Join with us this week to test Smith Wigglesworth's 1947 prophecy of revival.
Smith Wigglesworth was a well-known evangelist. He had humble beginnings in life, took up the trade of a plumber and was then powerfully used in a world-wide ministry of evangelism with miraculous healings and miracles accompanying the ministry of the word. He lived from 8 June 1859 to 12 March 1947.1
Shortly before he died in 1947, he delivered the following prophecy:
During the next few decades there will be two distinct moves of the Holy Spirit across the church in Great Britain. The first move will affect every church that is open to receive it, and will be characterised by the restoration of the baptism and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The second move of the Holy Spirit will result in people leaving historic churches and planting new churches. In the duration of each of these moves, the people who are involved will say, 'This is a great revival.' But the Lord says, 'No, neither is this the great revival but both are steps towards it.'
When the new church phase is on the wane, there will be evidence in the churches of something that has not been seen before: a coming together of those with an emphasis on the word and those with an emphasis on the Spirit.
When the word and the Spirit come together, there will be the biggest move of the Holy Spirit that the nations, and indeed, the world have ever seen. It will mark the beginning of a revival that will eclipse anything that has been witnessed within these shores, even the Wesleyan and Welsh revivals of former years.
The outpouring of God's Spirit will flow over from the United Kingdom to mainland Europe, and from there, will begin a missionary move to the ends of the earth.
Our purpose in highlighting these prophecies in Prophecy Today is to ask our readers to test them afresh, especially with the upcoming EU Referendum in mind. What is God doing in the world in these crucial days? What is he saying to our nation as a whole and to the Church in particular?
God uses the ministry of prophecy in our day but rather differently from Old Testament time. Since the special Day of Pentecost when God began to pour out his Spirit on all believers, the New Covenant brought about a new way when all believers would know God personally. Prophecy comes in whatever way God chooses and it then becomes a matter for our local communities to test together.
Over the weeks leading up to the Referendum of 23 June it is wise for our local Christian communities to seek the Lord for what he has said historically and what he is saying now.
Testing Smith's Prophecy
Last week we considered Mother Barbara's prophecy and sought to discover if it contained an accurate word for the UK. If so, the call to prayer, especially among our women-folk, would be critical in the saving of our nation.
Nevertheless, we have to admit that there were some questions relating to the prophecy that were hard to untangle, such as what it meant for a nation to be saved, especially when no conditions were given except the response to engage in faithful prayer.
Smith Wigglesworth's prophecy is of equal magnitude, but also provokes some questions:
- What of the timing and the validity? Next year the prophecy will be 70 years old. Would that fit with the "During the next few decades" of the first sentence?
- Was Smith Wigglesworth foreseeing the charismatic revival which some would say now needs the stability of a revival in the study of the Bible?
- Is a new thirst for Bible study occurring in our day, and is the dissatisfaction with traditional denominations in our day a manifestation of what was prophesied?
- Finally, will we really witness such an outpouring of God's Spirit as was prophesied? If so, does this have a bearing on our position in or out of the EU?
We encourage you to pray through these and other questions communally, using the 12 tests of prophecy featured in our last issue of Prophecy Today. See what God says and how the prophetic word for our nation is emerging over the coming weeks. Please share any useful insights below.
References
1 A brief introduction to his life and ministry can be found here.
Clifford Denton discusses Jean Darnall's visions of revival in Britain and Europe.
Jean Darnall's visions of revival in Britain and Europe, originally seen in 1967, may well still be relevant today. They were published more recently in 1993.1 Information concerning these visions has circulated widely and they have long been accepted as authentic prophecy to our nation. It is fitting, therefore, to include them in this short series leading up to the EU Referendum, as we consider the nation's future from a prophetic perspective.
Conditions on Prophecy
Before reviewing these visions let us first consider the matter of conditions on prophecy. Many visions and spoken words circulating today promise particular events or developments, but seem to lack conditions. It is as if they herald what is inevitably going to happen, irrespective of our response. I would, however, propose that conditions are almost always applicable to prophecies that promise future events.
Consider, for example, God's covenant with Israel. Deuteronomy 28 is a clear statement of blessings that will follow obedience and curses that will follow disobedience. This was summed up in Deuteronomy 11:26-28:
Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God...The curse if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God... [emphases added]
The principle of conditions applying to God's vision for the future is instilled into the Hebraic mindset - a paradox of two futures simultaneously being set before a people. Which future unfolded for Israel was conditional on the way the people behaved.
I would suggest that this Hebraic mindset should be implicit in our own testing of all prophecy. I am not saying that there are not times when the Lord acts unconditionally, but that we would be wise to accept that most predictive prophecy we receive today has conditions, even if they are not explicitly stated.
To verify this point let us read again the conditions that are stated in Jeremiah 18:7-10:
The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it does evil in my sight so that it does not obey my voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it. [emphases added]
When we see a vision from the Lord or hear a word of prophecy concerning our nation, what lies ahead is conditional on our response to the word. If we have been given a promise of blessing, it is conditional on our continuing in God's ways. If we have been given a warning of woe, its withholding is conditional on our heeding the warning and turning from our wrongdoing.
Let us have this in mind as we continue to assess the situation of the UK before God in terms of the prophecies we are testing. We must also make sure to distinguish between what the Lord is saying about our nation as a whole, and what he is saying about the community of believers within the nation. Depending on what the focus is, the requirement for response may well vary.
