It was 1993 when I graduated from Pinecrest Bible Training Center in Salisbury Center, NY, the Bible school founded by Wade Taylor. On reaching home in Ohio, I dragged my bags down into my bedroom. At that time, my bedroom was just off the family room, which was a very private space. I spent time with the Lord in the basement and loved my little hidden prayer garden.
After Bible school, I was privileged to return to the church my parents pastored, where they paid me $100 a month to be their associate pastor, youth pastor, church janitor and lawn mower, because that was all that church could afford. So, there I was doing it all, and loving every moment of it! Working for my parents was a dream come true. In fact, those were the best days of my life.
During my time away with the Lord, I sat in the basement on a piece of furniture called a hope chest, where I was overcome by the manifest presence of the Lord. I knew He had come to teach me something valuable.
In that place, the Lord took me into a vision. At this point, let me say that I'm not one of those people who experience frequent visions. I wish they occurred more often because, through them, I've received revelation rarely gleaned elsewhere.
Note: though this particular vision happened in 1993, I'm still preaching about it today!
God's Sweeping the Church with His Broom of Refining Fire
In that 1993 vision, I saw a small church with the windows wide open, and a strong wind beginning to blow through the building. As the wind continued to blow, an oversized broom began to sweep from the pulpit all the way to the back pew. Then the Lord said, "I am cleansing My temple once again and I am going to bring in a mighty move of the Spirit. I'm going to bring a cleansing, a true sanctification, that will affect not just the backslider, but also the pulpit ministry."
Dear saints, I believe that shortly we'll see a move of the Spirit that will usher in the cleansing winds of God, which will blow within and through the Church. In that atmosphere of holiness, we will no longer entertain or excuse sin or play Patty Cake with the devil. A true balance is coming that has nothing in common with either cheap grace or harsh legalism. (Photo via Unsplash)
Once again, the Lord spoke:
"I am cleansing My temple. I am cleansing My temple – coming through with My broom and My refining fire. In fact, I've already begun to sweep through the Church. It's going to affect the pastor and the leaders, and it's going to affect the backsliders. There's coming a true Holy Spirit sweeping – a true cleansing of the Church."
That word was released to me in 1993, and here we are in the 2020s... I believe we're on the threshold of that "broom" being released into the Church. The holiness of God will begin to fill and transform the Church so that it may become a glorious Church, without spot or wrinkle. He's preparing the remnant Church to be His mature Bride (see Revelation 19:7-9). He wants the wise virgins that we see in Matthew chapter 25. He's looking for those who are prepared, anticipating His return; those who aren't apathetic, bored to tears with the things of God, but those who are down on their knees, crying out for more of the Spirit.
I can hear the Bride crying out even now: Lord, take that broom and sweep out the dark corners of my heart. Purge me, oh God. Scrub me clean. Cleanse me, purge me, of anything and everything that breaks Your heart. If You find any of those things inside me, Lord, I ask You to reveal them and help me dump them, Father, that I may be a vessel of honor fit for Your use.
Godly Sorrow
There was a time in the past when the Church was truly awake, powerful and effective. Sin was not condoned because born-again Christians walked in uncompromising integrity and righteousness. People were more concerned about gaining true riches in Heaven than amassing prosperity here on Earth. Then a wave of apostasy hit the Church and complacency set in. In fact, I believe that if the "old-time" Christians were to come back to visit most modern churches, they would be surprised at how much sin we overlook.
There's a wave of revival that is hitting the Church in these end times. The spirit of repentance and holiness is coming back to the Church. These are the days that Prophet Zachariah saw:
"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on Me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son." (Zechariah 12:10)
The prophet was talking about the godly sorrow that would be poured out on the Church in the end times. There is more than enough evidence that we are now in the end times. Most of the signs that Jesus spoke of have already come to pass. And now that we are on the precipice of His coming, we can expect another great awakening in our day. This awakening will begin with a spirit of repentance, and become a revival of true holiness.
If you examine the Scriptures, you will notice an interesting pattern in every major move of God. They always began with godly sorrow that pushed men and women to their knees, seeking the face of God. And then God would respond and do something remarkable. So as the spirit of repentance returns again to the Church, we should expect another tremendous move of the Spirit of God. (Photo via Unsplash)
The Spirit of Repentance
The Bible is a story of two gardens: the first garden is the Garden of Eden; the second is Golgotha. In the first garden, man chose independence from God as opposed to dependence on God. From then on, man has continually drifted away from God. And even though most think they are enjoying life, they don't realize they are on a slippery road that will only end in death. Solomon aptly warns:
"There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 14:12)
But the story of man didn't end in the first garden, because in another garden, on Golgotha, Jesus gave up His life to die a shameful death on the Cross as the ultimate sacrifice for humanity. In the process, He gave mankind a second chance to enjoy the grace that had been provided in Eden. All one needs to do to access it is to truly repent.
We know we are approaching a holiness revival on the earth, but in order for this to happen, there must first be a spirit of repentance released on the Church – a mighty broom or inner cleansing...that conviction of sin that will absolutely clean and once again bring holiness to God's house. To that end, God is putting His house in order, sending hot coals of fiery conviction to shake the saints out of compromise, apathy, bondage, and sin. When the Spirit begins to blow, it will produce a stunning transformation of the Body of Christ.
At this present time, many are being stirred by the Holy Spirit and His Bride has made herself ready. The Lord is seeking out and qualifying a remnant Bride, and she will glow with the beauty of the Lord as she seeks holiness and purity. She is not afraid to pick up her cross and follow hard after God. His Bride will be gloriously covered in His glorious presence, leaning on her beloved! 2021 shall be the Rise of Wise Virgins. She will hear the call to "Come High," and the horn of repentance she blows to Earth will remind all that they, too, must stay awake and get ready for the return of the Lord.
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Steve Porter
Refuge Ministries
Email:Â G524walk@yahoo.com
Website:Â www.findrefuge.tv
Steve and his wife Diane founded Refuge Ministries and a presence-driven publishing company, Deeper Life Press. Steve is a regular contributor to many prophetic publications, including the Elijah List, Spirit Fuel, and the Identity Network. His writings have been read worldwide by hundreds of thousands of people. Steve's books, maturity tracts, articles, and videos have touched countless lives around the world. The Porters reside near Rochester, NY.
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