Revival and Calling: The Long Walk

We dive into the long road of revival and calling. Dan shares how God spoke to him decades ago about a youth revival in Atlantic Canada, and how that promise has unfolded in waves, with real fruit and real waiting. Along the way, we talk about the difference between God giving you a vision and you assuming you’re the hero of it. Sometimes the assignment isn’t “lead the charge.” Sometimes it’s “stay planted,” let your roots go deep, and keep believing when the heat turns up.

We also get practical about the inner battles that can derail a God-given dream: offense, disappointment, and bitterness. We unpack why forgiveness is not optional for spiritual formation, and why the pursuit of purpose often looks like a cross. If you’re younger and overwhelmed by choices or afraid of getting it wrong, we speak directly to that fear and point to the way God guided Joseph through detours without wasting a single season.

If this conversation strengthens you, subscribe to the Hearing God Podcast, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it.

Transcript

Welcome To The Table

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to the Hearing God Podcast. I'm Anthony Moore, and I'm Dan Lamus. For over a decade, Anthony and I have been diving deep into weekly conversations about the prophetic, the mystical, and the matters of the heart.

SPEAKER_04 0:15

And we invite you into these weekly conversations. We hope you feel like an honored guest at our table.

SPEAKER_00 0:21

So pull up a chair, settle in, and let's get started. Well, here we are. Here we are.

SPEAKER_04 0:29

Here we are. Once again.

SPEAKER_00 0:31

Yeah. All right. Well, uh, I I always find myself wanting to say, here we are. Send us. Send us. So we can really sound very biblical as we start. Uh Isaiah 6. Well, the funny thing is, uh, you were closing off our last episode in prayer and re-listening to it. Uh, it was fun to hear you pray, God, here we are. Like, yes.

SPEAKER_04 0:58

Yeah. I don't know if it's so funny. I don't even know. Well, yeah, like I I'm sure I've said this before, but I was always captured by the um, I don't even know if this this is in here somewhere in the you know, the why we say this all the time. And I I do know that I have made it a habit of my life to uh maybe not every time, but very, very frequently in prayer to say, God, here I am. Yes. And it and it goes back to the garden, right? It's the it's the answer to God saying, Where are you? Yes. Right. And really, it's and and obviously I think you know, we've we've gone through the, you know, God knew where Adam and Eve were, but there was a bigger question going on. And I think that's the the for my part, why I say that often is just like I, you know, it's this, it's a very I don't know, it's a very um just uh a discipline of coming before the Lord. Yes, and pres presenting presenting myself before the Lord open-handed and open heartedly. Like that's what's happening in my heart, and saying that, you know, I don't know what needs to be fixed, healed, restored, yeah, corrected. Totally. Uh those those things, like I don't, I don't always know. I mean, I have some hints, and we all we all do at some at some point, but that's the discipline, I guess, of that of coming before the Lord saying, here I am. Yes. And yeah, I love that. And it's also admitting there's a there's a humility there, like admitting I I don't know, but also that Lord, you do know.

SPEAKER_00 2:48

Yes, that's right.

SPEAKER_04 2:49

Right.

SPEAKER_00 2:49

And so yeah, it's because even back to our you know, conversation over the past decade or so. Uh anytime we would come together for our early morning connects each week, we would kind of saying to one another, Well, here we are. It really became our thing that we just said to each other. And I think it was a combination of wow, I didn't really expect to be in this, you know, in the state I'm in at this point in the week, but God knew and I'm here and I'm present to the moment and all of that in the package. So it is it is fun to start each episode. Yeah, yeah. Hey, here we are. Here we are. There's we mean we mean a lot of things about it.

SPEAKER_04 3:33

It's loaded, it's such a loaded statement because sometimes it's just like, well, despite everything else, we're here.

SPEAKER_00 3:39

Yes, we're present, we're present to this day and this moment. And yeah, man, I think that's really healthy, you know. Jesus saying, Hey, every day is gonna have enough trouble of its own. Yeah, like don't fret over what happened or what's coming next. Show up in the day. And yeah, so I do think it's it's a fun thing to to say. So anybody listening, if you're looking for a new little slogan, you think you pick up for yourself, start messing with your friends by saying, Well, here we are. Here we are.