Jean Darnall
Now let us turn to the visions for Britain given to Jean Darnall, which were expressly to the British Church. Jean Darnall was one of the influential leaders in the charismatic movement and considered to be a reliable prophetic voice in the nation. She ministered in many other countries too. The background to her ministry is on her website. I quote here the first paragraph of her testimony:
Converted as a teenager, following a miraculous healing, Jean Darnall began her preaching and healing ministry at the age of sixteen. Later, she and her husband, Elmer, went to Panama as ordained missionaries for the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. Following their missionary service, they planted Foursquare churches in Canada and the eastern United States.
The visions that she had for Britain are published in the book referenced below.2 A useful summary can also be found here.
The visions were seen in 1967 and were possibly fulfilled in the charismatic movement, which was soon to break forth. However, by revisiting the visions we can test whether they have been totally fulfilled or whether there are valid aspects of them that are still relevant for the future, especially concerning Europe.
Visions of Revival
At the time in 1967, Jean Darnall was planning to go from the USA to Hong Kong via England, where she had the third experience of a vision she had seen twice before. On account of the visions, she remained for ministry in the UK.
In the vision, the British Isles were covered in green mist and there were pinpoints of light breaking through in various places which, on closer examination, were seen to be fires breaking out all over the nation, from Scotland to Lands End.
As these fires were joined together they burned brighter. Then rivers of fire flowed from North to South; from Scotland, Ireland, and Wales into England, some crossing the channel into Europe.
The fires were interpreted to be groups of people who were intensely hungry for the word of God and for authentic New Testament Christianity, showing discontent with the Church as it was and coming together in Prayer and Bible study groups in church buildings and in homes.
Jean Darnall asked the Lord about the vision and had the distinct impression that there would be two moves of God. The first would be the renewal of Christian faith and fullness of the Holy Spirit within the Church.
This would be followed by renewal of life in the church through a fresh awakening which would move into every aspect of the nation's life, including universities, colleges, schools, and into the media and the government.
The character of the nation of Britain would be transformed and be followed by a move of God in Europe. Every part of the nation's life would feel the impact of the spiritual awakening and God would move in signs and wonders. Gifted communicators would address the nation through the media, including the arts, journalism, radio and television. Actors, singers, teachers and other powerful communicators would be called to this ministry and the Lord would also call many of the younger generation to it.
Weighing and Testing
This is a very brief summary of the visions, which in 1967 were received by many as prophetic. This was a prophecy to the Church at the time, but with a vision for the nation as well.
No conditions were stated so, in the light of what was said at the beginning of this study, we must consider what the conditions might be.
- How were/are the fellowships represented by the lights to come about? Was/is it conditional on prayer, and were/are the praying groups those whom the Lord would first awaken to be those lights?
- What are the conditions that would lead to the great move of the Lord across Britain and Europe also mentioned in the prophecy?
- Reviewing the history of the Church over the decades since 1967, the charismatic movement could be seen as a fulfilment of this prophecy, but we have not yet seen a greater awakening in our nation and across Europe. Indeed, some would say, on overall reflection, that the charismatic movement has borne considerable good fruit, but also some bad fruit.
- This prophecy does not stand alone - perhaps it is part of the fulfilment of the Mother Barbara prophecy, which we highlighted two weeks ago. Also consider how it overlaps with the prophecy given by Smith Wigglesworth, which we highlighted last week. Perhaps the move of God's Spirit did not (or has not yet) merged with a thirst to study the Scriptures. Is that a condition that has to be fulfilled, and will it be fulfilled?
As we prayerfully test each of these prophecies and put them alongside others, does an overall picture emerge - of both vision and conditions for fulfilment? This is a sensitive issue and will not be resolved unless we turn to the Lord in prayer, so that is what we must do. This is a key moment in the history of the Church and of our nation.
References
1 Black, H. Revival, Including the Prophetic Vision of Jean Darnall, New Dawn Books.
2 See note 1.
Clifford Hill and David Noakes jointly bring a message.
I watched the Last Night of 'The Proms' last Saturday along with millions of other viewers and the vast open-air crowd in Hyde Park and similar gatherings in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Was it my imagination, or did anyone else detect an extra (Brexit?) fervency in the patriotism that flowed out of the Albert Hall in waves and resounded from the crowds across the road and other parts of the UK?
Of course, the Last Night of The Proms is always an occasion for flag-waving and dressing up in silly hats and jigging up and down among the Promenaders. And it's also an occasion for singing traditional folk songs and indulging in Rule Britannia and Jerusalem with their regular encores and crowd participation. But this year's final night seemed to have an extra edge of enthusiasm. It was not just that a guest soloist, Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez (a foreigner!!), dressed in elaborate costume lustily sang 'Rule Britannia, Britannia rules the waves' but also the Finnish Conductor Sakari Oramo, (another foreigner!!) participated enthusiastically in singing 'Jerusalem'.
Rule Britannia
I suppose there's some precedent for 'Rule Britannia' being sung by foreigners since it was written in 1740 by Thomson, a Scottish poet, for Frederick (the German) Prince of Wales and father of the future George III. But it did seem a little odd to see a Peruvian and a Finn extolling Britain in 'Land of Hope and Glory' with its line "God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet!"
I usually enjoy the Proms and this was no exception because at heart I'm a patriot – I love my country – in the same way as the prophets of Israel loved their country and longed to see it in a right relationship with God so that his blessings could be poured out upon it and his protection would be over the land and the people. I too have that same desire: but I have watched with dismay the growth of secular humanism in Britain and across the Western nations in the past 30 years. I have been frustrated by the rising tide of unbelief within the church as well as in the nation and the consequential impotence of the church.
Like Jeremiah I've watched with horror the growing threat on the international horizon as the nations build up their arsenals of weapons of mass destruction and as the army of terrorists spreads across the world, infiltrating communities throughout Europe and the West in preparation for the release of the man of lawlessness among the nations.
