This article was written for Ted Shuttlesworth Evangelistic Association and first published in Faith Alive Magazine in 2018.
A big hello from India to all the people reading us today. I write this letter straight from my heart at the request of my dear friend, Ted Shuttlesworth. I must say I was honoured to be asked to write this article.
I write this with a burden in my heart for America, and the revival that is about to be birthed in the hearts of those who read this. True Revival is not a random phenomenon but it is a desire that is birthed on the inside of each individual. That desire, hunger and passion that a person carries is what makes the revival contagious.
I think one of the greatest deceptions of the devil especially today is to do with the “Power of God”.
I hear constantly preachers say, “The Word is enough” and disregard the Power of God. Or alternatively “The Power is enough” and fully disregard the Word. The Word and the Power go hand-in-hand. Importance must be given to both without discounting the other. If there is no demonstration of the Word, it’s just empty phrases followed by waving of hands, attributing to no physical sign.
People live in the delusion of being okay with preaching the Word as long as it’s not demonstrated. Why do we have such an issue with the Word being demonstrated with power? When in fact signs are meant to follow the preaching of the Word, as it says in Mark 16:20.
We must be aware of God’s will for prosperity, being His childrens’ rightful portion. The Revival God wants you to carry requires a lot of finances. The Gospel is free but to preach it you need finances. We know we can’t serve two masters. We can serve God or money. But how do you know which master you serve?
Simple. If money dictates to you what you can and cannot do for God, then money is your master and God is not. Don’t limit what God can do through you because you don’t have enough cash. Remember the bible says, “God shall supply all your need according to HIS riches in glory”, and not how much you have in your bank balance.
But a lot of people today, instead of accepting what Christ paid for, it becomes a huge issue when God’s people prosper. For many people, preaching on prosperity is okay as long as there is no action. “Giving” – to others preaching on prosperity – is okay as long as you don’t fly in a Private Jet. It seems to me that as long as you preach whatever without action or result there is no opposition. This applies to everything in the Bible and from it.
Many ask me why is it that we preachers prosper?
Simple. WE PREACH ABOUT IT.
When we preach the Word starts working for us. The question is are we meant to preach prosperity only after we get rich?
It may make sense to the world to write a book on prosperity after you are a billionaire, but not before. But as a Christian, the day you are saved is the day you have direct access to God’s personal bank because you are his child.
All you need to do to access it is to renew your mind with the Word and understand God’s will for your life. And don’t just stop there. Start expecting it to materialise and show up.
Through the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. And when you speak it, you voice life into your situation and what you say materialises and causes it to come to being. Preach it till it comes into being because the Word works. There’s no question about it.
On the flip side, some preachers remain poor because once off the pulpit they live the most defeatist lives. The ones that do practice what they preach are the ones who take it home with them.
It’s the exact same thing with signs and wonders.
We are aware from reading the scriptures that Jesus healed the sick, cleansed the leper, raised the dead and cast out demons. And Jesus said that we are to expect to do what He did and more than what he did. But when these things begin to manifest in our lives, there is so much opposition.
I have noticed that there are two categories of people. The first category know the word and expect nothing. The second category know the word and expect but there is no action that follows their expectation. It’s the same thing with expecting prosperity. People don’t like the action that follows,“Giving”.
Many preach that JESUS HEALS but are too afraid to jump into action and expect people to be healed. Also many times when the evangelist does jump into action, the pastors end up insecure.
I’ve observed it as a pattern. The pastor begins to think that the evangelist will steal their sheep. Then they put themselves under so much pressure to negate everything the evangelist did that Sunday. Then counteract everything the next Sunday. Just talk trash about the gifts, and the demonstration of the Power and give more importance to the Word.
But! Whatever happened to “Believe and you shall see the Glory”?
Believe in the results the Word brings. People put a full stop after delivering their sermon. And that’s that. That’s unnatural. The supernatural should be our natural state. On the flip side, the gifts have been abused and they are irrevocable regardless of the person’s faithfulness to God. But man’s nature does not disregard God’s will for everyone to walk in the gifts.