SPEAKER_04 4:09

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, oh that's good,

The Prayer Of Here I Am

SPEAKER_04 4:14

man. Um, so you know, we spent a good chunk of time last week talking about revival, talking about um, just in in repentance and those kinds of things, but uh really felt like we wanted to continue the conversation about revival, maybe talk about some of the things that God has been uh maybe we can start there. Like, you know, uh I know this I know about you that over the years, like you've carried a vision uh for revival and specifically around the the younger generation, like a youth, a youth revival, I think. And I don't want to steal your thunder, but you know, I and and maybe we can just start there in in that like it's really and and I think we can sort of couch the conversation a little bit around what we feel like it's not necessarily about youth revival, it's really about what God has, you know, given to us. Like what's the what's the mandate? What's the what's the the thing, the vision that he's laid on your heart, like these kinds of things. Because I think uh as we get closer to God, right, and as he begins to impart his heart to us, we begin to pick up on these things. Yes, right? We begin to receive these kinds of things. It's really about about revival, about awakening, about times of refreshing, those kinds of things. Right. And about what, specifically about what God wants to do where we are, right? Right, whether it's our city or town, our region, whatever. I know those that's the language we use a lot. So I'm just wondering, maybe from your part, like what's yeah, what's that begin been like? Well, like maybe there's a you know, other than maybe the youth revival is the big thing, maybe there's other things that God's laid on your heart and we can crack it up, crack it open right there.

SPEAKER_00 6:10

Yeah, okay. Well,

A Youth Revival Vision Begins

SPEAKER_00 6:11

so uh trying to get my math right, I'll I'll I'll just go with the years. So uh in the early 1980s, uh I was attending Bible college here in New Brunswick, Canada. I wasn't from here. Um, so I moved here to attend Bible college, ended up getting like my ministerial training there, become a pastor. And um and during that time, did a lot of reading and research on the idea of revival and moves of God and the place in of prayer, you know, the importance of prayer and seeking God for revival, and the whole idea of God giving a vision for to a person or to a small group of people, and them agreeing and praying into that over time, and then we see God move in extraordinary ways. And I I got a real hunger for that and appetite for that coming out of Bible college. So in the late 80s, I think it was around 1987. Uh so 39 years ago. Oh, yeah, yeah. Okay. So 39 years ago. There you go. Yeah. It's it's it's amazing to think of that. So essentially 40 years ago. Yeah, you know, so we'll well, 40 is a good Bible number. We'll grab it. Um yeah, so as it came to me was uh during a during an event where I was leading worship and uh the preacher that night gave uh awesome teaching on this idea of God making covenants with us and letting us in on his purpose, you know, about something that's on his heart during your lifetime, like something that's in your on his heart for what he wants to do. And as I sat there and listened to the the uh the the preacher that night, I realized God was speaking to me in that moment about a youth revival in the Atlantic Canada region that would be marked by passionate love for Jesus and uh and an actual uh youth actually laying down their lives to fulfill God's calling on their life. Like they would be aware of what God was calling them to and they'd be willing to lay down their life. And of course, when I say lay down their life, what I was envisioning with God was God, you can have my life, right? My ambitions. Right. I don't necessarily mean they were like it was the it wasn't a martyrdom issue like in the moment.

SPEAKER_04 8:39

Yeah, it was a it was a lifelong martyrdom issue.

SPEAKER_00 8:42

Yeah, like I'm laying down my life, yeah, whatever I wanted. God, I'm saying I want what you want now. And and that night, I was absolutely convinced he had spoken to me about that. And so I stood and committed myself to that with no idea that I would be here 39 years later, yeah, continuing to see more of that happen because we've seen to a certain measure, we've seen some of those things happen over the years, yeah, including the beautiful planting and growth of a youth conference that's going to be happening here in a few weeks, where we're gonna have between three and four thousand years from across Atlantic Canada at one conference, yeah, worshiping Jesus and being called out into mission. Yeah, God has certainly done much of what he promised.

SPEAKER_04 9:33

He's done a thing.

SPEAKER_00 9:34

Yeah, yeah. But I still the beautiful thing and the intriguing thing is here I am at 63 years old, continuing to say, God, when are you gonna actually fully do that? And it's just this beautiful, mysterious journey with God where his purpose, his purpose gets planted and his promises, but along the way, and along the way, I had many fits and starts where I thought it was all gonna happen in a moment. Yeah, it's all gonna happen in a year, five years, ten years. Yeah, thinking surely this is just gonna break open and and it's just gonna be this suddenly, oh my soul, what's happening in New Brunswick, Canada. Right. And everybody would be noticing. Here's the revival that that God promised. Right.

SPEAKER_04 10:24

Because you're you're you're hitting on something, I think, pretty significant, and whatever. This is just the way our conversations go. I don't want to derail it, but hey, if this turns into something that's that's good, because you're hitting on something like the guy who directs the track slightly, the train goes over the and then goes over that one. Yeah, uh, like, but you're hitting on something about like what you know, God, you know, and again, like God legitimately laid something on your heart, but part of it is like when do you like how do you interpret like how that how that goes? Right. Right. Like so he gave you a vision for youth revival, right? And then you're sort of left with this, well, how do I know when I see the thing that I that God placed in me? And you just you mentioned there was some, you know, along and again, like I was I was with you for a bunch of this, like that it has certainly come in waves, right, right? There's been ebbs and flows to this, right? And then, you know, there is a, you know, and and again, as you said, like there's this certainly, there's this, you know, in the day that we're living in right now, it would seem as though there is this unprecedented wave of passion and zeal for the Lord, where there is a heart to lay for the youth of this, you know, Gen Z, Gen Alpha to lay their lives down, at least in some of the ones that we're yeah, we're seeing around us. Yeah, maybe just yeah, no, that's I I but with your first like yeah, like measuring in your heart about what you're seeing now as an as a potential answer to this thing that God's put on you.