Leaders Are Unaware
My frustration is due to the lack of awareness among leaders in both church and state of the spiritual significance of what is happening. Leaders play at Politics and the church plays at Theology but no one comes to grips with the reality of the situation, because they do not know the very fundamentals of Creation and the nature and purposes of God. They do not know the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and they are sublimely ignorant of the holocaust of violence that will be let loose into the world unless there is a radical change in the very nature of our humanity that can only come about through the gospel of Jesus.
The church has the key but has lost it in a monumental mountain of false teaching, ritual mumbo jumble and complex theology – burying the simple truth of the Gospel and despising the word of God that calls, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord."
Britain at the Crossroads
Today Britain is at the crossroads! We are a nation under judgement. We crossed a red line when we defied the God of Creation who made us in his own image – male and female – and we dared to redefine marriage, despising the beautiful love relationship that God intended for his people. Forty years ago we joined ourselves in a pact with European nations driven by humanist values and infiltrated by Satanists. They seek to live in unity and peace but are doomed to failure by their rejection of the Prince of Peace.
God has mercifully given to Britain the chance of deliverance from the marriage with the European Union and the opportunity to forge a new role in the world under his blessing. This could be a sign and powerful witness to the nations of the rewards that are open to all who seek a right relationship with God and are prepared to love and obey him.
There are many in Britain today who are fearful of the future because they lack understanding of the word of God and lack faith in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are many churchgoers who share that fear because they too have never really learned to recognise the word of the Lord as the sheep recognise the voice of their own Shepherd. But God is loving and merciful and he has a word for those who are anxious about the future since the vote to leave the EU. My friend and colleague David Noakes and I have worked together in the prophetic Ministry since the early 1980s. David received a word this week which I commend to all our readers. Please read it prayerfully and weigh it carefully. I think it may bring you a blessing.
Word of Prophecy Received by David Noakes
In the aftermath of the Brexit vote 11.09.16
Beloved, you who are called by My Name, I want to say to you in these days, when there is confusion and turmoil and upheaval: Do not be alarmed or concerned, for I am fully in control. I have brought about these circumstances, and my adversary is full of rage, and would like to oppose and if possible, to undo, that which I have done.
My word to you is that I have done a good work, but I call upon you who are faithful to stand firm and to persevere in prayer that the work which I have begun will proceed to the conclusion which I have purposed. The task is far from complete and it is not a time for complacency, so be vigilant and continue to pray that I will complete the work. It will not be a short or an easy battle, so have courage and do not be tempted to lose heart.
Have gentle hearts towards those who are confused and upset and distressed. There are those who feel that the nation is being thrown into exile, and this is causing them to feel afraid and angry, but they do not know that it is I who have brought this about. But I say that this seeming exile is in order to preserve you. You in Britain are like the good figs who were taken into exile before judgment fell (Jeremiah 24).
There will be great darkness and upheaval in the European institution; but I have done this in your nation at this time in order to preserve you.
Therefore, look up and be greatly encouraged, because out of this time of turmoil and upheaval will come great opportunity. Those of you who are committed to me I will uphold, I will protect, and I will send upon you a new outpouring of My Spirit, that you may speak My word in Spirit and in Truth; and My Spirit will bear witness to it and it shall bring forth fruit.
I do not say that your whole nation will turn to Me, for that will not be the case; but beloved, I will bring multitudes into a valley of decision and many will turn to Me, for despite the apostasy which has gripped the nation, I have not failed to love the nation of Britain, and in My grace and mercy, I will continue to pour My love upon you, even though you have angered Me greatly.
Take heart, be encouraged and look up. I will walk with you through the time of turmoil and upheaval. There will be those who will hate you for the testimony you will give, but I will cause many to repent and acknowledge that what you say is truth; for beloved, My people have been failed by many who now lead them, but I am come as the great Shepherd of the sheep. I want to recover My people and to gather many others into My sheepfold.
Therefore be of good heart, and be afraid of nothing, for in the events of these times I am fully involved, and I will walk with you, every one of you, on every step of the uncharted path which lies ahead.
A word from David Noakes.
It is not just Christians who can see that the nation is in trouble. Everyone can see that things have not been going well in Britain recently. The terrorist attacks, the Grenfell Tower inferno, and the hung Parliament all confirm that something is wrong in the nation.
Many Christians know that as a nation we have rejected the word of God in many ways which has resulted in Britain being no longer under God’s cover of protection, prosperity and blessing.
‘Confusion’ is one of the signs of judgment upon a nation, according to Deuteronomy 28:20. But Jeremiah 18:7 reminds us that even when things go badly wrong, if we repent of our wrongdoing and ask for God’s help, things would quickly improve. Through Jeremiah God says:
If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.
God still speaks to us today so that we can understand what is happening and how he is working out his purposes. This enables us as Christians to speak to others, Christians and non-Christians, reassuring them of God’s love and his desire to bless the nation, restoring peace and prosperity.
The latest word received by my colleague David Noakes (we have worked together since 1984) brings this reassurance. We reproduce it below noting that we do not claim that modern prophecy carries the same authority as the Bible. But God does speak to those who are listening to him, although we express what we are receiving in our own human language and understanding. It is for each of our readers to weigh this prophecy.
Rev Dr Clifford Hill
Prophetic word, first given at East Grinstead (17 June 2017)
David Noakes
Beloved, you are living in momentous days. These are truly the days of a turning point in the affairs of your nation. It is a time of my appointing. I have allowed you to go your own way but I have never let go of you.
