HISTORY OF REVIVAL

BY IRENE MCGOUGH

Copyright © 2009 Irene McGough Disciples of Jesus Ministry

www.discipleofjesussite.com

HISTORY OF REVIVALS.  

 

The 18th Century Awakening:

Can we learn anything in 2007 from the revivals of old?

 

Evangelicals feel frustrated because of all that has been going on in society in recent years. English and American evangelicals in 1730 felt much the same way. Years of political and social effort had not succeeded in bringing reform. Amazingly though within a decade they experienced what is now called "The Great Awakening," during which time their nations' political and social cultures were radically impacted by Christian values. How was this possible?

 

CHARACTERISTICS  FOUND IN THE REVIVAL

 

Prayer. Evangelicals in the 1700s learned that corporate prayer was a prerequisite for outpourings of God's Spirit. The revivals in many places were preceded by days of prayer and fasting. Jonathan Edwards believed that corporate prayer was more effective than just the combined prayers of individuals.  Prior to Pentecost we can see the evidence of this so look at this verse.                                              Act 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brother.

   Can you see that they were united in prayer?

Leadership. God raised up leaders to guide the movement. Jonathan Edwards was the theologian of the awakenings and his writings were a powerful influence even until the end of the following

century. Jonathan Edwards was no stranger to revival. When he was just twelve years old (in 1715) the church his father, Rev. Timothy Edwards, pastored experienced a “remarkable stirring and pouring out of the Spirit of God resulting in an unusual number of conversions (for these days) and many more awakened to the condition of their souls.” He wrote in his History of the Work of Redemption that whenever true Christianity  seemed to be on the verge of extinction, "God granted a revival and sent some angel or prophet or raised up some eminent person to be an instrument of their reformation."  George Whitefield was a dramatic and powerful orator, able to deeply move audiences with his sermons. John Wesley was an administrative genius who established an extremely effective small-group structure of "class meetings" which kept the revival fires burning..

Doctrine. Revival preachers back then focused on the great Reformation doctrines of justification by faith and the atonement. They emphasized God's judgment and then his grace.

Emotionalism. The revivalists unashamedly appealed to people's emotions. They felt that their listeners' problem was not a lack of knowledge but a need to take action. They abandoned the formality of notes and preached as the Holy Spirit led.. Harry S. Stout says, Whitefield preached as though there were no tomorrow. A contemporary reported, "Sometimes he exceedingly wept, stamped loudly and passionately, and was frequently so overcome, that, for a few seconds, you would suspect he never would recover; and when he did, required some little time to compose himself." After Whitefield preached at Northampton, Edwards' wife, Sarah, wrote, "It is wonderful to see what a spell he casts over an audience by proclaiming the simplest truths of the bible. I have seen upwards of a thousand people hang on his words with breathless silence, broken only by an occasional half suppressed sob." Edwards also wept during Whitefield's sermon..

5. Music. They found that a powerful anointing came through Worship music, because singing hymns in praise of the Lord stirred people’s hearts.

6. Open-air meetings. Whitefield preached in open spaces where large crowds could gather. Wesley took the message to jails, inns and ships, as well as outdoors. They did not just gather in holy huddles behind closed doors.

7. Persecution. At times these preachers faced fierce opposition from hecklers, gangs of attackers and the press.

8. Testimonies. Reports of revival in other places often sparked new outbreaks as lay people who had been there first shared firsthand accounts of what the Holy Spirit was doing.

9. Holy Spirit. The 18th-century revivalists expected the Spirit to manifest His presence in powerful, visible ways. Edwards believed that the Spirit could be discerned, that he moved a congregation "by a mighty invisible power," and he sometimes caused a "visible commotion." This happened in the 18th-century awakenings. During a lecture in 1741, for example, a Scottish minister asked, "Where is the fruit of my poor labours among this people?" At this some of his parishioners cried out, in the most public manner, of their lost and undone condition, saying, they now saw hell open for them, and heard the shrieks of the damned and expressed their agony not only in words, but by clapping their hands, beating their breasts, terrible shakings, frequent faintings and convulsions; the minister often calling out to them, not to stifle or smother the convictions, but encouraged them." At a communion service during the next year in Scotland attended by some 30,000, "some of both sexes, and all ages, from the stoutest man to the tenderest child," a participant, wrote about how the people present "shake and tremble, and a few fall down as dead."

