REVIVAL FIRE

Acts 2: 1-4
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance

There have been many revivals in history. I would talk about two. One was a global phenomenon and the other shook Africa.
The Azusa Street Revival was a historic series of revival meetings that took place in Los Angeles, California. It was led by William J. Seymour, an African-American
preacher. The revival began on April 9, 1906, and continued until roughly 1915.
On the night of April 9, 1906, Seymour and seven men were waiting on God on Bonnie Brae Street, "when suddenly, as though hit by a bolt of lightning, they were knocked from their chairs to the floor," and the other seven men began to speak in tongues and shout out loud praising God. The news quickly spread; the city was stirred; crowds gathered; services were moved outside to accommodate the crowds who came from all around; people fell down as they approached
The recorded miracles happened from April 1906 to Nov. 1909. The glory of God inhabited this former warehouse and stable in the early years of the twentieth century, releasing miracles of healing 24 hrs. a day, 7 days a week, for 3 1/2 yrs. Missing limbs grew where there was none, eyeballs filled in empty sockets, cancerous growths fell off, and lives were restored as the Shekinah Glory filled the building.

Life magazine and the USA Today have listed the Azusa Street Revival as being one of the top 100 nation impacting events of the 20th century. The Azusa Street Revival unleashed Christianity’s “next wave” growing to over 500 million adherents world-wide
William J. Seymour was the son of slaves, blind in one eye, self-educated, and a black holiness preacher, how unlikely it was for someone like that to lead a church in 1906 America let alone become the leader of a global revival.
As the Lord said in 2 Chr 5: 13-14 “A cloud covered the mountain and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai; (Ex. 24:17).When Solomon’s Temple was being dedicated, the house of the LORD was filled with a cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God; (2nd Chron. 5:13-14).”
So was it at Azusa.

In 1930, in Oke-Ooye, Ilesa, Osun State, Nigeria there was another revival
The 1930 revival is renowned as the event that sparked the beginning of pentecostalism and the main apostolic move of God in Nigeria. As the popular Azusa Street Revival of 1909, was to the United States of America, with William J Seymour, as the man at the centre of it, and the Welsh revival of 1904, with Evan Roberts at the centre, so also was the revival of 1930 in Oke Ooye, Ilesa Osun State of Nigeria, with Apostle Ayo Babalola at the core of it.
There was an ongoing Ilesa Apostolic Council Conference meeting which was intended to resolve some conflicts bordering on doctrine and style. The venue turned to a revival meeting, and when the hall was no longer comfortable, the meeting shifted to an open field air crusade, where men and women from all walks of life assembled daily for Prayers, healing, deliverance, and blessings. One day administrative meeting was turned to weeks of revival-meetings, where God used a non-delegate member to the conference, Apostle Joseph Ayodele Babalola to heal and cure hundreds of lepers, blind people, and lame persons. God had never been a respecter of persons, and he takes delight in announcing His name (Jehovah) even through the least-expected persons. People traveled from neighboring cities and countries to receive healing at Ilesa.
Several people were healed through the power of prayer amid evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The revival lasted about 60 days and it is regarded as the greatest revival ever in Nigeria. Faith Tabernacle of Nigeria later invited the Apostolic Church of England in 1931 to form an Association that lasted until 1939.
Revivals are channels for the strong demonstration of the power of God has can be seen in both instances in Azusa and Oke-Ooye.
But how can men stoke the fire of revival?

First, hunger!
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (Isa 55:1)
David speaking in Ps 42: 1a says
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
The fire of revival will always be the product of a deep inner thirst for God.

Second, pray for it.
In the text above, we see that the fire of the Pentecost only came down after the apostles gathered in the upper room praying for days. The fire of revival will never fall on a cold arena. Even the fire in Oke-Ooye came down where the saints were gathered in prayers. The Azusa revival likewise. The fire of revival is such a precious resource God does not dispense it wastefully.

Lastly, wait for it.
Even though we pant and desire revival, it is still the prerogative of God to give revival. He is a faithful God. He would always honor the genuine desire for revival but you must never be in a haste. You must not be like Demas
For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia (2 Tim 4;10)
Many Christians move on so quickly when they wait on God a bit. Don’t be like Demas.

It is my prayer for you that the fire of revival will visit you and your household in this season of prayers in Jesus name.
Happy New Month.

UPDATED: Wed, 31st Jan. 2024 2:44pm

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