There are many voices in your midst which are full of pessimism and I understand that if you look upon your circumstances, pessimism is often the outcome. But I want you to perceive as I perceive.
Beloved, when there is turmoil and upheaval, do not look upon it with dismay; do not look upon it with foreboding; do not look upon it with fear. But look upon it with eyes turned to me with a questioning heart: a heart questioning what your God is doing in the midst of it. For beloved, all these things taking place are under my hand. I have brought about a remarkable work in your nation in recent times. This is not accidental, nor is it sudden, but has come about at my appointed time.
I do not have accidents; I do not have coincidences; I do not have sudden unexpected events. I have appointed events, at appointed times, and I am the one who is seated in the heavens and does whatever He pleases. Do not lose heart, because I am in charge. My hand is on your nation and I have not given up my purposes for you.
I have blessed your nation in the past and truly you have been faithless; but beloved, I have remained faithful. Your enemy has done much to sow lies, to sow false doctrine, to try to bring down all that is good and all that is of God. But I have kept for myself a remnant. My Word remains true for all time and all eternity and I will fulfil my purposes.
This is a time of turmoil and upheaval because your adversary is in great rage and great fear. He is in great consternation that I will use your nation to tear his purposes apart. But that is exactly what I intend to do. I intend to bring his purposes crashing down. There will be turmoil and upheaval; there will be blood in the streets; there will be anxiety amongst those who do not know that God is in charge and do not understand what I am doing.
Beloved, there cannot be victory in war without war taking place; and war is indeed taking place, because I have joined battle. I have joined battle against the forces of darkness which desire to bring your nation to nothing and I have declared I will not have it so. My purposes for you are from all eternity. I have known exactly what I will do at this time. I have known exactly what I will do in the future and I purpose to glorify my name through your nation once again.
Therefore do not be disheartened. Do you think of yourself as being just a little flock? Truly there is only a small remnant who hold fast to My word. But beloved, continue to hold fast to my word and pray that the purposes that I have begun to reveal will come to fruition and fulfilment, and I will visit you afresh with my Spirit.
I will visit you afresh with my Spirit that you may be empowered: Not for your glory, but for Mine. Not to build empires but to build my Church. I desire also to visit you with my Spirit that you may be instruments in my hand to go into the fields which are ripe for harvest, and bring in a harvest; for there is a harvest waiting to be brought in.
There are many in fear and trepidation and utter confusion, and I want you to be a people who know their God and do exploits. I want you to be a people of compassion; not of judgement; not of condemnation. Judgement is mine, I will repay. But I ask you to be a people of love and concern; of compassion for the lost, and of deep desire that the truth should be brought to many who will understand it and be saved. For surely there are those whom you think are your enemies, who are longing for truth.
Do not be down-hearted, therefore. Do not be dispirited. Yes, I know all too well that you are surrounded by those who wish you ill. Beloved, do not heed them but look to your God who wishes you well. Look to your God who wishes them well. I desire a people who are willing to bless their enemies and to do good to those who speak evil about them.
As you do this they will see your light. Many will reject, but many will see the light in the darkness and will desire the only light they can see. For all their plans and schemes will have fallen to the ground and then they will turn to the only truth.
Do not give up therefore. Hold fast. Hold fast to Me. Hold fast to My Word. Hold fast in love and unity, to one another. Be loyal and faithful to each other. Forgive each other all offences and stand together, that as one you may show the character of your Lord and Saviour. Beloved, understand that I have not given up, and I say to you: do not give up either, but look to Me and hope in Me that I will do what I have planned.
A prophecy to the nation in relation to the forthcoming Referendum on EU membership - for your weighing and testing.
The Prophecy Today UK editorial team has decided to publish a prophecy to the nation in relation to the forthcoming Referendum on EU membership. The prophecy has already been widely circulated and we believe our readers should see it in the context of seeking guidance from God in regard to the Referendum.
We remind readers that all modern prophecy should be tested and not simply accepted as having come from a reliable messenger. Please read the prophecy and then the following note by our Editor-in-Chief, Clifford Hill.
DAVID NOAKES' PROPHECY
This was the word given by David when meeting with a small group of Ministry leaders on 17 November 2015.
"Nation of Britain, I have loved you with a love which has not ceased, despite the state of apostasy and degradation into which you have fallen. My anger towards those church leaders who have taught false things in my Name, and encouraged others to believe and act as they do, is intense and my judgment upon them will be severe. Yet I have compassion upon those who have been like sheep without godly shepherds; and my heart still longs to exercise mercy upon a nation whose forefathers upheld my Name and took my Word to the ends of the earth; a nation whose belief in the truth of my Word framed godly laws and inspired a culture of uprightness.
"Rather than rely on Me and my faithfulness to you, you chose, for worldly purposes, to join yourself to an institution which has denied my Name and refused to acknowledge Me in its councils. My fierce anger is upon that institution on account of its rebellion, its defiant rejection of me and its hardness of heart towards my ancient people Israel.
"I warn you now that the European institution will not repent, even though I bring disaster and destruction upon it. I urge you, O Britain still beloved by Me for the sake of your godly forefathers, come out of her, so that you may not be caught up in that same destruction, for I am even now arising in judgment to bring to nothing what she has sought to achieve. If you will separate yourself from her declared rejection of God, I will have mercy upon you and restore my hand of protection; and I will use you once again to bring light to many lost in the darkness which is now steadily increasing.
"Hear Me, O once godly nation and respond to my call, or you also will come to ruin in that same judgment of destruction. This is not my will for you, but you must choose the course which you will take. I urge you to respond to Me and choose life under my hand of discipline and protection, rather than death in the disaster which is even now coming upon Europe."
