Prophecy and Current Events

Why is there in so many of our churches a numbness and drowsiness concerning what we are about, where we should go and how we are to get there? And when someone tries to focus, there comes a dozen differing responses that send the leaders into confusion and often division. In such a vacuum it is easy for rifts to take place, strong-willed leaders to get into power and church politics to become an offensive odor throughout the whole community. In such discouraging circumstances, the tendency on the part of the leadership is to rally their natural strength to fight against "flesh and blood." Satan will do almost anything to keep pastors and teachers and evangelists and prophets from discovering the need for true spiritual warfare. One of the most effective strategies is to keep them preoccupied with administration, counseling, meetings, visitation and putting out fires of opposition so that every day is almost prayerless. Such otherwise intelligent leaders never dream that they are themselves already casualties in a spiritual war.

Someone has got to sound the word that the Church of Jesus Christ is called to enforce the mighty victory that Jesus Christ won over Satan and his kingdom of evil at Calvary. Until Jesus returns to actually destroy Satan, the Church is given authority to discern his strategies, disclose his purposes, deny his power, defeat his operations and deliver his captives. Let the followers of Christ realize that since Calvary and the Empty Tomb, Satan does not have unlimited power on planet earth. We who are filled with the Holy Spirit, clad in His Armor, and given to a ministry of intercessory prayer are called to resist the Evil One, tear down his strongholds and order his retreat. Otherwise, it is the nature of Satan to impose, intrude and usurp until confronted by true representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ who know the power of that Strong Name and will not hesitate to invoke it. The early Church received the anointing of the Holy Spirit and took authority to resist and overcome the Evil One. Throughout the book of Acts we see Spirit-filled apostles, deacons, and evangelists operating against Satanic forces just as Jesus had done before them -- and with the same results.

The Church is called to battle against the Evil One and his forces today. Because he is invisible, prayerful attention and discernment is required on the part of those who wage spiritual warfare. Otherwise, we will soon be thinking and acting as through our struggle is with flesh and blood (people, institutions and visible entities), and we will then resort to carnal weapons used by the world. When this happens, the Church ceases to be the Church, and becomes as any other natural organization -- and the Evil One wins.

Far too long the Church has cut itself off from its true source of wisdom and power, being content with its sorry substitutes. This accounts for the spirit of apathy being in control, instead of a spirit of authority. This accounts for why there are so many losses, and almost no gains, in the salvation of the lost; the making of strong disciples; the lack of power; the drawing together of a caring fellowship of the saints; and a lack of revival in general.

But hear me dear people: Any congregation in America can know a Christ-exalting breakthrough in Spirit-anointed worship services, where new people and entire families will be won to Christ. Believers can be sanctified holy, marriages and family relationships can be healed, and satanic strongholds can be destroyed. Our churches can have new direction and vision, gifted and dedicated leaders will be raised up, laborers will be trained for need-meeting ministries and sent into the harvest field, and needed funds for financing God's kingdom through Spirit-inspired ministries and programs will be released -- if only the leaders will lead the way in prayer!

The entire paragraph above can be true if pastors and leaders will devote themselves to prayer. Others will follow. It does not require a praying majority; a powerful minority can turn the tide and see revival. Dear ones, the hour is too late and too dark and too dangerous for just more trivial and timid experiments. We must return to the divinely ordained, time-tested Upper Room means of releasing God's power on His Church for healing her diseases and removing her reproaches. As congregational leaders throw themselves into the ministry of prayer and fasting, God will, through this mighty minority, begin His outpourings of the Spirit and will not stop until the congregation has experienced a mighty New Testament spiritual awakening and a great increase in the harvest of souls.

Pastors, it has to begin with us. We must first deal with the unbelief in our own hearts. We must humble ourselves and confess that because of our unbelief and pride, we have tried to build the church through our human skills and abilities. We need to plead the bankruptcy of our fleshly ways and humbly concede that it is "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." (Zech. 4:6)

Let the Shepherds of our churches start to humble themselves before the Lord and confess their prayerlessness, and the sheep will follow. Most of the church boards and ruling councils of our congregations across America are waiting and longing for their pastors to make the first move. They do not want to go over him or around him, they want him to take the lead. But most of them are aware of what it is going to take, and they want to be part of it. They know that a new wind is blowing and a new call is sounding. A new army is forming. They want to hoist their sails into these new winds of the Spirit and be carried along in its power to become the Church God has called her to be and engage the enemy and see the harvest.

In closing, I declare to you that prayer is the ultimate weapon. And everyone, and anyone, can pray. Praying forces do not consist of super saints who never fail, never sin, and never doubt. They are men and women, young and old, educated and uneducated, of all races and economic categories, who refuse to settle for nominal Christianity, who have an ear "to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches," and have a heart to obey. They are passionate for the "Spirit of wisdom and revelation." They are careful to put on the whole armor of God. They are daring in their position of authority in Christ. They are a terror to Satan and his minions, for they are not out to play games, but to engage the enemy and utterly defeat him.

So my people, to our knees we must go; to our prayer closets; prayer rooms; prayer trails; prayer walks; prayer meetings; and prayer retreats. In these places, let us worship and praise Him who commands the Heavenly Host. Let us pour out our hearts in adoration, confession, petition, and intercession. And let us listen! He wants to speak. He will speak. And then let us obey. Yes obey! In everything and in anything, obey. For God gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him (Acts 5:32). Revival will come to the praying, obedient hearts. And revival will spread and sweep until more and more are caught up in the glorious outpourings of God. Oh, don't you hunger for this? If not, repent until the hunger comes. And when the hunger comes, pray until revival comes. God will not disappoint us. He will show us His Mercy and send us Revival. Such is His plan for this hour and His purpose for the delay of the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Maranatha!