Saturday, February 18, 2012

Azuza Street and the Jesus Movement. When holiness is taught Revival can break out...Hubert T. Lindsey

I recently found this resource about William Seymour a vessell of honor and Spiritual Father of the Azuza Street Revival that took place around 1906 to 1915. Brother Seymour taught sanctification and holiness and the result was Revival. Azuza Street was one of the greatest Revivals in the history of our nation. Brother Lindsey, Spirtual Father of the Jesus Movement in 1965-1975 always spoke of such miracle of truth. Both these great men of God taught sanctification and holiness and the Spirit of God "moved" historically. Read the following about the Spiritual Father behind Azuza Street revival that Brother Lindsey proclaimed for years as a minister for Christ.

At Azusa Street Mission, William J. Seymour taught four basic truths concerning the atonement through Jesus Christ. These truths are benefits available to all who will accept them. These benefits are (1.) Justification by faith (2.)Sanctification (3.)Healing (4.) Holy Ghost baptism. Other topics included the “office work” of the Holy Ghost, Church unity and slavery.

Concerning justification by faith, Seymour taught persons who repent of their sins and turn in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ, receive forgiveness of sins. He taught regeneration and justification are simultaneous. Through justification, pardoned sinners become children of God.

Concerning sanctification, Seymour taught through it Christians are thoroughly purged and cleansed “from all original and Adamic sin”. He distinguished original or “Adamic” sin from actual sins committed by an individual. He stated, actual sins are “cleansed away through the blood of Jesus at the cross” [as a result of repenting and turning in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ]. However, original or “Adamic” sin, also cleansed at the cross, is “a real death to the old man”. Christ then becomes sanctified in the Christian. Seymour further taught, sanctification makes a Christian holy and “destroys the breed of sin, the love of sin and carnality”. The results of sanctification are (1.) A pure heart (2.) Being made “every whit whole” (3.) Christ is “crowned and enthroned” in one’s heart (4.) Obtaining “power over the world, the flesh and the devil" (5.) Sitting in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Seymour referred to sanctification as “the second work of grace” and stated it is accomplished by “the power of the blood and the Holy Ghost” working in a Christian’s heart. It is performed on the total man – spirit, soul and body. Through sanctification, Christians “live a holy life free from sin”. Scriptural bases for Seymour’s teaching on sanctification include Matthew 5:8; John 17:15-17; Romans 6:6,7; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 4:3; 5:23; 2 Timothy 2:21; Hebrews 2:11; 10:14,15; 12:14; 13:12. Also see Isaiah 26:3.12

Seymour admonished men and women to “remain before God until His all cleansing blood [made them] holy” – spirit, soul and body. He stated God calls men and women who will “live a holy life free from sin”. He also warned, “it is holiness or hell”.

Concerning healing, Seymour taught “sickness and disease are destroyed through the precious atonement of Jesus”. Through the atonement man’s physical body is sanctified “from inherited disease”. Jesus Christ will heal every case of disease. God the Father sent Jesus into the world, sanctified Him – spirit, soul and body – and gave Him for the imperfect bodies of men. Men ought to honor Jesus’ stripes, because “with his stripes we are healed”. “Every sickness is of the devil.” Jesus “was manifested to destroy the works of the devil”. [Isaiah 53:4,5; 1 John 3:8]

Seymour also taught before the Fall of Man [Genesis 3:6], man, “pure and happy…knew no sickness”. After “that unholy visitor came into the garden” man’s “system was poisoned”. That poison “has been flowing in the blood of all the human family down the ages until God spoke to His people and said, ‘I am the Lord that healeth thee’”.

Seymour further taught, “the children of Israel practiced divine healing”. David was healed of rheumatism. Seymour told of David’s healing saying,

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name, who forgives all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases’….Healing continued with God’s people til Solomon’s heart was turned away [from God] by strange women, and he brought in the black arts and mediums and they went whoring, after familiar spirits.”

“He hath born our griefs.” The meaning of the word griefs is sicknesses. Since Jesus bore men’s sicknesses, they should not have to bear them. Therefore, full salvation [deliverance form anything an individual needs to be delivered from – including sickness and disease] is available through Jesus’ atonement.

Seymour defined Holy Ghost baptism as an “enduement of power for service and work and for sealing unto the day of redemption”. He stated it comes “upon the sanctified life” and is evidenced by speaking in tongues. However, concerning tongues he admonished,

“We are not seeking for tongues, but we are seeking the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire. And when we receive it we shall be so filled with the Holy Ghost, that He Himself will speak in the power of the Spirit.”

Holy Ghost baptism “gives us [Christians] power to testify to a risen, resurrected Savior” and enables [Christians] to “lift up Christ…in His power to speak all the languages of the world”.

Seymour believed the same commission given to Jesus’ disciples to “Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high” is also given to the Church. When a Christian is Holy Ghost baptized, he or she has their own Pentecost experience just as the disciples did on the Day of Pentecost. Experiencing Holy Ghost baptism is accepting Jesus “in all of His fullness”.

Seymour also taught Holy Ghost baptism is a requirement for inclusion in the “,marriage supper of the Lamb”. He stated, “Those that will be permitted to enter in are those who are justified, sanctified and baptized with the Holy Ghost – sealed unto the day of redemption.” He compared Holy Ghost baptized Christians to the five wise virgins and non-Holy Ghost baptized Christians to the five foolish virgins. Seymour’s teaching on this subject is an exegesis on Matthew 25:1-13.

Concerning the “office work” of the Holy Ghost, Seymour stated it is “to preside over the entire work of God on earth (John 10:3)”. Jesus sent the Holy Ghost to be the Bishop of the Church. The Holy Ghost infuses with divine power and invests with heavenly authority. “No religious assembly is legal without His presence and His transaction.” Seymour further stated,

“The church had the right idea that we need bishops and elders, but they must be given authority by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and their qualifications for these offices must be the enduement of the power of the Holy Ghost.”