Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven
• DAILY READING Mark 7:14-37; 2 Samuel 18; Daniel 11:21-45
Azuza street revival is definitely one of the greatest revivals the world had ever seen. It was a glorious outpouring of the Holy Spirit that began in Los Angeles, California in April 1906. It is considered to be the beginning of the modern Pentecostal movement that we have today.
During this revival led by William Seymour, people came from different parts of the world to encounter God at Azuza. Services were held day and night. The services ran almost continuously, and the place was never closed or empty. God’s presence was manifested through the unending testimonies and unusual phenomena that accompanied the meetings. One of these phenomena was eyewitness reports of fire emanating from the roof of the building. On more than one occasion, people on the street reported seeing a glow of fire on the roof. The fire department would be called upon to quench this fire, but when they arrived, they would find no fire.
Miracles, and phenomena such as these, made The Azuza street revival one of the greatest revivals ever witnessed in the history of the world.
However, this great revival, witnessed publicly, came as a result of the personal revival that first took place in William Seymour’s life. Before the fire fell at Azuza, it first started burning in William Seymour’s life. Years before the revival erupted, he had been praying fervently for it.
Speaking in his book, spiritual hunger, John G. Lake recounted Seymour’s testimony. He said prior to the revival, The Lord had led Seymour into a deep life of consecration, as he assigned 5 hours every day to prayer. This continued for three and a half years. One day as he prayed The Holy Ghost said to him, ‘there are better things to be had in the spirit, but they must be sought out with faith and prayer.’ This so quickened Seymour’s soul that he increased his hours of prayer to 7 hours a day and continued to pray for another 2 years longer, until the fire fell at Azuza. So the great revival that was witnessed at Azuza, came from the fire that first started burning upon the altar of William Seymour’s heart.
Lev 6:13 says ‘The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.’
Before the Glory of God can glow outwardly through us, the fire must have started burning already in our lives. The inner flame of devotion to God, must first begin in our hearts until it reflect brightly to the world around us. This fire on the altar of our hearts must never go out.
Jesus said in Luke 12:49 ‘I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!’
This fire that Jesus came to bring to the earth, is the fire that erupted on the day of Pentecost. This is the fire that has been burning through the lives of great men and women of God such as William Seymour. And it is this fire that we must keep burning in our individual lives. It should never be put out day or night.
The desperate times in which we live demands that we constantly carry this fire. Only this fire will be able to stop the tide of sin and evil in the world, from overcoming us.
In this endtimes, the enemy has unleashed a wave of distractions and temptations like never before. We desperately need to let the fire of God burn through our lives and keep us constantly sanctified. .
Matthew 24:12 says ‘And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.’
Already iniquity is abounding in the world, and if you don’t want your love for God to grow cold, then you must keep the fire burning constantly in your heart. To keep iniquity from overcoming us we must keep our fire burning.
You cannot afford any distraction at this time. There is a glory of God coming upon the church. Jesus is coming for a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle. This means that before Jesus comes, the church will be reigning in glory. This glory is the portion of every believer. God has a plan to glorify you, and you must keep your fire burning so that the enemy does not derail you through sin. The reason why the enemy brings temptations, is to try to derail you from seeing God’s glory.
Imagine if William Seymour, allowed himself to be derailed from God’s plan, then there would have been no Azuza street revival. Or imagine if Joseph succumbed to Potiphar’s wife, then he would have lost access to the throne of Egypt.
So don’t compromise your stance. Don’t give in to the deceptions of the enemy. Never allow your fire to go out. Do not like Esau sell your birthright for a morsel of meat. You have come too far to lose this race. Keep your fire burning. Maintain a hot spiritual life, through diligent study of the Bible and fervent prayers. Let your light so shine before men that they will indeed see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
PRAYER: Lord, please let Your fire burn continually in me. May I never compromise or allow my heart to grow cold. Give me the grace to maintain a fervent spiritual life always. May my light so shine before men that they will see Your glory manifesting through me in Jesus name.
QUOTE
There is something that God has placed within you that the world is eagerly awaiting to see.
[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK TRIUMPH OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS]