The beginning of the Azusa Street Revival

The Azusa Street Revival is considered the beginning of the modern-day Pentecostal/Charismatic movement. It is largely attributed to a man of humble beginnings, William J,. Seymour, who was one of eight children born to emancipated slaves. He had a passion for God from the time he was born-again in 1895. His determination to know the Lord and make Him known, ultimately led him to Los Angeles, where he joined a core group of African Americans in a prayer meeting. And then this happened:

“On April 9, Edward Lee spoke in tongues after Seymour and the newly arrived Lucy Farrow laid hands on him in Lee’s home. Overjoyed, the group walked to the Asberry’s house for the evening meeting. Seymour took his text, as was expected, from Acts 2:4: ‘And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ He then went on to explain what had just happened to Edward Lee. No sooner had he completed the story, when someone else began to speak in tongues. Before the evening was over, several others, including Jennie Evans Moore, had spoken in tongues. Over the next three days, the Asberry home became the focus of attention among the various networks of Wesleyan holiness people. As Frank Bartleman observed, ‘The news spread like fire, naturally.’ The Azusa Street Revival had begun.”

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.” (Acts 2:1-4; NIV)

Give Him 15 minutes in prayer:

• Worship the Lord and thank Him for the gifts He gives us, especially that we might pray in tongues.
• If you don’t have your prayer language, simply ask Him, just as Richard Lee did. That night, an international revival movement began!
• Thank the Lord for African American brothers and sisters that men rejected, but God used powerfully to expand His Kingdom.
• Repent if you fall into judging other Believers by their color, their economic status, whether they are male or female, their delivery methods or anything else. If their Gospel message is right, let’s walk together in unity. We have a nation to save!

A prayer you can pray:

Lord, I thank You for Your gifts! I need them all and want them all. I want to know You and make You known, glorifying Jesus, just like William Seymour and his prayer group did. They didn’t have a lot, other than faith and unity. That was exactly the same pattern on the day of Pentecost. God, we complicate everything. Simplify our intercession. Remove judgement from us so we will embrace one another and walk in greater unity. We must look past color, denomination, male and female, rich and poor. We must not care the manner in which another Believer prays, loud or soft, simply or eloquently. We must pray! We must believe! We must exalt the Son! Jesus, we worship You! Holy Spirit, fill our nation with the Glory of the Lord! Amen.

Today’s decree:

God, use any yielded vessels, and bring the fire of awakening to America!

Learn more about William J. Seymour and the start of the Azusa Street Revival here.