Becoming Planted Like A Tree

SPEAKER_00 12:09

So what I didn't realize when God first was speaking to me, and I was saying yes, what I didn't realize, and I had to learn over years and probably decades, is he was planting me like a seed that was going to grow, and I would become the best way I can describe this is that I would become a tree that represented a thing God wanted to do. Yeah, and that he wasn't interested in putting me on a stage and doing a thing. Right. He was actually calling me, will you let me plant you in in New Brunswick, Canada? And uh-oh, I'm getting emotional. I tried all it together every morning. But I didn't see, I didn't know this at the beginning. So I would say over, I would just guess maybe, Anthony, maybe even over a decade, I began to realize what he had actually asked me to do was will you let me plant you in New Brunswick believing what I've told you I'm gonna do? Yeah, and would you be willing to let me grow you as a tree representing prayer, faith, vision? You're willing to talk about this, you're willing to not go anywhere. Yeah, uh, I would like to plant you, Dan, and grow you as a tree that would represent a vision I have for the youth of Atlantic Canada. Would you be willing to do that? I didn't know that at the beginning. Like I feel like he shared that with me further down the road when you know, when I had been part of projects and teams launching big events, big youth events, trying to pull this vision off through events and labeling it with a cool name. And I'm not trying to belittle those things, but we had run after the vision different ways over that maybe first decade. And I thought, oh, this is it, God. But there were waves that would come and hit the shore, and they would recede. Another wave would come and hit. Um, and so what I'm saying there is as I think I moved from, hey Dan, would you be willing to lead the charge up the hill and have a glory day in my name for the youth of this region? It shifted from that to uh oh, I think he's actually planted me like a tree. Yeah, and my rootedness is actually gonna be more important than what happens above the surface. Right. So it was a journey of prayer, yeah, trusting God. And as one of the preachers preached at our revival services in the last week about, you know, God's purpose and promise is gonna come over a long time. It's gonna come, it's gonna come over time, and we need to be patient with that. Well, I was learning that in real time. And so I guess to get to the point, I there is one scripture I just wanted to read out of out of Jeremiah that seems to capture it for me is is out of uh out of uh oh dear. I'm trying to open my phone, everyone. Here we go. Out of Jeremiah 17, yeah, it says they will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. Yeah, it it does not fear when heat comes, its leaves are always green, it has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. The lesson I really wasn't interested in learning, but God needed to teach me was Dan, it doesn't matter how many projects tank or how many things you thought were the moment I had promised and the fulfillment of it, those moments come and go and they seem to just take their place in the story. Yeah, what matters is I invited you to get planted here. Yeah, and if you're willing to do that, I'm gonna do amazing things through you. And I said yes to that, but God, I'm not gonna move away from this place. And there definitely have been many times when I felt to leave, and it may have may have made sense to leave and go somewhere else to minister. But God has reminded me, hey, you can go and I'll bless you. But remember, I have promised you, if you stay, right, here's what you're gonna get to see. And so I've realized the value over that, and I just use this verse as a context to say, man, like when it comes to the purposes and promises of God, there is a place for getting planted in a place and sticking with it and learning. You don't have to be afraid when the heat's on. Yeah, you don't have to be, you don't have to worry when it seems like drought, when there seems like there's no fruit actually coming from this belief you've had in God promise. You feel like where is it? Why hasn't it happened yet? God taught me, well, hey, what people can't see is what's going on at the roots. The roots are going deeper, and they're becoming, if I could say it this way, they're becoming almost like indestructible in a certain way and impervious to what looks like on the surface, how it's going, there's a reassurance God is doing the thing He promised. So I don't know if that's helpful or not. I feel like it'd be philosophical and all that kind of stuff. We do we do philosophical.

SPEAKER_04 17:22

We do, I know.

