A Testimony of God's Working and the Call to the Work — Merle Weaver

I had a few words I wanted to read just for a real short meditation before I share what I would like to share and I asked brothers and sisters that you'd pray because there's so much that has been happening here and I hardly know where to start, where to stop and what to share, what would be the most edifying to the body of Christ but I'll trust Him and I would ask that you would just lift me up in prayer that the Lord direct me to share just those words that He would want.

Elijah’s Prayer and the Promise of Rain

I'm reading now from 1 Kings 18, probably very familiar to all of you, 41. And he looked and said, there's nothing. And he said, go again, seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time that he said, behold, there's a cloud as small as a man's hand rising out of the sea.

He said, go up, say to Ahab, harness and go down, that the pour of rain stop thee not. And it came to pass in the meanwhile that the heavens became black with clouds of wind and there was a great pour of rain.

And I'll stop reading there. You know, it hadn't rained for three years and it was very dry. This prophet, this man that knew and walked with God told Ahab by faith and by the Spirit of God that there was a sound of abundance of rain.

That was something that he heard in his spirit. And ultimately he didn't see anything with his eyes to convince him of that. But he kept praying because he knew what God had said until he saw just the first sign and then he knew it was coming that fast that they barely had time.

Revival Promises and Prayer for the Harvest

And brothers and sisters, that is how it has been. Just last night I was preaching, recounting to the gathering, the group gathered there, how back in 2004 and 2005, how the Lord by the mouth of various independent prophets that didn't know each other confirmed the words that he was going to bring revival to our people.

And that revival for a purpose, revival to send labors out into the harvest especially to the very hard unreached areas of the 1040 window, places like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, UAE and North Africa.

And for these past, oh about, maybe I would say eight years, there's been labor and prayer and there have been advances by inches so to speak and some very sweet times of revival and yet not the great outpouring that we believed that we would yet see.

Now I can say in this past year things have really definitely picked up in them. I am going to trust the Lord tonight to talk about some of the things that have happened and what God's been doing. And the motive here is to encourage us to pray.

And whatever mission field, whatever calling, whatever intercessor work that the Lord has called you to to be faithful, Father now before I share I just pray I come before you in humbleness and dependence and Lord I just ask that you would guide me.

Lord it would have been my heart to be able to listen a number of weeks first before I share and I thought I might have that opportunity but now things have changed around and Lord I sense that you want me to share and so I want to be faithful in weakness to share what you're doing.

House Gatherings, Baptism, and Discipleship

Thank you in Jesus name. In Lancaster County Pennsylvania a number of small groups, a number of believers started meeting here and there, regular gatherings, Sunday mornings and prayer meetings and so forth.

Gathering under no name other than the name of Jesus Christ, not content to divide it into nomination or such things but with one passion to know Christ and Him exalted in our midst. A passion to obey Him even unto death.

And as these brothers have come together in these various places God has seemed to take a while to refine them. And in December of 2010 there was a tithe that night. That night went down into, in the dark in December, down into the water.

And so we began to touch something off and since then there's been many baptisms. Matthew 28 where he told us to go and make disciples and baptize and preach and now since about November of this last year we've really begun plowing more deeply.

Amish Believers and the Call to Reach the World

The specific group of people that I come from, the church back that night, just the cloud the size of a man's hand. And I met this one, one took a year and a half until last December when he finally stepped forward and baptized him.

And now only, and since that has cost him his standing in the community as far as reputation because of his willingness to follow Jesus. And with that young brother, God put together a trip for him and he's coming back from Wisconsin as we speak to the United States out to the west coast.

And God connected him with young hearts and he just is a young man, he's a young married man. And I just talked to him on Thursday night and he was, I believe, it was just part of my heart still and there was a young man came to him and said, I hear that you've been baptized and I've been feeling convicted to be baptized.

I'm going to go to New Mexico, I'm going to be there when he's baptized. And I believe that it's very possible that he had, sorry, November, there was a beginning to pull together among the brothers from the Amish background that had been gathering.

And they said, we're now ready, we're going to start meeting on Sunday mornings in our homes from house to house. And they've begun doing that and pulling together. And you read in John 7, strive for each other to reach your world.

Remember Jesus, men that are in love with Jesus, they need the first thing, they usually get it from sickness. And God has used that time to chart vision and direction. And then in February we went together to South Carolina.

Signs Following Believers and a Vision of Transformed Lives

And I got to, I read Mark 16. These signs shall follow them that believe. The body that was laying down from the sick and to recover. Hold in my heart this vision of the mighty power of God, power of God evidenced in transformed lives.

