"Revival Azuza Street
- California”
On Friday, June 18th at 11:30 p.m., we were
privileged to hold a prayer vigil at the world famous Bonnie
Brae House in which the modern Pentecostal revival started
in the early 1900's. This is the place where a preacher
named William Seymour began to hold meetings that started
a revival that made world history. Before I talk about the
vigil here's a brief recap describing a few of the events
that took place in this house and the Azusa Street Mission.
In the early 1900's a man named William Seymour arrived
in Los Angeles and began teaching that speaking in tongues
invariably accompanies the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Seymour and a small group of believers began to fast and
pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. On April 9,
1906 IT HAPPENED! The group had gathered with one accord,
touching and agreeing, concentrating on scriptures in the
book of Acts. Each person had the faith and determination
to tarry for the Holy Ghost. Suddenly, the Holy Ghost came
with a force incomprehensible to the human mind. Several
members were slain instantly and baptized with the Holy
Ghost, and began speaking in unknown tongues. God anointed
Jennie Moore (who later married William Seymour) with the
gift to play the piano for the first time and to sing in
unknown tongues. Another convert was given the gifts of
prophecy and the interpretation of tongues. Their shouts
were so loud that they attracted the neighbors and a crowd
congregated. Word began to spread all over the city that
people were being baptized with the Holy Spirit as on the
day of Pentecost. In a matter of days, rapid and enormous
growth reached such a peak that the gatherings were forced
to move from the inside of the house to the outside front
yard. The porch served as the platform, and the yard and
dirt road were used for sitting and kneeling. The wooden
porch collapsed due to the weight of the people crowding
on it. Seymour, directed by God, located an old two story
frame abandoned building on Azusa Street which Seymour secured
and the believers moved there. The news of the revival continued
to spread like wild fire and for three and a half years
the revival persisted. Multitudes came from across this
nation and many parts of the world to witness and experience
the miraculous movement of God; some came as candidates
for the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. Countless others came
to receive healing of their infirmities. The bedridden leaped
from their beds claiming their healing. The crippled stoop
up from wheel chairs; those needing support of crutches
and walking canes threw them down and began to walk without
any aid or assistance. The sightless screamed, "I can
see!" The dumb began to speak in unknown tongues and
the deaf became listening witnesses to all of the beautiful
sounds. Hundreds were saved as conviction gripped their
souls. As a result of this Holy Ghost outpouring, the Pentecostal
movement gripped the world. This was the start of several
prominent Full Gospel organizations and they in turn gave
birth to various groups. Millions of souls have received
the gift of tongues and the interpretations since that great
revival. What an awesome manifestation of the Spirit that
occurred in this house; this is the same place that while
we where seeking the face of the Lord the Holy Spirit came
upon us in such a powerful way that young people and adults
were prostrated in the floor crying out to God in repentance.We
decided to have this prayer vigil at the request of Evangelist
Hector Cammertoni who had come from the revival in Argentina
and was holding several meetings in the Los Angeles area.
We started the evening singing some of the hymns that were
sung in the revival, the presence of God was so strong that
we felt that we were touching heaven while we sang. After
singing brother Hector shared a word from Acts 2:16 in which
the Bible speaks about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
While listening to the word something amazing happened similar
to what happened when the original revival was going on.
It is documented that on an occasion people had reported
that they had seen flames behind the Bonnie Brae house,
neighbors even called the fire department because they witnessed
a fire behind the house. When the firefighters arrived they
found no fire. Everyone was in shock and eventually realized
that it had been a divine event where holy fire from God
had descended upon the place. Something similar happened
while we were listening to the word of God, at about 1:00
in the morning two fire department vehicles arrived right
in front of the house, we had to stop the message because
we thought maybe there’s a fire or something. To our
surprise the two trucks stood in front of the house for
about 2 minutes then left because of a false alarm. Someone
must have reported something for the trucks to come specially
at 1:00 in the morning. We think that it was probably the
fire of God in the place that caused the trucks to come.
Alleluia!!!! After that incident we resumed our teaching
of the word of God and the Spirit descended upon us in a
mighty way. People were healed, restored, filled with the
Holy Spirit. Praise God. We’ll be praying for revival
to hit the nations of the world as we await the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Pastor Joe Hernandez.-Hollywood -California
