great_ashakening

The Great Ashakening, by Dale Bastian

During the night of December 30th, I was not sleeping but thinking about the coming year of 2016. I sensed the Lord was saying it would be the year in which there would be a Great Ashakening (now that is not a word, but the Lord can say whatever He wants) — that there would be great opportunity as well as great inopportunity. I got up and wrote this down and then went back to bed.

I meditated on this for several days and on January 2, 2016, I sensed the Lord saying the following thoughts. The Great Ashakening refers both to shaking as well as awaking. The Lord has attempted to awaken His people by the sound of His voice speaking His Word. Some have heeded and are alert and watching. Many, however, in the Western world, are still asleep in their lethargy. The Lord is about to shake things violently with the purpose of awakening His people.

Many in the Church are asleep in a drunken stupor after having imbibed deeply of the intoxicating influences of the world. They have drunk from the cup of idolatry, the cup of seeking sensual pleasures and fulfillment. They have become drunk on power and prestige. Instead of avoiding and fleeing immorality and greed, they have plunged headlong into these things just like the world. The Great Ashakening is to awaken and arouse them from their stupor and to return to their first love, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Second Timothy 4:1–2 came to my mind. It says: “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word [as an official messenger]; be ready when the time is right and even when it is not [keep your sense of urgency, whether the opportunity seems favorable or unfavorable, whether convenient or inconvenient, whether welcome or unwelcome]; correct [those who err in doctrine or behavior], warn [those who sin], exhort and encourage [those who are growing toward spiritual maturity], with inexhaustible patience and [faithful] teaching” (Amplified Bible). The KJV says to be ready “in season and out of season.” The Greek word used for “in season” is “yookah’eeroe” and is defined by Strong’s as: “opportunely.” The phrase “out of season” is the Greek word “akah’eerode” and is defined as: “inopportunely.” I was quite surprised at how this Scripture confirmed what I had sensed the Lord saying in my spirit.

This verse also says to “be instant” and has the sense of “being present.” In our culture, many people are not present. They may be there physically but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually they are absent. They are either so absorbed by what has happened in the past or so worried about what the future may bring that they can no longer enjoy being in the present.

A Year of Greats
Watch in the coming year how many times the word “great” will be used to describe events and situations. The word “mega” could also be used, as one Greek word for great is “megas” from which we derive our English word “mega.” In the book of Revelation, the word “great” is used 72 times! Of these, the Greek word “megas” is found 67 times. If in this book about the end times the word “great” is used so frequently could we not conclude that this word would begin to be used more in the coming days?

A Year of Great Tsunamis
2016 will be a year in which there will be six great tsunamis. Not physical ones but spiritual in nature. Three will be released by our enemy Satan, and three released by our Omnipotent God to counter the work of the enemy. The three tsunamis of Satan will be deception, unbelief, and filth. In order to survive and overcome these, it is imperative that the true believer remain steadfastly covered in the blood of Jesus and stay submerged in the love of Christ. “Make every effort to be sure your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).

Our great God will unleash His tsunamis of love, mercy, and forgiveness. When these strike, many new fish (new believers) will be deposited on the land (the Church). However, as the waters recede many old fish (old believers) will be drawn back out into the sea (into the world). The Lord is doing this because the “old fish” have become dead in their relationship with Jesus and are putrefying. They are driving people away from the Savior, so the Lord will remove them — spit them out of His mouth (see Revelation 3:16). These are those who have a form or appearance of godliness but deny the power of God (see 2 Timothy 3:5).

A Year of Great Contrasts
In the opening lines of a popular book, A Tale of Two Cities, are the lines: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” I believe the coming year will be such a time as this. For those who refuse to repent of their wickedness and unbelief — choosing instead to remain hard-hearted, stiff-necked, and unwilling to yield to the grace and tender mercy of God — this will be a time of great darkness, despair, and turmoil.

But for those who intimately know the Lord Jesus, who are passionate in their love and devotion for Him, and who willingly and eagerly seek to obey and do His will, this will be a year of great excitement and anticipation of the glorious and mighty power of God being demonstrated in fresh new ways on a daily basis. For them, these will truly be the days of Daniel 11:32, “… but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.”

Dale Bastian is a part of Living Water Publications and attends Freeport Mennonite Church in Freeport, Illinois. With a solid biblical background, keen prophetic insight, and a compassionate heart, he brings clarity of vision and a call to become more Christ-like to the Church. Dale and his wife, Dana, live in Dakota, Illinois.