by Bill Johnson
The Cevennes Prophets
(Seventeenth Century) The Cevennes prophets of France are an interesting case study in corporate Holy Spirit outpourings. God began an awakening in the Cevennes when in the 1688, 16 year-old Isabeau Vincent began to have ecstasies, shaking and fainting, wherein she could quote Scriptures she had never known and prophesy. She would sometimes sing or preach sermons in her sleep. She impacted many, leading them to repentance. Dozens of people in her village were ignited with a prophetic gifting, and as news spread, visitors flocked to the area. Many in the Cevennes had angelic visions, and they were sometimes led to secret meetings by means of lights in the sky. Specific words of knowledge were common, and all were driven to a thirst for holiness. People began to pray and fast, and their meetings were marked by unusual spontaneity, as well as exuberant and demonstrative worship. Physical manifestations of God’s presence were also present on believers.
The Moravians
The Moravians of Herrnhut, Saxony, were a group of about 300 refugees living on the estate of Count Nicholaus von Zinzendorf, when in 1727 a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit fell. “We saw the hand of God and His wonders, and we were all under the cloud of our fathers baptized with their Spirit. The Holy Ghost came upon us and in those days great signs and wonders took place in our midst. From that time scarcely a day passed but what we beheld His almighty workings amongst us.”
George Whitefield
Whitefield was a major player in the Great Awakening Started by Jonathan Edwards. Many were saved in his missions, and it is estimated that he preached to six million without the use of radio or television. Whitefield’s meetings were criticized for their emotional expressions of worship. John Wesley describes a prayer meeting with Whitefield, in which the Spirit of God moved on them in 1739. “About three in the morning, as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground. As soon as we were recovered a little from the awe and amazement at the presence of His majesty, we broke out with one voice, ‘We praise Thee, O God, we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord.’” Understand that we are not referring to hype or a striving, emotional attempt to garnish experience from God. This is about the sudden, undeniable surprises of His sovereignty.
William Seymour
The Spirit began to fall in Los Angeles, as people were radically filled and walked out into the streets speaking in tongues. Crowds began to grow at these home meetings, where Seymour was living with a host family. Before long, they were preaching from the front porch as people filled the streets to listen. Eventually, they moved into an old horse stable at 312 Azusa Street. It was in this stable in 1906 that the Pentecostal movement was officially born.
People would fall over and weep. They would speak in tongues. They would laugh, jerk, dance, and shout. They would wait on the Lord for hours, sometimes saying nothing. Seymour would often preach from his knees.
“No one could possibly record all the miracles that occurred there,” writes charismatic historian Roberts Liardon. John G. Lake said of William Seymour that, “He had more of God in his life than any man I had ever met up to that time.”
Prayer lasted all day and all night. Firemen were even dispatched to Azusa Street, because people saw a “fire,” which was actually just the visible glory of God resting on the exterior of the building. Similar occurrences have happened in a number of revivals, like the Indonesian revival, as recorded by Mel Tari in the 1970s, where firemen were also dispatched to a “glory fire” that was visible to everyone around.
Missionaries began coming to Azusa Street from around the world to catch the fire. People would fall over, get saved and begin speaking in tongues blocks away from the building, even though no one prayed for them, and they had no idea what was going on in the Azusa mission. Parishioners would also hit the streets, knocking on doors with little bottles of oil and asking to pray for the sick.
Seymour sought first and foremost to cultivate the presence of God in his meetings. If someone felt led, they would stand up and begin to pray or preach. If the anointing did not seem to be on a particular speaker, that person would sometimes get a gentle tap on the shoulder to hush up. Truly, the Spirit of God was the leader of those meetings.
John G. Lake
One afternoon a brother minister called and invited me to accompany him to visit a lady who was sick. Arriving at the home we found the lady in a wheelchair. All her joints were set with inflammatory rheumatism. She had been in the condition for ten years. While my friend was conversing with her, preparing her to be prayed with, that she might be healed, I sat in a deep chair on the opposite side of a large room. My soul was crying out to God in a yearning too deep for words, when suddenly it seemed to me that I had passed under a shower of warm tropical rain, which was not falling upon me but through me. My spirit and soul and body, under this influence, was soothed into such a deep still calm as I had never known. My brain, which had always been so active, became perfectly still. An awe of the presence of God settled over me. I knew it was God.
