Sid: We’re about ready to have the greatest revival the world has ever seen. My guest is Peter Whitehouse and he has been praying fervently for years for his region of the country the Albany, New York region. And just over the last 9 months they’ve had meetings 3 times a day of Pastors and believers from different steams and denominations they’re all coming together. And it’s not your normal prayers as usual it’s a fervency. They already feel they’re already past from believing for revival they’ve already seen it, now they’re concerned about how are we going to handle all these babies that re going to be coming in in such droves. And Peter you talk about and I have your brand new book “Returning to Normal.” So many Christians are abnormal that don’t even know what normal is; they don’t know what a real revival is or those that know about it have lost their passion because they’ve been praying and waiting and waiting a praying. But nine months it’s almost a prophetic number we’re ready to have a birth we’re ready to have I believe that we’re going to see one of the greatest revivals the world has ever seen according to my understanding of Amos. And you and your people are into new levels of worship. Why is worship important in your opinion?
Peter: Oh I believe that this is God’s weapon He has had this in His arsenal; first of all God say’s He inhabits the praises of His people. And so when we are worshipping the Lord the Lord draws near. When the Lord draws near He dispels darkness, I believe His very presence is a weapon but so I mean that is just a foundational truth but I’m believing that now there are levels of prophetic worship and even apostolic worship that is coming forth.
Sid: Let me just for those that are not informed right now just point out to you that the Spirit of God has just come on the scene and that means He’s up to something. And you better really be paying attention as to what’s said, but tell you there is a river flowing out of this interview and don’t miss what God is up to. I’m sorry Peter, continue, He must be really excited about this subject of worship.
Peter: Yes, I know that our loving Master loves the praises of His people and He desires intimacy, make no mistake about it the foundation of all that we do is intimacy with God, loving God. Loving Him with all of your heart, loving Him with complete abandonment, there’s no place for lukewarm Christianity. He’ll forgive sin and bring you to intimacy and of course worship is a way of expressing intimacy with God. And He is drawing near and stirring us. And for the past decade or two we’ve learned much about the Bride of Christ and the worship songs have become extremely intimate. The Bride and the Bridegroom, I don’t know how they could become any more intimate than that. This is unprecedented in church history actually it never been such a flood of songs of worship and teaching about the Bride and the Bridegroom and the intimacy. And that is of course one way to view the place of the church the Bride of Christ. But I tell you also, there is the army of God rising up and those of us who have had our head on His breast we’ve heard His heartbeat and it’s beginning to sound like the drums of war. (Laughing) The army of God is coming forward in worship and there is anointed prophetic extemporaneous praise and worship in Spirit and in truth. And proclamations and declarations are coming forth and I tell you God is desiring that His army His worshipers would rise up and take the land.
Sid: What do you believe the invisible world when a group of people get together, or even an individual starts worshiping God with just not even caring about anything, not caring about what anyone thinks that just caring about God. And you use that term violent praise and intimate worship; what is going on in the spirit world when this is happening?
Peter: I believe that there’s a battle going on and somehow the praise and the prayers and the declarations are weapons in the hands of the angels. Now this has been seen in visions, we have of course can see warfare in the book of Daniel, and Prince of Persia, and Gabriel, and Michael fighting in order to get through to Daniel. I don’t think anything is said about worship at that point but I’m just speaking an overall scriptural foundation for spiritual warfare in the heavenlies. But I believe worship is prayer forged like steel, it is more powerful. Now God kicking it up a notch in the midst of all of this and this extemporaneous new song that is flowing there are powerful prophetic declarations that are coming forth. And I believe that these are creative; in Jeremiah we see the prophet called, the word of God would tear down and uproot and then also to buildup to plant. And I believe that this is now coming forth in worship and the Lord is using the praise, the violent praise to demolish the strongholds of the enemy to push back the work of darkness. And then creative words of life to speak forth those things that are not as if they were and to begin to see come forth in the earth those things that God desires.
Sid: Tell me how you worship, better than tell me worship God right now the way you would normally worship; would you do that?
Peter: “I worship You and I praise Your holy name; I honor You Lord and we invite You into the midst of this broadcast now. Come forth Almighty One, break the back of the liar in the Name of Jesus Christ, I tear down the strongholds of the enemy. I speak forth words of life and power, healing and hope. I speak now to you who is listening; hear the word of the Lord rise up man of God, rise up to do battle, rise up to serve our God. Turn away from sin, open your heart to Jesus Christ, He wants to use you again.” And then we would continue in song and a variety of instruments playing and then again go perhaps into something that others could join in and then you hear the singing in tongues and prayer coming forth in the midst of it and it’s all blended together in a great crescendo of praise.
Sid: Mishpochah consider yourself challenged there is no time for pity parties, there is…God is looking His Spirit is moving throughout the whole earth right now looking for those that He can use in the greatest revival in history. You talk a lot about humility in total dependence on God, would you teach a little bit on that Peter.
Peter: Yes, this has always been the heart of God and it is God Himself a humble God who made Himself of no reputation and was obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross; the one who washed the feet of the disciples and then told us to do likewise. Humility has been a missing ingredient and I believe that the Lord is clearly restoring that to the church and it’s a painful, it’s a difficult process especially if our hearts are proud, if they’re self-reliant, and self-righteous and self-loving. And I believe that the Lord will even allow or Himself initiate circumstances that would bring us to a place of humility and complete dependence upon Him. He is desiring that we walk in utter dependence upon Jesus Christ. All self-reliance must be broken away and that is a very humble place. Now humble doesn’t necessarily mean that one has to hide in the corner somewhere in obscurity. Being in a place of prominence can also be a very humble position, but the Lord earnestly desires that we would humble our self and of course we’ve heard that quoted over and over again 2nd Chronicles 7:14 and it is absolutely essential.
Sid: But of course the American way were taught independence.
Peter: Yes and it really has hindered, it has hindered the work of the church there’s no question about it. And when someone doesn’t like what’s happening they just you go off and do something themselves rather than learning to submit, learning to die to themselves. And there is an awesome growth process that takes place at that low level of humility. Then God raises you up in the power of the Holy Spirit. All I can tell you Sid and I know that you know yourself, I mean those who serve the Lord they’ll go through fire, they’ll go through times of difficulty and trouble and trials. And we can blame it all on the devil but I don’t think that accurate I think that God Himself allows some of these things or even orchestrates them to bring us to that place where we are completely dependent upon Him. He allows a vision to die, He allows our self-life to die, and then He resurrects us in the power of His Holy Spirit and He accomplishes His purposes in the power of the Holy Spirit. Not by our good plans and programs and designs.
Sid: You know Peter I believe that as people read your new book “Returning to Normal,” you in an encouraging way you reveal the heart of the readers. And you know if you’re not aware of your problem you can’t do anything about it. But I believe God’s going to use this book as a selected readings as you read it God’s going to convict your heart, God’s going to encourage you and God is going to get you ready for the greatest revival in history. You’ll want to read a little of this every single day.