David Noakes
Additional Note from Dr Clifford Hill
The Apostle Paul warned the church in Thessaloniki not to treat prophecies with contempt but to "Test everything. Hold on to the good, avoid every kind of evil" (1 Thess 5:21). This still applies today. If anyone receives a revelation it should be tested by others, however well-known and reliable the speaker.
I can testify to David's reliability and integrity. We have been close friends and colleagues for more than 30 years. I first heard him prophesy at a gathering of men and women with prophetic ministries at Mt Carmel in April 1986. Since then we have spoken at countless meetings together and many times he has received a word from the Lord that has been helpful to a local fellowship.
This prophecy is different and I have to say that it would have been much easier to weigh and test if David had expressed it in the third person rather than the first person singular. But that should not prevent us from a careful consideration asking fundamental questions, such as:
- Does it conform to Scripture or is there any way in which it does not?
- Does the prophecy edify and build up the church?
- Is the prophecy expressed in love?
- Does the prophecy glorify Christ?
- If the prophecy is predictive or has promises of blessings or warnings of judgment, Are there any conditions to this prophecy?
- Does the prophet himself/herself pass the character test required of one bringing a revelation from God? This character test was one of the major tests of prophecy in the New Testament churches.
- Finally, Is there a witness of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the believers who hear this prophecy?
An expansion of these tests can be found here. These tests of prophecy were expanded still further in my book Prophecy Past and Present, published by Eagle (Guildford, 1995).1
We are not going to answer these questions here because it is for readers to weigh the prophecy for themselves. We are simply indicating the way in which mature Christians should consider any word of revelation that is given today and we remind readers that our words are the human expression of what we believe we are hearing from God in our prayer times. These words have to go through our minds and none of us can claim to be sinless - so the words we speak must be weighed and tested, in accordance with the teaching of the Apostle Paul.
Over the next few weeks on Prophecy Today, Clifford Denton will discuss some of the well-known prophecies that have been given in modern times.
Dr Clifford Hill
References
1 pp237-251, in the chapter 'Testing Prophecy'. Copies of PROPHECY PAST AND PRESENT: An Exploration of the Prophetic Ministry in the Bible and the Church Today are still available from the Issachar Ministries office – email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The following is a prophetic word for Great Britain given through Lance Lambert, who had a great love for the UK as his adopted country after he escaped here from the Nazis as a child. Please read and weigh this prayerfully.
Lance Lambert, Saturday 6 August 2011
Hear the voice of the Lord, O Isles that I have so greatly loved and favoured. I the Lord the Almighty, I took you when you were nothing, clothed with skins and woad, and through My saving power, I made you great. When you were nothing, through My Word and your faith in Me, l lifted you and made you Great Britain. Through many awakenings and many revivals, stage by stage, I took you until you became a great power with the greatest Empire in the history of the nations. From you My Gospel and My Word went throughout the world, and tens of thousands came into an experience of saving faith! That Empire with all its many failings and weaknesses was still one of the most just and righteous Empires of history.
Those Isles of yours were soaked with the blood of My faithful martyrs and its soil received the burnt ashes of those who would not renounce My Name, My Truth, and My Word. I, the Lord have not forgotten those who gave their all for Me!
But now the whole nation that l created and sustained has turned from Me. They paganise their land, state and institutions; there is no voice heard to warn the nation. False religion, the work of world rulers of darkness, cover your Isles; a Laodicean church, neither hot nor cold, rumbles on like machinery. It is a church where I am outside of its routine; its organisation and its methodology. It is Christianity without Me: Religion without Me!
My being is seared with pain, for judgement is determined against your land. I can do no other. I will destroy the vestiges of her greatness; l will return her to her first estate. I will wreck her economy, destabilise her in every way. I will change her climate, even her weather. I will prove to her that the way of the transgressor is hard and terrible. I will allow demonic forces held in check erstwhile by My Word and Gospel, and the living faith of so many, to become rampant in her social life, to the destruction of her society.
Will you who know Me and love Me go blind and dumb and deaf into this judgement?
It is time for you who love Me, who are faithful to Me, to take action! Stand before Me and plead The Finished Work of My Son. At least cry out to Me, that there will be those who turn from darkness, from sin, and be saved for whosoever shall call upon My Name in the midst of these judgements, l will save!
lt will cost you everything to stand in the gap, but you will enter into My heart, and know deep fellowship with Me. Such travail conceived in your heart by My Spirit will cost you deeply, but it will end in My Throne and Glory.
Two important prophecies that speak of the role of believing women in Britain's future: one from a Russian bishop in 1911, and the other from an Asian Christian, given at the 1986 Mount Carmel gathering.
The 1911 Prophecy: Background
Mother Barbara, Valentina Niolaevna Zoegkova, was born in Moscow on January 2 1889, the fourth child of extremely pious parents. Her father, Nicholas Alexeevitch, was chief director of one of the biggest banks in Russia, yet throughout his life he dedicated himself to defending the interests of the church and to serving its people.
From her birth, Valentina was surrounded by the intensely spiritual. Her family were often visited by 'starets' (holy men) and other Russian religious figures. This kind of contact filled her with an intense desire to consecrate herself to the Church and in her early youth she was blessed for missionary work and monachism by her spiritual father, Bishop Arseny of Moscow.
One starets who regularly visited her parents' home was Bishop Aristocoli, from Mount Athos. Ten days before his death, Aristocoli spend some time in discussion with Valentina, outlining her own future and that of a Russia already under a revolutionary yoke.