When The Dream Is Not Ours

SPEAKER_04 17:23

Uh uh, one thing I wanted to just go back to because you just said you said uh I thought I thought this was really important, um, and it's really healthy for sort of what uh what it means to carry the vision of like a dream of God for something, right? Right, it could be a city, region, whatever, you know, yeah, um is like how you see yourself, like and you said you didn't know whether that was you thought in the beginning that might mean like leading the charge up the hill. I think that's how you said that. And you know, I've I found uh in similar ways, you know, the when when God puts a thing in your heart, you you look at it from you can tend to, and again, this is just a human thing, right? We do, we do have a little bit of a, I don't know what it would, what it would be like the we think we're the hero of the story. Yes, we just tend to be like it's me centric, right? Like I'm you know, as I participate in there, that I'm gonna be doing something really important. Yep. And uh let me let me say this. Let me let me all be known, right? Right, right. And and to clarify that, uh, if you know, if I'm involved, I'm gonna be doing something really important from my perspective, from my vision and my expectations. And what you think and what I think are important often differ from what the Lord thinks is important. Yes, absolutely. Right. And so, yeah, because I think there is a there is a when because there's a there is a thing that God allows, and I think this is part of the maybe in the crushing of and the refining of a leader um, you know, unto humility, there is a there is a thing that God does where he will allow you to experience, you know, that you aren't the hero to the story. Yes, and that you aren't um this isn't going to unfold necessarily how you envisioned, or you're not going to like the like he won't maybe maybe I'll say it this like the way he's not he won't let you think uh his vision is your vision for too long, right? Do you that make sense? Like again, like we I mean we've said this, like the dream of God, like we're sh we get to participate in the dream of God, right? And when he gives us a dream and a vision, it can feel like ours. Yes, because it's very close to why we're alive, right? But at the end of the day, I think it's really healthy to admit and recognize that it isn't our dream, that's right, even though we carry it and it can feel like that. Like the things, you know, and again, we that that's so it's so uh near and dear and close to the core of who we are, right? The things that drive us, yeah, right. And but I would just say like it's just maybe I don't know, just maybe this is just a a statement, but I've just I just want to like just to say that oftentimes, and I've learned this as well, right? In the the wrestling and the whatever, you think you're going to be in a certain position, like you envision that in your mind, right? Like, because God could give you the dream and the vision and it'd be legit, but then you can run off and go, This is what I'm gonna do with that dream, right? Yeah, and some of that might be healthy and plenty of that, especially where we become, you know, and again, just natural to humanity. Like we we would we would sort of pick that up and go, Well, this is what I think is gonna happen to it. And then we find out quickly that in the run of like in the run of the years, the weeks, and the months as time passes, relating to people, living within the a team, you know, like we we we run into this reality, we sort of like run smack dab into it. Maybe it's a wall of reality of like, okay, so hey, this isn't just your dream, or this isn't your dream to begin with. Yes, this dream has a source other than you, yeah. Right, it is God's dream. Yeah, and so will you will you let uh this disappointment, this um I don't even know the word what the word is, but the the the fact that this isn't going uh the way you th you envisioned it going and and specifically. your role within it. Yes. Will you let that derail you? Yeah. Right. And yeah. So that I mean I know that you've run into that over the years. And so, you know, and I know that I have, we've confronted these realities. But it, but here's, I mean, again, so maybe is there anything else you want to chime in on that before we before we move on?

SPEAKER_00 22:20

Well

Offense, Forgiveness, And Bitterness

SPEAKER_00 22:21

I just I I love so many dynamics to what you're saying. Like it it's fair game for instance for God to let you in on something he wants to do solely for the purpose of the conversation you're going to have with him for the next several decades. Yes. Yes. And it may not at all be about you telling everybody you and God are having this conversation. And you may have very few moments where anybody notices hey that's the thing you were praying for. Like it's fair game for that to happen. Yeah. Like God may be speaking to a somebody listening to this podcast, showing them a vision for something they assume I'm going to have an important role because God's telling me about it. Yeah. But your important role might be almost completely behind the scenes. Yep. Or you could be the one charging up the hill. Or not the the holding loosely to whatever my role is in the mix of all of that. My answer is yes God. Yeah. And I want to encourage everybody who's listening you will have to learn this by doing like these things we're talking about you're going to have to just jump in.

SPEAKER_04 23:36

You're going to have to you're going to you're going to learn by being offended.

SPEAKER_00 23:39

Yes exactly right exactly you're going to learn by by getting your feelings hurt.

SPEAKER_04 23:44

You're going to learn by getting your toes stepped on. Yeah. Right. And then what you do with that is going to like right like if you like there's you can either let that derail you or let that refine you.

