GOD CHOOSES AN ISLAND!

The Hebrides Revival 1948-52 ( Part one) On the Isle of Lewis - one of the islands of the Hebrides, just off the coast of Scotland.

The presbytery of the Free Church of Scotland, met in Stornoway to discuss the sad state of the church. Dead, dry and without much hope, some of the churches were about ready to close their doors. The young people were in the drinking places and the dance halls - they were not at all interested in spiritual things.

SEVEN MEN BEGIN TO CHANGE THEIR WORLD -- THROUGH PRAYER

As a result of the meeting, seven men and one of the elders decided to pray and seek God for the Hebrides Isles. They met in an old barn by the side of the road. Three times a week they met and prayed and sought the face of God. As they knelt in the straw of the old barn God reminded them of a verse of scripture in 11 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people who are called by My Name will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land." They began to pray according to this verse.

GOD, THE COVENANT KEEPER

And then the Holy Spirit gave them a revelation - that He was a covenant-keeping God. They realized that if they kept their end of the covenant i.e. to humble themselves and pray and seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways" then God was bound by His own covenant to come and keep His end of the two-way promise - to "Hear from heaven and forgive their sins and HEAL THEIR LAND."

They continued to pray day after day - keeping their faith strong and reminding God of His word.

They obeyed God and cleansed their hearts - and sought His face - and held on to the covenant promise. They had no doubt that God would heal their land and visit the people of the Hebrides.

TWO ELDERLY LADIES BEGIN TO CHANGE THEIR WORLD -- THROUGH PRAYER

At the same time, two elderly ladies, sisters, one of 82 and the other of 84 years, were also praying continually in their cottage, for God to come in His power and visit their island.

SIMULTANEOUS GLORY

One night after five months, as the men were praying and travailing before God, suddenly the barn was filled with the glory of God. At the same time, the little cottage where the sisters were praying, was also filled with the glory of God - they knew that God had heard and that He was about to descend in power among them.

"GOD IS COMING IN TWO WEEKS!"

God instructed the sisters to write to Duncan Campbell, a well-knows Keswick speaker- a godly man of prayer. God revealed to the sisters that he was the man the Lord was calling to preach during this visitation. Duncan Campbell received the letter but replied that his itinerary was full, and that they should continue to pray and that he would come the following year. When the sisters heard this they said, "Well God is coming in two weeks!" They continued to pray and Duncan Campbell s itinerary got canceled - so he decided to go instead to the Hebrides and be available to preach.

AT 3AM, GOD SWEPT INTO THE COTTAGE

The first night of the meetings in the church at Barvas, nothing much happened, but one of the praying deacons said to Duncan Campbell, "Don't be discouraged, it is coming. I already can hear the sound of heaven's chariot wheels. We will have another night of prayer and then we will see what God is going to do." About thirty went to a nearby cottage and continued to pray into the night. At about 3am God swept into the cottage and about a dozen were laid prostrate on the floor, unable to move. Something had happened! Revival had come! As they left the cottage they found the lights burning in every house as men and women were seeking God. They found three men laying by the roadside under conviction of sin, crying out for God to have mercy on them.

CONVERTED BEFORE ARRIVING AT THE CHURCH

The events of the second night will never be forgotten by those were there! Buses came from the four corners of the island. Seven men were being driven to the meeting in a butchers truck, when suddenly the Spirit fell on them in great conviction - they were all converted before they reached the church. As the preacher preached tremendous conviction swept down upon the people and tears fell down the faces of those present. So deep was the distress of some that their voices could be heard outside.

UNDER THE BURDEN OF INTERCESSION

The meeting finally ended and people began to move outside. A young man began to pray under a tremendous burden of intercession, He prayed for 3/4 of an hour and as he prayed people gathered outside the church until there were twice as many outside as there had been inside. When he stopped praying, an elder gave out Psalm 132 and as the great congregation began to sing, the people streamed back into the church again and the meeting continued until 4am. The moment people took their seats the Spirit of God in great conviction began to sweep through the church and hardened sinners wept and confessed their sins.

AT THE POLICE STATION

As the meeting was finally closing, a messenger hurried to the preacher, "Come with me! There's a crowd of people outside the police station; they are weeping and in awful distress. We don't know what's wrong with them, but they are calling for someone to come and pray with them."

Describing the scene outside the police station the minister later declared, "Oh I saw a sight I never thought possible. Something I shall never forget. Under a starlit sky, men and women were kneeling everywhere, by the roadside, outside the cottages, even behind the peat stacks, crying for God to have mercy on them!"

Nearly 600 people had been making their way to the church, when suddenly the spirit of God had fallen upon them in great conviction, causing them to fall to their knees in repentance.

CRYING OUT AGAINST DEAD RELIGION -- AND STANDING ON THE PROMISES

Then the revival began to sweep into Arnol, another district where men had been praying and crying out to God because of the deadness of religion. In desperation a little band of men made their way to a farmhouse to plead the promises of God. Just after midnight a young man rose and prayed a prayer that will never be forgotten by those present:

"Lord, you made a promise, are you going to fulfill it? We believe that you are a covenant keeping God. Will you be true to your covenant? You have said that you will pour waters upon him who is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground. Lord, I know how these ministers stand in your presence, but if I know my own heart I know where I stand, and I tell thee now that I am thirsty. Oh, I am thirsty for a manifestation of the presence and power of God! And Lord, before I sit down, I want to tell you that your honor is at stake!"

THE HOUSE SHOOK!

Then came the answer - While the brother prayed the house shook like a leaf as God turned loose His mighty power - the dishes rattled on the sideboard. The elder exclaimed, " An earth tremor!" Then wave after wave of divine power swept throughout the farmhouse. -

WALKING THE STREETS UNDER CONVICTION

Simultaneously, the Spirit of God swept through the village. People could no longer sleep; houses were lit all night, people walked the streets under conviction; people knelt by their bedsides crying out to God to help them. As the praying men left the prayer meeting, the preacher walked into a house for a glass of milk. He found the lady of the house, with seven others down upon their knees crying for pardon.

48 HOURS TO CHANGE THE ALL THE YOUTH AND EVERY YOUNG MAN!

Within 48 hours the drinking house, usually crowded with the men of the village, was closed. Within 48 hours nearly every young person between the ages of 12 and 20 had surrendered to Christ, and every young man between the ages of 18 and 35 could be found in the prayer meetings

FROM KATHIE'S NEW BOOK:

The revival reports are an excerpt from Kathie's new book, "BRIGHT AND SHINING REVIVAL," reports from the Welsh, Hebrides and Borneo revivals.

For Kathie's other books and tapes see http://www.goodnews.netministries.org/kathie.htm