(B13), Inner Revival, (Mark Aldrige, 2002).
In November 2002 the Holy Spirit gave me this picture, which is for the Body of Christ nationally.
I was on the Cornish coast (where I used to go for holidays as a child). In Cornwall the Atlantic Ocean waves come in against the shore. Initially, I saw the coastline, which was made up of coves. In some of the coves there were caves set in low cliffs. In one of these - a deep cave going right back under the cliff - was a blow-hole. (These are formed when the 'roof/ceiling' of the back of the cave collapses, making a hole in the top of the cliff. So from the cliff top one sees a grassy surface with a hole going down into the cave.)
Next I saw the ocean breakers rolling in at high tide, rushing into the cave, surging up to the end of the cave, and then forced up through this blow-hole, blasting up, and falling back down onto the ground, with much spray, soaking the grass around around the blow-hole.
God showed me that the seawater represented the Holy Spirit, so immediately I asked Him how SALT water could symbolise the Holy Spirit when in the Scriptures He is always symbolised by FRESH water.
God told me that the ocean symbolised the greatness, the almightyness, the vastness of God within us {evidenced by the indwelling Spirit}. The ocean was the Spirit within us. The cave was our spirit. The blow-hole at the back of the cave was our our heart. The grassy surface on top of the cliff was our soul.
The Holy Spirit went on to show me that God is seeking to prepare his people for revival; and that this preparation, this inner revival, has to come first before the outward, external outpouring of the Spirit, because otherwise we will not be ready, we will not become sufficiently empowered in God, mature & bear fruit in Him, and become more like Jesus. And so revival will not endure and flourish, strengthen and grow.
God gave me two scriptures to go with the picture; John Ch.4, v. 14: "but whoever drinks of this water that I shall give him will never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well-spring of water springing up into everlasting life."
He linked this with Luke Ch.3 v.4-6: "as it is written in the book of Isaiah the prophet, saying: "prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain hill shall be made low: the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth.; and all flesh shall see the salvation of our God"
[ Isaiah Ch.40 v3, 4 & 5 is very close to this, except that v. 5 says, "And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." ]
Two more things came to me later; the first relevant, but the second more important.
The first one was shown to me as I was meditating on the picture. The Spirit showed me that the grass on the cliff top represented the flesh, that seawater is salty, and that salt can be used as a weedkiller. Also that the salt spray coming up through the blow-hole was saturating the grass with salt water. The salt residue then burnt off the grass and killed it. He showed me that the grass represented our flesh, covering our soul [ I inferred that the soil beneath the grass represented our soul ]; covering and therefore influencing or even controlling our soul, and that this would be dealt with from within by the holiness, the saltiness, of the Holy Spirit.
More recently, the Spirit quickened to this scripture to me: John Ch. 7 v. 38, "He who believes in me, out of his innermost being [ spirit ] shall flow rivers of living water."
I believe this scripture describes the Holy Spirit [ through us ] reaching out to others in love, ( both believers and unbelievers ), evangelism ( personal and corporate ), healing, deliverance, emotional healing, practical help, giving, inspiring worship and prayer, ministering in other ways to people, and more.
The Spirit reminded me that a river originates with a spring. You can't have a river without first having a spring - or springs. The two scriptures are therefore intimately connected. This revival from within will bring EFFECTIVE individual and corporate evangelism, ministry, and healing to believers and unbelievers alike.
A few weeks later God showed me the blow-hole again; but this time it was in a wretched, defiled condition. An old, dumped, rusted car filled most of the hole, with all kinds of discarded junk, rubbish, rotting food scraps, and animal and human excrement in it and around it.
These blockages and filth represent sins both of commission AND of omission.
Jesus showed me that we have to co-operate with the Holy Spirit so as to unblock and cleanse the blow-hole [our heart(s)] - sanctification, and thus see the outworking and fulfilment of the first part of the picture; so that the Holy Spirit can move powerfully from within us, to God's glory and our benefit and blessing.
Square brackets - [ ], indicate explanation or comment from myself, or my understanding.
November 2002.