10. Social action. A greater concern for the poor and downtrodden often resulted from these revivals. Jonathan Edwards taught that it was the Christian's duty to be charitable. Whitefield devoted a great deal of his energy to an orphanage he founded in Georgia.

We can conclude that the 18th-century  Christians experienced a deep and powerful spiritual renewal  which can be more effective in transforming a culture than political action.

Revival leaders of that time often faced fierce opposition. On several occasions rioters climbed into trees behind Whitefield's pulpit to "shamefully expose" themselves or urinate in his direction. Wesley often had rocks thrown at him, and was sometimes mobbed and beaten by gangs incited by jealous parsons, or squires. Edwards was hounded by liberal detractors in the press. His own church ejected him form its pulpit, partly because of the high evangelical standards to which he called its members. As a result, Edwards spent most of the last eight years of his life exiled to a lonely mission church on the frontier. Stories of revival helped spread revival. Edwards and the church in

Northampton were inspired and perhaps influenced by news of the revival in Holland and Germany. News of the Great Awakening in America deeply affected Christians in Cambuslang, Scotland and there was a revival  here in the area where I live, for Cambuslang adjoins my the town of Rutherglen . Cambuslang  at that time numbered around 200 families, mainly farmers and miners. The area had been without a minister for some years, but in 1731 William M'Culloch, then aged forty took over the parish . He had grown up in Covenanter country, surrounded by martyrs' graves, and longed for God to move again upon the land. His labours almost ended in despair. The congregation was in such poor spiritual health that he did not feel it right to celebrate Communion for three years. A friend urged him to devote himself to intercessory prayer for a deeper work of God's Holy Spirit. News of the 'Great Awakening' in America gave impetus to such prayer and to a closer study of the Bible. Then, a devastating hurricane followed by months of famine in 1740 brought the people to brokenness before God.         The next year George White-field arrived in Edinburgh, preaching the gospel with such power that many cried aloud. Fourteen from Cambuslang found their hearts "melted down and overboiling with tears". Back home the thought of revival consumed them day and night.       In February, 1742, M'Culloch sent the people home, charging them to "fall on their knees before God, and with all possible earnestness, as for life itself, to beg of Him His Holy Spirit to renew and change our hearts and natures, and to take no comfort in any thing till we get it".       They were not kept waiting long. Within days a young woman cned out in the church: "Christ says to me He will never leave me or forsake me!" The effect was electric, with many weeping and others crying aloud for joy, and M'Culloch needing three hours to counsel the enquirers.       Now the Holy Spirit was really at work. Complete households fell under conviction of sin. People would burst into tears in the street. One young woman, noted for her timidity, preached under the anointing of the Holy Spirit to a large crowd with compelling power. A visiting minister wrote of how some that were previously notorious sinners had now the meekness of the Lamb. On Tuesday, July 6, 1742, White-field came to Cambuslang at midday and preached at two, six and nine o'clock. For about an hour and a half there were scenes of uncontrollable distress, like a field of battle.    People were being carried into the manse like wounded soldiers. "Such a commotion was surely never heard of especially at eleven at night," he wrote to a

friend. "It far out-did all I ever saw in America." All night in the fields could be heard the voices of prayer and praise.      News spread throughout the country and by the time of Whitefield's next sermon in July the crowd numbered upwards of 20,000.  Whitefield wrote to John Cennick "Such a universal stir I never saw before. The motion fled as swiftly as lightning from one end of the auditory to the other. You might have seen the thousands bathed in tears; some at the same time wringing their hands, others almost swooning and others crying out and mourning over a pierced Saviour."        During these and other meetings men and women trembled and wept and some fell down as dead. Joy as much a part of this work as was sorrow over sin. Many believers found themselves so moved by a sense of the Saviour's love as to be lifted almost into a state of rapture. The phrase 'joy unspeakable and full of glory' occurs frequently in the Cambuslang records and undoubtedly depicts the experience of many, among both the new converts and the established Christians.       The results of the revival were considerable. M'Culloch himself, limiting his estimate to his own parishioners, speaks of over five hundred genuine conversions, but hints at hundreds more among the many visitors. Within seven years it was estimated that church attendance in the Glasgow area had risen to 35 percent of the population. From Cambuslang the flames spread to other places, with well-documented moves of the Holy Spirit at Kilsyth, Muthil, Torryburn and Nigg. 

