News and Updates

February 1, 2025

David Copeland · February 1, 2025

Newsletter · Volume: 25 Issue: 2

2025 has begun with us seeing God manifest Himself among His people in every church we have been in so far this new year. Something very distinct has happened that I truly believe God has opened the heavens over us.

At Christmas, one of my granddaughters asked me what the Lord was speaking to me about this new year. While in Kenya in December, the Lord so gently spoke into my heart that 2025 for us (me and Pam and least) Extra Grace For New Beginnings.”

Again, this week, as I prepared to minister at a local church, I sensed that we had stepped into an open heaven. Almost every time I have ministered in January, I entered the pulpit trembling on the inside, stronger than I have felt in a while. I am always nervous before I step into the pulpit because I know the heavy responsibility that is weighing on me for people’s eternal destinies. But something is different—in a good way.

Mar 1:9-11 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. 10. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 11. And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

For some time now, I have been doing a personal study of the Gospel of Mark. I’m not studying this book looking for sermons, I’m studying it for my own personal benefit. But God sure has been speaking to me out of my study. This passage reveals a number of distinct characteristics of the beginning of Jesus’ ministry that we need in our story:

First, there is the open heaven.

Yes, Jesus undoubtedly set the pattern for water baptism, which is also known as immersion. Jews used to (and still do) immerse themselves for various reasons. The average Jew might do so several times a month as an act of consecration to God.

It’s kind of funny (not really) how we criticize people who feel the need to be baptized in water, especially when they are recovering from a severely backslidden condition. Don’t knock people who want to be water baptized more than one time. They may have a more Biblical mindset than you think. But that’s a study for another time.

In the margin of my Bible, an open heaven means cloven or rent. Literally, they were ripped open. This signifies the heavens had been closed or locked up. We know Israel has walked through 400 years of silence. No prophet. No prophetic word. Very little (if any) visitation of angels. At least, I’ve never seen anything in the historical record of many supernatural manifestations happening during these 400 years between the testaments. There were beginning to be some prophetic words, and the angels did manifest at His birth, but not in the widespread way that the power of God was about to manifest….

Open Heaven is simply this: an unusual ability/freedom/anointing to preach, teach, pray, prophecy, live right, do right, and see Jesus and His Kingdom exalted on the earth. A more straightforward definition would be “an unusual ability to flow with the Holy Ghost.”

Some people say, we have had an open heaven since Jesus walked the earth. While the concept may be somewhat true, anyone who has a small understanding of the times & seasons knows that God moves in times & seasons. There are some seasons in which the heavens are going to be silent…closed…no dramatic manifestation of His power. Then there are some seasons when it seems all you have to do is whisper His name, and He immediately shows up!

Please understand that I am not hung up on a feeling: you cannot always go by your feelings. But thankfully, we serve a God who loves to let us know he is near!!

My prayer is that we will recognize a new freedom to preach, to pray, to move with God as He moves on this earth. We don’t have 40 more years to see God bring our loved ones back to Him!

Next month, we will look at some differences between a closed heaven and an open heaven. Till then, may God continue to help us all to walk in this open heaven.

Ministry Update:

Thank you to everyone who supported Revival Now in 2024. There are many wonderful things taking place in the ministry, so much we just don’t have the space to put them here. If you would like to receive a copy of our new Digital Newsletter, send an email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and we will add you to the list. We are able to share things there that this space will not allow.

Thank you for your prayers and continuing financial support of Revival Now International!