World renowned evangelist, Leonard Ravenhill, in his book, Why Revival Tarries, predicted the downfall of communism in 1958. Ravenhill, whose outdoor evangelistic crusades in England often drew traffic stopping crowds, began to call Christians to demonstrate the truth and power of the gospel over 30 years ago.

Prophesying a worldwide awakening which would galvanize the power of the Church and result in a great harvest of souls, Ravenhill foresaw three specific events which would serve as signposts for the beginning of this revival.

These signposts included (1) the dissolution of “organized systems” of religion in God’s Church, (2) the sudden appearance of prophets bringing words of deliverance to God’s people, and (3) the precipitation of revival in China, the Soviet Union, and Germany which would bring an end to communism.

Speaking of the demise of liberalism in the Church, Ravenhill predicted: “When God-given heaven sent revival does come, it will undo in weeks the damage that blasphemous Modernism has taken years to build. By the gale of the Spirit the deceptive doctors of divinity will see swept away the house which they built upon the sand.”

The advent of the prophetic ministry was foretold as appearing suddenly in fulfillment of Joel 2 and Malachi 3: “Ten minutes before John the Baptist arrived – no one knew he was there. As it was, so it will be. God will get some man’s ear and heart and will. Men, hidden in secret at this very moment will utter soon, in the Spirit’s might, the burning truths that this people must hear.”

“At the operation of the Spirit,” Ravenhill said, communism will “bend as corn before the wind. The Kremlin will tremble at the news of a supernatural operation in China, Russia, Germany, etc. – lands scorched with the fire of militant Communism. For one reason, they need it so greatly; for another, our free nations need to be provoked as Jonah was with Nineveh.”

These three events, according to Ravenhill, would be a precursor to a worldwide awakening.