Steve Porter: "Father Nash, Praying Hyde, Rees Howell & the Coming Awakening"

From the desk of Steve Shultz:

I sure enjoy reading through Steve Porter's writings...they are always in depth, full of wisdom and carry messages of greater intimacy with our Lord.

Steve Porter and this Steve (me) have something in common...we both had the same spiritual father, Wade Taylor! I sure miss Wade, as he went home to be with the Lord a few years ago. But his legacy lives on through his daughter Nancy and in Steve Porter, and many others who Wade impacted as well!

More and more prophetic voices have said that we are on the verge of a great awakening across the globe and I appreciate Steve Porter putting this article together about some incredible "fathers in the faith" who have gone before us...and how their lives will impact us today:

Today, rather than one Daniel Nash, the Holy Spirit is raising up a company of like-minded Believers who know how to passionately pray until breakthrough comes and lingers indefinitely, ushering in the last great harvest of souls. They are praying for a next great awakening and they will see it!

Read this word by Steve Porter and let it help prepare you for this next great awakening! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)

The Place of a Great Father - Mighty in Prayer

Once, not long ago, on a dark, rainy day, I made my way over wet ground to a very special place. A chill made me tremble as the cold rain pelted my skin, drenching me to the bone. But still I walked, eager to get to my destination—the very place where Father Daniel Nash's church once stood. Though his name may be unfamiliar to most, he was born in 1775 and, at age forty, he began to minister for six years as a preacher in upstate New York, where he saw great revival twice during that short period of time. It's said that he didn't trust in his own spoken words or cleverly-written sermons to change the hearts of listeners but knew that only prevailing prayer would summon the presence of the Holy Spirit to transform the culture of the day.

Unfortunately at age forty-three, he was voted out of his church by a vote of nine to three, because they were annoyed by his frequent travels to preach and they let him go in favor of a younger man. But with a humble heart, he continued to serve the people there, filling the pulpit when needed and seeing many people saved because of his fervent, prevailing prayer. It was noted that he was very damaged with pain by how he was treated and had little hope of doing much for the Kingdom after, but God had a greater plan!

A few years later, God laid on Father Nash's heart the need for a forerunner to intercede before and during the revival meetings held by Evangelist Charles Finney. In fact, he would often go several days before the beginning of a revival, locate an out-of-the-way tiny, dark and damp space to rent, find two or three like-minded individuals, and begin to fast and pray, groaning in the spirit for hours and days at a time. It's said that a holy light lit the dim space, making it a powerful place to intercede and believe God would move as never before.

A monument of his image and name stands on the front step of where his church once stood, and today that parcel of land owned by Dwelling Place Ministries of Lowville, NY has been set aside with great expectations for a future powerful revival move of God. (In fact, on that rainy day I mentioned above, I had a wonderful time ministering in that amazing church.)

Afterward, we drove a few miles to visit a neglected cemetery tucked away in the same village, called Stowe Square Cemetery, located in Lewis County, New York, not far from the Canadian border. As I visited the grave site of Father Nash, I stood fighting the wind and rain with my umbrella, but felt a powerful anointing as I read the faded wording on his tombstone:

Daniel Nash
Laborer with Finney
Mighty in Prayer
Nov. 17, 1775 - Dec. 20, 1831

"Today the Lord is preparing a company of forerunners that know how to pray and intercede. They shake Heaven and Earth with continuous deep intercession."

"Mighty in Prayer"—wow! What an epitaph to sum up a life! It was said that Daniel Nash was mighty in prayer and he truly was—so much so that we might even dare to emulate such things in our day. Could we pay such a price for revival?

That weekend was filled with meetings and a strong manifestation of His presence. I was honored to visit that place and felt I was there by divine appointment. It was as if Father had something to share with me, especially when He said, "Like the rain you now feel upon your skin, so Daniel Nash was wet with tears from deep groaning and intercession." It's been said that Daniel Nash prayed so hard his nose began to bleed, and he would be wet with perspiration even during the dark, cold New York winters. He was physically exhausted when he went to bed. He prayed as he shook the heavens with fervent prayer.

