Outstretched Arms Ministry About Us

'Outstretched Arms Ministry'
...an international revival ministry

About David Lockard

"Call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things that thou knowest not." - Jeremiah 33:3

A man desperate for answers. A man filled with darkness. A man who had his earthly belly filled with the things of this world, only to be left disappointed, never satisfied and miserable. A man whose marriage and home life had been shattered. A man who had lost his will to live. Disillusioned by Satan's lies, left him bound by sinful habits that controlled his flesh. The physical toll was adding up and etched into his face were the marks of sin's past rewards. The concept of living was challenged by the thought that "life will never get any better than this". Hope was fading and time was running out.

How could someone fall into such despair? I don't think I fell into it. I believe I was led into it by my wrong choices and responses towards situations and people concerning my life. The escorts of my mind were many proclaiming the rights that I had. "You have a right to be bitter, angry, to harbor hurt, and not forgive". Because of pride, I exercised those rights and initiated improper responses that sat a course for rough sailing! I developed an angry spirit and sought retaliation. In many cases, if I had a conflict with someone, I became judge, jury and warden.

In my youth, I never learned to respond properly to life's challenges, changes and circumstances. I was taught to fight for what you want and let nobody take it from you. Consequently I was being led by the old nature. The old nature is frightfully powerful. It is subtle, cunning and full of pride. The old nature is demeaning! The ways of the old nature leads to death, physically, emotionally and spiritually. After years and years of allowing sin to entangle me, I had come to the end of my roper. I had concluded that life was not worth living, even with a lovely wife and four beautiful children. The bible says that the way of a transgressor is hard, and that's what I had become.

BUT GOD... On one cold winter night in January of 1986 I had come to the place of decision. I did not want to continue with my life in this present condition. What was I to do? Take my life? End it because my family would be better off without me? As these thoughts sought to guide me, another thought came to me. It was like a still soft voice saying "David, see me but this time with all your heart".

Dave and Jochy Lockard

God was calling me but He was asking me to confess all my sins to Him and surrender my will unto His. I knew it was God speaking because His presence was obvious. I accepted His call of love and instantly I was set free of the habitual sins my flesh was enslaved to. A prisoner had just been given his liberty. I met the Lord in personal revival! The Holy Spirit continued with a deeper work of conviction and cleansing in my heart. All the years of clutter needed to be brought to the cross. Every wrong thought, reaction and attitude needed cleansing. Each trip to Calvary brought another experience of God's grace. Reconciliation was made between God and I, and then to my wife, children and many others to whom I owed an apology. My life was being restored.

God had led me out of captivity into freedom. If the son sets you free, you are free indeed! I was set free and like a canary I needed to sing. Every since that cold winter's night I have been doing just that. Proclaiming God's marvelous grace.

Revival is on the heart of God. Revival is a supernatural work by the Holy spirit. God wants to send it, the question is are we will to accept it? Jeremiah 29:13... God's answer with a promise.

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