The spark of spiritual renewal that the Asbury revival caused has sent a wave across the nation. The last revival service was held on Asbury University’s campus on Feb. 23, the same day as the Collegiate Day of Prayer. And for the first time ever, every college campus in America had someone committed to praying over it before the event started.
“For the first time in CDOP history, every college campus has been adopted in prayer BEFORE the appointed day,” the collegiate day of prayer website stated. “Even though every campus has been adopted, we want to saturate every single campus in America with prayer. We want to see this generation raised up in revival and awakening.”
All 4,196 colleges had been “adopted” for prayer with over 6,000 participants who were willing to stand in the gap for the students on each campus.
There truly is something unique that is happening as thousands of young adults have been coming to the feet of Jesus and casting away their burdens for a new life with the risen King all across America.
During the final night of the Asbury revival, students shared their testimonies of how their lives have been changed during the revival.
Senior and gospel choir member Nina Marla has been part of the movement since it first took off during the chapel service on Feb. 8.
“I was a part of the gospel choir and we were just feeling led by the Spirit to just continue in song and worship and prayer,” Marla said. “And it kind of felt like 10 minutes but then three hours later I just felt the Spirit to tell me to just look around and the same 20 students stayed…I just decided to just ask the Holy Spirit what was happening and what I needed to be interceding for. And so I just heard Him say that first, ‘Just pray for your peers to be obedient to stay and come, and just spread the word.’ And the second wave was just to ask for forgiveness for the things that we’ve done against each other. And also just grudges we had against each other and toward the institution. And then the third one, the third wave was just joy. And confession. From confession comes joy.”
Marla explained that as students started to pour in during the fourth hour of the first day of revival, there was excitement and joy from the freedom that Christ was providing for them. Another student shared how she was finally set free from the depression and anxiety that had plagued her entire life during the revival.
“For over half of my life my identity has resided in my depression and in my anxiety,” the student shared. “For the first time in my life I actually left all of that at the feet of Jesus.”
She shared how afterward for four days she experienced no anxiety or depression, and when those things did return to her, they had no power to be the controller over her life.
“My identity comes first from Christ, and my daughtership in Him,” the Asbury student shared. Two things in particular were shown to her through the revival: how great and holy God is over every situation, and knowing that she belongs to Christ.
“My God is bigger than I thought He was because my God is bigger than my depression, and my God is bigger than my anxiety, and my story can be your story because God died on the cross for anxiety and depression to set us free. He walked out of the grave and you can too because I did,” the student shared.
The power of the testimonies, prayers and praise that came out of Asbury are stretching across the nation, and the hope for the next generation has been ignited. This generation has not been lost but redeemed. God is still a miracle-working God who is in the business of transforming hearts and lives all around us. He paid for all the troubles, all the worries and all the sins of this generation. What’s even better, the young are realizing everything He’s done for them as they are coming in spirit and in truth to Him.
Joel 2:28 (MEV) clearly states: “And it will be that, afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. Even on the menservants and maidservants in those days I will pour out My Spirit.”
How incredible and glorious the Lord is. The Asbury revival seems to be the beginning of this great outpouring in this generation to see and know that the works of the Lord are magnificent and He alone is worthy. We can only now see what God will do next through colleges across the nation as He answers the prayers of the righteous for an outburst of His Spirit.
To watch the final Asbury revival, click here.
Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator and Staff Writer intern for Charisma Media.