              In mid-November 1741 Rev. Nicholas Gilman of Durham, N.H. began reading aloud daily to his parishioners from Edwards' revival had begun in Gilman's church. Whitefield's Journals had a similar effect. Ministers . were responsible for first sharing the news, but it was the lay people who took the message and ran to their neighbors.  They realised the impotance of taking the message of the gospel out there and sharing it with others.Unlike awakenings in previous centuries, the 18th-century awakening moved forward primarily  because  laymen took the call to evangelise seriously, not ministers. Even Edwards, the awakening's first great leader, said the momentum came from below, especially young people, whose "lay testifyings" produced a "great noise" that was heard throughout the region..

True Biblical Revival always re-establishes the Supremacy and Glory of Christ as the primary focus of the Church, “Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?”(Ps 85:6).                   

Sources :       Gerald McDermott, National & International Report, Dec. 14, 1992.

                                                                                                           Revival Library

http://www.jesus.org.uk/ja/  Revival Fires.

Welsh Revival

This took place in1904, during which approximately 100,000 people in Wales joined the movement. Internationally, Evangelical Christians took this event to be a sign that a fulfillment of the prophecy in Joel chap 2:23–29 was about to take place. Joseph Smale, the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Los Angeles, went to Wales in order to witness the revival. When he returned to Los Angeles, he attempted to ignite a similar event in his own congregation. His attempts were short-lived, and he eventually left First Baptist Church to found First New Testament Church, where he continued his efforts. During this time, other small-scale revivals were taking place in Minesota, North Carolina and Texas .By 1905, reports of people speaking in tongeues, supernatural healings and physical demonstrations of emotion", with significant lifestyle changes accompanying these revivals. As news spread, evangelicals across the United States began to pray for similar revivals in their own congregations.

Notes from the Welsh Revival

 This is revival! (quote from Rev, Owen Murphy), "When men in the streets are afraid to open their mouths and utter godless words lest the judgment of God should fall; when sinners, overawed by the presence of God, tremble in the street and cry for mercy; when, without special meetings and sensational advertising the Holy Ghost sweeps across cities and towns in supernatural power and holds men in the grip of terrifying conviction; when every shop becomes a pulpit; every heart an alter; every home a sanctuary and people walk softly before God - this is revival!

The Welsh Revival of 1904, continues Rev. Murphy, "Was like a mighty tornado. The Spirit of God swept across the land until mountains and valleys, cities and villages were filled with the mighty manifestations of God. Churches were crowded and meetings went on day and night. Prayer, singing and testimonies would sweep over congregations in

torrents and hundreds turned to Christ. Never in the history of Wales had such indescribable scenes been witnessed."

Dr Campbell Morgan, after witnessing the scenes of revival in Wales, returned to Westminster Chapel in London and declared, "Here is revival that comes from heaven; there is no preaching, no order, no hymn-books, no choirs, no organs, no collections and finally no advertising! Now think of that for a moment! There were organs - but they were silent. There were ministers - but there was no preaching - they were among the people praising God! Yet the Welsh revival is a revival of preaching, for everybody is preaching. No order and yet it moves from day to day, county to county with matchless precision, with the order of an attacking force. No song-books, but- ah me, I nearly wept over the singing! When the Welsh sing they abandon themselves to the singing. No choir did I say? It was all choir..... Wales is ablaze for God, already 50,000 converts have been recorded and the great awakening shows no signs of waning. It is sweeping over hundreds of villages and cities, emptying saloons, theaters and dance halls, and filling the churches night after night with praying multitudes. Go where you will; into the bank; the store; the trains. Everywhere men are talking about God.

Azusa Street

The Azusa Street Revival was a historic revival meeting that took place in Los Angeles and was led by William J Seymour and this was what birthed the Pentecostal Church. William J Seymour was an African American Preacher. It began with a meeting on April 14th 2006 at the African Methodist Episcopal Church and continued until roughly 1915. The revival was characterized by estatic spiritual experiences accompanied by speaking in tongues, dramatic worship services, and inter-racial mingling.

