The Azusa Street Revival

“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them ability” (Acts 2:4).

Front page shot of The Apostolic Faith, which was the instrument God used to spread the Pentecostal message around the world. At its height, the newspaper had a circulation of 50,000.

Have you ever read about the Azusa Street Revival?

I always hear Pastor Murrell talk about this Azusa Street Revival but I never really had the urge to research it. Today I decided to do it simply because he speaks about it so often and with such great excitement, especially when he mentions the vast outpouring of the Holy Spirit, that I believe that it must have been something great.

So I did a search on Google and was surprised to even see that Azusa Street has its own website .

The Azusa Street revival services began in 1906 and were marked by continuous and powerful outpourings of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis. This was the result of constant praying of the Christians in the area for the Holy Spirit to be outpoured in the church. They hungered for God and sought Him for long periods. So many persons reported powerful testimonies as a result of being part of this revival. One man Charles Mason reported:

“These signs shall follow them that believe. In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:17, 18).

I had a false interpretation in my heart concerning the speaking in tongues. I did not take it literally as I did “they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” For years God had given me the knowledge of healing, and He had marvelously wrought with me and many cases of disease had been delivered. I interpreted the speaking in tongues to mean that we left off blaspheming, etc. Both when I got to the place where, hungering and thirsting for God, I consented to His Word, I saw that we did not need that interpretation, that the only reason we were not enjoying the speaking in tongues was because we did not accept it.

Then I felt I had gone to the end of myself. I had the care of a pastor over many flocks far and near and yet was so hungry and thirsty. The Lord showed me the humility of Jesus. How He came and presented Himself for baptism with the rest. I saw that I should not be above my Master. If He needed the Holy Ghost, I needed it to do the will of God, and Jesus would give me a better consolation to my own heart.

In order to loosen my hands from everything, the Lord showed me how Moses was concerned about Jethro’s sheep in the desert. He saw the bush of fire and God got his attention and got him on the ground where he could speak to Him. He showed me how the disciples forsook their nets, and even when they had received their commission, He stopped them to tarry at Jerusalem that they might receive the promise.

I had a great desire in my heart to come to Los Angeles. I had preached the Pentecost to my people and they were hungry for it. When I came, it was not strange to me for the Lord had showed it to me in a vision. I went to the altar and the Lord put a parable before me, “If you were going to marry would you be sad?” I said, “No, when I was going to be married, I was glad.” He showed me this was wedlock to Christ. If there was anything imperfect about me, He would make it right and marry me anyway. Then my faith was settled and laid firmly hold on the promise.

As I arose from the altar and took my seat, I fixed my eyes on Jesus, and the Holy Ghost took charge of me. I surrendered perfectly to Him and consented to Him. Then I began singing a song in unknown tongues, and it was the sweetest thing to have Him sing that song through me. He had complete charge of me. I let Him have my mouth and everything. After that it seemed I was standing at the cross and heard Him as He groaned, the dying groans of Jesus, and I groaned. It was not my voice but the voice of my Beloved that I heard in me. When we got through with that, He started the singing again in unknown tongues. When the singing stopped I felt that complete death, it was my life going out, but it was complete death to me. When He had finished this, I let Him hold my hands up, and they rested just as easily up as down. Then He turned on the joy of it. He began to lift me up. I was passive in His hands, I was not going to do a thing. I could hear the people but did not let anything bother me. It came to me, “I charge thee, Oh daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up nor awake my Beloved until He please” (Song of Solomon 8:4). He lifted me to my feet and then the light of heaven fell upon me and burst into me filling me. Then God took charge of my tongue and I went to preaching in tongues. I could not change my tongue. The glory of God filled the temple. The gestures of my hands and movements of my body were His. Oh, it was marvelous and I thank God for giving it to me in His way. Such an indescribable peace and quietness went all through my flesh and into my very brain and has been there ever since.

See some of  the other powerful testimonies here

What an experience that seems to have been!

Pastor William J Seyomour was the great man who lead the revival services on Azusa Street in California and judging form his sermons he was surely a powerful man in delivering The Message. Further information about his life and ministry can be assed here.

After reading about this great revival as I can pray is:“YES LORD, SEND US AN ASUZA STREET EXPERIENCE”…”OH SEND US ANOTEHR PENTECOST EXPERIENCE”

Here are some other sources which you can research for yourself:

http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=3321

http://www.twelvetribes.org/pdf/freepapers/azusa-street-revival.pdf – This one is an excellent piece which gives an overview of the Azusa Street Revival with additional information on the power of the Holy Spirit, the Pentecostal Experience, and the receiving of the Holy Spirit. THIS IS A MUST- READ.

Join us for five nights of fire at the Pegwell Community Church – October 25-29, 2009

Link to our event website.