Lord, YOU are no respecter of persons...What You have done in the heart of Father Nash You can do in me! Give me a heart to pray for revival! Let me spend time birthing the next great awakening while there's still time.

There are men throughout history like Father Nash who have lived that kind of all-consuming passion for the Lord and for their neighbors, brothers and sisters. Men and women who, simply because of their intense love for the Lord, became amazing examples of the power of fervent prayer.

Let's look briefly at two more such men.

Praying Hyde: "Prayer Warrior of Compassion"

John Nelson Hyde (November 9, 1865 – February 17, 1912) was an American missionary who preached in the Punjab of India.

"Praying Hyde" or "The Apostle of Prayer" was the sheer definition of "tireless", seemingly going for days on end without sleep. He fasted often; in fact, food was pretty far down on his list of must-haves.

He spent countless dark nights face down on the cold, bare floor in prayer, interceding for the lost in India, and his prayer on behalf of others bore remarkable fruit. For the first year, at least one soul per day came to Christ and was baptized. Then two a day, and finally four souls a day were coming to Christ because of his fervent intercession.

The spirit of intercession was so heavy upon him that those around him would feel that same fervent spirit groaning deep inside them as well. If you visited his room during his many revival conferences, you would find his bed perfectly made, because rather than sleeping he would spend his nights on the floor groaning in the spirit for the salvation of the lost. Intercession kept him in prayer right up until the moment the meetings began. (Photo via Steve Porter)

"Give me souls, oh God, or I die!" –John Hyde, 1910, Sialkot Convention.

John moved people with fervent supplications that appeared to be almost violent at times, and others sought his intercession for Calcutta, Bombay and other Indian cities, so that the number of new Believers grew by leaps and bounds.

But his health was failing. At the age of forty-five, he was persuaded to seek medical attention. The doctor's diagnosis was nothing short of stunning. His heart had shifted out of its natural position on the left side of his chest to a place on the right! Some believed he prayed so hard that it changed the location of his heart!

It was clear that his time there was ending, so he returned to his home in Carthage, Illinois, where he lived for two more years. His last words before his graduation to Heaven were, "Shout the victory of Jesus Christ!"

His powerful intercession led to a wave of revival that swept through India like none other.

Rees Howells: "Watchman to the World"

"Intercession prayer is the greatest force on earth!"—Rees Howells, 1935

Rees Howells (October 10, 1879 – February 13, 1950) was the founder of the Bible College of Wales.

Rees came from humble beginnings in Wales, where he shunned school to go to work cutting coal in the mines to put bread on his family's table, but God had special plans for his life. He preached that the source of revival is the Holy Spirit, and he and his wife prayed ardently for the Holy Spirit to come. And the revivals came! Washing over congregations like an all-encompassing wave. Thousands received Christ through these renowned revivals, just as Rees Howells said they would, as the Lord had shown him in a vision.

They were eventually led to build the largest Bible college in Wales, which became known as the Bible College of Wales (BCW). The staff "wept before God for hours", utterly broken, seeing the sin in their own hearts that was revealed by His light. And as their prayers grew more fervent, they also felt the increasing presence of the Holy Spirit among them.

"Could we pay such a price for revival?"

It was during that time when the First World War broke out, killing multitudes of people, and their team of passionate intercessors began to earnestly pray for the lost. Rees Howells went to be with the Lord in 1950, but his tireless work, godly vision and lasting legacy of fervent prayer, still serves as a shining example of living in this world for the sole purpose of bringing people to Christ.

A Forerunning Fervent Army like Nash, Hyde and Howells!

All three of these great men were forerunners of a prayer movement that brought transformation to countries and regions. Today these men speak a prophetic message to the Church of our day – if our spiritual ears are tuned to hear it.

