And the Revival Spread…

The Azusa Street Revival came from the humble beginnings of a prayer meeting. Led by William Seymour, an African American minister, it is considered by church historians to be the beginning of the modern day pentecostal movement. One of those receiving a life-changing touch in those meetings was C. H. Mason. He was gloriously filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak a language he did not know. He later wrote, “My language changed and no word could I speak in my own tongue. Oh! I was filled with the glory of the Lord!” That former Baptist minister went out from that place a thoroughly changed man. He and others who had been asked to leave the Baptist Church had already started the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), but this baptism of the Holy Spirit moved C. H. Mason to go further spiritually than some of the others he had founded the church with. He found others who could embrace the outpouring of the Holy Spirit he had encountered at Azusa Street. In 1907, he re-established the Church of God in Christ as the first legally chartered Pentecostal Church in the United States.

“And then, dear brothers and sisters, you suffered persecution from your own countrymen. In this way, you imitated the believers in God’s churches in Judea who, because of their belief in Christ Jesus, suffered from their own people, the Jews.” (1 Thessalonians 2:14; NLT)

Give Him 15 minutes in prayer:

  • Sometimes, we have to move on in God, even when our closest friends stop. If this has happened to you, take a moment to pray for and bless those who couldn’t move forward with you.
  • If you have ever been persecuted by other Christians, especially Christian leaders, for your faith choices, forgive them and bless them now.
  • Ask God to bring unity to the Church across denominations and across racial divides.
  • Make a commitment to walk in unity and a bond of love and peace wherever possible with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Find a prayer meeting you can attend at another church, for example.
  • If you have not received the gift of tongues, giving you the ability to pray for things in the power of the Holy Spirit, ask the Lord for this gift. Go to a church where you know they do speak in tongues and ask someone there to help you receive this gift, if necessary. Just get all of Him!

A prayer you can pray:

Father, I miss my friends who couldn’t embrace some of the spiritual truth You have led me to understand. It is sad that we can’t pray together, due to these doctrinal differences. I love them, however, and I ask You to bless them. It won’t keep me from loving them and desiring that they experience more of Your love for them. (Forgive and bless any Believers who may have persecuted you for your faith choices, especially Christian leaders.) Heal Your Body, Jesus, so we can minister together to reach the lost in our nation. Show me where I can connect with other Christians in prayer in other churches in my city. Fill me with an even greater measure of Your Holy Spirit and give me power to pray in a language I don’t understand, but which the Father does. Fill me with a power to witness to the lost and prodigals. Help me to help others be filled with the Holy Spirit and to speak in new tongues. Amen.

Today’s decree:

A fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit is coming to another generation in America!
1 Learn more about C. H. Mason and the roots of the Pentecostal movement here.