Some moments passed; I do not know how many. The Spirit said, “I have heard your prayers, I have seen your tears. You are now baptized in the Holy Spirit.” Then currents of power began to rush through my being from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet. The shocks of power increased in rapidity and voltage. As these currents of power would pass through me, they seemed to come upon my head, rush through my body and through my feet into the floor. The power was so great that my body began to vibrate intensely so that I believe if I had not been sitting in such a deep low chair I might have fallen upon the floor.
At that moment I observed my friend was motioning me to come and join him in prayer for the woman who was sick. In his absorption he had not noticed that anything had taken place in me. I arose to go to him, but I found my body trembling so violently that I had difficulty in walking across the room, and especially in controlling the trembling of my hands and arms. I knew that it would not be wise to thus lay my hands upon the sick woman as I was likely to jar her. It occurred to me that all that was necessary was to touch the tips of my fingers on the top of the patient’s head and then the vibrations would not jar her. This I did. At once the currents of holy power passed through my being, and I knew that it likewise passed through the one that was sick. She did not speak, but apparently was amazed at the effect in her body.
My friend who had been talking to her in his great earnestness had been kneeling as he talked to her. He arose saying, “Let us pray that the Lord will now heal you.” As he did so he took her by the hand. At the instant their hands touched, a flash of dynamic power went through my person and through the sick woman, and as my friend held her hand the shock of power went through her hand into him. The rush of power into his person was so great that it caused him to fall on the floor. He looked up at me with joy and surprise, and springing to his feet said, “Praise the Lord, John, Jesus has baptized you in the Holy Ghost!”
Then he took the crippled hand that had been set for so many years. The clenched hands opened and the joints began to work, first the fingers, then the hand and the wrist, then the elbow and shoulder.
These were the outward manifestations. But Oh! Who could describe the thrills of joy inexpressible that were passing through my spirit? Who could comprehend the peace and presence of God that thrilled my soul? Even at this lade date, ten years afterward the awe of that hour rests upon my soul. My experience has truly been as Jesus said: “He shall be within you a well of water, springing up into everlasting life.” That never-ceasing fountain has flowed through my spirit, soul and body day and night, bringing salvation and healing and the Baptism of the Spirit in the power of God to multitudes.
Charles Finney
Charles Finney is one of the great revivalists in American history. While he is well-known for revival and his preaching of true repentance, not everyone recognizes him as a great social reformer. The emancipation of slave
s and the rights of women were two of the issues that were heavily impacted through his preaching. The revivals were obviously to get people converted to Jesus Christ. But his target was far beyond filling churches with new members. He knew that if there was to be a lasting result to his preaching there had to be deep cultural change. All true preachers of the gospel must keep this in mind. But for the theme of this book, one story stands out head and shoulders above the rest. He writes of this unusual experience in his own autobiography.
He entered a factory one morning after breakfast. In a room filled with young ladies working on their weaving machines, looms, and spinning devices, two in particular stood out to him. They looked a bit agitated, but seemed to cover it with laughter. He said nothing, but walked closer, noticing that one was trembling so badly that she couldn’t mend her thread. When he got to within about 8 to 10 feet they burst out in tears and slumped down. In moments nearly the whole roomful of workers was in tears. The owner, who was yet unconverted himself, recognized that this was a divine moment and ordered that his factory be shut down to give his workers a chance to come to Christ. A mini-revival broke out, which lasted several days. Nearly the entire mill was converted during this time. It all started with a man upon whom the Spirit of God loved to rest. And so without words a room full of workers came under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and a revival was born.
While this exact experience did not happen every day, I can’t help but wonder if maybe the Lord is trying to draw us into a greater hunger for more, now that we know what else is possible. This testimony is in God’s resume. It reveals how He is willing to affect the surroundings of those who host Him well.