SPEAKER_00 23:57

Yes. Right. And God will sovereignly use your decision making over the over the years over time He He will use your decision making like great decisions, not great decisions. He will use all of that if you stay humble to continue to work out his purpose and promise like learning to not disqualify yourself when something doesn't play out the way you thought or even even if you are aggressively bumped out of a position that you thought was important to the whole thing happening. That has happened to me and I've had to kind of pick myself up you know white dust off my knees and say well God I'm still here and I don't know like if I still have a role in this I'm yours. Yeah and take it day by day and so it and then and then just and so many times I guess things I wanted to say yeah so many times just about when I am either sending myself to the bench or even leaving the arena thinking my time on this team is done yeah it's like the Holy Spirit has like chased me down saying aka not not so fast. Right. Right. Like you're here right like you're here for my purposes right yeah okay we you're going in the game in like 30 seconds. Right. So get get get right do your stretches what do you got to do? Jump in. Yeah. And I just want to tell everybody don't like don't give up on the conversation God's continuing to have even if it's even if not giving up means I'm a little embarrassed to still be standing here because I've really messed something up or I probably should leave but I'm not going to leave because of what God's saying to me. He will he will sovereignly work through that. Yeah. And it's it's it's so anyway the learning by doing it.

SPEAKER_04 26:02

Because I think right and I think that I think the you know this the summation of maybe this is at least a partial summation of just the things that we've been talking about is that there's what God said and then what maybe maybe not what you think he said but what you do with what he said are often two different things. Yes. Right your per your perception of what he said can often be two different things. Right. Right. Because he can actually say something to you and again like I think you know here's the the the miraculous work of the Lord is that he he will oftentimes and I think I want to I know we've touched a little bit on the this in the past but like I was really marveling this weekend about you know I feel like I'm seeing the fulfillment of the dreams that God's put in my heart and it like the journey along the way even over the last whatever 12 to 14 years um has not gone like I thought it would. Right. And yet here I am in the middle of these rooms where you know if we look back 15 years where we to see and again like well not only do we look back 15 years but and and it's not only the room uh you know where you know here where we are in in in Crispam sis yeah but it is in Halifax. Right. Where we were I was in a room in Halifax where this week where we were where we were you know a part of like they're can they're a part of our house and we're in a room where the things that I had dreamed of the activity of the Holy Spirit like healing and deliverance and freedom healthy prophetic it was like I was just like blown away and I was you know I had a chance to just you know our our lead pastor down there Pastor Seth fancy had a just chance to say you know you know just to just to honor him for his faithfulness and just the you know and again you're in this long enough you know it's going to be a slug and it's going to be hard and there's going to be seasons you know of the dark night of the soul. But yet for whatever reason and I'm just so grateful for this that God let me in on something I feel like you know these last these last number of days where it felt like you know again we were standing maybe on a on a hilltop somewhere overlooking you know the things that God has done and is doing from different perspectives. I went from a hill here you know where we are and then I went to a hill somewhere else and was also looking at the same thing that I feel like God put in my heart you know over a decade ago. Yes. And I just was like I was really blown like my heart was just filled with gratitude and you know you know the the reality of that is that number one, you know, did I have a did I have a did God invite me into this? Yes. Did I have a part to play in that? Yes. Was it exactly what I thought it was going to be not at all. Right. Right. And it was again like it wasn't I think it's in the mercy and the kindness of God that he gives you these things and then it also says hey this isn't really about you.

SPEAKER_02 29:27

Yes. Right?

SPEAKER_04 29:28

Yeah this is about this is about my plan and my purposes but if you won't but if you'll stay faithful yeah right not become weary and well doing which I feel like that's been a a lesson even a recent lesson. Yeah. If you'll not become weary and well doing if you won't get offended and take your ball and go home. Yes. Right I've said that before but just the but that if you will stay right if you will just stay you'll get to see what I'm up to. Yeah. And you'll get to see the full like and I'm not saying that we fully arrive right because I and again like you know oftentimes you the journey up the mountain is hard. You get a moment at the mountaintop and then you're back down into the the slog of things. Yeah thinking about um really about hey there's another mountain to climb. Yeah. There are things right very much that matter to me that I feel are left undone.

SPEAKER_00 30:25

Yeah you know and again so this is this ongoing this is beautiful like I I'd like to just interject that that uh I think it was I think it was um it sounds so funny to say this now but it was in the year 2000 that uh a prophetic team came through a camp where I was serving here in New Brunswick and uh they brought a prophetic word over all the they they prayed with each of the of the team members uh the camp staff and so they when they were praying for me the uh the prophetic word was there was a lot of beautiful things that affirmed the promises God had given me over the years but then there was a warning whatever you do don't allow bitterness to ever take root yeah because bitterness will take you take out a ministry faster than anything else yeah and then the person said because I feel like you're gonna have lots of reasons to become bitter yeah I love that because it's like in the moment you're like oh okay that's cool. But then yeah yeah and then you get punched in the face with it and then right yeah and I what off of what you were saying yeah I've journeyed along with you through the last 14 or so years. Yeah and some of those things that haven't worked out the way you expected weren't easy like it wasn't like an easy way that it didn't work out it was there was pain in it. Yeah it was pain in it an opportunity for bitterness yeah and I know I can say from my my journey as well since 2000 that there have been plenty of opportunities to become bitter and and I've heard that counsel again and I've realized the value of forgiveness forgiveness is huge in staying and seeing God's purpose and promises fulfilled the things that he shares with you I could almost guarantee you are going to have to learn forgiveness. You're gonna have to learn to forgive and the depth of it but learning to forgive and keep pressing forward is the way your roots go deeper. It is yes absolutely it's the way it drives your roots down. Other people don't see it but you know wow there was an opportunity right there for that root to die if I would have remained bitter.