Worship at 312, Azusa Street was frequent, and spontaneous, with services going almost around the clock. Many denominations were attracted to this new movement of the Spirit. .The Holy Spirit Himself drew people to something that took them beyond religion and they started to gain knowledge of the Holy Spirit as a person with whom they as believers could have a relationship, which in turn would take them into a deeper relationship with Jesus and equip them for service. An observer at one of the services wrote these words:

“No instruments of music are used. None are needed. No choir- the angels have been heard by some in the spirit. No collections are taken. No bills have been posted to advertise the meetings. No church organization is back of it. All who are in touch with God realize as soon as they enter the meetings that the Holy Ghost is the leader.”

The Hebridean Revival 1948-1952

The Hebrides Islands are a small group of islands off the West coast of Scotland. In 1949 -1952, God poured out His Spirit in response to a handful of praying believers.

At a meeting of the Church of Scotland, in Stornaway, a group of men discussed the awful condition of the church in their communities. The worldly places were crowded and the churches were almost empty. Barely any young people went near the church and it seemed that many churches were about to close their doors. No-one at the meeting dreamed that this would be the start of an amazing spiritual awakening.

Among the many people who were concerned about the state of the church, was a small group of men from Barvas, the district that was to become the centre of the revival.. The men met in a barn and God gave them the revelation that He was a covenant keeping God "If this is true," they reasoned, "We can enter into this covenant and if we keep our part then He must keep His. Has God given us a covenant promise for revival?" Immediately the words of 11 Chronicles 7:14, came to them, "If My people which are called by My name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land."

That same night they entered into a solemn covenant with God to pray for the community and to humble themselves in prayer until revival came. For months they prayed for revival. One night young deacon arose from his knees and began to read Psalm 24, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His Holy place? He that has

clean hands and a pure heart - he shall receive the blessings of the Lord."

In response to this searching challenge from God they fell upon their knees in confession and re-dedication and began to pray even more earnestly. An hour later three of them were laying prostrate on the floor - they were exhausted. By five o-clock revival had come! The barn was suddenly filled with the glory of God, and the power that was let loose filled that little barn, shook the whole community.

During those months two elderly ladies Peggy and Christine Smith, were also praying. Peggy was almost blind, and Christine was bent over with Arthritis. They were 84 and 82 years old. They were also seeking God for revival, and to them came the promise, "I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground."

Peggy had a vision of the church, crowded again with young people. She sent for a minister, Rev. James Murray Mackay, and told him what God had shown her, asking him to encourage his elders and deacons to come together for special times of waiting upon God..

On the same night when God’s presence visited the barn, the glory swept into the cottage and God spoke to the two women, revealing to them the name of the man God wanted to use in the visitation the Rev. Duncan Campbell, a Presbyterian minister and a great man of prayer. God said, "In two weeks I shall send upon this community the greatest spiritual awakening it has known."

A wire was sent to Duncan Campbell, who was ministering in the Highland town of Skye, but it was discovered that he was already booked for another meeting. He sent a reply, "It is impossible for me to come at this time but keep praying and I will come next year." When the reply came back and was told to the sisters they answered, "That is what man has said, but God has said that He will be here in two weeks." In the meantime Duncan Campbell’s meetings in Skye were cancelled, due to the fact that the tourist board had monopolized the

accomodation for the convention. Within two weeks he was in Barvas!

Duncan Campbell was planning to stay for 10 days in Barvas. He didn’t know what awaited him. As the ship docked and Duncan stepped ashore, he was met by the Rev. James MacKay and two of his elders. One of the elders greeted him and asked, "Mr Campbell, are you walking with God?" "Well at any rate I can say that I fear God," was Duncan’s reply.

The first meeting was held in the old parish church. Many people had gathered in a great expectancy but nothing exceptional happened at that meeting.

Duncan Campbell appeared discouraged and so one of the deacons went to him and said, "Don’t be discouraged, it is coming. I hear the rumbling of heaven’s chariot wheels. We will have another night of prayer and then we will see what God is going to do!"

They went to a nearby cottage and about thirty knelt in prayer and began to travail before the Lord. About three o’clock in the morning the glory came and a dozen or so were laid out prostrate on the floor, lying speechless. Something had happened - God had moved into action as He had promised. Revival had come and men and women were about to find deliverance.

