This is Your Revival Rest

I was standing in my chicken coop collecting eggs last week and I noticed a copy of scripture I had posted on the door when we first bought our house eight years ago.

“This is the resting place, let the weary rest”;

and, “This is the place of repose”— Isaiah 28:12 ( see also Matthew 11:28-30 & Hebrews 4:9)

I went inside, opened up my Bible and read through the scripture that had once meant so much to me when we first received this property. We had been so poor, homeless, and then God gave us this property. I read Isaiah 28 troubled by the words I had left off the sign in my coop;

"—but they would not listen."

God blatantly grabbed my attention and asked me, "Will you rest?" I was so busy building a ministry rather than my relationship with Jesus. God forgive me, I want to know you. I dropped everything so I could pull closer to Him. I am overwhelmed by the Father's provision at this hour. I pray you locate Him- if nothing else, My prayer for you is that you will KNOW Him and not be confused as a worker of iniquity or manipulated by the many signs and wonders we will soon be seeing over the earth- we must Know Him church, deeply without any gurus or idols. We must know how to Rest in Him when the thousands are falling to our left and to our right- He is and always will be our Rock.

Matthew 7:22-24 New International Version (NIV)

22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

The Wise and Foolish Builders

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

The Father asks today, "Will you rest?

You are about to witness extraordinary things over the earth. There are many voices saying I am here or I am there but I am with you, Beloved. I am with you in the midst of you. Come and join in the Revival. This is your resting place. This is your time. I will take you to such depths in Me and then launch you into such heights so that you soar and see with an eagle's eye perspective of how vast my love is for you. I know you are battle-weary, today you will find your rest and begin to recover. I have revealed many things that have been stolen from you. In this hour I have revealed to you how many hands have tried to take what is rightfully yours, I have revealed the illegitimate voices who have tried to win you over, I have exposed the spiritual slave trade by demonstrating to you that I am your provider. Turn off the news, close your virtual doors, and silence the many voices, come hear Me. This is your revival, this is your time of recovery and I am bringing recompense with it.

I woke up this morning hearing the chorus from a song my husband wrote 15 years ago- I hear the Father singing it over us.

"Lock the door; open up your Bible

Lock the door; This ain’t what you think

Turn the page: river of Revival

On your knees, take a drink"

I hear the Father say,

"I would have it so that no one and nothing is between us. I have sent my word to you as a prescription to heal you, I have sent My Presence to permanently seal the wound. Today you will realize you are healing. Your heart will beat stronger with the healing power of our love realized- I am your friend, I am your brother, I am your lover. You were faint with the war around you, but now you will find you are faint with love. You will take your hand, breathe My breath into it and apply my breath to your pain like a salve. You will breathe deeply in the midst of all chaos and find your breath and discover that your heart is healed.

"This is not prison, you are not lost- this is Revival and you are found. Find yourself in me. Today My temple presence increases within you- for there will be rumors of wars, there will be pestilence, but as you build your walls of faith and trust Me, none of it will come near you. Your enemy is distracted with his invisible war and has failed to notice Who you are becoming-- look in the mirror because you do not look the same. You look like Me because of the time we have had together. You know Me. Do you hear what I am speaking Valiant One? Because of your many trials and tribulation, I am choosing to come through you. The kingdom comes through much tribulation. Trim your wick, lift your head up and rejoice, this is not what you think, This Is REVIVAL! I am Reviving My Bride to know Me deeply. She is waking with the fullness of who she is- My love is stirred for her, My Radiant Bride! Lift your head up and prepare yourself to unlock the door, I am getting you ready so that I may enter into the earth through you, declares the Lord of Hosts.

So wake up, you living gateways! Lift up your heads, you ageless doors of destiny! Welcome the King of Glory, for he is about to come through you. 8 You ask, “Who is this Glory-King?” The Lord, armed and ready for battle, the Mighty One, invincible in every way! 9 So wake up, you living gateways, and rejoice![d] Fling wide, you ageless doors of destiny! Here he comes; the King of Glory is ready to come in. 10 You ask, “Who is this King of Glory?” He is the Lord of Victory, armed and ready for battle, the Mighty One, the invincible commander of heaven’s hosts! Yes, he is the King of Glory! Pause in his presence Psalm 24: 7-10

Acts 14:22 The Passion Translation (TPT)

22 At each place they went, they strengthened the lives of the believers[a] and encouraged them to go deeper in their faith. And they taught them, “It is necessary for us to enter into the realm of God’s kingdom, because that’s the only way we will endure our many trials and persecutions.”[b]

Note from TPT: That is, the only way to avoid the oppression of the age is to enter deeper into God’s kingdom realm. An alternate translation would be “Through great tribulation we enter into God’s kingdom realm.” Neither translation of this sentence implies a future kingdom, but a kingdom realm that is presently accessible.

God bless each of you as you pull closer into the Father's arms. I am posting only as the Father guides Me. Jesus is on your side- He is forever for you! Enjoy your Sabbath Rest.

The Father also wanted me to share the lyrics of This is Revival that my husband, Sean Downing wrote some 15 years ago. It is my hope to record and share this song with you on YouTube.

THIS IS REVIVAL

Keep trying to write the book of love With a match book and a pen

Get the words from a magazine or a story you heard from a friend

There’s a liar who sleeps underneath your bed

You can call him what you want

He goes away sometimes for a little while but your life’s his favorite haunt

So you go on out to a movie or the bar or you try to get lost in the rain

Get back home and he’s on the porch with a bottle and a bag of pain

He’s got all of you to gain

Lock the door; open up your Bible

Lock the door; This ain’t what you think

Turn the page: river of Revival

On your knees, take a drink

Well the shelf-life of a broken heart can go on and on for years

But you can tear the box you keep it in apart with a whisper and a couple of tears

The warning label says it’s an endless pain, but inside it’s just a cut and a bruise

You can hand it all over at the kitchen table

Throw it out with yesterday’s news

No longer any use

Lock the door; open up your Bible

Lock the door; this ain’t what you think

Turn the page: words of Revival

On your knees, take a drink

He’s a husband to a woman whose been left all alone

Defender of the fatherless child

He’s a lion who hunts those who hurt His own

But to the broken, meek and mild

Morning brings a heart, brighter than the sun and a hand to clear cobwebs away

Liars and dust and yesterday’s news disappear with the light of His day

Love stronger than death can make you rise again; clear away a cold season of lies

Calls you out and away from yesterday’s house

Calls you out of the grave to rise

I can see you coming back alive

Open the door; open up your Bible

Open the door; This ain’t what you know

Turn the page: this is Revival

Open the door; let it flow

© Sean Downing 2004