SPEAKER_04 32:50

Yes

The Cross-Shaped Road Of Calling

SPEAKER_04 32:51

if I would have taken my ball and gone hog yes and I wonder if it's just like faith it's just like um the the the pursuit maybe I'll say it like this the pursuit uh the thing that you don't understand in the beginning and I think this would be uh I'm gonna make a wide sweeping statement because I think this is true um is that when God gives you a vision the part that you don't know is that the the pursuit of that vision very much looks like a cross. Yes right exactly yep legitimately chasing a cross like per chasing and pursuing after a vision in the fumbly stumbly ways that we're we do it as humans. Yep but when it comes down to it it looks like an invitation to come and die. Right.

SPEAKER_00 33:52

Die to yourself totally I believe that so much that I would say don't worry about going to try to find your cross just say yes just say yes deny yourself yeah the cross is going to show up it'll be there yeah and it'll be like oh yeah this is what that feels like but it's all it but it it does come. Yeah it is a cross it's taking up your cross and staying on mission with him.

SPEAKER_04 34:18

Because the journey of that the journey of that is and again like I've talked to I've talked to people on the way you know and you know we've we've had these people you know come around and be around for a while and then you know for one one reason or another they leave and you know maybe and and and even for legitimate reasons like and and and not only that uh legitimately good reasons maybe they're the Lord's leading them elsewhere. And so anyway you and I are yep you and I are stuck here well in a good way but I I I think I think it's like all all along the way and again I guess where I really wanted to go is like is that we have seen people get disappointed. Yes we have seen people run into these things and and it lit legitimately you know it is heartbreaking at times to see that derail them. Yes because they get absolutely they get hung up on um you know again these things that we've been talking about their their role in this or their bel their lack of belief um in uh in who they see themselves how they see themselves and just disappointments discouragement all of that stuff has derailed people along the way so I just and the story they start to tell yeah sounds bitter yeah and feels bitter and your heart your heart does grieve for them yeah because you and and hey and I just want to be careful here I'm not squeaky clean either I definitely have had neither no my gosh I've definitely had moments where bitterness was starting to get some talons in me and I had to yeah really get with God and get that removed. A hundred percent but in general it does make me sad for friends who have really been telling a story continuing to tell a story of wow I'm really I glad I got out of that because and this is their storyline and I'm thinking in my heart like oh my soul somewhere along the line you chose that storyline yeah and you know yeah and I think I mean again um back and so just to know that they aren't like and again in every case you're not written off yeah you there is an open door there is a always a a welcome sign back in the house of God because the running hugging kissing father live lives in our house and oh man and and just to say that that's not and again God God can redeem and does redeem anything and everything.

SPEAKER_00 36:47

And so so really there's not and again we just thank you thank you for saying that yeah because it can jump in with one other please do one other happily self-effacing comment you know I like God is not beyond using naive decision making that wasn't the smartest move yeah if it's if a person remains humble. Yeah I am a living example of saying no I have not landed where I am in the fruitful season I'm getting to be part of with the church and the movements I'm part of yeah I love my life but I did not get here by making all wise decisions.

SPEAKER_04 37:28

Right.

SPEAKER_00 37:29

It wasn't an act of your cleverness like I've God has certainly used many naive knee-jerk yeah uh poorly thought through decisions I've made yeah part I believe because I knew humility forgiveness yeah staying low like like staying I'm always a follower I'm not the leader Jesus is a leader I'm not the expert Jesus is the expert yeah people would look on at some of the things that I did and thought well that's why are you doing that? That just looks really awkward and weird. Yeah and all the only thing I could say to them is I have peace with God about this. That's really the only explanation I can give you yeah was I right wrong I don't know like to me I've had to learn it doesn't matter if I was right or wrong.

