Published on January 15, 2024, 2:10 am

Image source: Fox News

The historical “Pensacola Outpouring,” also known as the “Brownsville Revival,” began in June 1995. The memorable moment came to the limelight when evangelist Steve Hill cancelled all his global preaching assignments to focus on this awakening in Pensacola. His guiding principle during this time was: “The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized during the lifetime of the opportunity.” This ideology is indispensable when observing the dynamics of real revival — an event that, perhaps, only happens once in a generation, century or even millennium.

When God’s fire descended suddenly at the Brownsville Assembly of God on Father’s Day 1995 signaling a revival, Steve Hill remained committed for five solid years, understanding that such opportunities are rare and invaluable. Much like him, Pastor John Kilpatrick, along with other church leaders and congregation members recognized that there was a divine stirring happening at that period.

This significant religious event transformed lives and challenged norms as services lasted between five to eight hours every night for years. It was not unusual for attendees to return home at dawn. The same ministers and worship teams committed themselves nightly to the revival proceedings. This level of commitment explains why the outpouring continued unabated; they understood how rare such monumental moves from God can be and responded by fully dedicating themselves while it lasted.

Religious figures have often failed to acknowledge how sacred these outpourings are. They don’t always appreciate how rare such a supernatural occurrence truly is. Therefore, people should grasp these occasions while they are close because they may not come by again.

The wisdom is summarized concisely: it’s easier to keep a fire burning than reignite one from scratch; maintaining momentum is easier than powering stalled endeavors; keeping a rocket flying is simpler than launching one afresh. Being cognizant of these realities reminds us that revivals come unexpectedly and may not readily be replicated.

Thus, when God unveils himself in an exceptional way – be it at a prayer meeting, a Sunday morning service, or youth rally – embrace Him. Raise your sails wide and high, and journey on the gusts of His Spirit for as long as He dictates.

The words of Leonard Ravenhill, “The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized during the lifetime of the opportunity,” adorned our school’s front office and inspired us daily. We recognized that this season was crucial – we had to make the most out of what God planned for us. We understood that failing to prepare and commit during those times would lead only to regret later.

Thanks to this mindset and God’s grace and help, a global missions movement sprang forth from the revival—a movement that is still going strong more than 25 years after its inception. That’s why today, amid some early signs of fresh spiritual outpourings across many parts of our nation, we share these words from my book which I began while serving on the Brownsville Revival leadership team: “Seize the Moment: How to Fuel the Fires of Revival”.

We need to replicate these key principles highlighted in my book – seize each sacred moment as they come; work with God rather than against Him when He manifests in power – especially now as we navigate these perilous times.

Let’s all seek to experience a refreshing outpouring of God’s spirit in our lives!

[This article draws heavily from my latest book Seize The Moment: How To Fuel The Fires Of Revival]