Victory of passion, strive without spot or wrinkle. And I set out as a young man to follow this vision that surely this must be somewhere in God in a powerful way. And I got filled with this holy group of brothers that would pull together that would be real.

It wouldn't be about going through the motions or just forming some organization. But it would be like the scriptures say, a friend that sticks closer than a brother. And now in these days I got to see it.

Commissioning Overseers and the Coming Harvest

And then we went down to, and as we were together there in prayer and fasting and sharing rooms. And God would give us a word. Power of God just come into their life and bathed them. And as words of prophecy were uttered into them.

I watched even one of them that was withstanding us. I talked to him, I set out looking for. Mission together and where the mighty power of God, where God's pleased to trust a group of brothers. Which has been growing in size and anointing.

And have a commissioning, an ordination of two of the brothers that have been with us for a number of years. That are faithful, ordaining them as overseers. Not men that are being appointed to a certain building or to a certain denomination.

But men that, like Titus, to go from city to city and ordain overseers. It happened, but I know what the Lord is telling us about this summer. And I believe not many days hence. Maybe this summer, maybe within the next year.

We're going to see the thousands of people coming to Jesus. And what began first will soon be a river. And I am not here to say anything about the human instrumentality. Because it's not about any of that.

God does use different brothers here and there. But it's about the divine instrumentality. The blowing of God's Spirit upon a people group and upon a land. And what's even more interesting to me. Not just the Amish and Mennonites.

But where I get to move the most and see the most. Where God's preparing the harvest. He's preparing what God's doing even down into Central America. And there's a family from here that is actually just getting ready to leave.

To go down through Central America and into South America. To connect. It's raising up. It may be true that we live in the last times. And it may be true that the darkness is coming. And the challenge that I have for each of us tonight.

Feeding Christ’s Sheep and Carrying the Light

The work that God has called us to. Just last night as it was to open up John 21. Peter made some mistrust. And then he turned back to what he thought. But Jesus had a challenge for Peter. And he said, feed my sheep.

And tonight brothers and sisters. Nor yet how a candle. And ask God for a light. And ask God for a source. Yes it is right that we first have personal revival ourselves. First need. But it is not enough to just have that.

We must start there. We must have that. But then God has a desire. There was one. Now there's two. And 20 and 100 and many beyond. And that is God's will for us. It is not God's will. And there may be a time.

To go hide herself. And there may be a time. When we need to just be with one little household. Where God has called us. Or whatever the case may be. We need to hear his voice. He is the Lord of the harvest.

And what he is ordering for us. But there is a time. When it is time to go up on Mount Carmel. And to stand and face off the work of darkness. And to light up a fire. And to light a revival. And this is God's will.

Not just for a certain person with a preaching gift. But a man, woman and child. That is his. Feed my lambs. Feed my sheep. You know that Saint Peter. Not many days after that. Had the privilege. Anointed by the Holy Ghost.

A Unified People for Mission and Revival

But we must first. Tie their tails together. And light them on fire. The message you placed on my heart. On our hearts. That we would not misrepresent you. That we would not be judgmental or critical of others.

Even though the sin of this church is great. You are not the God. You are not the problem. But we must be the solution to the problem. My almighty God in heaven. Would you help us tonight. To be the solution to the problem.

And Father not ignore for this land. But to pray for us. That we would have very sharp swords. And that we would be unified together Father. And that we would be faithful. Where you have planted us and called us.

That we would light up the darkness. With your wonderful light. A city still I know cannot be hid. Thank you for what you have been doing. In this corner of the vineyard Lord. Thank you for the little trickle that has become the stream.

And how it is rising. And beginning to go much further. And out of this Lord now. There are young men signing up for missionary camps. Ready to go to the ends of the earth Father. But it is only. Lord there is much yet a great need.

Discipling Believers and Preaching the Gospel

And Father whoever might be on this call tonight. Father would you. Would you come to our hearts. Hear your words again tonight. Just like you told Peter many. Thousand years ago. Feed my sheep. In a rebuke to making difference.

Help us tonight to be those who. Disciple believers. Those who see them get baptized Lord. Those who plant churches. Oh Father it is not time for the religious specialist. Lord that is the. That is the mark of Babylon.

But it is time for an army of men and women. Dedicated to our Lord Jesus. Who will go into all the earth and preach the gospel. Like those humble early fishermen did. Many many years ago. Father we are no less.

Nor no greater. But what they have done we can do. If only we will have the faith to walk with you. To be honored. May God bless you.