Relax About Getting It Wrong

SPEAKER_04 38:22

Yeah somehow God gave me the grace to stay humble and to just live in the day I was in you know yeah and I I wonder if like because again like where my mind is going right now is that I I don't know over the last number of weeks I found myself praying with people or at least encouraging specifically young people um in the fact that you know uh being a young person especially being someone who's whatever 17 18 19 so they're they're still in this place of like okay so there's too many options out there oh man and I'm not really sure there's a million dreams yeah and I I really the my encouragement these you know and and I don't know at what point I started talking like this but you're what we're hitting on something um and it's really this is that God is able to get you where he needs you to be right yes and if you will stay humble unoffendable he will get you to where he wants you to be and I I believe that I think and you well you're living it right like I think that you know and you had no idea where you'd be 40 years from when you received that vision. Yeah and and I think I think this is the thing like there's a there is a there is a um there is a fear in that younger generation because I had it um and I'm sure at some level everyone goes through this where it's the they're worried about the what like what am I going to do and and it's very closely couched in like what if I a fear of getting it wrong. Yes right and in in I've said this multiple times over the last whatever number of weeks like just relax number one he has you you've given him your yes yeah and like if he can get you know a guy like Joseph right yeah from the book of Genesis if he can navigate that guy yeah through being you know sold into slavery by his brothers he didn't like that wasn't on his you know yeah trajectory his life map um you know if he he is sold into slavery right into Egypt then uh falsely accused thrown into jail forgotten right and all he had were some dreams all he had was some dreams and God God was able to and again like there he was and then God it doesn't mean that any of us are going to be promoted to the second highest in the land but the point was God God um had a plan for him to be second in command yeah in Egypt yeah at the right time when a famine was coming and and his family were escaping from the famine and God saved Israel ultimately you know even if if if even if it was yeah because it was uh because it was Jacob right God saved yeah Jacob by one of his sons yes right you know and again that turned that in that spot in that window yeah God created that there's other narratives going on there but it was the whole point was the whole point is like Israel's gonna need saving yes so amazing you know what I'm saying like it's so it's I just what's and what's so amazing is that it all hinged on is is this dude Joseph from the earliest days of his life going to believe God speaks to people in dreams yes right yes he is right if he was see he was so audacious to actually believe God had given him dreams and here's what I think it means yeah but I bet that everybody right but I just but I think I think it's really I I think it really comes down to this fact of like uh this fact of like you if you give your yes to God and you don't if I if I could tell somebody this and maybe you don't I mean maybe this is one of those wisdom things that are locked up in the older generation because you have to live it to really learn it. Yeah yeah um but if I could tell if I could just have a message for the younger generation is just like relax. Yeah give you give your yes to God and he will take you to he will take you to places that you couldn't possibly imagine. Yes. Right and he will he will work his purposes out in you yeah wherever you're planted yeah right and in and to not fear about the what yes you know again I've had I've had points in my life where the what the what I thought I was going to do something. I was like no actually I'm gonna go over here I'm gonna do this thing. And I had some I had you know someone come along and say you're an idiot if you don't if you do that. You need to you need to do this. Yes and very much the trajectory of my life would be different if I had not you know at the right time God spoke to me through someone who wasn't even a believer right and my the trajectory of my life changed because you know something caught and I was like okay yeah all right yeah don't be an idiot right like and I'm not and I'm not saying Saying that like and again, like that can come all kinds of ways. Like, yes, you could absolutely stumble. Like, I feel like that was me stumbling into a moment where it was like I had a I could have gone one way, but but thanks be to God that it didn't go that way, it went some other way. Right. Right. And again, like I and I felt like I was floundering for a you know, some maybe even years, right? So it wasn't all clear and I had day-to-day mapped out. But I just think I think looking back over the last gosh, 20 some years, 23 or five years, whatever it is, 25 years, 26 years, I really feel I really can see that God has led me to this place. Right. Right. And again, like I can see his hand at work all along the way. Right. So yeah, I guess I just, you know, I just to say, like, there is a, you know, when God pushes, you know, places a vision in someone's heart. Can I just say like, and I I think we've here we are down the rabbit hole of of this, and we started somewhere around revival. But again, like it is the God, it is God's dream, God's dream. Maybe just to sum this up, like following God's dream, following the dream of God will lead you to some wild, yeah, and um crazy places. Some you're gonna bump your toe, you're gonna stub your toe, you're gonna get your toe stepped on along the way. Yeah. And again, it's really just about like, again, I think we're I think we're landing somewhere around like the purposes of God in your life. Yeah. And he will change the world around you. Like he'll he'll if again letting him letting him do his thing in you, yeah. Right. And doing your best to hear, yeah, right, trying not to act in fear, all of those kinds of things.

SPEAKER_00 45:47

Yeah. Was it was it the apostle Paul that said, uh, we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus? Yep. Like that that goes along with your word to the young, the young man, young woman saying, like you're saying, just relax. Yeah. Just relax in this. Yeah. Part of that relax is you are more than a conqueror. Yeah. And for better or worse, you're gonna find that out. Yep.

SPEAKER_04 46:13

We love your yeah, yeah, because I think I think this is here's just to circle back a little bit and try to reconnect, reconnect this to revival.

