Revival or Judgment?: ‘The Return’ Means Fewer Programs and More of God’s Presence

Millions worldwide have turned to prayer during one of the most challenging times in recent history. Prayers about health. Prayers for safety.

But long before the COVID-19 crisis, a group of committed national leaders knew America needed prayer and had a small window of opportunity to return to God, return to His purposes and return to His redemption.

A national and global movement called “The Return,” culminating with a major event on Sept. 26 in Washington, D.C., will take human beings around the globe from rebellion to redemption.

The Return team is praying for this crucial time in America, with the knowledge that through God’s repentance, reconciliation, restoration, revival and reformation, people will move from rebellion to redemption. These “five R’s,” say event co-leaders Kevin Jessip and Jonathan Cahn, lead to God’s redemption of the human condition.

Jessip says this journey will also involve restoring God’s manifest power among His people, recapturing the fear and hallowing of God’s name and rediscovering victory in blessing or darkness.

“When we look at America and most churches, we are forced to one biblical conclusion—we are already under some measure of judgment, and it is quickly worsening!” Jessip says. “By many indications, there is an ‘iceberg dead ahead.’ The iceberg is sin’s cumulative consequences and God’s righteous judgment. But what happened, and how did we get to such an extreme spiritual crisis? With churches on every corner, strategies running out our ears, a 30-year prayer movement and innovative methods galore, how could this have possibly happened? Make no mistake—God does have an answer, and we can ‘return to revival’—closeness with Himself! It begins with deeper brokenness, prayer and repentance.”

Being brought to a deeper brokenness over present and future conditions, answering the “why” of people’s weakness, and learning how many believers are discovering how God restores His people are what The Return is all about, Jessip adds.

“We must rediscover the crucial missing relational foundations and essential priorities of revived believers and churches,” Jessip says. “In Acts 1:8 and John 15:4-8, Christians learn to truly abide in Christ’s fullness and power, and make no mistake, it is intimacy, surrender, fullness of power in Jesus that we need—not just better programs! We need fewer programs and more presence! A Great Awakening now will bring countless millions into the kingdom of God.

“Even if we have already hit the iceberg with far greater judgments soon to come,” he continues, “there is yet hope in our covenant through Jesus’ Blood. In fact, some of history’s greatest revivals came out of severe trials. No matter what happens in the days ahead, let us look unto Jesus, the ‘author and finisher of our faith.’ Let us covenant to pray and repent until God again ‘rends the heavens’ (Isa. 64:1). For the glory of His name, let us rebuild the walls and take His gospel to all the earth!”

Cahn adds in a video on The Return website, which has nearly a million views, that America especially has “driven God out of our public life and have called what is good evil and what is sin good.”

“America’s fall from God is not only progressing—it’s accelerating—to the point that it is no longer just a falling away but a war against the purposes of God,” Cahn says.

The Return is set for 40 days before the presidential election, and on the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower, in the days of America’s founding and dedication to God. Surrounding the Day of Return on Sept. 26 will be 10 days, known from ancient times as the Days of Awe, to be set as a special time of prayer and repentance from Sept. 18-28.

Coordinated events within The Return movement will also take place throughout America’s cities, towns, houses of worship and homes, as well as in multiple countries around the world, as many believe the nation has been given a critical window of opportunity to repent and return to God, especially as America and much of Western civilization was founded on a biblical foundation stone but has turned away from that foundation.

Cahn and Jessip are joining with others such as Dr. James Dobson, Pat Robertson, Gordon Robertson, Anne Graham Lotz, Alveda King, Michele Bachmann, Marcus Lamb, Bishop Harry Jackson and many more, who are all helping to spread the word about The Return.

Visit The Return at TheReturn.org to register and learn more.