Setting the House In Order for REVIVAL

So this morning’s sermon was about setting your house in order for revival. Even though his analysis of our church seemed a bit harsh at times, he was in his right as the leader of our church to tell us that we really need to get rid of all the old ashes from in our house (our body/our heart) in order to prepare ourselves for a new revival.

Take a look at 2 Chronicles 29 and you will see how a revival was accomplished in the church.

The Pegwell Community Church is preparing for their revival services to take place on October 25 to October 29, 2009.  We are praying for the fire of God to fall upon our church and the entire church of Barbados.

We talk about revival but , what is revival?

According to Pastor Murrell, Revivals are evangelistic crusades and continue to be relevant in these days, They can provide the following benefits for the local church:

1. Lost people can be saved
2. Believers can be sanctified
3. Sanctified Christians can be renewed
4. Those who have fallen can rise and return yo the Lord
5. The church as a whole can be awakened from indifference and inactivity
6. Families and other relationships can be healed
7. Church unity can be enhanced
8. Persons can be inspired to new levels of Christian commitment
9. church finances can increase
10. Pastor and spouse can be encouraged in their ministries

Key Texts on Revival

Psalm 85:6

Habbakkuk 3:2

Ten Ways to Study the Word of God:

Tips from Pastor Murrell of the Pegwell Community Church

Ten ways to study the word of God:

1.    Dedicate time to the Word of God
2.    Pray for understanding of the word of God
3.    Put forth real effort. Do not go to spend time with God when you are really sleep because chances are, you will fall asleep and will have no time with God.
4.    Have a purpose – Know why you are ready the word, Know your aim and what you are seeking from God this way, you read with purpose and not just read for reading sake and because you know it is something you should do
5.    Use a scriptural journal in which you would recorded your journey with God and your spiritual accomplishments
6.    Invite the spirit with some very soft music (this is optional)
7.    Humble yourself before the Lord. Pray for the Lord’s guidance and for Him to take total control in your spiritual journey because He knows all, and is able to guide you
8.    Go line upon line and precept upon precept. Don’t jump all over the place.
9.    Personally apply the word in your everyday life

Surviving Life’s Challenges

Today’s sermon was indeed based on yet another interesting topic:  Surviving Life’s Challenges

There are so many challenges which we experience on a daily basis; whether it be at work, at home or even at church. Life is just full of challenges.

God never told us it would be easy, but in His Word He gives us some instructions on how to deal with our challenges.

Today, Pastor Murrell (Pegwell Community Church) pointed out some of the verses in the Word and gave some very helpful tips to surviving life’s challenges and I find these to be excellent tips because  I can identify with many of them and indeed they have been useful and continue to be useful to the challenges which I battle on a daily basis.

I do not know what challenges you have but here are some tips to overcoming them:

• Eliminate the word “PROBLEM” out of your vocabulary – See every “problem” as a challenge and not as a problem and never give up. Remember that with God all things are possible (Mark 9:23, Mark 10:27, Mark 14:36)
• Always put God first
• Don’t demand to understand what is going on in your life – Very often we ask: Why me? But only further down the road we see what God was protecting us for or preparing us for to even make us stronger. So it is important to trust in God for He knows what he has planned for you, He knows what type of character he wants to develop in you. (Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future“.
• Be faithful even in the unfair situation
• Trust God’s timing
• Don’t let people disillusion you
  
• Learn to accept the circumstances which you are dealing with – Don’t get negative as this will not change anything or make anything better.
• Reverse the negative thought pattern that you are stuck where you are – The Bible tells us that words carry life. Begin right away to speak life into your life, marriage, situation or even church to see change. (Proverbs 18:21 – “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof”). Yours words are carriers, so let’s begin to not only think but say positive things into our lives and the lives of others
• Be careful who is close to you hen you are in trouble or in difficult situations – There are people who have nothing good to say at any time so we must ensure that we do not draw close to these sort of people when we are in any situation whether good or bad
• If you want to be it, you have to see it – See yourself in your dream and you will become what you desire
• Live in gratitude – Have the mindset of appreciation and practise the attitude of gratitude – The pastor made reference to the ‘Feed the Children’ programme – We have so much and we don’t show any gratitude, but now is the time to be thankful for what we have. Even at a time when we ‘ have much we should also be thankful because God tells us in everything gives thanks. (1 Thess 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you)
• Develop a personal safety net – This is a cadre of people  that you can call upon in difficult or down times. These would be positive people who would be able to strengthen your life with the help of God. Following are some situations in which you would need a safety net:

1. An unexpected accident
2. A transfer or move form one particular locality or employment
3. A crisis for your parents, children or other members of your family
4. A major job change
5. During the period of a divorce and the things which follow
6. When a disaster in your community or country occurs

I hope that these points have been useful to you in better understanding how to deal with the challenges which you encounter.

I urge you to use some of these tips ; act on them and integrate them into your prayer life and you will become a greater conqueror.