Nash speaks prophetically of a company of intercessors who know how to wrestle in prayer until the answer comes. He exemplified the kind of fervency in prayer that births and sustains a great awakening. Today, rather than one Daniel Nash, the Holy Spirit is raising up a company of like-minded Believers who know how to passionately pray until breakthrough comes and lingers indefinitely, ushering in the last great harvest of souls. They are praying for a next great awakening and they will see it!

Hyde speaks prophetically of a company of intercessors who carry compassion for the lost. This company cries out from deep within: "Give me souls or I shall die!" They are not content with their ticket to Heaven, but rather they cry out for the lost, the broken, and rejected ones. They have the character of Christ; they flow with a deep humility. They know what it means to pray sacrificially. They weep for those going to Hell; they are moved to pray and not just mumble obligatory prayers. They have a fervency and fire that compels them into action.

Howells speaks prophetically of a company of discerning watchmen who stand on a wall on behalf of us all and understand and interpret the signs of the times, praying clear through until breakthrough occurs. Just as it did with John Hyde, the following verse holds powerful prophetic meaning regarding Howells:

"I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence. And give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth." (Isaiah 62:6-7)

In the same way, this Scripture should be one we seek to emulate, believing for a miraculous Holy Spirit outcome.

In November of 2017, I stood on the old "American Corner" in Rome, NY. This was the very place where prayer went forth during the Second Great Awakening led by Charles Finney. Here is an excerpt from his autobiography: "I should say a few words about the spirit of prayer that which prevailed in Rome during this time. Indeed, the whole town was full of prayer. Go where you would, you heard the voice of prayer."

In fact, if you walked down the street you would often see Christians meet, join hands and pray. Wherever people met they were always praying. They carried a burden for lost souls and they knew how to travail in the spirit to see the lost come to Christ. (Photo via Pixabay)

Standing on the American corner that day, I too was awestruck by the intercession that had come forth years earlier and the legacy it inspired. I fought back raw emotions, desperate to see Rome, New York and the surrounding areas host another great revival of intercession and awakening.

A Company of Forerunners

Today the Lord is preparing a company of forerunners that know how to pray and intercede. They will shake Heaven and Earth with continuous deep intercession. You will find them lying on the floor in deep groaning for many hours, weeping for the lost. You will find them birthing with travail the next great awakening.

For even as the Lord used Johnathan Edwards in the First Great Awakening and Charles Finney in the second, there will be a third that will not only hit America but Canada and continents worldwide. There is, once again, a brooding occurring over the face of the deep. The Lord is moving over the waters, preparing a company of intercessors that will pray it in—not just one man but an army of fervent Believers like Nash, Hyde and Howell.

I see a cloud moving. The glory is drawing near; the very manifest presence is building and as we pray the cloud will draw even nearer. The glory is invading the enemy's camp where the people of God will dance and sing again, rejoicing that Heaven is being released. The throne room is cracked open and the very atmosphere of Heaven is leaking out toward the earth.

Open your hearts; open the gates for entry of the King of glory. Seek the Lord while He may be found. Welcome Him in to rest and abide in you; for as He dwells there the earth shall be transformed. With a kiss of His presence we, as the Bride, shall come forth arrayed in His magnificent glory.

Lord, give Your people the desire and endurance to intercede again for the birth of another great awakening and a habitation wherever we are!

Steve Porter
Refuge Ministries
Email: G524walk@yahoo.com
Website: www.findrefuge.tv

Steve Porter is founder of Refuge Ministries. He believes that, through the presence of God, healing takes place. He has a passion for conducting presence-driven intimacy conferences, missions, and restoration ministry. He resides near Rochester, NY. Steve Porter has written many books and has a special anointing to bring forth the deep truths of the Spirit, with a clarity and simplicity that draws one up into a closer walk and deeper relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. Steve's passion is conference speaking and writing devotional books that draw the reader into the very presence of God.

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