A Deeper Dive Into the Book of Revelation - Part 6
Restoration of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
The restoration of God’s Truth continued in the 1900s with the restoration of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Charles Parham opened the Bethel Bible School in 1900 in Topeka, Kansas. Parham desired to see people baptized in the Holy Spirit, but he was not sure how to know when people received this baptism. His students researched this and concluded that speaking in a language that was previously unknown to the speaker could be taken as evidence that the speaker had received the Holy Spirit baptism.
On New Year’s Day, 1901, young Agnes Ozman asked Parham to pray specifically for her to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues as evidence. According to witnesses, Agnes began speaking in Chinese… and it was not just a couple of words. For three days after her experience, Agnes was only able to speak and write in Chinese!
Soon, other students in the Bethel School received the Holy Spirit baptism. Later, through the devotion and guidance of William J. Seymour, the powerful Azusa Street Revival helped restore the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to the modern-day Church.
Restoration of Miracles, Healings, Signs, and Wonders
The restoration of healings and miracles may have begun with Alexander Dowie. Dowie has been called the father of healing revivalism in America. The success of his phenomenal healing ministry was based in the truth that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). If Jesus has ever healed people, then He is still healing people, and He will always heal people!
John G. Lake was inspired by Dowie’s ministry. Under Dowie’s ministry, Lake’s brother, who had been an invalid, was instantly healed; his sister was healed of cancer; and his wife was healed of tuberculosis and heart disease. John G. Lake went on to have one of the most remarkable healing ministries of modern times.
But the real crescendo of the healing movement probably came with the ministry of William Branham.
After seeking God alone in a secluded cabin for hours, the Angel of the Lord appeared under a ball of flame to give William Branham a commission.
“I am sent from the presence of almighty God to tell you that your peculiar birth and misunderstood life has been to indicate that you are to take a gift of divine healing to the peoples of the world.” (Jorgensen, p.237)
The ministries of William Branham, A.A. Allen, Oral Roberts, Jack Coe, T.L. Osborn and others restored the truth of divine healing to the Church in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s.
Along with newspapers and magazines, the new inventions of radio and television helped to carry the messages and testimonies of divine healing and miracles to many people around the world.
Restoration of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The Charismatic Renewal of the 1960s and 70s brought a renewed emphasis on the the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the gifts of the Spirit along with Spirit-inspired worship and prayer.
“The movement began in an Episcopalian church, where, on April 3, 1960, Rector Dennis Bennett stood and shared how the Holy Spirit was at work in his life, including speaking in ‘tongues.’ Reaction was strong and he was forced to tender his resignation. He later served with an Episcopal church in Washington State, sharing his beliefs about using the spiritual gifts. Time and Newsweek stories about Bennett exposed and brought forth more advocates, and from that sprang the charismatic renewal.” (Baker)
The Charismatic Renewal restored the gifts of the Holy Spirit to the Church and brought fundamental changes to church meetings, even in churches that did not accept the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Worship and prayer changed with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. New Spirit-inspired songs that sprang from the Charismatic Renewal and the Jesus Movement were adopted by churches in many denominations, bringing Spirit-inspired changes to worship.
Restoration of Teachers
With so many unchurched people coming into the Kingdom of God during the Jesus Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, there was a great need for discipleship and solid, Biblically-sound teaching to guide these new believers. It was in this time that the Church experienced a restoration of godly teaching ministries.
The invention of cassette tapes helped to make this restoration more impactful. Many gifted teachers in churches, and on TV and radio, offered cassette teaching series that could be ordered from their ministries. When these teachers were invited to speak in churches and conferences, often there would be tables at the back of these rooms, or in the hallways, lined with cassette tapes of their teachings.
My own life was turned completely around in one night through the ministry of one of these gifted teachers, Dan Cummins, who now ministers with Capitol Worship in the halls of the US Capitol.
Restoration of Prophets
In the 1980s, a group of gifted prophetic voices gathered in meetings of the Kansas City Fellowship. They eventually became known as the Kansas City Prophets. Among them were Paul Cain, Bob Jones, John Paul Jackson, and several others.
