John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Luke 3:16
As a young child, Robert Evans developed a close relationship with Jesus and talked to Him as one talks to a friend. At the age of 12, he was grieved over the failure of Christianity as it was being preached. He left school to work in the coal mines to help his dad and carried his Bible with him every day. Though mocked and ridiculed by cursing miners, he was undeterred. He was hungry for more of God. He said “no” to the pull of worldly distractions, and for 14 years he prayed for revival and attended church or Bible classes every night.
His seeking of the LORD was so great that one night he was taken up into heaven to commune with God face-to-face for 4 hours. This happened every night for three months prior to revival breaking out. God gave him a vision for 100,000 souls to be saved and said that he would be part of that revival. He believed God, prayed for those souls, and continued to wait for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Evans enrolled in Bible college to be a minister but a wise man of God told him that he would learn more from one week of revival than from years of college studies. So, Evans stepped away from college and asked his pastor if he could share the vision God had given him with the youth of the church. He taught four simple principles: 1) Put away unconfessed sin; 2) put away any doubtful habit; 3) obey the Holy Spirit promptly, and 4) confess Christ publicly. He told the youth to ask for the Holy Spirit to come for Jesus’ sake. The second night parents wanted to come to hear Roberts. By the second week of meetings over 800 people filled the church, hungry for more of God.
Over 100 preachers put differences aside and came together to pray in one accord. Evans’ famous prayer, “Lord, bend me,” became the heart posture of the people. Where there’s unity and devotion to prayer, the Holy Spirit is welcome. One night Evans only preached for ten minutes and then sunk down on his knees in prayer behind the pulpit, crying out for more of God. The crowds followed. One night he said, “Do you believe in the promises of God – that Jesus is present when two or three gather in His name?” When the people answered, “Yes,” he said, “Then you know that Jesus is here, and you don’t need me. He’s the Source; I’m only the agent.” With that, he grabbed his hat and left the people to pray and seek the LORD. They did.
As the church was revived, society was transformed. Police officers were laid off because crime was so low. People quit drinking. Gambling establishments went out of business. Theaters closed due to low attendance. Sporting events had neither players nor fans. Businesses closed early because no one was shopping – everyone went to revival meetings after work and stayed until after midnight. Bibles were ordered in record number.
The Welsh Revival was ignited in one boy who loved Jesus, had a burden to pray, and who believed that there was more to Christianity than just doing church. As he grew, he devoted himself to prayer, sought the LORD with his whole heart, and set himself apart from the world. As a result, over 150,000 people joined the church, and an estimated 250,000 were wonderfully born again and filled with the Spirit. Thirty other revivals were birthed from this one as missionaries carried the message around the world. “The eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him.” (II Chron. 16:9) It only takes a spark to get a fire going.
(The story of Evans Roberts is from Dr. Roberts Liardon’s book, God’s Generals and Gordon Pettie’s book, Do It Again, LORD.)
~Lisa Moore