As the group left the cottage they found men and women seeking God. Lights were burning in the homes along the road - no one seemed to be thinking about sleep. Three men were found lying by the roadside in a torrent of conviction, crying out for God to have mercy on them! The Spirit of God was moving into action and soon the parish of Barvas was to be stirred from end to end.

 On the second night buses came from the four corners of the island, crowding into the church. Seven men were being driven to the meeting in a butchers truck when suddenly the Spirit of God fell on them in great conviction and all were saved before they reached the church building! As the preacher preached his message,

tremendous conviction swept down.. Tears rolled down the faces of the people and men and women cried out for mercy from every corner of the church. So deep was their distress that some of their cries could be heard outside in the road. A young man beneath the pulpit cried out, "Oh hell is too good for me."

The meeting closed when the people began to move out. As the last person was leaving a young man began to pray under a tremendous burden of intercession. He prayed for three quarters of an hour and as he continued to pray people kept gathering outside until there were twice as many outside as there had been inside. When the young man stopped praying the Elder gave out Psalm 132 and as the great congregation sang the old hymn, the people streamed back into the church again and the meeting continued until 4am.

The moment the people took their seats, the Spirit, in great conviction began to sweep through the church, and even hardened sinners began to weep and confess their sins.

As the meeting was closing someone excitedly hurried to the preacher, "Come with me! There’s a crowd of people outside the police station; they are weeping and in great distress. We don’t know what’s wrong with them but they are calling for someone to come and pray with them."

The minister described the scene outside the police station; "I saw a sight I never thought possible. Something I shall never forget. Under a starlit sky, men and women were kneeling everywhere, by the roadside, outside the cottages, even behind the peat stacks, crying for God to have mercy on them."

Nearly 600 people, making their way to the church, suddenly experienced the power of God falling upon them in great conviction, and like Paul on the road to Damascus, fell to their knees in repentance.

Revival had come in power - for five weeks it swept across that one parish. Duncan Campbell conducted four services every night; in one church at 7pm, in another at 10pm and a third at midnight and then back to the first one at 3am - then home between 5-6am - tired - but happy to be in the midst of such a wonderful move of God.

After this, the revival began to spread to other towns and what had happened in Barvis began to happen in other places.

Men and women throughout the island began to plead to God in desperate intercession and prayer for revival. The Spirit’s power began to increase.

A little band of prayer warriors made their way to the farmhouse to plead the promises of God. Just after midnight Duncan Campbell asked John, the local blacksmith, to pray. John rose to his feet with his cap in hand and prayed a prayer that will never be forgotten by those who were present."Oh God, you made a promise to pour water on the dry ground, and Lord it’s not happening." He paused again and then continued, "Lord, I don’t know how the others here stand in your Presence; I don’t know how these ministers stand, but Lord, if I know anything about my own heart, I stand before you as an empty vessel, thirsting for thee and for a manifestation of Thy power." He halted again and after a moment of tense silence cried, "Oh God your honour is at stake; and I now challenge you to fulfil your covenant engagement and do what you promised to do."

Here is a man praying the prayer of faith that heaven must answer. Wave after wave of divine power swept throughout the room. Simultaneously the Spirit of God swept through the village . People could not sleep and houses were lit all night; people walked the streets in great conviction; others knelt by their bedsides crying for pardon. As the men left the prayer meeting the preacher walked into a house for a glass of milk and found the lady of the house with seven others down upon their knees, crying out for God.

Within 48 hours the pub, usually crowded with drinking men of the village, was closed. 14 young men who had been drinking there were gloriously converted. Those same men afterwards could be found three times a week with others down upon their knees before God, praying for their old associates and for the spread of revival. It was in this village that within 48 hours, many young people had surrendered their lives to Christ, and could also be found in the prayer meetings!

A young boy Donald McPhail became an outstanding prayer warrior and was asked often to pray in the meetings. One day Duncan Campbell found him in the barn with his Bible open. When interrupted he quietly said, "Excuse me a little Mr Campbell, I’m having an audience with the King."

