There were powerful miracles that God did in the Azusa Now event celebrating the 110th anniversary of the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles, California. For the Church to walk in the power of healing, we must humbly embrace repentance and forgiveness. In America, our nation is experiencing such a tension of racial division, but this doesn’t mean that God can’t still do awesome work. As the Church, it matters how we handle and respond to the issue of race in our nation.
As Lou Engle and a friend were seeking the Lord for revival, the man had a dream. In this dream, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was carrying a white bag with black handles. MLK, Jr. turned the bag upside down and violently shook out the contents of the bag and threw it to the ground. When the man went to pick up the bag, MLK, Jr. said, “NO!” After seeking the Lord for the interpretation of the dream, the Lord revealed, “It’s a white bag, and it’s the black handles. This is how your generation of blacks, African Americans, have handled the white baggage. You’ve been carrying it for way too long.” The words the man continues to share cannot be ignored. “Get rid of your bitterness. Get rid of your resentment. Get rid of your unforgiveness. Get rid of your guilt manipulation. Get rid of your white baggage so that we can all get into this new vehicle that’s gonna bring revival and justice for everybody.” The question for all of us is, “What color is your baggage?”
With representatives from all across America, Selma, Birmingham, Ferguson, Los Angeles, who have suffered from the tensions of racial division, a man shares this powerful thought, “I believe that if we had continued in that supernatural grace, poured out at Azusa Street, there would have been no need for an American Civil Rights Movement because all of the generational wounding, the trauma, and the pain, as well as the institutional racism, the structures that keep men in oppression, would have crumbled under the power of the One who reconciles all things…I believe (God) didn’t want a Civil Rights Movement; He wanted a Civil Righteousness Movement inaugurated by Jesus Christ on the Cross built upon the revelation of the resurrected Christ.”
This man continues to share how the tag line for the Azusa Street Revival was the Comforter has come! No matter who we are, where we come from, or what our history may be, God is intimately aware of the oppression that has taken place in our lives. God cares about every injustice. He is Justice. If we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us. Are we ready to forgive? The only answer to a divided nation is a unified Church. “Perhaps your baggage you thought was your pain, but I would suggest our baggage might be how we think about our pain.”
“For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.” 1 Peter 2:19
“If we want to be reconciled to men, we must first be reconciled to God…are we willing to empty our bags?” Are you ready to forgive? How you know this is that you are willing to unify and ready to deal with the issues in your life. And that you are ready to be around those that you have held unforgiveness against.
Much oppression and persecution are coming on the face of the earth, and we will need each other! Also, a great harvest of souls is coming as well, and unity in the Church is a must. A move of God requires us all to come together!
It is important that we do not come into agreement with the enemy, the accuser of the Church. We can’t believe the lies that the enemy sows and in the Word of God it points out that satan“…accuses them before our God day and night…,” Revelation 12:10. If we give validity to the thoughts or words that criticize others, then we agree with satan’s plans and not God’s plans. Allen Hood, with International House of Prayer, shares a powerful prophetic word about what God is doing to combat the plans and schemes of satan. “The Lord is raising up a global upper room to war 24/7 against the accuser of the brethren that accuses the saint’s day and night. God is raising up a house of prayer to answer the accusation of satan and God is going to anoint that prayer meeting and bring forth a John 17:21 moment of exalting the Lamb, exalting the name of Jesus.”
Let us stand united together as they did at Azusa Now and ask God for these powerful words to come to pass! We need revival right now! We want to hear from you and what you think about this! You can write to us at [email protected]. Greg and John shared in this segment.
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