Preparing for Revival Conferance

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Christ in Us

The Revival at Asbury College (Video) by ~Miscellaneous

Greg, you've provoked me (in the best way, I hope) with this:

Oh may God move suddenly in our midst in Canton.

This is something I learned from Edgar Parkyns the only time I heard him speak at a church. He easily slipped into little mimes. (He was preaching from Jesus' story of the man who went to his friend's house at midnight, to borrow bread for a guest.) Now he was indicating the shape of a cold drinks machine... It is faith which makes you put the coin in the slot. You see and are sure of what you are about to receive. But, when nothing happens... no can of coke falls into the tray, it is with [i]hope[/i] (he thumps his fist on the imaginary machine) that you encourage your faith... and there it is... the substance of the thing hoped for drops into reach... So, it is [i]hope[/i] which makes us persevere with faith... to continue to [i]expect to receive[/i].

Amen.

I'm sure you're all going to be mightily blessed as you receive God's word to your lives. I'm looking forward to what He's going to say to me, all right. There is [i]no risk[/i] He is not going to speak!

I love readig about Azusa Street. I have been to meetings where the spirit of God takes over. A person or group of people have to be willing to step aside. The focus cannot be on yourself or a speaker but on the Lord. The pastor of this church I went to said "do whatever you feel led to do". When do you ever hear that in church??? I felt led to get on my knees and lift my hands. He had a gift of discernment and he said that virtue was coming out of me. Several people touched me and said they felt it. I never had anything like that happen to me. It was really an awesome feeling. Has anyone had any similar experiences? I would love to hear them! :)

Frank Bartleman

Friday, June 15, at “Azusa,” the Spirit dropped the “heavenly chorus” into my soul. I found myself suddenly joining the rest who had received this supernatural “gift.” It was a spontaneous manifestation and rapture no earthly tongue can describe. In the beginning this manifestation was wonderfully pure and powerful. We feared to try to reproduce it, as with the “tongues” also. Now many seemingly have no hesitation in imitating all the “gifts.” No one could understand this “gift of song” but those who had it. It was indeed a “new song” in the Spirit. When I first heard it in the meeting a great hunger entered my soul to receive it. I felt it would exactly express my pent up feelings. I had not yet spoken in “tongues.” But the “new song” captured me. It was a gift from God of high order, and appeared among us soon after the “Azusa” work began. No one had preached it. The Lord had sovereignly bestowed it, with the outpouring of the “residue of oil,” the “Latter Rain” baptism of the Spirit. It was exercised, as the Spirit moved the possessors, either in solo fashion, or by the company. It was sometimes without words, other times in “tongues.” The effect was wonderful on the people. It brought a heavenly atmosphere, as though the angels themselves were present and joining with us. And possibly they were. It seemed to still criticism and opposition, and was hard for even wicked men to gainsay or ridicule.

Some have condemned this “new song,” without words. But was not sound given before language? And is there not intelligence without language also? Who composed the first song? Must we necessarily follow some man’s composition, before us, always? We are too much worshippers of tradition. The speaking in “tongues” is not according to man’s wisdom or understanding. Then why not a “gift of song?” It is certainly a rebuke to the “jazzy” religious songs of our day. And possibly it was given for that purpose. Yet some of the old hymns are very good to sing, also. We need not desire or treat lightly of them. Some one has said that every fresh revival brings in its own hymnology. And this one surely did.

In the beginning in “Azusa” we had no musical instruments. In fact we felt no need of them. There was no place for them in our worship. All was spontaneous. We did not even sing from hymnbooks. All the old well-known hymns were sung from memory, quickened by the Spirit of God. “The Comforter Has Come,” was possibly the one must sung. We sang it from fresh, powerful heart experience. Oh, how the power of God filled and thrilled us. Then the “blood” songs were very popular. “The life is in the blood. “Sinai, Calvary, and Pentecost, all had their rightful place in the “Azusa” work. But the “new song” was altogether different, not of human composition. It cannot be successfully counterfeited. The crow cannot imitate the dove. But they finally began to despise this “gift,” when the human spirit asserted itself again. They drove it out by hymnbooks, and selected songs by leaders. It was like murdering the Spirit, and most painful to some of us, but the tide was too strong against us. Hymnbooks today are largely a commercial proposition, and we would not lose much without most of them. The old tunes, even, are violated by change, and new styles must be gotten out of every season, for added profit. There is very little real spirit of worship in them. They move the toes, but not the hearts of men. The spirit of song given from God in the beginning was like the Aeolian harp, in its spontaneity and sweetness. In fact it was the very breath of God, playing on human heartstrings, or human vocal cords. The notes were wonderful in sweetness, volume and duration. In fact they were of times humanly impossible. It was “singing in the Spirit.”