Remarkable prophetic ministry was witnessed in these meetings and in other meetings around the world as the Church experienced a restoration of true prophetic ministry.
The new invention of videocassette recorders (VCRs) allowed people across the globe easy access to watch these prophetic ministries at their convenience in their own homes as well as in church meetings.
Restoration of Apostles
We have seen the rise of a few ministers who seem to fit the profile of an apostle, at least in part. The ministry of Neville Johnson may be a good example. His ministry was marked by purity, power, miraculous experiences, deep revelatory teaching, authority in leadership, and wide influence.
But overall, we have not yet seen the full restoration of the Apostolic ministry. That seems to be still to come.
Meanwhile, the inventions of the Internet and the smart phone have allowed worldwide access to the ministries of prophets, teachers, evangelists, pastors and others. Ministers of the Good News of Jesus Christ are able to more easily reach people all over the world in ways that were never possible before our time.
Restoration of the Baptism of Fire
Entering into the Holy of Holies
The Restoration of the Baptism of Fire will most likely occur with the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles. This will take the Church beyond the Holy Place and into the Holy of Holies.
The Lord established three great feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. We experienced the fulfillment of the Feast of Passover when Jesus died on the cross as the sacrificial Lamb to pay the price for our sins. The Church experienced the fulfillment of the Feast of Pentecost on the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. But the Church has not yet seen the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles.
Passover and Pentecost were celebrated near the beginning of the growing season every year, but Tabernacles was celebrated at harvest time. This is a feast for the end-time Church in which God will send the Baptism of Fire to purify those who qualify to receive it. Then those faithful disciples will be filled with the manifest presence of God Almighty with His authority, becoming living Arks of the Covenant of God. This will result in the greatest ministry in the history of the world. This mighty army will accomplish the “greater works” that Jesus spoke of in John 14:12.
We can read about the ministry of these end-time “tabernacles of the Lord’s presence” in Joel chapter 2 and Revelation chapter 11. I’ve written about this in detail in the free eBook, Three Transforming Experiences to Prepare You for What Is Coming! These articles are also available on my blog at https://sowmap.com/kingdom-leadership.
Return of Jesus to Earth
The Church Age began with Jesus on earth, and it will end with the return of Jesus to earth after the Restoration of All Things. Jesus truly is our Alpha and Omega. He is the beginning and the ending. He is the first, and He will be the last, as He tells us Himself in Scripture.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,”—Revelation 1:8 (NKJV)
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,”—Revelation 1:11 (NKJV)
“I am the First and the Last.” —Revelation 1:17 (NKJV)
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.”—Revelation 21:6 (NKJV)
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”—Revelation 22:13 (NKJV)
The chart below begins on the left side with Jesus on earth at the beginning of the Church Age. You can follow the left column downward to see all that the Church lost over the years since then. The right side of the chart begins at the bottom with God’s promise to restore what was lost. You can follow the right column upward to follow the restoration of all things until Jesus is back on earth again at the end of the Church Age.
**References: **
Baker, L. L. (2021, May 27). What is the Charismatic Movement?. Christianity.com. https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/what-is-the-charismatic-movement.html
Graves, D. (2010, April 28). Was Agnes Ozman Speaking Chinese? - 1901-2000 Church History. Christianity.com. https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1901-2000/was-agnes-ozman-speaking-chinese-11630666.html
Healing and Revival Press. (2004). Jesus the Healer. Healing and Revival. https://healingandrevival.com/BioJGLake.htm
Jorgensen, O. (2019). Supernatural: The Life of William Branham (Vol. 1). Supernatural Christian Books.
Vreeland, D. (2023, November 20). John Alexander Dowie – The Father of Healing Revivalism in America. The Mechanics of Faith - Hope, Faith, Prayer - Seek, Hear, Obey. https://www.hopefaithprayer.com/john-alexander-dowie-father-revivalism/
