We filmed a new video with our friend Dave which discusses three major movements of the Holy Spirit in the 20th century.
There were three principal movements that had an emphasis on the empowering of the Holy Spirit in the 20th century: the Pentecostal movement, the Charismatic Renewal, and the Third Wave.
Some of the positive aspects that accompanied these movements included: a powerful increase in evangelism, an acceleration in missionary activity, and growth of Christian communities and churches.
But there was also another positive aspect that accompanied these outpourings that I want to touch on in this article.
Healing the Divide
In the mid-1800’s, America was so divided over the slavery issue that it actually had a civil war. Unfortunately, many forget today that people fought and died, giving up their own lives, to abolish slavery.
That being said, there was still quite a divide after the Civil War, and Jim Crow laws kept the divided situation at hand, especially in the South, where black people were kept in separate situations.
Then in the early 1900’s, the very man God raised up to lead the Pentecostal Revival was actually a child of slaves that had been emancipated, something we don’t often hear about.
William Seymour, who ended up becoming the principal leader of the Pentecostal Revival at Azusa Street in Los Angeles, was black as well as blind in one eye. Another leader of the revival was Lucy Farrow who was also black as well as a woman preacher. She became known as the Queen of the Pentecostal Movement for her gifting in leading so many into the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
It says in 1 Corinthians 1:27: “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.”
William Seymour definitely fit that bill in the context of his time, as did Lucy Farrow, as did Lonnie Frisbee later in the Jesus People/Third Wave Revival.
The Color Line Erased
During the Azusa Street Revival
The book Azusa Street shares how black as well as white and Hispanic believers, all worshipped together at these meetings, and it specifically points out that the color line was erased. These believers were forerunners experiencing healing of cultural divisions, leading the way a half century before the Civil Rights movement ever even appeared.
In fact, there were those who came to the revival and testified of having to repent of racial biases, having been convicted by the Holy Spirit when they encountered the atmosphere in the revival.
In fact, a prominent preacher named Gaston Cashwell said he received a crucifying of his racial prejudice at Azusa Street. He then had the black people there pray for him and received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Afterwards, he did a tour of the South, leading many there into the Baptism of the Holy Spirit as well, and helping expand the Pentecostal movement amongst the churches and new Pentecostal denominations.
In fact, as Pentecostal churches spread throughout the South, black, white, and Hispanic people, as well as others, worshipped together regularly in those churches, defying Jim Crow laws.
In the Director’s Cut of the movie The Apostle, Robert Duvall explains that this was one of the aspects he was seeking to portray in this film, in addition to other themes: There in the Jim Crow South, there was racial harmony and unity amongst the Pentecostal and Holiness fellowships. Duvall also wanted to portray the fact of how God often uses people who are quite flawed to carry out His purposes.
The Jesus People
Likewise, Lonnie Frisbee often shared with us how in the Jesus People Revival, there were “John Birchers,” a very right-wing group that supported Vietnam, who regularly locked arms in worship services together with long-haired Hippies who had been part of the anti-Vietnam War protests in that era.
There had been a very heavy and serious divide that plagued the nation as the war carried on, and anti-war protests were raging throughout the country.
Things got so bad that four protestors were shot dead during a protest in Ohio. This, along with the political assassinations and divisive things that also took place in that era, horribly divided the country. That division first began to experience healing by the believers within the Revival.
One conservative commentator friend who was not a part of the revival, but closely observed its positive effect, stated: “If it wasn't for the Jesus People Revival, I don't know if this nation would have survived.”
In Other History
Likewise, Charles Finney, who was mostly known for his powerful preaching of the Gospel and the revival surrounding his ministry that took off during the Second Great Awakening in the 1800’s, also opposed slavery and preached that there needed to be an end to this vile practice.
Similarly, John Wesley, who was a revivalist in England in the 1700’s, known for his tireless ministry of preaching up and down the British Isles as well as the signs and wonders that accompanied it, also encouraged and supported William Wilberforce, who was a member of the English Parliament, to bring an end to slavery in the UK. The abolition of slavery was actually accomplished by Wilberforce—who was a strong Christian—through his tireless efforts, which took place more than 30 years before the abolition of slavery in America.
The Open Secret
One of the open secrets not regularly discussed about the Jesus People Revival was that Lonnie Frisbee and others like Fred Waugh, from the very beginning, were regularly taking new converts and leading them into the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, which included praying for their healing, inner healing, deliverance, and moving them on to discipleship.
