The fires of revival never really burn out. Someone somewhere is carrying the embers of a revival from the past. It only takes a single act of faith to reignite the smoldering embers and release a wildfire of God’s presence. 

Fire agencies have been getting calls in recent days about smoke coming from areas burned over during the wildfires from the summer of 2020. They are called “holdover fires.” These fires smolder undetected until a spell of hot weather creates the right conditions for them to reignite. Those who manage fires, and mop-up efforts are on the lookout for these holdover fires both visually through spotters and with the use of infrared technology. 

Holdover fires are common in the area of a wildfire, especially in areas that were severely burned. These fires ignite underground organic materials like tree roots and buried logs. Because these fires burn underground, they can smolder undetected over the winter months and then reappear with the arrival of warmer and drier weather.

Just like wind blowing in the natural can fan an ember into a flame, so it is with the wind of God’s Spirit. Faith as small as a mustard seed has tremendous potential. The same is true for the embers held over in faith from a previous move of God. How the revival is expressed in a new season may take on a different form, but the fire that drives a revival remains unchanged. Revival is an expression of God’s love for His people. The embers of a past revival will linger in people’s hearts until an opportune moment in history to become inflamed once again.

These spiritual embers are carried in the hearts of those who have remained passionate to see God ignite His people with a renewed hunger for His presence. They are like the hidden embers still smoldering in a forest long after a wildfire has come and gone. These holdover embers carry with them the same potential for revival fire as they did when first manifested in history.