ASBURY REVIVAL FIRE (Part Four) … Two Easter Witnesses

“I will give power to my two witnesses…” Revelation 11:3.

My favorite round of golf is a 7am twosome around Scotland’s Royal Dornoch on a calm summer morning.

The cool fresh air coming off the North Sea is the perfect wake-up call. The early morning ocean waves and lapping tide seem to be an orchestra for the ‘good morning’ songs of the sea birds. It is typically 55 degrees F, perfect for the early morning walk. The sun has risen out of the sea on the eastern shore, creating long shadows on the first green. The greens are freshly mown and perfect. No need to hurry. Just walk. In fact, if it can be done, it is best to not even keep score, except for the rare birdie. Breakfast is waiting when get back to the clubhouse at 9:45am, a meal that tastes better than it deserves.

A bond is created with the person who shares this two-ball experience. Friendship is deepened by the mutual experience of the glorious walk. Even if you play with a stranger, he will be a friend when the hats come off on eighteen. For these moments, a twosome seems to be the perfect number.

Jesus also had an obvious fondness for twosomes. He sent out his twelve disciples in pairs. (Luke 9). He later chose ‘72’ followers and sent them out in twos. (Luke 10).

He chose a special twosome to be on the Mount of Transfiguration. Moses and Elijah were surely not the only patriarchs or prophets deserving of this cameo New Testament appearance, but Jesus thought two was just the right number.

And then the Resurrection story brings us two different but amazing twosomes!!

When Mary went to the tomb on Sunday morning, she found two men - angels actually- in the empty tomb. And their early morning message? “He isn’t here. He is Risen from the dead.” Luke 24:4. This profound message was too big for just one angel.

And then a few hours later, on a Sunday afternoon walk, “two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus. As they walked and talked about everything that happened, suddenly Jesus Himself came along and joined them and began walking beside them.” Luke 24:13. Jesus showed up to walk and talk with this confused pair of disciples. It is good to remember that whenever these twosomes appear, they are more accurately threesomes! God is there too, making each twosome, in a sense, a threesome. Perhaps we could even say a trinity with a small ‘t’.

God’s affection for twosomes goes back into the Old Testament annals as well. You may remember that “The Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. He took some of the Spirit that was upon Moses and put it upon the seventy leaders. They prophesied as the Spirit rested upon them…” Number 11:25.

But two rather obscure men, Eldad and Medad, missed the meeting in the Tabernacle where the seventy were blessed by Moses. But they testified anyway! Young Joshua complained that these two guys had not been at the Tabernacle for the blessing of the seventy men, but Moses admonished his younger colleague and said, “I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all.” Numbers 11:29.

That is exactly what happened this past weekend when a modern-day twosome, A.J. Hughes and Asher Braughton, came to Alabama to testify about their 2023 Asbury revival experience.

Indeed, Asher had skipped chapel on February 8 when the revival started. A.J. attended the 10am chapel service but left at 11am for class and his regular day. He returned twelve hours later when he heard the word that revival fires were stirring. But just like Eldad and Medad, both were filled with a new Spirit of God during the days of revival. And now, both of these young men are testifying non-stop.

The revival meetings in the chapel environment ended on February 23. But the revival has not ended.

The next phase is now simple. “Here am I. Lord. Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8).

The excitement of all-night prayer and worship lasted fifteen days. But eventually, the tide recedes, and it is time to go - the next step is always the ‘sending phase’. So, I made a request to Asbury to send us two witnesses. And sure enough, on Good Friday, here came Asher and A.J., both 19 years old and sophomores at the school.

Asher praying for college kids in Alabama.

Asher is a pre-med sophomore who went to Asbury to play baseball but had a huge Jesus Moment on January 28, 2022 during his freshman year which led him to give up baseball and concentrate on God and his future ministry of healing as a doctor.

A.J. is a Media/TV major whose life was also turned upside down during the 2023 Revival. Their stories were similar but the same. Neither one is a preacher. But they have a story to tell, and they told it well.

Asher’s main word for our Alabama crowds was “MORE”. His own revival journey involved ‘letting it go’- both his past sins and his future worries. He reminded us that God still has MORE for us. More of His Spirit. More to do for God. For even me at age 72, there is MORE.

And A.J.’s main word for us was “YES”. His tearful response at the Asbury altar was simple, “Yes, God. I will go where you send me and obey your Voice.” He started by coming to Alabama on his first post-revival trip! It felt like Paul and Barnabas had come to town!

So, this Easter proved again the value of two witnesses.

Two brilliant angels who appeared as men testified that the tomb was empty and the Lord is Risen from the dead.

Two men on the road to Emmaus testified that the Risen Lord had appeared to them and taught them for many hours on a wonderful seven-mile walk. (Golf by the way is a 7-mile walk).

And then, on Easter weekend 2023, two 19-year-old men - A.J. and Asher- testified that they experienced Jesus face to face. The same bold Spirit that filled the two angels in the tomb and the two men on the road to Emmaus has now filled two college kids. With spiritual eyes, they have seen the Lord.

How about you? Have you seen him? Do you have a friend to walk with? I hope so.

Check out this article on the Asbury Revival: Heaven Invades Asbury, Again: Echoes of the 1970 Jesus Revolution Are Already Resounding | CBN News