Smith Wigglesworth
Here is the final story that is my favorite story in this chapter. It is one of my favorite stories in all of church history. Smith was a man of the Presence.
There were 11 leading Christians in prayer with our Brother at a special afternoon meeting. Each had taken a part. The Evangelist then began to pray for the Dominion, and as he continued, each, according to their measure of spirituality, got out. The power of God filled the room and they could not remain in an atmosphere supercharged by the power of God.
The author on hearing of this from one who was present registered a vow that if the opportunity came, he at any rate would remain whoever else went out. During the stay in the Sounds a special meeting was called to pray for the other towns in New Zealand yet to be visited. A like position to the other meeting now arose. Here was the opportunity, the challenge, the contest was on. A number prayed. Then the old saint began to lift up his voice, and strange as it may seem, the exodus began. A Divine influence began to fill the place. The room became holy. The power of God began to feel like a heavy weight. With set chin, and a definite decision not to budge, the only other one now left in the room hung on and hung on, until the pressure became too great, and he could stay no longer. With the flood gates of his soul pouring out a stream of tears, and with uncontrollable sobbing he had to get out or die; and a man who knew God as few do was left alone immersed in an atmosphere that few men could breathe in.
Take Note
I hope you noticed that the stories of deep personal encounters resulted in outpourings, movements, societal transformation, and ultimately an increased awareness of His Presence, sometimes over a city, region, or nation. Those experiences affected everything about their lives and eventually impacted their surroundings. The historic transformations of culture didn’t happen merely because people got into political office and made changes according to their convictions. While that can be good, there’s something much better. Presence. These normal people became heroes of the faith, not because of their giftedness, their intelligence, or their pedigree. They are heroes because they learned the value of their greatest gift—the Holy Spirit.
What Now?
Stories like these make me feel like I’ve just entered that dust cloud on Interstate 5 again. But this time it’s not the danger of an accident that has my eyes fixed on the road ahead. It’s the chance I could miss the purpose for which I was apprehended by God by being preoccupied with other things. Lesser things. These stories are testimonies that prophesy of what God has made available for us in our lifetime. As such, they set a legal precedent. The courts of Heaven have concluded once and for all that the kind of life represented in the lives of these heroes of the faith is available for all.
We are the ones upon whom the promises of the ages have come to rest. And they are contingent upon our being a people who have discovered our eternal purpose. We have been chosen to be His eternal dwelling place. We have been chosen to host His Presence.
About Bill Johnson
Bill Johnson is a fifth-generation pastor with a rich heritage in the Holy Spirit. Together Bill and his wife serve a growing number of churches that have partnered for revival. This leadership network has crossed denominational lines, building relationships that enable church leaders to walk successfully in both purity and power.
Bill and Brenda (Beni) Johnson are the senior pastors of Bethel Church in Redding, California. All three of their children and spouses are involved in full-time ministry. They also have nine wonderful grandchildren.
IN THE RIGHT HANDS, THIS BOOK
WILL CHANGE LIVES!
Most of the people who need this message will not be looking for this book. To change their lives, you need to put a copy of this book into their hands.
But others (seeds) fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundred-fold, some sixty-fold, some thirty-fold (Matthew 13:8).
Our ministry is constantly seeking methods to find the good ground, the people who need this anointed message to change their lives. Will you help us reach these people?
Remember this - a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop (2 Corinthians 9:6).
Thank you,
Don Nori Sr., Founder
Destiny Image
Since 1982
"Promoting Inspirired Lives."
VISIT OUR NEW SITE HOME AT
www.DESTINYIMAGE.COM
* * *
FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO DI NEWSLETTER
Receive free unpublished articles by top DI authors, exclusive
discounts, and free downloads from our best and newest books.
Visit www.destinyimage.com to suscribe.
* * *
Write to:
Destiny Image® Publishers, Inc.
P.O. Box 310
Shippensburg, PA 17257-0310
Call: 1-800-722-6774
Email: [email protected]
For a complete list of our titles or to place an order
online, visit www.destinyimage.com
FIND US ON FACEBOOK OR FOLLOW US ON TWITTER.
facebook.com/destinyimage
www.twitter.com/destinyimage