Azusa Street Testimonies (Part 4)

 

Healed From Sickness

A sister who has had hemorrhages of the lungs for years was brought very low lately, having seven hard hemorrhages one after another. She was nearing the river and heard her name called three times by a heavenly messenger, but she answered that she did not feel she could say she had fought a good fight and kept the faith. Then the drawing to the other shore ceased. The saints prayed for her, and she arose, and dressed, being perfectly healed. She went to the table and ate her dinner and afterwards played and sang several hymns. She has received the baptism with the Holy Spirit and God has raised her up to preach the whole Gospel.

From Alaska

Bro. H. M. Turney, an evangelist who was in Alaska when he heard of the outpouring of God's Spirit in California, struck out immediately for Los Angeles, and he has received the baptism with the Holy Spirit and gift of tongues. About five minutes before he received the Holy Spirit, while kneeling at the altar, he whispered to Bro. Oyler that the devil was tempting him that the speaking in tongues was not for him. Bro. Oyler replied, "The devil is a liar from the beginning." And immediately the Holy Spirit fell on our brother and he spoke with tongues. Since then he says the Lord waked him up at night speaking and singing in tongues, as He has so many others. A brother from Redlands, seventy-nine years old, came for Divine healing. He was deaf and used ear trumpets. The Lord opened his ears immediately. Then as he arose to go, a brother asked him," "Where are you glasses?" He looked around and said with astonishment, "Why, I can see as well as I ever did." He had had poor eyesight. The Lord also healed him of rheumatism at the same time. "With his stripes we are healed."

Bro. G.A. Cook Receives The Holy Spirit

God has told His children to be witnesses, and the most convincing evidence is testimony of personal knowledge. To endeavor to help those who are sending in letters of inquiry to the Apostolic Faith office, asking how they may receive the Holy Spirit, the writer will state a little of his personal experience in obtaining this pearl of great price, the baptism with the Holy Spirit. I dropped into the meetings on Azusa Street some time in April, having heard that some people were speaking in tongues, as they did on the day of Pentecost. Although I had been trying to preach Pentecost for five years, the speaking in tongues was as strange to me as though it had never been mentioned in God's word. At first the meeting seemed a very tame affair to me, as I had been along the line of much fleshly demonstration and noise.

As I was indoctrinated in the second blessing being the baptism with the Holy Spirit, I branded the teaching as heretical, not going to the meetings for some time. In the meantime, Pentecost came to the place, and many began to speak in tongues. I now began to attend regularly. In fact, I could not stay away. My heart began to break up, and soon I was going from one person to another, asking them to forgive me for harsh words and criticism. God so melted my heart that I would cry at my work or riding on a streetcar. How the dear Lord began to teach me that what I needed was His loving, tender Spirit, and that power with God meant deep humility in our dealings with our fellow creatures. I now began to go to the altar and earnestly seek for the Lord to have His way with me. Soon the power of God began to work with me. The Holy Spirit showed me that I must be clay in the Potter's hands, an empty vessel before the Lord. I laid aside all doctrine, all pre-conceived ideas and teachings and became absolutely empty. The Holy Spirit now settled down on me, and I could feel the power going through me like electric needles. The Spirit taught me that I must not resist the power but give way and become limp as a piece of cloth. When I did this, I fell under the power, and God began to mold me and teach me what it meant to be really surrendered to Him. 

I was laid out under the power five times before Pentecost really came. Each time I would come out from under the power, I would feel so sweet and clean, as though I had been run through a washing machine. I now had come to the place where I was completely submitted to the whole will of God. I had been seeking about five weeks, and on a Saturday morning I awoke and stretched my arms toward heaven and asked God to fill me with the Holy Spirit. My arms began to tremble, and soon I was shaken violently by a great power, and it seemed as though a large pipe was fitted over my neck, my head apparently being off. I was now filled with the Holy Spirit. Words cannot describe the power I felt. The nearest description that could be given would be the action of a pump under terrific pressure, filling me with oil. I could feel the filling in my toes and all parts of my body which seemed to me to swell until I thought I would burst. 

I do not know how long this continued but it seemed to me a long time. The pressure was now removed and my soul and spirit seemed to leave the body and float in the air just above. My body seemed hard and metallic like iron. This was undoubtedly the baptism into the death of Christ. It was now time for me to arise and go to work, so I got up without speaking in tongues. I believe I would have spoken in tongues then, if I had remained in the hands of the Lord long enough. About thirty hours afterwards, while sitting in the meeting on Azusa Street, I felt my throat and tongue begin to move, without any effort on my part. Soon I began to stutter and then out came a distinct language which I could hardly restrain. I talked and laughed with joy far into the night. Praise His name for such a wonderful experience of power and love and joy. G.A. Cook.

In Him
Tyrone

Supernatural Manifestations Of Christ

John 8:58-59

"Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by."

The bible is full of supernatural events and acts of God from Genesis to Revelation. The scriptures testify of many supernatural works that the carnal mind cannot comprehend, and the supernatural manifestations and miracles of Jesus are no exception.

I want to point out just a few things that Jesus did that may have been over looked. Like the above scriptures when He was about to be stoned. How did Jesus hide Himself, then walk right through the midst of an angry crowd ready to stone Him to death, and then walk out of the temple?

The only conclusion I can draw is that He made Himself invisible! Now remember this is BEFORE His death, burial, and resurrection, when He received His resurrection power to just appear in a locked room and disappear at will.

Perhaps there are some magicians who can do that too, but their power definitely doesn't come from God!

One thing to note here is that Jesus wasn't afraid to speak the truth to those who opposed Him, He wasn't afraid of what would happen because He had all faith and trust in His Father. He knew that His time to die had not come, so He trusted the Father and the Holy Spirit to take care of Him in every situation.

