's book)- they had to put aside "this is alien to us; we don't do this)

6000 - 8000 people are attending twice daily meetings. I have watched some medically substantiated miracles. When people return home and see doctors, I presume there will be more.

I watched several children, on separate occasions, describing Jesus coming down from heaven, touching them and going back up again.
I have listened to prophetic words over and over again for children in the past week - that we are entering into a time where children will see God's supernatural power at work through them in greater measure than any previous generation of children. I do believe this, because I am hearing the very same words from friends in Toronto, England(shire) and Argentina. I am also reading the very same words in several books and websites from other nations of the world.

God promised to pour out his spirit on all flesh. Yes, I believe those of us who are trained in child development, educational studies, theology etc etc etc (the list could be endless!) need to use our pastoral sensitivity, common sense and retain our sense of fun and lightness, but we also need to recognise that God is sovereign and is preparing for his son's return. He will use "all flesh" to achieve his eschatological purposes.

"God told me he would come to children in a special way, 3 years old, 5 years old. They will see visions of heaven, visions of angels." (Todd Bentley, Thurs 30 April 2008)

Remember what Jean Darnell spoke in 1987: believe children who come to you and say things like this.

In October, two different children told me that they had seen angels in the same spot in our church and I believe them. They were pretty matter of fact about it. No big deal. Children just don't get worked up about the same things that we do.

We need careful shepherds of children and young people, who will work in partnership with parents, standing with them in their place of covering and authority over their children, but will also be a bridgehead between adult and children/teen ministry. We all need each other! We need our separateness but we also need our togetherness because there is a job to be done.

I'm very excited. I think we are in amazing times.