I’ve written about revival before.
It’s a subject I’m passionate about. It’s something I pray for every, single day. It’s something I long for deeply.
And it’s happening right now, on a grand scale, in Brazil.
Kinship Christian Radio Announcer Doug Johnson mentioned it on-air last week after Brazil’s President, Jair Bolsanaro, not only publicly proclaimed his personal faith in Jesus Christ, but boldly announced that “Brazil belongs to God.”
This took place at an event called “The Send” at Brasilia National Stadium on February 8. There were more than 140,000 people in attendance. Thousands came to faith in Jesus and pledged to spread revival not only in their own country, but to take the Gospel all over the world. They took their shoes off, held them to heaven, and stood in their bare feet as they pledged to bring the Gospel to the nations.
The revival in Brazil has been building and growing for years. It was recently reported that a new church is planted in Brazil at the rate of one per day. Evangelical Christians now make up 22% of Brazil’s historically Catholic population. It’s estimated that Brazil will soon surpass the United States in the number of missionaries it sends out to preach the Gospel.
At over 212 million people, Brazil if the world’s sixth-largest country and it’s economy is growing rapidly as changes brought about by Bolsanaro’s administration have spurred economic growth and a reduction in crime.
A February 11 article by CBN News.com says Bolsanaro survived an assassination attempt by a knife-wielding attacker a month before Brazil’s election almost cost him his life. He says it is nothing short of a miracle that he’s alive today.
“Doctors who attended to me said that for every 100 stabbings of the kind I endured, only one person survives. So, I am a survivor and owe my life to God. It was His will for me to live.”
Indeed, it seems God has a plan for Brazil.
In November of last year, I wrote about the missionaries of Godtown. One of those missionaries, Josh Lindquist, has been very much involved in the revival taking place in Brazil, and in The Send. He leads a ministry called Global Revival Harvest, and recently told Charisma News in a February 11 article entitled “Brazil Has Become a Global Hotspot for Revival” that Brazil’s revival has some unique characteristics, including:
“Deep, heartfelt worship. “The songs they sing in Brazil are like anthems, they capture your heart. And people get saved just from listening to the music,” Lindquist says. Popular Brazilian worship artist Ana Paula has led worship for crowds of up to 2 million people.
—Street evangelism is often led by youth. One well-known movement known as Ceu Na Terra (Heaven on Earth) is transforming whole neighborhoods. Youth venture into the streets to preach, worship and pray for people, and they even take their message inside nightclubs. “A lot of the nightclubs have become places of Bible study and prayer,” Lindquist said.
—Baptists are fully open to the Holy Spirit. In Brazil, “Bapticostal” is a norm. Baptists who embrace the gifts of the Holy Spirit are known as “renewed Baptists”—and their churches have grown exponentially. One of the most famous, Lagoinha Baptist in Belo Horizonte, has grown to 82,000 members and now has branch churches in dozens of cities in Brazil, Europe and the United States.
At the end of The Send Brazil, attendees took off their shoes and raised them to heaven, pledging before God in their bare feet that they will take the gospel to the nations. This, Lindquist said, is the reason Brazil will be a spiritual powerhouse in the coming years.
“The fire of the Holy Spirit was already burning here,” Lindquist said. “God sent The Send to encourage the Brazilians to export that fire. Brazil will be a key nation for global missions. It is one of the greatest global hot spots on earth.””
On my visit to Godtown back in November, Lindquist said efforts are being made and prayers are being lifted to export that revival to this country.
Lord, let it be so! Send the fire of your Holy Spirit LORD!
UPDATE: Just this morning (February 19) Kinship Christian Radio Announcer Steve Ware reported that revival has recently broken out in Tennessee! Do an internet search using the words, “Awaken Tennessee” for more details!
AMEN and HALLELUJAH!!
Today’s Praise
Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
Show us your unfailing love, Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
I will listen to what God the Lord says;
he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—
but let them not turn to folly.
Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
Psalm 85:6-9 (NIV)