A true move of the Holy Spirit will always be marked in certain ways. While the move of God will vary in the way it looks from one generation to another, there will remain these distinguishing marks:
#1 The Church Emphasizes Evangelism (Acts 1:8)
When the Holy Spirit is allowed influence in the lives of His people, He will stir them to evangelism. The fire of the Holy Spirit burns for the lost, and those who truly catch that flame themselves burn to win souls.
#2 The Church Preaches the Gospel (Acts 2:38)
While we can become so distracted by many themes and concepts (leadership, encouragement, church growth, etc.), a true move of the Holy Spirit will always bring a people back to the preaching of salvation through Jesus Christ. That includes the themes of grace, forgiveness, the cross, love, and mercy. It also includes the themes of Heaven, Hell, eternity, repentance, sin, judgment, and death.
#3 The Church Honors Leadership (Acts 2:42)
Today’s culture portrays the “people in charge” as the villains and the oppressors. But the leadership of the Church is a gift from God - there not to rule us but to protect us. Godly leadership brings about spiritual freedom, not spiritual oppression. A people in revival respect and honor their spiritual leaders.
#4 The Church Lives in a State of Awe (Acts 2:43)
Cynicism and doubt dissolve in a culture of faith and awe. Awe undoes the effects of familiarity. When the Church is experiencing a move of the Holy Spirit, the awe of God returns to it.
#5 The Church Witnesses the Miraculous (Acts 2:43)
Miracle healing will never become outdated. Even with all of the advances in the medical field, there still remains a need for miraculous healing. The Church has the power to command sickness and diseases. In a move of the Holy Spirit, miracles and healing are a part of the culture. Miracles and healing should not be treated as liabilities but rather powerful tools to reach the world. The world is hungry for the supernatural.
#6 The Church Gives Generously (Acts 2:45 & 46)
Generosity is a key mark of a move of the Holy Spirit. People become overwhelmed by generosity with a focus on giving to expand the Kingdom of God.
#7 The Church Gathers Regularly (Acts 2:46)
Unity is cultivated in gathering. A simple yet telling sign of a move of the Holy Spirit is that people gather.
#8 The Church Grows (Acts 2:47)
A crowd alone is not the mark of growth, nor is a crowd necessarily God’s endorsement. However, when the Holy Spirit is moving upon a people, disciples begin to multiply themselves.
#9 The Church Emphasizes the Work the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:2)
The Lord spoke to me, “I’m calling you to introduce my Holy Spirit to your generation”, and I long to see the Church as a whole return to an emphasis on the Holy Spirit’s power. That’s why I talk about the precious Holy Spirit so often.
All other movements and trends will eventually phase out, but the move of the Holy Spirit will always come full circle - history and scripture assure us of that wonderful truth. I prophesy a fresh emphasis on the Person of the Holy Spirit.
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