Some of the most vivid outpouring came when Donald was asked to pray. In the police station one night in Barvas, he simply stood up, clasped his

hands together and uttered one word - "Father." Everyone melted into tears as the presence of God filled the station. In Callenish, he prayed until the power of God laid hold of those who were dead in sins, transforming them into the living stones in the temple of God. One of the most outstanding anointings of prayer happened when he was in Bernera, a small island off the coast of Lewis. Duncan Campbell was assisting at a communion service; the atmosphere was heavy and the preaching difficult, so he sent to Barvas for some men to come and assist in prayer. They prayed, but the spiritual bondage persisted, so much so that half-way through the sermon, Duncan stopped preaching. Just then he noticed Donald, visibly moved under a deep burden for souls. He thought, "This boy is in touch with God, and living nearer to the Saviour than I am." He said, "Donald, will you lead us in prayer?" The young lad rose to his feet and made reference to the fourth chapter of Revelation which he had been reading that morning. "Oh God I seem to be gazing through an open door. I see the Lamb in the midst of the Throne, with the keys of death and hell at His girdle." He began to sob, then lifting his eyes toward heaven, cried, "Oh God there is power, let it loose!" The Spirit of God swept into the building and the heavens were opened. The church resembled a battlefield. On one side many were prostrated over the seats weeping and sighing; on the other side some were affected by throwing their arms up in the air in a rigid posture for an hour. God had come!

 Outside, startling things were taking place. The Spirit of God was sweeping over the homes and area surrounding the village, and many people came under the conviction of the Spirit. People in their places of were gripped by the power of God and by 10 o’clock the roads were streaming with people from every direction, making their way to the church.

As the preacher came out of the church the Holy Spirit swept in among the people in the road like a wind. They gripped each other in fear. In agony of soul they trembled; many wept and some fell to the ground under great conviction of sin. Several men were found laying by the side of the road in such distress that they could not even speak - yet they had not been anywhere near the church!

A major manifestation of this revival was the great conviction of sin that came upon the people.

Even the most hardened sinners of the district have literally been found lying helpless by the roadside, stricken with conviction as in the great Welsh revival of 1904.

Adapted from "Bright and Shining Revival"- Kathie Walters

Modern moves of the Spirit

The Toronto Blessing and Brownsville Laughing Phenomena is this genuinely the church in renewal? Is God at work in this?

 

It appears to me that there is much confusion throughout the church relating to the Toronto blessing and the so called “Holy Laughter” Movement from Brownsville. So I would like to try and be as objective as possible as I look from the outside at what is and has been happening in Toronto and Brownsville. Maybe I should start by saying that my church has strong links with Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship so maybe stating I am on the outside looking in is not 100% true.

   I was probably nearly as sceptical as the next person when I heard of the goings on in Toronto back in the mid- 1990’s. Church was orderly and giving due respect to an Almighty God. Oh, yes I was Charismatic in thinking, I believed the gifts of the Spirit were for today,  I had heard something about past Revivals and would state that I longed to see Revival in the Church, but  I was very wary of the Toronto Blessing and Brownsville, I had heard too many  Christians criticizing the goings on.  Anyhow about four  to five  years ago a friend from the Independent Pentecostal Church I was then part of, infact, my husband was at that time acting as Pastor of that small church asked me to go along with her one Saturday night to Glasgow Elim for a Renewal Service. My husband stayed at home to prepare his sermon for the following morning. For a couple of months I went along every Saturday night with friends, I found the Spirit was revealing lots to me, then one night my husband decided to come along too. At that time my husband referred to himself as Pentecostal with a small ‘p’. oh yes he had, had an experience of the Spirit some years back, infact it was after that he enrolled in Bible School, That first night, had Raymond running out to the car park for a few minutes, he had never seen church quite like this. He came back in for he felt the Holy Spirit drawing him in. I had been baptised in the Spirit, some years before hand, but we lacked the knowledge that

there was a much closer place to be in our relationship with God. Back then I couldn’t say that my prime object in life was seeking after God. Oh, yes I had got to the stage where I wanted to serve Him, to tell others about Jesus, even pray for healing at times, and although I saw healing in the atonement I believed God might heal them as I prayed, I knew nothing much of taking authority in Jesus Name over circumstances. I thought I knew who I was in Christ, but I saw myself as a forgiven sinner, a worm and no woman, yet I believed that if I was truly walking in righteousness there was victory in Jesus, and believe that positionally all things could be under my feet, but so often I would swallow Satan’s lies that I wasn’t good enough to claim the victory in Christ.. However, God was turning both of us around, doing a new thing in us and we found we were attending this church every Saturday and Sunday night. As mentioned beforehand Raymond had been pastoring the other fellowship, but he was really holding the fort until someone else was free to fulfil the position, so almost two years ago we felt it was time to move on and we became members of Glasgow Elim.

