Illustrated Message Overview with Marjorie

Don’t settle for anything less than the power of the Holy Spirit in your life today. Don’t settle for the powerless Christianity, but trust Jesus for Holy Ghost baptism in power with the evidence of speaking in tongues today. That’s what you’re going to need to be in the rapture of the church should the Lord tarry. It seems like this teaching or belief is like the hidden brother in the house, the one that isn’t talked about very much and for whatever reason, this teaching that was prevalent from the early church to The Azusa Revival, isn’t talked about very much today.

How can Christians be left behind at the rapture of the church you may ask, how is that possible? It’s a thought provoking and is to be discerned spiritually, but this is what was believed by the founder and head servant of The Azusa Street Revival, William J. Seymore.

AZUSA STREET PAPERS says; “Many of God's children are cleansed from sin and yet fight against getting more oil. They think they have enough. They have some of God's love in their souls, but they have not the double portion of it. The thing they need is oil in their vessels with their lamps. It is just as plain as can be.

Dearly beloved, the Scripture says, "Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb." Rev. 19:9. So they are blessed that have the call. Those that will be permitted to enter in are those who are justified, sanctified, and baptized with the Holy Ghost—sealed unto the day of redemption. O may God stir up His waiting bride everywhere to get oil in their vessels with their lamps that they may enter into the marriage supper. .-William J. Seymore”

Justified is when you become born again of His Spirit, you become a new creation in Christ Jesus. Sanctifiedis you choosing to obey God’s word when you became born again, you sanctify your life, you’re walking out your Christianity, fleeing the temptations of the flesh and allowing Jesus to change you from the inside out. Baptized with the Holy Ghost is what Jesus commanded in Acts 1 for every believer to receive. So every Christian needs to have these three in operation in their lives. These three seal you until you’re redeemed.

Do you know that you’re a bride today? Regardless of being male or female, Christians will enter into the marriage supper of the Lamb? I want to make that supper, don’t you? This supper apparently will last seven years in heaven, while on earth, the great tribulation will be taking place where the anti-christ is setting up his kingdom. 

The saints at Azusa Street and churches around the world that are a branch of it, were preparing themselves for the rapture of the church, and they believed that a Christian could only be caught up to meet Jesus in the clouds if they were justified, sanctified and baptized with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. That’s the key issue hitting the nail on the head, the evidence of speaking in tongues.

This Holy Spirit baptism at Azusa Street took place 116 years ago, and they had the same anticipation that the apostles and believers had on the day of Pentecost who first received this baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

Acts chapter 2 gives a clear account of this Baptism of the Holy Spirit on the early church, who were afterwards waiting in anticipation of being caught up to meet Jesus in the clouds in the rapture and not taste death.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18says; “3 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen [a]asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who [b]sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are [c]asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

Regardless of how a person died and what happened to their physical bodies, Jesus is quite capable of bringing their bodies back to life to be joined again with their spirit which is in heaven, to have glorified bodies, it’s a supernatural event that will take place.

A day is coming when all born-again Christians that are dead, regardless of whether or not they are baptised in the Holy Spirit, will be resurrected first and then those Christians who are alive who are baptised in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, will be caught up to meet Jesus in the clouds.

The Christians that reject the teaching given to us by the Apostles about fulfilling Jesus’ last commandto wait until you have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, will be left behind to face seven years of tribulation. You don’t want to be left behind and experience the anti-christ’s rise to global, untethered power. These seven years will be unlike anything the world has ever experienced or under the rule of any of the wicked leaders that have been or presently are. 

Matthew 24:21-22 says; “21For at that time there will be great tribulation, unmatched from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again. 22 If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.”

If for whatever reason you as a Christian are left behind because you didn’t get filled with the Holy Spirit’s baptism or you’re backslidden, let your head role, you’ll get it back on judgement day. Why? Because it says the following in Revelation 20:4; “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

Those who do not take the mark of the beast, won’t be able to buy, sell or trade, it’s over, Revelation 13:16-18. Don’t take the mark of the beast whatever you do as you’ll have to swear allegiance to the anti-christ, it’s not worth it. He’ll be thrown into the lake of fire and all those who took the mark will also be thrown into the lake of fire, for eternity. 

Acts 1:4-8 is where Jesus commanded His disciples to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit; “4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be [a]witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

I believe we are living in a time like never before that the rapture of the Church could occur at any time, and those who are born again and baptised in the Holy Spirit could be caught up to meet Jesus in the clouds and not taste death. I also believe that there are a lot of born-again Christians that are not baptised in the Holy Spirit that are simply not ready to be raptured because of their disobedience to not obey Jesus’ last command which was to be baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Let’s look at a story that Jesus told that best illustrates this theory. Matthew 25:1-13 talks about the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. “25 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom [a]is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour [b]in which the Son of Man is coming.”