"You have received the gift of speaking and writing about what is useful for the soul, especially in our times", said Aristocoli. "Your inclination to monastic life will find its fulfilment, but far from here. You will live in one country, then will go further - to Palestine, to Jerusalem, and you will live there for a long, long time. In Jerusalem is the Holy Land, where much work and activities exist. You will live under different powers, but do not fear anything. You will always be under the protection of a right and just hierarchy.
Many sufferings will come to the world. Many people will perish. But it is not yet the end of the world; the time and the hour are known only by God. God's army- the powers of angels -will battle with Satan's army. In Russia people will suffer. It will be a worldwide sorrow from the evil spirits who put to trial all believers in God. Many will be killed. God knows who he must take, and who to leave. But Russia's fate is in God's hands and she will rise again. It will be a great miracle of renewal after great sufferings, sent to her with purifying aims. Light from the Orient will shine on the whole world and God will forgive in answer to suffering and repentance. This is very important- to have a conscience about one's sins; everyone and all are siners and all must repent."
The starets said much more to Valentina, foreseeing the establishing of a convent in Palestine and the building of a school, all of which eventually came to pass.
The 1911 Prophecy
Shortly before his death, Bishop Aristocoli passed this prophecy onto Mother Barbara.
Tell the women they must belong absolutely to God.They must believe in the great things that are happening and that God is doing on the earth. They must prepare their souls, their children and their husbands. And they will have very much work to do for God. Oh, what a great work the women will have to do in the end time, and the men will follow them.
Not one country will be without trial - do not be frightened of anything you will hear. An evil will shortly take Russia and wherever this evil comes, rivers of blood will flow. This evil will take the whole world and wherever it goes, rivers of blood will flow because of it. It is not the Russian soul, but an imposition on the Russian soul. It is not an ideology, or a philosophy, but a spirit from hell.
In the last days Germany will be divided in two. France will just be nothing. Italy will be judged by natural disasters. Britain will lose her empire and all her colonies and will come to almost total ruin, but will be saved by praying women. America will feed the world, but will finally collapse. Russia and China will destroy each other. Finally, Russia will be free and from her, believers will go forth and turn many from the nations to God.
The 1986 Prophecy: Background
On Mount Carmel, March 1986, an Asian man shared a prophetic insight with a woman from Britain. He had visited Britain only on the one occasion of his journey to Israel for the Carmel gathering, and knew little or nothing of the state of the church. As he stepped over the threshold of the conference centre on Mount Carmel, he was aware of a strong anointing from God and was given a vision concerning Britain.
The 1986 Prophecy
He saw a large church with a number of people in it. As he looked he saw that the men were asleep on their benches- and scattered around the church were women standing with arms uplifted crying to God.
He asked the Lord, 'What is this?'
God said 'I am showing you the true situation in the church in Britain. The men are asleep and not aware of what is going on, but I have my handmaidens who are seeking my face and who are understanding my heart and I am using my handmaidens for the nation.'
He then asked the Lord for a scripture to confirm the vision and the interpretation and was immediately given Judges 4:4: The situation in Israel at that time was bad and God chose a woman, Deborah, to judge Israel. She knew God's ways and was receiving messages for the people. Then, when she saw that the time for confrontation had come, she called for the man who was commander-in-chief of the army (she respected him and reverenced God's order). He would not go without her, so she went with him and because of this the victory would be the Lord's, but the honour would go to the women. Jaal hammered in the nail that killed Sisera, captain of the enemy forces. God used women who both knew his ways and waged warfare and gained the final victory.
God's call comes to his handmaidens of Britain to stand strong, to seek his face, to know his ways and to wage warfare. He says 'I am with you, be strong and of a good courage.' They will be persecuted from within the churches, but the time will come when those same people will come and ask them to show them the way in the battle and to go with them. The Lord will be victorious through the church but the honour will go to his handmaidens. 'When my people take a firm stand then I will reveal my glory through them'.
Zechariah 4:7 - the mountains will become a plain - we have nothing to fear.
Britain has a choice ahead.
I have been looking at things we published in Prophecy Today back in 2016, prior to the Referendum and the vote to leave the European Union. Amongst the many comments and articles about the EU and about Britain, its heritage and present social and spiritual condition, we also published what we believed to be an authentic prophecy given by David Noakes.
Although we left readers to assess whether or not they believed this to be a genuine word from God, we clearly felt that there was the truth in it, or we would not have published it. We therefore believe it is right to revisit it at this crucial time in the nation’s history.
We now face the appalling prospect of a second referendum, which is being continually pushed by the BBC in all their news bulletins and interviews - or another general election, in which there is a strong possibility of Jeremy Corbyn becoming Prime Minister.
Let’s review the situation. Theresa May has rightly won the respect even of her strongest opponents, however grudgingly, for her resilience and persistence in the past two years of hard bargaining with the officials of the European Union, succeeding in agreeing a deal with them which has now been presented to the British Parliament and will be voted upon in the near future.
The deal itself is vastly complex and is set out in 500 pages of legal language that makes it difficult to summarise and assess. It sets out the financial settlement with Brussels for allowing the UK to leave the EU; the establishment of a transition period, giving businesses and individuals time to adjust; and it establishes the rights of EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the EU at the end of the Brexit period.
We now face the appalling prospect of a second referendum, which is being continually pushed by the BBC in all their news bulletins and interviews.
The Irish Question
The most controversial part of the deal is the agreement over the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, to ensure that Britain cannot gain a competitive advantage over the rest of the EU.
Anti-Brexit protesters in Westminster. See Photo Credits.