Brother Seymour was recognized as the nominal leader in charge. But we had no pope or hierarchy. We were “brethren.” We had no human program. The Lord Himself was leading. We had no priest class, nor priest craft. These things have come in later, with the apostatizing of the movement. We did not even have a platform or pulpit in the beginning. All were on a level. The ministers were servants, according to the true meaning of the word. We did not honor men for their advantage, in means or education, but rather for their God-given “gifts” He set the members in the “body.” Now” A wonderful and horrible thing is come to pass in the land. The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and My people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof.” –Jer. 5:30, 31. Also “AS for my people, children are their oppressors (sometimes grown up ones), and women rule over them.”
- Isa 3:12.

Brother Seymour generally sat behind two empty shoeboxes, one on top of the other. He usually kept his head inside the top one during the meeting, in prayer. There was no pride there. The services ran almost continuously. Seeking souls could be found under the power almost any hour, night and day. The place was never closed nor empty. The people came to meet God. He was always there. Hence a continuous meeting. The meeting did not depend on the human leader. God’s presences become more and more wonderful. In that old building, with its low rafters and bare floors, God took strong men and women to pieces, and put them together again, for His glory. It was a tremendous overhauling process. Pride and self-assertion, self-importance and self-esteem, could not survive there. The religious ego preaches its own funeral sermon quickly.

No subjects or sermons were announced ahead of time, and no special speakers for such an hour. No one knew what might be coming, What God would do. All was spontaneous, ordered of the Spirit. We wanted to hear from God, through whoever he might speak. We had no “respect of persons” The rich and educated were the dame as the poor and ignorant, and found a much harder death to die. We only recognized God. All were equal. No flesh might glory in His presence. He could not use the self-only recognized opinionated. Those were Holy Ghost meetings, led of the Lord. It had to start in the poor surroundings, God. All were equal. No flesh might glory in His presence. He could not use the self- to keep out the selfish, human element. All came down in humility together, at His feet. They all looked alike, and had all things in common in that sense at least. The rafters were low, the tall must come down. By the time they got to “Azusa” they were humbled, ready for the blessing. The food was thus placed for the lambs, not for giraffes. All could reach it.

We were delivered right there from ecclesiastical hierarchism and abuse. We wanted God. When we first reached the meeting we avoided as much as possible human contact and greeting. We wanted to meet God first. We got our head under some bench in the corner in prayer, and met men only in the Spirit, knowing them “after the flesh” no more. The meetings started themselves, spontaneously, in testimony, praise and worship. The testimonies were never hurried by a call for “popcorn.” We had no prearranged programmed to be jammed through the time. Our time was the Lord’s. We had real testimonies from fresh heart-experience. Otherwise, the shorter the testimonies, the better. A dozen might be on their feet at one time, trembling under the mighty power of god. We did not have to get our cur from some leader. And we were free from lawlessness. We were shut up to God in prayer in the meetings, our minds on Him. All obeyed God, in meekness and humility. In honor we “preferred one another.” The Lord was liable to burst through any one. We prayed for this continually. Some one would finally get up anointed for the message. All seemed to recognize this and gave way. It might be a child, a woman, or a man. It might be from the back seat, or from the front. It made no difference. We rejoiced that God was working. No one wished to show himself. We thought only of obeying God.

In fact there was an atmosphere of God there that forbade any one but a fool attempting to put himself forward without the real anointing. And such did not last long. The Spirit, from the throne controlled the meetings. Those were truly wonderful days. I often said that I would rather live six months at that time than fifty years of ordinary life. But God is just the same today. Only we have changed.

