Asbury Revival

[jiminpa]

I just looked for the Bible definition of a move of God, and I can't find any place that the Bible dictates what a move of God has to look like.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I just looked for the Bible definition of a move of God, and I can't find any place that the Bible dictates what a move of God has to look like.

I think John 3:8 talks about moves of God, or the way God moves pretty well.
"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

 

[ByTheSpirit]

This is probably the 3rd time I've mentioned this on here,.....

If people are going to say that this is a move involving The Holy Spirit,..... then we need evidence of His work, we don't just assume it.

How do we know that The Holy Spirit is involved? By His manifestations,.... which are,.... operations of His gifts, either when people are being filled like in Acts 10 or corporately like they were in Acts 2.

It would also be nice to see strong preaching like was recorded of Peter whereby 3000 were saved afterwards.


Now,.... are we seeing any of this evidence happening? No. Nobody is being saved, and nobody is being filled with The Holy Spirit with the accompanying gifts.

Well ok, guess what, you've got a church service going on. Mystery solved. See how easy that was?

You know it's funny, any other time people are all in your face with scripture about things on here, but they immediately throw their bible to the side as soon as someone mentions a revival. Same thing has happened before with the other wannabe revivals I've mentioned in other posts. I'm not sure why this happens all the time, unless it is a case of wedge issues, where a few are against something so everyone decides to be for it in hopes that they will be wrong somehow.

I don't know, but hey whatever, everyone enjoy your live streamed church service.

Im sorry my brother but this is just full of inaccuracies.

1) What is evidence of the Holy Spirit's work? Sure, the gifts can be physical proof of the Spirit's presence. But again, the gifts are not the end of our faith, nor are they the goal, they are a means to accomplish the purpose God has given, the salvation of the World. So the proof of the Spirit's work is when lives are changed. Paul even chided a church because they put more emphasis on the gifts and the operation of those gifts, over what really matters, love and faith.

2) You say: nobody is being saved. How do you know this? This is a statement made out of frustration maybe? Im not sure what motivated you to say this, but without some concrete proof that NOBODY is being saved, this is a gross inaccuracy and misrepresentation.

 

[jiminpa]

I want to see more gifts of the Spirit in operation. I want us to be going out there healing the sick, speaking God's specific word to people, floating metal objects from the depths, feeding thousands of families with a picnic lunch for one, but if it's not from the overflow of a deep love and trust in God, what good are we doing? If 1/10th of these "kids" are getting that right, (and it appears to be more), we're gaining ground. God can work out the rest.

 

[jiminpa]

It's just far too coincidental that this is happening at the same time God is reviving me.

I got saved in the early 80s, not by some great call to repentance from the pulpit, but by God touching me with His infinite love, (it was in a chapel service). He made it very clear that He had to hold back due to my limitations. The finite can't contain infinity. Then a series of events and my own immaturity and foolishness hardened me to that love and I became insulated. When you've carried a touch of infinity inside you, growing cold to it is unbearable. For decades I've been crying out and trying on my own to know the fire of that love again.

Then, this past October, I was reading Psalm 37:4 and, (this had to be God), did a word study on "delight." It's one of those words that English completely misses. To delight in the Lord is to take refuge, luxuriate and find joy in Him. It's like being in a Thomas Kinkade painting, in the warm, safe cottage, in front of the fire, with a hot drink, basking in His love and protection, and He hands you a gift and it's what your heart has always wanted. While that was sinking deeper into my consciousness, some of my church did a mission trip to New York City. I felt sure I was supposed to go, and did. We just did what we do. We walked and prayed and stopped and played worship music, and let the people there that my pastor had already spoken to know we were there, and people were blessed. A lady just walked up and joined our worship circle in the park. We got to talk to a man who was stuck in grief.

I had a friend have a brush with death, and chose to stay back here because she understood her mission. She and I can talk about what touching God's infinite love feels like.