How many Christians are slumbering and sleeping today? Not preparing themselves for the rapture of His church. Watch, keep your lamps trimmed and burning, keep the Holy Spirit oil burning in your heart, keep awake. Now is not the time to slumber and sleep regarding Jesus’ coming to take His bride, He is coming back and you have to ready to meet Him.

Now is not the time to be a foolish Christian, and not be prepared to be raptured, it is time to repent of having not obeyed Jesus’ last command, and wait until you have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Without the oil in your lamp, you will be left behind to face the evillest acts of the anti-christ on earth, as well as you will be subject to God’s wrath that will be poured out on the earth during this 7-year period. Either way you’ll die, either by the wrath of God through the catastrophes that will take place or through being beheaded for not taking the mark of the beast according to anti-christ’s commands.

A lot of Christian’s will say that God would never allow His children to go thru this tribulation period and the ones that are left behind are those who were lukewarm Christians. Many Christians will argue that they’ve lived a very righteous life; in church, tithing, charities, not missing a single church meeting, volunteering in church etc. In being left behind, Christians will either repent and be martyred for their faith or will yield to the anti-christ and take the mark of the beast so that they can buy, sell and trade. That’s why I say, let the head role. They took the head off of the Apostle Paul, a lot of God’s prophets were beheaded for standing up for righteousness.

I believe that God has already made a way of escape by giving Christians an opportunity to obey His last command that would qualify them to be raptured and not left behind. It’s not about God leaving them behind but rather it’s about their disobedience to the last command of Christ that leaves them behind. You can’t blame it on God if you find yourself in this scenario. It’s like a General giving his last command to his army, this army wouldn’t think of disobeying that command, would they? What’s the difference then when God, creator of heaven and earth who laid out the command, He expects you to fulfill it.

When you study the Bible, it is full of stories of men and women who overcame evil by being obedientto what God required of them, and nothing has changed. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, and if a Christian chooses to disobey Jesus’ last command, then it’s not God who leaves them behind but rather their will to not obey Him in everything.

Jesus will know those who obey Him and have their lamps trimmed and burning and are ready to be raptured because of their obedience to be baptised in the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus says in Matthew 24:36-44; “36 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of [a]heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what [b]hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what [c]hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Nobody knows the day or hour when Jesus is coming to rapture His church, no one, and if anyone would say they do, you need to be frank with them and say they’re lying. They’re speaking falsely because according to the what we just read, no one knows. We will know the times and seasons according to Luke 21.

Speaking hypothetically, there may be two Christians working together, one is baptised with the Holy Spirit and the other is not, one is taken the other is left behind, and this is why Jesus sent His Holy Spirit, so that a Christian would have Holy Ghost power to wait faithfully for the return of the Lord and not allow themselves to become a lukewarm Christians that get spewed out of God’s mouth into the tribulation period. Pastors who taught their congregations to reject the baptism of the Holy Spirit, will stand before them one day after the rapture and give an account for their false teaching that has caused them to be left behind to face the wrath of God on all the earth. 

AZUSA PAPERS says; “The Holy Ghost is sifting out a people that are getting on the robes of righteousness and the seal in their foreheads. The angel is holding the winds now till all the children of God are sealed in their foreheads with the Father's name. Then the wrath of God is going to be poured out. "Behold the Bridegroom cometh!" O the time is very near. All the testimonies of His coming that have been going on for months are a witness that He is coming soon. But when the trumpet sounds, it will be too late to prepare. Those that are not ready at the rapture will be left to go through the awful tribulation that is coming upon the earth. The wise virgins will be at the marriage supper and spend the time of the great tribulation with the Lord Jesus. They will have glorified bodies. For we which remain unto the coming of the Lord will be changed in the twinkling of an eye. -William J Seymore”

Revelation 3:10-12 says; “10 Because you have kept [a]My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 [b]Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.”

It's those who overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit that will be taken at the rapture, and this is why Jesus wants His believers to be baptised in the Holy Spirit, He knows it is what they will need to over come evil and grant them entrance into the marriage supper of the Lamb. We overcome by the blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony and we don’t love our lives even unto death. As Christians that should be our moto. It’s not that we don’t like our life, but Jesus is talking about anything that gets in the way of His call on your life and anything that would cause you to stumble. Jesus said that if any man would like to follow Him, they need to take up their cross and die. Die to what? Self. Jesus even said that if you wanted to be His disciple, they need to eat His body and drink His blood. That’s a hard saying and it doesn’t mean literally, but laying down everything that would get in the way of being obedient to Him.

