It is not too much to say that Pentecost has come to the Kingdom for such a time as this. When the Lord was launching the first great effort for world evangelism, He specifically instructed His disciples not to go out of Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high.
Now the end of the gospel age has come. God intends that there be a glorious climax, a full cycle, completing this age with a great burst of Pentecostal power.
Revelation 14:14–20 gives us the picture of two harvests at the end of the age. One harvest is of the vine of the earth, which is cast into the winepress of Armageddon. The other harvest is reaped and gathered into the garner of heaven. It is God’s eternal ordination that there shall be Holy Ghost rain both at the beginning and at the end of the gospel age.
On the Day of Pentecost, God poured out His Holy Spirit on the waiting, willing disciples. They received, prophesied, and preached everywhere—the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with signs following. The hour of God’s visitation in the last days is upon us. As with the former rain, there must be receptive hearts and willing co-workers with God.
We have received as on the Day of Pentecost. We must present our bodies, our lives, and our all on His sacred altar to carry this holy flame to the ends of the world. Pentecost is tailored of God for this very hour. Beloved, it is powerful and altogether sufficient for the need. Let us march under its banner and its cloud of blessing to God’s appointed victory.
Christ’s own life was a succession of miracles. His birth was miraculous. Miracles attended His ministry. His resurrection was a mighty miracle. And His ascension also was miraculous. We follow in His train. Supernatural birth, supernatural righteousness, supernatural healing, supernatural gifts, supernatural power, and supernatural translation.
Beloved friends, we stand today upon the threshold of a mighty land of promise. A worldwide revival is ours for the asking and the taking. The conquest we face and to which we are invited is not of material walled cities or a literal land of milk and honey. It is a harvest of never-dying souls that await a Holy Ghost reaping. God is far more interested in seeing this harvest reaped than He was in giving Canaan to the Children of Israel. He is just as able to level the giants before us as He was to fell Goliath. He is the living God. Shall we run to meet our enemies in the name of the Lord of hosts, or shall we slink back to our comfortable homes, our feathered nests, and our personal security? It only remains for us to arise in His faith and in His name, gird our loins, step out in faith, and proceed firmly and triumphantly to the world revival that awaits us.
R.M. Riggs was general superintendent from 1953–59. He was also a faculty member of Bethel Bible Training School, Central Bible Institute, and Bethany Bible College. He authored several books and was instrumental in establishing Evangel University. This address is from the 24th General Council in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1955. It is adapted from the September 25, 1955, Pentecostal Evangel.