The fire in me is starting to blaze again. It can't be a coincidence that it is happening to thousands of others too. I didn't make it happen in me; I've been trying to do that for decades and couldn't.

I know that this won't convince everyone, but I hope it encourages some.

 

[jiminpa]

Maybe, what we're seeing now isn't THE MOVE, but just the prep work.

 

[ARBITER01]

A lot of points made in the thread, I probably won't address them all, but I wanted to at least expound on a couple.

It's true, there is no Greek word for revival in our bibles, nor really an example of such a thing either, but,..... it is common for an evangelist type to visit churches to sort of "revive" them occasionally. I personally witnessed this in holiness/brethren type churches as well as small non-denomination types. It's all a pre-scheduled event, where these churches will have a week dedicated to a specific "revival." This is GOD operating through a person for such an outcome. Most of the old Spirit-filled Saints was recorded as doing such things during their time also.

There's really no direct biblical support on this though, but just as Jesus would be led by The Holy Spirit to certain areas for GOD to operate at, such an event would be similar and correct.

Again, this is GOD operating through a person for His glory, not The Holy Spirit pouring out at an event.

Also, we don't try to gauge the correctness of church events by the fruit of The Spirit instead of the gifts. That would be a very ambiguous thing to try and pull off. How would we sort out the liars?

What's listed in the bible for outpourings is salvations and the gifts and that needs to be our standard, if we can't go by that, then we are treading into grey area that can be manipulated,... ie the flesh and emotions.

 

[Always in His Presence]

Critics:

Locally it is of small account, being insignificant both in numbers and influence. Instead of being the greatest movement of the times, as represented—in Los Angeles, at least—it is of small moment. It has had, and has now, upon the religious life of the city, about as much influence as a pebble thrown into the sea; but what little influence it has had seems to have been mostly harmful, instead of beneficent. It seems not only to have had at least some of the elements of fanaticism, but to be trying to inculcate such erroneous or heretical doctrines as mark it as not of the Spirit of Truth. - Rev Phineas Bresee - General Superintendent Nazarene Church on the Azuza Street Revival​

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The members of the true Church are baptized by one Spirit into one body, and all have the same mind. This is not the case at Azusa Street. In these meetings the whole thing is utter confusion. Some believe in annihilation, some in eternal punishment, some in one thing and some in another, and everybody is in such darkness and confusion that five minutes of Holy Ghost preaching would empty this den of all its vipers. Everybody talks about the “tongues” and the real Pentecostal power. To give up all and have all things in common seems a strange doctrine to these “tongue” idolaters. People can hold onto their jewelry, their houses and lands, and everything—just get the “tongues” and you are ready for life or death. - A. Sulgar​

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There never was a time in the history of the world when the devil had so many devices to deceive people as now. He does not come so much as a roaring lion, but as an angel of light, and before people are aware, he has caught them in a snare which means their sure destruction if a miracle is not wrought to disentangle them from its meshes. As we are nearing the winding up of the Gentile age he seems to become more desperate and more determined to destroy the whole human race. Everywhere people are under his delusions and so deceived, that it seems utterly useless to try to open their blinded eyes. Well may it be said, “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” - Alma White - Pillar of Fire Ministries​

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My point being - there have always been critics of revivals. Even Azuza was widley condemned on a national level. But God had the final word and 'laugh'.

Is Asbury a revival? to thousands who have been there - yes - to thousands of others - no.

I'm happy that either way - God will have the final word.

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[ARBITER01]

Here's the interesting part of this,....

We are talking about a University/College institution where this stuff is fostered and allowed to grow,..... well guess what,.....these kids are not being convicted of their sin and changing from it, they are celebrated there.

This is a big problem that satan is pushing into a lot of churches, and this is his way of trying to push it into the Spirit-filled ones also.

The devil is in the detail of things,.... and that is so true on this. This will be coming to your church also just in case you thought you were exempt from it.

 

[jiminpa]

Here's the interesting part of this,....