The Christians that are left behind will still have to obey God and lay down their lives that grants them entrance into heaven, or deny Christ and take the mark of the beast that would enable them to buy, sell and trade, but would judge them to Hell for eternity, either way it all comes back down to obedience to Jesus, obey Him now and avoid the tribulation or obey or not obey Him then. It’s all about obedience. Every knee will bow and declare He is Lord to the glory of God the Father, whether it’s now or at the Judgment.

Revelation 6:9-11 talks about the Fifth Seal being opened, The Cry of the Martyrs; “9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.”

There is an altar in heaven where Christians who die or are killed in the tribulation will go to, and as we read, will be given a white robe, awaiting the end of the tribulation where they will be avenged. These Christians are not at the marriage supper of the Lamb, but are under the altar awaiting the final martyrs to arrive when they too, will receive their glorified bodies. All of this can be avoided by being obedient now and receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, that will give you power to keep your lamps trimmed and burning as you await the rapture of the bride of Christ.

AZUSA PAPERS says; “Those that get left in the rapture and still prove faithful to God and do not receive the mark of the beast, though they will have to suffer martyrdom, will be raised to reign with Christ. The anti-christ will reign during the tribulation and everything will be controlled by him and by the false prophet, when they have succeeded in uniting the whole world in acknowledging the antichrist. Those that acknowledge him will be permitted to buy and sell, but those that stand faithful to the Lord Jesus and testify to the Blood will be killed for the word of their testimony. But by proving faithful to death, they will be raised during the millennium and reign with Christ. But we that are caught up to the marriage supper of the Lamb will escape the plagues that are coming on the earth. William J. Seymore.”

The millennial reign will be awesome, ruling and reigning with Jesus. It’s supernatural. It will be heaven on earth. The lion and the lamb will lay down with each other, the animals will not be carnivorous and there will be no fear of them according to Isaiah 11:4-9. Jesus will give us authority over certain jobs that we’ll be serving Him in. 

In Luke 21:34-36, Jesus says; “34 But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with [a]carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may [b]be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

AZUSA PAPERS says; “Many are going to be marrying and giving in marriage, buying and selling, and the cares of this world are going to get in the way. Above all, we want to get the oil, the Holy Ghost. Every Christian must be baptized with the Holy Ghost for himself. Many poor souls in that day will be awfully disappointed. May we seek Him today, the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire. Now is the time to buy the oil; that is by tarrying at the feet of the Lord Jesus and receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit. It seems that people will be able to buy oil during the rapture. It seems that the Spirit will still be here on earth and that they could get it, but it will be too late for the marriage supper. So the Lord warns us to be ready, for we know not the day nor the hour. -William J. Seymore”

If the rapture was to occur today, I have the assurance of being raptured because I am baptised in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, and have been praying in tongues for the last 41 years. I was justified when I was born again, I was sanctified and set apart unto God by obeying His word, and then was baptised with the Holy Ghost and fire with the evidence of speaking in tongues. You may be born again, and living a sanctified life, but if you reject the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you won’t qualify for the rapture and escape the tribulation. These are terms and conditions of the bride of Christ, obeying Jesus’ last command.

The ‘salvation’ that the Apostle Paul is talking about in following scripture is the Holy Spirit, because Paul is talking to born-again believers, they’re already saved.

Hebrews 2:1-4; “2 Therefore we must give [a]the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just [b]reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts[c] of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?”

I believe that what it all comes back down to is obeying Jesus’ last command, and not grieving the Holy Spirit by rejecting his Holy Ghost baptism or assuming you are already baptised in the Holy Ghost upon sanctification, and it’s not worth the risk of being left behind to face seven years of tribulation and miss out on the marriage supper of the Lamb.

AZUSA PAPERS says; “Dearly beloved, the Scripture says, "Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb." Rev. 19:9. So they are blessed that have the call. Those that will be permitted to enter in are those who are justified, sanctified, and baptized with the Holy Ghost—sealed unto the day of redemption. O may God stir up His waiting bride everywhere to get oil in their vessels with their lamps that they may enter into the marriage supper. The Holy Ghost is sifting out a people that are getting on the robes of righteousness and the seal in their foreheads. The angel is holding the winds now till all the children of God are sealed in their foreheads with the Father's name. Then the wrath of God is going to be poured out.- William J. Seymore”

Here's a great video by Jordan Feliz.

To read The Apostolic Faith (The Azusa Street Papers) please click on this link to read Vol.1, No.5.