William Seymour was an evangelist and minister in Southern California during the time of what is known as “The Azusa Street Revival.” His words below speak clearly of our need to be controlled in all things and at all times by the Spirit of God, and why we need to be conscious of the blood of Christ and its impact upon our daily living.

“So many people today are controlled by men. Their salvation reaches out no further than the boundary line of human creeds, but praise God for freedom in the Spirit. There are depths and heights and breadths that we can reach through the power of the blessed Spirit. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

The Jews were the religious leaders at this time, and people had no more light upon salvation than the Jews gave them. The Jews were God’s chosen people to evangelize the world. He had entrusted them to give all nations the true knowledge of God, but they went into traditions and doctrines of men and were blinded and in the dark. Jesus came as the light of the world, and He is that light. “if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Let us honor the Spirit, for Jesus has sent Him to teach and lead us into all truth.

Above all, let us honor the blood of Jesus Christ every moment of our lives, and we will be sweet in our souls. We will be able to talk of this common salvation to everyone that we meet. God will let His anointing rest upon us in telling them of this precious truth. This truth belongs to God. We have no right to tax anyone for the truth, because God has entrusted us with it to tell it. Freely we receive, freely we give. So the Gospel is to be preached freely, and God will bless it and spread it Himself, and we have experienced that He does, we have found Him true to His promise all the way. We have tried Him and proved Him. His promises are sure.“

– William Seymour

Seymour image public domain. Banner image via author, unnamed lake, Wallowa Mountains, Oregon