Some one might be speaking. Suddenly the Spirit would fall upon the congregation. God himself would give the altar call. Men would fall all over the house, like the slain in battle, or rush for the altar enmasse, to seek God. The scene often resembled a forest of fallen trees. Such a scene cannot be imitated. I never saw an altar call given in those early days. God himself would call them. And the preacher knew when to quit. When He spoke we all obeyed. It seemed a fearful thing to hinder or grieve the Spirit. The whole place was steeped in prayer, God was in His holy temple. It was for man to keep silent. The shekinah glory rested there. In fact some claim to have seen the glory by night over the building. I do not doubt it. I have stopped more than once within two blocks of the place and prayed for strength before I dared to go on. The presence of the Lord was so real.

Presumptuous men would sometimes come among us. Especially preachers who would try to spread themselves, in self-opinionating. But their effort was short lived. The breath would be taken from them. Their minds would wander, their brains reel. Things would turn black before their eyes. They could not go on. I never saw one get by with it in those days. They were up against God. No one cut them off. We simply prayed. The Holy Spirit did the rest. We wanted the Spirit to control. He wound them up in short order. They were carried out dead, spiritually speaking. They generally bit the dust in humility, going through the process we had all gone through. In other words they died out, came to see themselves in all their weakness, then in childlike humility and confession were taken up of God, transformed through the mighty “baptism” in the Spirit. The “old man” died with all his pride, arrogancy and good works. In my own case I came to abhor myself. I begged the Lord to drop a curtain so close behind me on my past that it would hit my heels. He told me to forget every good deed as though it had never occurred, as soon as it was accomplished anything for Him, lest my good works become a snare to me.

We saw some wonderful things in those days. Even very good men came to abhor themselves in the clearer light of God. The preachers died the hardest. But when God got through with them they gladly turned a new page and chapter. That was one reason they fought so hard. Death is not at all a pleasant experience. And strong men die hard.

The testimony of Frank Bartleman is excepted from his book, "How Pentecost Came to Los Angeles." Christian Life Books plans to republish the original book, unedited and with the original title.

Some one might be speaking. Suddenly the Spirit would fall upon the congregation. God himself would give the altar call.

Amen! I just wanted to make it clear I by no means meant to go looking for an experience because that is not AT ALL what it is about. The reason I brought up what happened to me is to show what can happen when man takes his hands off and allows God to move freely. I never have been to a meeting where a pastor said "do whatever you feel led to do!" Can you imagine when truly God seeking people are allowed to worship Him freely? I would love to attend a meeting sometime where there are no special speakers or any such thing. I would love to see a meeting where you just meet at a certain time with an open pulpit free to whatever man feels led.I would like to see a meeting where we just sit there and wait on God till He moves.

The man who led this meeting I went to doesn't even know how to read.

I won't be able to attend this meeting but I will be praying.

You know what is so amazing is we think that when we are active that is when the blessing begins but it's when activity ENDS that blessing begins! :)

When man is still God moves and their is all kinds of activity and it's the kind that brings forth good fruit!

At Azusa they didn't even have a pulpit.A pulpit suggests that a man is in charge. The nominal leader had his head in a shoebox!

How hard it is to be still! Actually it is not hard at all but we are so full of ourselves!

If you want activity that brings forth good fruit be still first than move when God moves.

The question isn't can God bring revival but can man get out of the way?

I've heard plenty of sermons. I believe this websight says that there are over 14,000 sermons so far. Hasn't man said enough???

ChrisJD Quote:
"Somewhere along the way after my conversion I began to think I could do something for God. Or I wanted to. Why, for my own glory? To say, 'there is something good in me', even if to say it just to myself. And even if there was something 'good' in me, my own nature, so what, what is it compared to God and His Greatness!?..."

Amen! What makes us think that we can shine without God? If God wanted us to shine can't He make us shine??? Shouldn't we wait on God first? Absolutely! Maybe we just don't like the way He has called us to shine. We want to shine our own way which is not shining at all!

Maybe God has given us a shoebox and we just don't want to put our head in it. We think were too good and our own way is so much better!

How did we get so messed up? How true it is that we are destroyed because of a lack of knowledge. That is really a sad verse because I believe this is talking about christians who really want to please God but like dumb sheep we have gone astray. We have no excuse though it is sinful.

Alot of this is unbelief or even pride. We don't really believe God can do it without us!

How many more laps are we going to take around the desert? It's because of unbelief they could not enter the promise land.