How can you say Jesus heals, and expect Him not to? How can you say He became poor that I might be rich, and remain poor? It’s not going to happen. We must live in expectation. Not for one thing and neglect the other things, but expectation in EVERYTHING.
The key element owing to me seeing large crowds, mass crusades, miracles and business growth is expecting the Word to work every time I read it. Every time I speak it. I proclaim it because I believe it.
Miracles draw people and that’s what’s missing in America and the world. Not because there WERE days of revival and they’re about to come back. Revival NEVER went anywhere, NO! Revival is here and Revival is NOW.
Your expectation is what is responsible for witnessing the manifestation of these things. We know the joy of the Lord is our strength but when we see it manifest, people are NOT HAPPY. Ironically. Choking the Holy Spirit when He wants to move.
The days of Smith Wigglesworth, Kathryn Kuhlman and even now, Rodney Howard-Browne, ushered in Revival because they never choked the move of God. If they said, “We’re only going to preach the Word and expect nothing”, nothing would’ve happened.
If you watch any of A.A Allen’s videos, you’ll see that he preached the Word and immediately would get into action. It’s the similar thing with Pastor Rodney. Infact, with him you’ll see that he sometimes just slowly walks around the building without saying a word. And people get touched by God right then and there.
Churches today have choked the Holy Spirit. Bound Him to their standards, limitations and time constraints. That’s why church has turned from the move of the Holy Spirit to a production. For that very reason people’s lives are not turning around, as there is no room for God to move. Instead, when you allow the Word to come alive it changes everything.
Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke once said to me, “The more cakes and coffees you need to run the church, the less of the Holy Ghost you have.”
You just cannot let the church turn into a production. For when you do, it becomes more about the ‘cookies n’ cream’ and less of the Spirit. Because the key to revival is the Holy Spirit. Expecting the Word to work. I’m telling you, a great revival is about to hit the nations of the world. And this time, with the Word and the Spirit combined to effect the earth powerfully.
My country, India is coming into a massive revival. We’ve see millions of people saved, healed and delivered. I personally have seen over 7 million decisions to Christ in the last 12 years of my ministry. This is only the beginning, the best is yet to come.
God asked me one day, “Ankit, if you went to America some day and preached, do you think you’d see the same crowds you’ve seen as in India?” And I said, “Of course, Lord! The Gospel is the same!”
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Gospel remains the same and will continue to. It changes not. It’s Good “NEWS”, not Good “HISTORY”. In fact I have seen more miracles in America wherever I have been (ratio wise) than in India. That’s why it’ll work no matter where it is preached.
You simply have to EXPECT it to. No matter what people have to say about it. It doesn’t matter if today’s millennial church does not approve of the message of prosperity, healing, joy or revival. We are not here to please people but we are here to replicate the book of Acts and see even greater things.
If I can see masses saved, healed and delivered with every need met for every crusade, conference and everything else that we do – even though I live in India – then God can do the same in America and through anyone reading this today.
I like what Pastor Rodney said to me. He said, “God can only bless you according to the criticism you can handle”. So if you want the Holy Spirit to move, if you want to see revival, expect criticism.
When I first started out in the ministry, criticism was the main thing I had to deal with. Everyday. Everything. I didn’t allow it to weigh me down. Instead, I let the Holy Spirit move. We’re not here to please anyone but God. And sometimes pleasing God means that you may not have a lot of friends. But I’d rather have the Holy Spirit back me up.
To all the readers, I just want to remind you that revival went nowhere. It is by the move of the Holy Spirit through anyone who is willing to act on the Word. If you try to choke revival for the sake of saying some pretty words behind a pulpit and receive an applause, it’s time to repent. When you allow the Holy Spirit to move, removing the attention from yourself and turning people to Christ, it ushers in His move. And there can be nothing greater than to see him move freely.
So, let the Holy Spirit move. Quit choking Him and watch as revival sweeps the streets through your life. Be BOLD and step out. Act on the word without fear and you will see a revival sweep through the nations through your life. I know America is getting there. Now more than ever, because God is not done with America.
The Gospel is the Power and AMERICA SHALL BE SAVED.
