Washington D.C. Youth Revival

October 19-26, 2008

The theme of this year’s youth revival at the Apostolic Faith Church in Washington D.C. was “Overcoming Distractions.” There is no better time to cry out to God for revival than when young people are faced with so many distractions in their daily lives! There was a good turnout of both teenagers and young adults, and the Spirit of God came down in a mighty way as hungry hearts found their way to the altar of prayer at the close of each service. The point that was stressed during this week is that the ultimate solution to distractions is a closer walk with Jesus!

A youth rally was held on the Friday evening prior to the revival. One young man told that he had received the boldness to testify at school, and he is now reaching out to those who need to know Christ as their personal Savior. A young lady told of how her eyes were opened to the truth that keeping one’s faith and trust in God is the only way to stay saved. The congregation was asked to write a prayer request of spiritual needs in their lives and put them in a box, and the requests were taken before God at each revival service.

During the opening service on Sunday morning, the youth leader, Demetrius McElveen, preached on “Taking Possession Now.” His text was from 1 Chronicles 13:1-8. King David’s intentions were worthy in wanting to bring the Ark of theCovenant back to Israel, but he neglected to follow God’s explicit instructions concerning how the Ark was to be transported. Good intentions are not enough, and Christians should always strive to be in the center of God’s perfect will. Demetrius challenged the young people to “take a position of strength with God” in today’s world.

Monday was designated as a day for prayer and fasting. At the evening prayer service, Oludare Owolabi used Luke 1:13, 36-37 to encourage the congregation that nothing is impossible with God. He asked those in attendance to raise their expectations as they prayed, and to remember how God has answered prayers in the past. Oludare began his sermon on Tuesday evening with a song entitled “I Am Complete in Him,” and he stressed the necessity of focusing on Jesus, understanding that only His grace can help Christians overcome distractions.

Tony Daniel’s sermon on Wednesday evening was entitled “It’s an Inside Job.” He challenged the congregation to examine the source of spiritual distractions. He gave an example of today’s oblivious receptiveness to immorality, noting that “self” could be a source of distraction. He reiterated the need for all to “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance” (Matthew 3:8). Tony encouraged the congregation to do as Ruth and Elisha did when they answered God’s call to follow Him, never looking back.

Jennifer Netty preached on Thursday evening on the topic “Can God Counton You?” Her text was taken from Mark 4:35-41 and Daniel 1:8. Daniel was a youth in a strange land, yet he held to his faith and determined not to defile himself. In Mark 4, the disciples wavered in their faith and forgot that Jesus was with them. Jennifer said that Christians do not have to balk when trouble comes their way—Jesus is in their midst! She pointed out that to overcome distractions, Christians must be like Daniel, submitting to God’s will and being determined, purposeful, prayerful, and faithful—then God can count on them!

Friday evening, Peter McPhun preached on “The Simplicity in Christ.” His text was taken from 2 Kings 5:1-15 and 2 Corinthians 11:1-3. He stated that God’s way is simple, even though His Word addresses the complications that life may bring. Using Naaman as an example, Peter stressed the importance of letting go of our ideas and embracing God’s directions. Naaman was healed only after he obeyed the details of the instructions Elijah gave him. On Saturday, the congregation enjoyed an evening of music beginning with the orchestra playing the selections “Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God,” “Be Exalted OGod,” and “We Exalt Thee.” The children’s choir, youth choir, and praise team led the audience in worship, and hearts and voices blended together in holy reverence of the presence of God.

During the final service on Sunday morning, Ron Gaddis preached on the topic “I Thought I Saw a Problem!” His text was taken from 2 Kings 6:15-17. He stressed that Christians need to keep their spiritual eyes open. The king of Syria was determined to capture Elisha, and Elisha’s servant could only see defeat. However, through faith in God, Elisha saw victory! Similar to Elisha’s servant, when Christians allow fear in their hearts, they tend to focus on the problem instead of the victory. Fear and faith do not mix, and once a Christian gets rid of fear, he can see as God does. God used this powerful and soul-searching sermon to lead many to the altar of prayer.

This youth revival challenged all to a new vision as the Spirit of God stirred excitement in the hearts of young people that cannot be expressed in words, and the prayer is that this revival is just the beginning of greater things to come!