There is agreement between the two sides to make every endeavour to secure a satisfactory agreement during the transition period. But if no agreement is reached, a temporary backstop would come into effect whereby all EU rules and regulations would apply keeping Northern Ireland effectively within the European Union – a situation that could only be resolved by joint agreement. In other words, Northern Ireland could only be joined up to the rest of the UK with the permission of the EU! This of course is quite intolerable to the DUP and to all Brits who uphold the Union of the United Kingdom!
What a strange quirk of history that the Irish question, which has bugged the English since the time of Oliver Cromwell, should be the main stumbling block to our agreement in getting out of the European Union! It has long been a joke among Westminster politicians that if they ever discovered the answer to the Irish question, the Irish would change the question! They have done just that now. It is no longer a question of whether or not there should be a border, but how the border should operate.
But we cannot blame the Irish for the problems of the European Union, which conflict much more deeply with the foundational values of our democratic civilisation. For centuries these ‘British’ values have been founded upon biblical principles of truth, integrity, faithfulness, righteousness, liberty and freedom of expression. It is because these values were being threatened by the European Union and its unelected cabal of Eurocrats, dedicated to secular humanist philosophies and the principle of ‘ever-closer union’, that many people in Britain voted to leave.
What a strange quirk of history that the Irish question, which has bugged the English since the time of Oliver Cromwell, should be the main stumbling block to our agreement in getting out of the European Union!
Revisiting Prophecy
So, what is God saying to Britain today in the face of the utter chaos in our House of Commons, where every MP has a different point of view and there is no shared vision? We hardly need to remind our readers that where there is no vision, the people perish! (Prov 29:18) or, to use the Living Bible’s translation – “Where there is ignorance of God, the people run wild.”
Our greatest problem in Britain today – and the reason for this absence of vision - is the lack of understanding of even the basics of biblical truth. It is now a whole generation ago that we ceased to teach schoolchildren the basics of the Bible. This is why this present generation is suffering so much from knife crime, guns and gangs in our cities. And this is why there is such a vast amount of mental disorders, depression and suicide among young people – and adults.
A whole generation has been raised without any understanding of basic truth. Now they are even being told that they can choose their own gender – the one fixed point of reference that they have in their childhood! Indeed, we are a nation thoroughly deserving of judgment! We are certainly on the road to ruin unless there is a fundamental change in social policy, currently driving the nation to disaster.
We need to read again the central paragraph of the prophecy given to David Noakes in November 2015 (published in April 2016):
Rather than rely on Me and my faithfulness to you, you chose, for worldly purposes, to join yourself to an institution [the European Union] which has denied my Name and refused to acknowledge Me in its councils. My fierce anger is upon that institution on account of its rebellion, its defiant rejection of me and its hardness of heart towards my ancient people Israel.
I warn you now that the European institution will not repent, even though I bring disaster and destruction upon it. I urge you, O Britain still beloved by Me for the sake of your godly forefathers, come out of her, so that you may not be caught up in that same destruction, for I am even now arising in judgment to bring to nothing what she has sought to achieve. If you will separate yourself from her declared rejection of God, I will have mercy upon you and restore my hand of protection; and I will use you once again to bring light to many lost in the darkness which is now steadily increasing.1
Our greatest problem in Britain today – and the reason for this absence of vision - is the lack of understanding of even the basics of biblical truth.
Choice Ahead
The choice facing the British nation today is a choice between re-asserting our independence as a sovereign state and (crucially) putting our trust back in God for the future, or being driven onto the rocks of destruction through social chaos and violence. This will inevitably follow if the secular humanists continue to get their way – particularly if they succeed in forcing the nation to hold a second referendum.
It does not really matter whether we leave the EU with Mrs May’s deal or with no deal. If we put our trust in the Lord, blessings and prosperity are guaranteed for the future of the nation. The one thing to be avoided at all costs, is a second referendum. The prayers of all Christians should be directed to this end.
References
Freshwater fish found in surrounding sinkholes: is ancient prophecy being fulfilled?
A remarkable thing happened to me last week. I was studying the Book of Ezekiel in preparation for a weekend retreat when a friend forwarded news of another sign pointing to the imminent return of Jesus.
One of Ezekiel’s famous prophecies – widely thought to be allegorical rather than literal – may be about to be fulfilled, just as he said it would 2,600 years ago!
In short, life has been found at the Dead Sea!1 Fresh water is now flowing into this Rift Valley expanse that has been unable to support life since the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah thousands of years ago, useful only for drawing tourists to sample its healing properties while floating unsupported. And freshwater fish have now been seen swimming in the surrounding sinkholes that have opened up in recent years as the sea, made up of 33% salt, has been receding.
New Life Foretold
In chapter 47 of Ezekiel, who prophesied while in exile in Babylon from 597 BC, the Prophet describes a vision of an increasingly deep river flowing from the Temple in Jerusalem down towards the Dead Sea, bringing new life wherever it flows and supporting the same kind of fish as those inhabiting the Mediterranean.
Ezekiel wrote:
He said to me: ‘This water flows towards the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah [the Jordan Valley], where it enters the Sea [the Dead Sea]. When it empties into the Sea, the water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea [the Mediterranean]. (Ezek 47:8-10)
The vision comes amid the latter part of the book dealing with the promised restoration of the Jewish people to both their Land and their Lord. And I believe the ‘resurrection’ of the dead stretch of water reflects a time (near the end of the age) when the fortunes of Israel – long forsaken and persecuted – will be turned around.
I believe the ‘resurrection’ of the dead stretch of water reflects a time (near the end of the age) when the fortunes of Israel will be turned around.
This is what the world is now witnessing, with the Jewish state emerging as a major player on the world scene with a thriving economy borne out of extraordinary innovation.