We are talking about a University/College institution where this stuff is fostered and allowed to grow,..... well guess what,.....these kids are not being convicted of their sin and changing from it, they are celebrated there.

This is a big problem that satan is pushing into a lot of churches, and this is his way of trying to push it into the Spirit-filled ones also.

The devil is in the detail of things,.... and that is so true on this. This will be coming to your church also just in case you thought you were exempt from it.

I'm sorry to respond to you, but I checked that guy's Youtube channel, and he's not exactly truthful, (putting it nicely). He relies heavily on semi-factual captions and out of context quotes. He likes to warn against teachers for being more biblical than he is. He's a classic plank in the eye critic, attacking others to try to hide his own sins.

You do what you want, but myself, I don't believe unrepentant, intentional deceivers.

 

[ARBITER01]

I'm sorry to respond to you, but I checked that guy's Youtube channel, and he's not exactly truthful, (putting it nicely). He relies heavily on semi-factual captions and out of context quotes. He likes to warn against teachers for being more biblical than he is. He's a classic plank in the eye critic, attacking others to try to hide his own sins.

You do what you want, but myself, I don't believe unrepentant, intentional deceivers.

Dismiss it if you want on character basis, but this is happening and it's coming our way. It's already in the mainline Protestant churches (and dividing them up), and now it's trying to make a foothold indirectly in the Pentecostal/Charismatic ones through things like this.

This is why we need biblical standards instead of agreeing with anything thrown our way.

And the only intentional deceivers in all of this would be those unrepentant sinners masquerading themselves as Christians.

 

[jiminpa]

Dismiss it if you want on character basis, but this is happening and it's coming our way. It's already in the mainline Protestant churches (and dividing them up), and now it's trying to make a foothold indirectly in the Pentecostal/Charismatic ones through things like this.

This is why we need biblical standards instead of agreeing with anything thrown our way.

And the only intentional deceivers in all of this would be those unrepentant sinners masquerading themselves as Christians.

I dismiss it because he's a liar and an accuser, and his videos are the overflow of that. He imposes his views on scripture instead of letting scripture change his views. I don't believe anything he says.

You speak of biblical standards, and you're right about that, but then cite someone whose biblical standards are to make the Bible serve his doctrine.

 

[ARBITER01]

I dismiss it because he's a liar and an accuser, and his videos are the overflow of that. He imposes his views on scripture instead of letting scripture change his views. I don't believe anything he says.

You speak of biblical standards, and you're right about that, but then cite someone whose biblical standards are to make the Bible serve his doctrine.

I'm not here to make you believe anything, only to point out the truth.

I could care less of someone's past for the most part. There are exceptions such as MacArthur and his lies, but if GOD is using someone to point out truth and The Holy Spirit is witnessing to it, it's not for me to ignore it.

It's already died out anyways, so it's not really worth talking about anymore.

 

[Pioneer3mm]

there have always been critics of revivals.

Good point.
---
Revivals started..
- with a few people who were broken..praying, seeking..
- they went through criticisms, opposition, etc..
- often, becoming outcasts.
- in Christian history.
---
Revivals..break existing patterns/norm.
- Comfortable/predictable & nicely packaged weekly services/programs.
- Many people & establishments are not interested..
---
I have been observing/involved in revival/renewal movements..
- since 1970s.
---
Currently..working on the book project.
'Revivals/Spiritual Awakening & Mission in Christian History'
---
*I wrote a similar comment/post..on another thread.

 

[jiminpa]

I'm not here to make you believe anything, only to point out the truth.

I could care less of someone's past for the most part. There are exceptions such as MacArthur and his lies, but if GOD is using someone to point out truth and The Holy Spirit is witnessing to it, it's not for me to ignore it.

It's already died out anyways, so it's not really worth talking about anymore.

I don't know that it has died out, just dispersed out. To modify what I said earlier, this may just be a sprouting.

 

[jiminpa]

Baylor, Louisiana State University and More Colleges Report Revivals Happening on Campus