Received this in my email today, wonderful report of the Lord working in New Mexico.
David Ford
Grants, NM May 2014
Monday Night: Thank you all for your prayers. Today was absolutely glorious! The church house was full this morning and tonight it was packed to the walls. Praise the Lord for all the souls saved today. This is a unique week in that I'm leading all the worship as well as doing all the preaching. This AM before I ever got to the message there was such a mighty move of the Spirit during the worship that I gave the gospel and drew the net. Many flooded to the front in repentance and faith wanting to trust Christ Jesus as their Lord & Savior. Tears were streaming down faces as people met Christ. When God's in the house, you have to do very little to call people to Jesus. The manifest Presence of God was overwhelming and Jesus was lifted both in worship and the Word. Jesus promised that "if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto Me." He's so good to honor His Word.
Tonight was overwhelming! Many pastors were present and the attendance was great from participating churches. The move of God is getting greater and greater in each service. Many more came to faith in Christ tonight and the altars were filled over and over again. God is moving! Please keep us in your prayers! I preach 12 more times this week.
"Faithful is He that calls you, who also will do it."
I'll give you updates as the week progresses. All glory to the Lamb!
Tuesday night: Last night was indescribable! People are talking about what the Lord is doing. Souls being saved; believers restored and set free; the community coming alive, etc. I've been in services innumerable throughout my ministry but last night was one of those nights where words fail to adequately describe the mighty manifest Presence of God. Pastor Garland Moore today said we're seeing what he's only read about in books on revival. The church is filled to capacity; there's brokenness and repentance that's sweeping the audience. Last night I stood to sing one song and the absolutely overwhelming Presence of God saturated us all. I had to give the invitation right then while singing. People started streaming down the aisles. There's too many stories to tell. It's as if God has stepped down out of Heaven (cf. Lewis Awakening) and is dwelling among us in His manifest Presence. I feel if I try to describe too much it was be a disservice to the hand of God. Please continue praying for us. "in everything BY PRAYER."
Wednesday night: Tremendous conviction swept through the house last night as tears flowed freely at the might conviction of the Lord's Presence. The altars filled before I ever preached. While preaching, a local pastor cried out in anguish of soul in conviction over his heart's condition. The Spirit of brokenness swept through the audience at that moment and I saw great evidence of repentant hearts. People were humbling themselves before the mighty hand of God. That pastor and many others came to the altar just minutes later and confessed Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. Early in the service another local pastor confessed to not knowing the power of God upon his life in witnessing. His brokenness and confession swept throughout and all the pastors came to the altar crying out to God. As well, the congregation followed suit with the same agony in prayer. Friends, our churches are full of people who were once "awakened" to their need of Christ but who have never been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We are born again "by the word of God, which lives and abides forever." As the Word is preached (read & quoted) the Spirit of God takes it to the hearts of men and women, bringing conviction and regenerative power to save the souls of men. We must get back to reading and quoting the Scriptures in our preaching. To the Lamb be all the glory, honor and praise! There are too many stories to tell here of what God did last night. People are saying we're seeing what they've only read in books. Isn't that just like Jesus to work in such a way to bring glory to Himself alone!
Thursday night: There was a holy solemnity that swept through the house from the very start. I played Anne Graham-Lotz's rendering of "Just Give Me Jesus" and then I could do nothing else but be still. We were all overcome in the mighty Presence of God. I was prompted by the Holy Spirit to quietly give an invitation to come to Jesus. We all sat in the quietness of God's holy Presence and all the sudden there was movement toward the from to come to Christ. After that we were all so overwhelmed in God's Presence that we just sat still for a long, long time. Long, but it seemed like just a few minutes. We were all subdued by God's hand and there was the tremendous sense of the holiness of God. Prayer broke out as people began praying for each other as led and directed. Several heard God's call to preach and they responded accordingly. Others were deeply moved and tears streamed down faces all over the house. Later, after quietly singing a couple songs pointing to Jesus, I quietly stood and preached from Ps. 24. "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place?" I think I preached only 15 minutes or so. God met us and we were all swept up (ascending the hill of the Lord) with an overwhelming God-consciousness.
The noon hour meeting was packed to the walls. The atmosphere was electric with the Presence of God. We are all speechless when trying to describe the hand of God and what He is doing. The Spirit of travail is everywhere evident in the hearts of God's dear people. "When Zion travailed, she brought forth...." Keep praying for us for tonight's service
Saturday Night: Another tremendous night. The Lord works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. The attendance was a little down being Saturday night and folks possibly having their own services and preparations for Sunday morning but that didn't stop God's work at the Crusade. Suddenly, the manifest Presence of God blanketed us not long before preaching. After worship through the song "Holy Spirit, Thou Art Welcome In This Place," the manifold sense of God's Presence intensified and all we could do is sit in silence. There was such a sense of the mighty weight of God's Presence and such a sense of the fear and reverence of/for the Lord that we didn't move. Gently, the Lord prompted me to quietly move to the pulpit and open the Word. I began preaching quietly and the overwhelming sense of God's Presence was obvious to us all. Suddenly, the conviction of God was so great that a lady began to cry out in agony of soul, being so deeply convicted of her sins. The anguish of conviction was tremendous so I asked some women to move over to her and minister to her. I kept on gently preaching for just a few more minutes and then opened the invitation. People started coming and the work of God was glorious. The service kept on in this fashion for quiet some time. Pastors and counselors were helping people, leading them to the Word and praying over and with them. The cries of soul conviction have been evident this week. My heart trembles just to think of the tremendous work of God. The lady eventually came to the front with the help of two dear ladies and gave her testimony of what the Lord had just done in her heart. Absolutely amazing! She gave a clear testimony of the saving power of Christ in her heart and how the burden and weight of sin was gone.
Sunday A.M.: Another tremendous service. I didn't preach but about 15 minutes because of the moving of God. The gentle but heavy manifest Presence of God was upon us once again. While preaching tears were streaming down faces all over the house. At the invitation they started coming from every where, broken, weeping, praying and finally rejoicing. My helpers were all across the front helping people and ministering to them. All I can do is shake my head in amazement at the wonderful work of God during these days. To God be all the glory, honor and praise! Warmly,
Sunday AM & PM: Preached short message this AM of about only 20 minutes. Tears were streaming down people's faces and they started coming to the front for prayer and help. What God is doing is beyond human description. Tonight the place was packed wall to wall with many first time visitors there. There was an outbreak of prayer that permeated the church house. It's as if the Spirit of God steps down from Heaven and takes over the service. All I can do is pray and obey. Many leaders were up front praying with people as many came for prayer. Tears were streaming down faces in unbelievable ways. God has come! This all broke out while leading worship. The only description I can think of is that when the house exploded with worship and song it was obvious that the people were full of God. Their singing was full of God!!!! It was overwhelming. All I could do was weep with interspersed voice as adoration thronged the Throne of Glory from the congregation. The altar call came during the worship and I later preached Isa. 40:31 for about 10-15 minutes. Tonight it seemed the heavens broke open over us. To the Lamb be all the glory, honor and praise. Please go find books on historic revival. What you read is what we have been seeing this entire last week. We have all be transformed by the hand of God. Services may go 3 or more hours but it seems like only 10 minutes. When God comes in revival it seems that time collapses. The eternal has taken over and all our minds are consumed with is eternity and the Eternal One, Jesus Christ. Yes, souls are being saved for someone who just asked that question. As well, individuals and marriages are be totally transformed by the Word and Hand of God. Thank you for all your prayers! As my friend Ron Owens has said, "The cross is bare; the tomb is empty; His Throne is occupied." Amen to that!
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Ron Halverson
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