     What was happening in this church?  The, then Senior Pastor Kevin Peat had paid a visit to Toronto back in the 1990’s, himself a little sceptical. After all, like me he was from a Brethren background, but the Holy Spirit changed all that. He came back from Toronto and renewal started in the Glasgow Elim Church, so you might ask what was happening in the Glasgow Church?  Well, the presence of God was and is very strong within the church and there is a very strong revelation of the Father’s Heart of God within the Church. You may ask if people were falling down, having outbursts of laughing, groaning, tears, twitching or manifesting the Spirit in some other way?  Yes they were and still are at times, but God is increasing our hunger for Him. We are becoming a House of Prayer with at least one prayer meeting on every day and although we go into intercession for others much of the prayers are about seeking the face of God. The church is very involved in reaching out to the community. We are a church that makes the druggies and the homeless welcome, infact we see people coming to the Lord every week. Eight children were saved a couple of Sundays back. So this is a church that welcomed the Toronto Blessing, or to be more correct welcomed all that the Holy Spirit had for it. I’m not claiming that we have arrived, far from it, but right now the church like many churches throughout the world is positioning itself with a new hunger for God, people desire to come closer to Jesus and they come by way

of the cross of Jesus and yes there is lot’s of repentance stage by stage along the way before we can move on.

    Yes, I have been slain in the Spirit, too many times to count, have even shaken with the Spirit, moved like a pretzel with the Spirit, wept at times and experienced the so called laughing phenonemen. So I do see the Holy Spirit at work in those things? My answer is most definitely. Are their imperfections within the Toronto blessing? I would be putting my head in the sand if I tried to say there wasn’t after all there are people involved, but I personally believe that any problems that have arisen have happened because people have sought experience instead of seeking Jesus.  As for Toronto Airport Fellowship they have sent people out to other corners of the world , the pastors and leaders travel and minister to others. I have met the Senior Pastor and he is a man who loves God. Many people in the church worldwide are unaware of  the way their Heavenly Father loves them,  they are not orphans, they are adopted into His family. We are His children and He loves us so much, He desires to bless us and not to harm us, that does not mean that we won’t go through tough times, we may do but Father God is by our side. Also, many have a poor understanding that they are part of the cherished bride of Christ. Jesus loves us with a passion. He is constantly interceding for us with the Father. He pours out His Spirit on us and draws us towards Himself.                                                                                                                                                                                                           Psa 63:1 O God, You are my God;

        Early will I seek You;

        My soul thirsts for You;

        My flesh longs for You

        In a dry and thirsty land

        Where there is no water.

Psa 63:2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,

        To see Your power and Your glory.

Psa 63:3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,

        My lips shall praise You.

Psa 63:4 Thus I will bless You while I live;

        I will lift up my hands in Your name.

Psa 63:5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,

        And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

Psa 63:6 When I remember You on my bed,

        I meditate on You in the night watches.

Psa 63:7 Because You have been my help,

        Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.

Psa 63:8 My soul follows close behind You;

        Your right hand upholds me. ……………

 

I know a greater peace in my spirit than I have ever known. I know God as my healer and my provider.

 

Mat 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

 

Does my faith always arise to the occasion, nope, have I got it all of pat no, I am a work in progress, but I know I am growing up in Him. It’s taking a while I got saved at the age of seven and I still have a long way to go. This one thing I Know I love Jesus Christ and He loves me.

Look above at Revival History. During these and other meetings men and women trembled and wept and some fell down as dead. Joy as much a part of this work as was sorrow over sin. Many believers found themselves so moved by a sense of the Saviour's love as to be lifted almost into a state of rapture. The phrase 'joy unspeakable and full of glory' occurs frequently in the Cambuslang records and undoubtedly depicts the experience of many, among both the new converts and the established Christians.

    There is unspeakable joy in Jesus and it can bring laughter at times for we can be overwhelmed with joy in Him. 

Act 4:31 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. 

    Act 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

 

 

Rom 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

All scriptures taken from NKJV..

Copyright © 2009 Irene McGough Disciples of Jesus Ministry

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