Luke 4:24-30

"Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way."

Here we see Jesus speaking the truth to the religious leaders, and what happened? They tried to kill Him again, this time by throwing Him off a cliff!

But they didn't succeed because Jesus made Himself invisible again and passed right through the midst of them!

John 8:56-59

"Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple."

A recurring theme right! Jesus speaks the truth and then the Pharisees and Jews want to kill Him! But once again Jesus hides Himself and walks right out of the temple! The amazing supernatural acts of Jesus recorded for all time.

And what's even more amazing is that Jesus said that those who believed in Him and obeyed Him would do even greater works than He did! Now how is that possible? Christ in us the hope of glory!

John 14:12-14

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."

If you believe it, you WILL receive it!

In Jesus,
Tyrone

Azusa Street Miracles!

Excerpt taken from “Azusa Street, They Told Me Their Stories, The Youth and Children of Azusa Street Tell Their Stories” Retold by Brother Tommy

“I recall witnessing two of the greatest miracles where Seymour was greatly used by God. I was all ears! First, she told about the man with the wooden leg. Seymour had approached a man with a wooden leg and asked, What did you come here for?‘ The man replied, I want you to pray for my leg. It is starting to get gangrene where the wooden leg attaches. Seymour replied, I‘m just upset because you have the wooden leg on. It would be hard for God to grow a leg out when the wooden leg is attached. The man removed the wooden leg and stood before Seymour standing on his one good leg.

Seymour laid hands on the man and proclaimed, Let Thy Name be Glorified. In the Name of Jesus, I command this leg to grow out. The gangrene is gone; you are healed.

Seymour didn‘t preach that night. The miracle spoke for itself. Rejoicing was continuous as the crowd went wild. The man ran upon the platform and around the room. No one could get him to stop rejoicing and praising God.

Next, Sister Lankford told of the man with no arm. Seymour spoke with a man who had lost his arm ten years earlier through a work-related accident. The arm had been totally severed at the shoulder. Brother Seymour asked the crowd, Would you like to see God have a wonderful time here tonight?

Some of you may remember the man‘s leg that grew out about a year ago. Seymour then asked the one-armed man, Can you work with just the one arm? I‘m just given minimal paying jobs and I barely make enough money to even eat. Seymour shook his head and responded, That‘s not good. Are you married? Yes. Got kids? Yes. This man needs to be able to make a living. This man needs to work and he needs to be able to pay his tithe.

Will you tithe if I pray for you and God gives you your arm back? Seymour said teasingly. Yes! Seymour burst out laughing. I‘m just having fun. He then slapped his hands on the shoulder itself and commanded the arm to grow out. Almost instantly it grew out. The healed man stood in total shock, then started moving his arm and feeling of it with his other hand, awed by the miracle.

A few weeks later the man came back, bringing about 200 people with him, telling many at the meeting that he had gotten his old job back. Many of those he brought with him needed healing and left that evening fully restored as people in the crowd prayed and laid hands on each of them.”

The time is near for greater works than these to be made manifest in these last days!

In Jesus,

Tyrone

Signs And Wonders!

Mark 14:14-20

"Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen."

The truth contained in these scriptures are absolute, Jesus spoke them and I believe what He said. The ministry of Jesus included many signs, wonders, and miracles as God bore witness to His Christ and the words He spoke.

Jesus never emphasized the signs and miracles that the Father worked through Him, but God used the signs, wonders, and miracles to show that Jesus was approved and sent by Him into the world to preach the good news of the kingdom and to reconcile the world back to Himself.

John 3:1

"There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."


Acts 2:22-24

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it."

Acts 10:36-38

"The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.


When John sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the Messiah, Jesus answered by telling them all the works that God was doing through Him

Matthew 11:1-6

"Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

The earthly ministry of Jesus was all inclusive, not only did He meet the physical needs of people but also the spiritual. He preached the gospel and showed people the pathway that would lead them to the salvation of their souls, He cast out demons from those who were oppressed, He opened the eyes of the blind, the cripple were made to walk, those who had diseases were cured, the dead were raised up, and the hungry were fed. There was not one need of the people that Jesus didn't meet in His ministry.

Likewise, those who are called by the Lord and sanctified for His use will do the same ministry works that Jesus did and the Lord Himself will confirm His ministers and believers with signs, wonders, and miracles following.


John 14:12-14

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."

The same works that Jesus did, His apostles did too.


Matthew 10:5-8

"These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."

The ministry works of Jesus include all the above. Preaching, healing, cleansing, raising the dead, and casting out demons. These are the signs, wonders, and miracles that will follow those who believe in Jesus.

In the book of Acts we read of how the Lord worked through His ministers and the believers in the 1st century church as they preached the gospel and witnessed about His crucifixion and resurrection from the dead.


Acts 2:40-43

"And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles."

When the early believers prayed after Peter and John were released from the rulers in Jerusalem, they asked the Lord to give them boldness to speak His word and that signs and wonders be done through the name of Jesus.

Now this is a powerful prayer to the Lord!


Acts 4:23-31

"And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.’ “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness."


Acts 5:12-16

"And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed."

Stephen and Philip were not called to be apostles, but they were believers of Jesus Christ, men of good reputation, full of faith and the Holy Spirit. (Philip was an Evangelist)


Acts 6:8


"And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people."


Acts 8:4-8

"Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city."

Yes, signs and wonders will follow those who believe in Jesus as they preach His word, minister to His people, and bear witness to His kingdom, to His death, and to His resurrection!

In Jesus Name,
Tyrone