The Sounds Of Heaven Are Coming
I have heard the sound of heaven myself several times in my life. Some call it the “sound of revival” – a certain extra something, like a sound within the sound, or the echoes of a distant and glorious realm approaching.
One of the first times I heard this sound was on a trip to Mexico in the 1990’s, where I was singing, the guest of a gathering of 6,000 leaders, who were obviously in some state of revival and renewal as a movement. Something much more than the notes I played, or the melodies I sang, invaded that auditorium, and for hour after hour, for several days, thousands of leaders lay weeping, worshipping and at times wailing like Isaiah in God’s temple (See Isaiah 6), as the sound within the sound swirled through the crowd, and the rushing winds of heaven landed among us.
In more recent times I heard it again. A church full of young people from Scotland were visiting a nearby revival centre where I was preaching. Before I spoke our host asked the youth group to sing a worship song for us. As the sweet, fresh faced Scots began to sing, I heard again, the sound within the sound. Heaven was in the notes. The fear of God visited that room. Many wept, while many others could not move.
Just last year I found myself speaking at a great annual convention for a church denomination in Spain. The larger meetings were good, but quite normal, with passionate, healthy worship and bold preaching. But then I was asked to speak to around 200 youth leaders. I shared about intimacy with God and revival for a short while and then we prayed. Once again, without any musical manipulations, something engulfed the group, and through the tears of worship and longing, I once again heard the distinct sound within the sound – the sound of revival, as heaven and humanity fused together for a moment in divine prayer.
More than just the infusion of a worship-sound with a remarkable new depth or dimension, sometimes we can even literally hear audible sounds made by God Himself! I am part of a global network of prophetic creatives called Sounds of the Nations, and our leader and founder, Dan McCollam tells of the time he was involved in leading worship in the 1990’s. As the worship leader sang the word “fire” in spontaneous praise and prayer, a sound like a ram’s horn blasted through the sanctuary from the heavens. Every time the worship leader sang “fire” the supernatural sound would echo it – to the amazement of all gathered! I have seen the videos of this event and it is quite remarkable and astonishing, just like Acts chapter 2!
Don’t be shocked, there is plenty of biblical precedent for the sounds of heaven being heard on earth. Acts 2:2 states “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.” Israel heard heavens trumpets (Hebrew 12:19), Adam “heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day” (Genesis 3:8) and some even heard the audible thunder of God’s voice in Jesus day! (John 12:29). These supernatural occurrences appear varied and common place during days of the visitations of God.
A newspaper headline during the days of the Welsh Revival proclaimed “Something from another world is at work in Wales” – That was over 100 years ago, but the sounds of revival from heaven are still stirring our souls to prepare for the coming glory of the Lord.
I believe the sound of revival is being released upon the earth as we enter this new era. God is releasing a new rhythm for our times. And those who hear it, those who echo it, those who metaphorically dance to it, will see God’s Kingdom come to earth in glory.
By the time the 7th and final trumpet sounds in the heavens we know that “the kingdoms of this world” will have become “the kingdoms of our God” (Revelation 11:15). The Church will be revived. Society will be transformed. Ultimately everything will be renewed. And “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14).
He is coming – and we must learn to listen for His Sound, that we may sing and proclaim with Him, and dance with Him into incredible days of glory.
AN EXTRACT FROM THE DIVINE RESET book/ebook:
English