At the same time there is a growing movement of those who believe that Jesus is the long-promised Jewish Messiah, fulfilling the word that when the Jews are finally restored from all the nations to which they were dispersed because of forsaking God’s ways, they would be given a ‘new heart’ and, as with the Dead Sea, cleansed and ‘sprinkled clean’ of their sins (Ezek 36:24-26).
You’d Better Believe It!
Dead Sea sinkholes. See Photo Credits.The freshwater life that is returning to the shores of the Dead Sea may not be a total fulfilment of Ezekiel’s extraordinary vision – but it certainly heralds the fulfilment to come.
You can be sure that all prophecy in Scripture will be fulfilled to the letter. Around three-quarters of Ezekiel’s predictions (and 81% of Bible prophecies on the whole) have already been fulfilled with pinpoint accuracy.2
Take, for example, his prophecy of Tyre’s downfall. The Eastern Mediterranean fishing port would, he said, one day be razed to the ground and thrown into the sea, and the bare rock where it once stood would become a place for fishermen to dry their nets (Ezek 26).
No other city, before or since, has ever been thrown into the sea, writes author and Bible teacher David Pawson in his masterful work Unlocking the Bible. “When Alexander the Great came marching down towards Egypt with his great army, the people of Tyre simply got into their fishing boats and sailed to the island half-a-mile offshore, knowing that Alexander had an army but not a navy.”3
But when Alexander saw this, he commanded that every brick, every stone and every piece of timber in the city be used to build a causeway to the island, after which his army went across and defeated the people of Tyre.
Even today, fishermen’s nets are spread out on the bare rock of old Tyre, just as Ezekiel prophesied, while the modern city is out on the island with sand having silted up against Alexander’s causeway. If it’s in the Bible, you’d better believe it!
You can be sure that all prophecy in Scripture will be fulfilled to the letter.
Personal Blessings
Ezekiel also had a profound impact on my personal life almost exactly 18 years ago when a verse from chapter 9 confirmed to my then-new girlfriend Linda that she should marry me! I was widowed at the time and she had asked the Lord for assurance as to whether I was the right choice for her life’s partner. He subsequently spoke to her heart directly from a rather obscure verse which told of “a man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side” (Ezek 9:2).
The Lord then said to her: “I want you to support the man with the writing kit!” And of course I’m forever grateful for that. I couldn’t believe the extraordinary change in her demeanour towards me when I next called at her home. She had heard from the Lord – and that changed everything!
Momentous Times
But we can all be assured that God is returning to his holy city because the end of this prophetic book actually tells us that it will be named ‘The Lord is there’ – a wonderful thought also reflected in Charles Wesley’s hymn on Christ’s return, which includes the majestic line, “God appears on earth to reign!” (see Zech 14:4).
A river of life from God’s throne is also depicted on the last page of the Bible in the Book of Revelation, which is all about what will happen in the days immediately preceding the Second Coming.
The biblical symbolism of life from the dead relates both to Israel (see Rom 11:15) and their Messiah. We are living in momentous times that could well usher in the return of our Lord. Watch and pray so that you (and your loved ones) are not caught unawares.
References
1 Rudee, E. Ezekiel's end-of-days vision revealed: Dead Sea coming to life. Breaking Israel News, 4 October 2018.
2 Unlocking the Bible, David Pawson.
2 Ibid.
Dr Clifford Denton offers some thoughts.
These days there is much talk about hopes for revival, but the term has become ambiguous, ranging from expectation for spiritual manifestations in Christian congregations to an entire nation being called to repentance.
Ambiguity on this issue can make us vulnerable and even imprecise in our prayers. This is especially so when people do not exercise discernment: they can believe that any significant spiritual manifestation is an act of God, and fail to test whether false spirits are finding a doorway into assemblies and individual lives.
The word revival is used to describe what Ezra sought from God in the Babylonian captivity to bring order back to Israel, God’s covenant people, and to restore them (Ezra 9:8). This link to restoration is also found in Psalm 85, where the psalmist yearns for Judah to be brought back to order under the hand of God.
The word revival in ordinary English usage implies waking up, consciously returning to a right order. In this sense our prayers for revival in Britain today are rightly focussed on the waking up of the Christian community to their New Covenant relationships with God and one another, and on their greater empowering for ministry within the Church and out to the world.
‘Revival’ is a necessary help from God through His Holy Spirit, at times when our spiritual lights are dimming and when the world encroaches upon us, so that we might be that light to the world again.
A similar idea comes from Peter's exhortation in Solomon's Portico (Acts 3:11-26). He called his hearers to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus, and to waiting as a community for the Lord Jesus' return: “Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets” (Acts 3:21). In this period of earthly perseverance Peter spoke of times of refreshing coming from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19). Undoubtedly Peter saw ahead to times when believers would need this spiritual refreshment to keep them alert and to be the continuing light to the world that Jesus expected, fulfilling the Great Commission.
Tying these things together we surely see that revival, as we choose to call it, is a necessary help from God through His Holy Spirit, at times when our spiritual lights are dimming and when the world encroaches upon us, so that we might be that light to the world again.
There have been times when such re-awakening at the hand of the Lord has spilled over into the nation, resulting in law changes, a multiplication of Church membership, a greater sense of the awe of God and a growth in the influence of the Christian community in the country at large. This was certainly the case at one time in Britain, and may yet be a possibility in the future. But revival is first an act of God among the assemblies of his covenant people, typified by repentance, new waves of prayer and study of the Bible. The exercising of spiritual gifts in the discipline of the Holy Spirit follows, but for service and not self-indulgence.
This week we also publish the first in a two-part critical review of ‘The Turning’, an outreach programme being rolled out across the country in the hopes of stimulating revival. Read it here.