This propelled the movement and replicated it into other areas, but also further washed away divides in the blood of Christ. There were many whom we have known personally that came out of the Jesus People/Third Wave Revival, who ended up working with the poor and homeless, refugees, AIDS patients, and so on.
What can heal those things that plague us? Only the Blood of Jesus and the power of His Holy Spirit! Revive us again, oh Lord!
However, we don't need to wait for a mass revival to be personally revived! Just invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, empower you, baptize you, and ask Him to wash away every dark thing that is not of Christ in your life. He will surely renew you and you will have your own personal revival.
And if you haven’t made a decision and don't know Christ, invite Him into your heart as your personal Lord and Savior and repent of your sins, and then move on to inviting the Holy Spirit to fill and empower you.
I want to quote a few well-known Christian leaders that are not regularly thought of as Charismatic or Pentecostal, and their encouragement to seek the filling and empowering of the Holy Spirit in each of our own lives personally:
Martin Luther, leader of the Reformation—
… Look to the kindness and grace of Christ… Call upon him… Pour out your heart before him and say …here is an empty vessel that needs to be filled! Fill me, oh Lord! I am weak, strengthen me, I am cold in love, warm me and make me burn… I am a sinner but thou art righteous …. But by faith you credit me with your righteousness… increase my faith and trust!
You need to be baptized with the Holy Spirit the rest of your lives regularly and continually lest you fall back into the world and unbelief.
(Both quotes excerpted from Luther’s Sermons, Vols. 3 & 4)
Billy Graham, one of America’s greatest evangelists—
Rely constantly on the Holy Spirit, remembering that Christ dwells in you through the Holy Spirit (if you have received Christ as your Savior and Lord). Do not ask Him to help as you would a servant. Ask Him to come in and do it all. Tell him how weak, helpless, unstable, and unreliable you are. Stand aside and let Him take over all the decisions of your life… Let go of all those inner tensions and complexes and rely completely on Him.
The Bible commands us to be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18) Seeking to be filled is not an option, but a command to be obeyed…! And something that is to be continual and ongoing!
(Excerpted from the book Peace with God by Billy Graham)
Chuck Smith, founding pastor of Calvary Chapel Churches and a Jesus People leader:
I am convinced that the greatest need in the church today is a renewal of teaching on the subject of the Holy Spirit. Only then will you and I be empowered to go into the world as effective witnesses for Jesus Christ. The only hope for our nation today is a spiritual awakening that begins in the church with a fresh movement of the Holy Spirit upon the lives and hearts of the saints of God. And that takes the epi, the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
(From: Living Water: The Power of the Holy Spirit in Your Life p. 282 by Chuck Smith.)
In the revivals mentioned above, there was a heightened awareness and revelation of one’s weakness and the utter and complete need for God’s grace and power before the outpourings took place. And thus, this is something we must not forget or resist, but rather, come before the Lord in humility and learn to rely on HIS grace and power, instead of self!
A Reflection on Charlie Kirk
It is hard when something like this happens, this young leader so tragically shot down in this way.
However, the Bible says God can work everything together for good for those who love Him and are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
It is impressive and amazing to see so many people, young and old, coming together in prayer and worship throughout the nation and the world in response! The memorial event was quite impressive with all the worship and so much sharing of the Gospel! Lord, let it spread into a full revival!
Revival has healed this nation before, and we now need it again.
Have your own personal revival first by asking the Holy Spirit to fill and empower you personally, and seek to walk in the Holy Spirit and pass it on to others. As that old Jesus People song says: “It only takes a spark to get a fire going … You spread His love to everyone, You want to pass it on.”
America has been a land of Revival… and there were Revivals as well as the Reformation that spread throughout the world that also touched the founding of America.
Lord revive us again in Jesus’ name!
Much love and blessings,
Bryan and Mercedes
To learn more on these topics, below is a list of video and audio programs we’ve done on different historical revivals:
▪️From the Reformation to America
▪️The Cain Ridge Revival and Camp Meetings
▪️Charles Finney’s Conversion and Baptism in the Holy Spirit
▪️Harald Bredesen and the Charismatic Renewal
▪️Lonnie Frisbee and the Jesus People and Third Wave Revival
▪️New Video: Overview of the 3 Major Movements focused on the Empowering of the Holy Spirit in the 20th Century
