Chris Cole comments

Chris Cole FRSA
Chris Cole FRSA

Besides the embarrassment of coughing my way through a nine hour flight to Orlando in Florida (I felt for the other passengers), I was very excited at the prospect of the few days I was going to spend in America's 'son' shine state.

In a mysterious way my recent health problem of acute bronchitis was the catalyst which took me to America. Rory and Wendy Alec, the founders of GOD TV felt it was the best place for me and got me on the first available flight. I am now convinced the Lord allowed this illness to ensure that I attend this amazing event which is taking place called the Florida Outpouring.

I had been watching some remarkable TV programmes during April on GOD TV with a healing evangelist called Todd Bentley. Todd is in his thirties and was born into a very dysfunctional family. He was a drug addict and had been in prison by the age of eighteen for some very serious crimes. At first glance Todd doesn't strike you as the stereotypical Christian Evangelist in a nice suit. His tattoos offend the religious mind set which is probably one of the many reasons why God is using this fearless disciple of God. He has been used to minister to hundreds of thousands of people across the globe. God, however, has arrested his itinerary and cancelled his busy global schedule through what is being described by many across the globe as an authentic spiritual revival with signs and wonders similar to miracles described in the Bible.

Why is Todd Bentley being used in this way? Well the biblical principle which states "those who have been forgiven much, love much..." readily springs to mind. (see Luke 7:47)

Todd Bentley truly attracts the attention of heaven in a remarkable way which restores the book of Acts to Bible believing Christians. He states often that the spiritual power of these miracles, signs and wonders is motivated from Divine Love. There is no pride or personal glory seeking in this man. He just wants the Kingdom to come. Todd Bentley is a man 'ruined by God' in order to carry this anointing. He personally went through two years of what the Roman Catholic's call 'the dark night of the soul'. He has paid a price to become the vessel he is. God has dealt with him internally.

This humble brother carries the mantle and mandate well. All the glory and honour goes to Jesus Christ. He knows that this revival will be 'contagiously imparted and carried by the nameless and faceless within the Body of Christ' (which was a prophetic word given to the Body of Christ in the 1980's.) This outpouring of God's grace is incredibly contagious and impacting churches throughout the world and is breaking forth in Dudley near Birmingham and Belfast in the UK as I write. This is all about Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.

What really stirred me about going on this trip was an experience I had in 2007 and a personal passion to see the honour of Christ proclaimed to a seriously broken nation full of hurting and lost souls both in and outside the church.

I was so excited because in October 2007 during a prayer meeting in Washington of the GOD TV Senior Management Team, including Rory and Wendy Alec, we were praying and I experienced the unction of the Holy Spirit to prophesy in prayer that GOD TV would be used to carry a worldwide media revival. In mid April, almost six months later, whilst watching Todd Bentley on GOD TV, he pointed to the TV and said "Rory and Wendy - God is going to use GOD TV to take this revival to the world."

I was so astounded to hear the confirmation of what I had heard in October that Kerry (my wife) and I stood up on Rory and Wendy's behalf as their armour bearers in case they weren't watching at that time to receive this confirmation of His Word. It was a powerful moment because when I took over the role of GOD TV's UK and Ireland Regional Director I announced from David's Citadel on October 1st, 2005 that God had given me a word in 1986 by Prophets from Jerusalem about being used to help establish the 'Tabernacle of David'. These are the spiritual times of a new reformation and a new apostolic age and GOD TV will play a major role in this end time strategy.

I know that God will use current media and anointed programmes to reach into the world with the good news of Jesus Christ... It is the same as God using the invention of the printing press with the Bible being the first book printed at the time of the Reformation. How faithful the Lord is in getting His word out to an increasing global village.

Just over a month ago Todd was preaching to about 700 people in a Lakeland church called Ignite and at the time of writing this report he has had to rent the largest sport stadium with a capacity of 12,000 to hold the crowds coming from all over the world. Every major prophetic voice in the USA has confirmed that this is the sovereignty of God.

The main point is that thousands of people at these events are beginning to be healed of terminal illnesses which are being medically authenticated. Also thousands of people are being healed by just watching GOD TV. We are receiving hundreds and hundreds of e-mails in the UK alone testifying of miraculous healings and signs and wonders. Is it the fulfilment of Joel's prophecy that in the last days 'I will pour out my Spirit on all people'? Many think so including the restored prophet Paul Cain who has attended these meetings and reiterated the prophecy he gave many years back about stadiums being used across the globe to host the millions who would come to hear the gospel and be healed.

It is so wonderful to think that on May 11th almost half a billion Christians will gather in stadiums across the globe to pray for the planet through an event called the Global Day of Prayer which GOD TV will televise live.

Personally, Todd prayed for me during the four days I was there and he asked me what I thought this revival was all about. Besides saying that I wanted to bring this 'fire' back to England and Plymouth, my response was simple. I said "I believe this is a genuinely authentic revival based on the testimonies I had witnessed (how English!). With that he prayed for me very gently and I went down under the power of The Holy Spirit. The experience whilst laying on the platform was the most powerful anointing of God's love and Presence I have ever felt since my conversion in 1981.

Please make every effort to tune in to the GOD TV broadcasts from Florida, On Sky channel 760 and 761, and Virgin channel 279, every evening from about 7.30 or 8.30pm depending on which channel you choose. You can also watch on the internet at www.god.tv, or www.freshfire.ca. I believe this is the 'real deal' and the prophecy in Joel 2 immediately comes to mind. CR

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.