Revival Through Your Everyday Life

SPEAKER_02 46:21

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 46:22

Um, because I think this is true. That God, that God wants to bring revival through every believer. Yes, amen. Right? Yep. He wants to bring awakening, he wants to advance his kingdom. Because again, a lot of his, I mean, revival at times, and and I don't mean to like sort of belittle the the the appropriate definition, but we can connect this really quickly, like of revival, but but oftentimes it can look like revival. And maybe that revival is uh a group of coworkers, right? Coming to know Jesus, right, and uh getting set on fire for God and sharing the gospel with with the people around them. Right. Like because this is this is a this is the dream of God, right? Right, in and through people. Because it's like, okay, so then it's you know, we've spent a lot of time, you know, talking about what we what it looks like and what we think it looks like and what it actually looks like. Right. But the but I think what I wanted to get at is that this is really the design of like we're talking about, you know, when we talk about revival at some level, we are talking about the advancement of the kingdom.

SPEAKER_00 47:36

Right.

SPEAKER_04 47:36

Right. We are talking about awakening, God calling his people back uh to this place of sanctification, holiness, purity, purity of worship, purity of heart. Um and and so just to say that that God's interest in everyone listening is that God would bring revival through through you. Yes. Right? Yep.

SPEAKER_00 47:58

And so yeah, I just and again, maybe that's a good way to sort of that's a that's a good way to maybe put a bow, put a bow on our conversation is just and let Anthony and I be a voice of witness over anyone who's hearing that, hearing what Anthony just said. God wants to bring revival through you. Hear the two of us as two others agreeing over your life. Yeah, you it's true.

SPEAKER_04 48:20

Yeah, because there might be, because there might be like pharmacists listening, there might be uh veterinarians and and and and doctors and uh you know uh sanitation engineers, uh, you know, listening to this podcast. You know, whatever. Because again, the whole thing, but the there is a there is a gifting and a wiring that God's given you and that may express itself through the course of your life, but the greater overarching narrative of your life is God wants to work through you and me in a powerful way. He wants to bring revival through you to the people around you. Right. And so that's just a I I felt like that's I that's a good place. Good way. This is a good way to like uh put a neat bow on the meandering conversation.

Prayer For Disappointment And Courage

SPEAKER_04 49:08

So maybe uh I I for sure prayed last week. Um I'm on. Maybe just pray for, pray for um pray for people wrestling with disappointment, maybe, or maybe, maybe people, maybe they're younger and they're sort of wrestling through fear of of that, of like what this means for the rest of my life.

SPEAKER_02 49:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 49:30

So just yeah, love to do that. Listen to that. Yeah, yeah. Oh God, you uh you are so good and you are um you are the sovereign Lord, and you God, we we believe that you have plans uh to to fill fill the whole earth with your glory. Yeah and we believe that you're doing that um through through the church, through people. And today we we do uh we come together right now and we pray for for anyone uh listening to this who is wrestling with disappointment, um, or maybe even wrestling with bitterness over something they thought was gonna work out and it didn't, and and and they were doing it in your name, expecting certain kind of result, and it just got derailed. And maybe even maybe even there was an aggressive, you know, move to take it out. Who knows, Lord? But but there's a reason to be bitter, Lord. Give, please awaken them today with the wisdom to surrender that to you and to forgive, to trust you for the next steps forward. Uh, God, pray we pray for for those who are just new to this or young in their faith or young in age, and they they've heard you speak to them in whatever way, and they're not really sure how this is all gonna un going to unfold, Lord. We just want to be another voice in their life saying, No, it's for real, and don't let anyone look down on you because of your age. Yeah, either age in your faith or chronological chronological age, we say, Don't let anybody look down on you. Uh just be open to the revelation of God and your yes and and trust him to carry it forward in his way. Yeah and God, we I just thank you for your desire to to uh bring things back to life through your people, individuals, small groups, large groups. Thank you that this is a thing you do. And God, I just was thinking, as Anthony was sharing there earlier, thank you for the river of the rivers of living water that flow from within us, God. And we just welcome that the rivers of life that flow from within us as we stay humble and just following after you no matter what gets thrown in our way. Thank you that the rivers of living water flow from us and and they actually have an influence on those around us and the and the places where we work and live, the people we serve, all that all those things. God, thank you for this conversation. Yeah, God, we ask you for a great move of God in our time. Yes, God pray that this year would be a year of great fruitfulness for your kingdom. Yeah. Wherever people are are planted, Lord. Would you just move in powerful revelation of your salvation, your plan, uh, your goodness, God, and the life you bring. In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Well,

Final Wrap And Share Request

SPEAKER_00 52:40

that's a wrap on this episode. It's been a privilege to have you as an honored guest as we all learn to hear God better.

SPEAKER_04 52:48

If your time with us has been encouraging and you think this conversation will be helpful to others, we would love it if you could share this podcast with the people around you. Until next time.