|
|
|
|
About Revival! By Pastor Bill Taylor A publication of My Father's House, inc. Volume 6//Issue 7 Prophecy: The full don’t seek, ask or knock; the full don’t press into My presence; but it’s the one who hungers for Me that finds Me; the one who hungers to come into My presence will know My presence; the one who looks to My Word to hear what I say shall understand all. I’m looking for those who are hungry and thirsting for My righteousness for they’ll be filled. But the full have no need for what I offer. Only the hungry will I fill. And they’ll know Me and they’ll know My presence and they’ll receive of My rain. They’ll receive of My Spirit and they’ll grow, saith the Lord. They’ll flourish and become fruitful. But the full will shrivel up and become as a dry branch. So I tell you today, hunger and thirst for Me, and use what I’ve given you to draw near to Me that I may fill you up. I’ll cause you to grow and go on to perfection and you’ll be a glory to Me, saith the Lord. Prophecy: Have I not said that I’m coming for a bride who’s perfect, without spot or wrinkle? Have I not said that I’m able to perfect that which is lacking in you? I’m looking for a people who believe Me and believe that I don’t speak vain words for My words are true. I’ve said I’m able to perfect you. I’ve said I’m able to make you a glorious people. Believe Me, trust in Me, turn to Me and I’ll make you My people. I’ll perfect that which is lacking in you. I’ll bring you to the fullness where you bring great glory and honor to My name, saith the Lord. (Prophecies delivered at “My Father’s House”) You’ve not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the LORD. (Ezek13:5) Speaking of the false prophets those who prophesy out of their own heart, (Ezek13:2) “My hand will be against the prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they’ll not be in the assembly of My people, nor be written in the record of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel.” (Ezek13:9) Another word for false prophecy is heresy. Heresies are doctrines or teachings that aren’t in agreement with God’s Word when the Word is rightly interpreted. Heresies aren’t in accordance with divine Truth and there’s no greater sin than to be a preacher of heresy. It’s a terrible sin to pervert God’s Word and make it something other than what God intends it to be. There are many scriptural warnings against heresy and wherever anything speaks against false prophesy in the Old Testament it’s just as applicable to heresy under the New Covenant because that’s what false prophesy really is – it’s heresy. Heresy says you’re saved when you’re not. It says you’re pleasing to God when you’re not. It says you’re satisfying God’s requirements when you’re not. It says God will bless you when He won’t. In some manner false prophecies and heresy always cause people to assume they’re in right standing with God when in fact they’re in need of repentance. There are numerous heresies in the contemporary “churches” and God is continually showing us new things that expose the heretical errors in the so called “churches” around us. Every Glory of His Grace book reveals things pertaining to that. But the subject we’re looking at today is revival. And the Spirit of the Lord has shown us that because heresy is such a terrible sin God won’t give revival to people who haven’t repented of their heresies. It’s a major problem in many “churches” today that they’re having prayer meetings asking God to send revival when they haven’t repented of their heretical doctrines. Until they open their eyes to see their own sins and the lies they’ve been following, they won’t get a blessing from God. “Churches” today need to recognize that being heretics makes them the worst of sinners. It seems almost all the “churches” today are involved in heresy in one form or another and they’ve come to the place where they disregard it and think it’s unimportant. As though because everybody does it, God doesn’t care! The common understanding in contemporary “christianity” is intercession means “standing in the gap.” You’ve not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the LORD. (Ezek13:5) If you really look at this scripture you can see that “standing in the gap” isn’t merely intercession but it’s repairing the places where the walls have been damaged so the enemy can’t get thru the breaches and into the church. “Standing in the gap” pertains to repairing those places where the enemy has been getting in, so he can be driven out of the “churches” and kept out. Jesus says satan is a liar and there’s no Truth in him. Satan kills with lies. (Jn8:44) He started in the Garden of Eden with a lie that brought death on all men and he still uses lies to kill. So when we’re standing in the gap, that’s directly related to exposing and eliminating those heresies, false doctrines, and ungodly imaginations that have allowed satan and his lies to get into the church. It’s not merely interceding and praying for God to send revival, or praying for Him to bless or forgive, but it’s also praying for God to correct and taking the right steps to eliminate the errors in our doctrine, so the enemy can be kept out and the church can truly be what she’s called to be “the pillar and ground of the Truth.” (1Tim3:15) And if the church doesn’t return to her calling to be the pillar and ground of the Truth, she’s not going to get revival; nor be blessed of God. Recently I read an article by Richard Owen Roberts in which he states that since 1859 (which was around the end of the revivals of Charles Finney and the great prayer meetings that swept the nation before the Civil War) we’ve not had a true national revival. There’ve been some outbreaks of God here and there but no nation wide revival since the Civil War. Mr. Roberts attributes this to Edward Erving, a Scottish preacher who arose around 1826. Edward Erving was a widely accepted theologian in America and he introduced the idea that certain portions of the scripture were related only to the Millennium and therefore of no application to today. Because of his “heretical” teachings many American Christians lost their faith in the scriptures for God to move in power today. Concerning the way God brings about revival, Isaiah speaks of a desert place where God pours out His Spirit until the desert blossoms like a rose, the eyes of the blind are opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then people can see the difference between the wrong way and the right way to God, which is through holiness. (Is35) There’s no doubt this is a prophecy that will be fulfilled in a very special way in the Millennium but Isaiah 35 is still a way God operates concerning revival in the present. In fact, Peter says the prophets of old were speaking particularly to us. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who’ve preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit… (1Pt1:12) Mr. Roberts is saying that up until the late 1800’s, when the teachings of Edward Erwin began to take hold in the United States, most churches and denominations had a faith for God to move in answer to their prayers. But after hearing the heretical teachings of Edward Erwin, many believers didn’t have a faith for God to move in supernatural ways anymore. He overthrew their faith by saying of many things in the scriptures, “That’s not for today.” (2Tim2:17,18) And that’s one example of the terrible damage heresy can do. Paul warns in the last days there’ll be doctrines of demons and a form of godliness denying God’s power. (1Tim4:1;2Tim3:5) In one fulfillment of that, the heresies of Edward Erwin caused many churches to stop believing in the power of God although they continued to have a “form of godliness.” And some similar heresies in the institutionalized churches today, proclaim the gifts of the Spirit (1Cor12) have passed away and so destroy people’s faith for God to move in those ways. Also, churches who’ve lost their faith in the power and Spirit of God, must turn to the flesh. If they no longer believe in the power of God, they must depend on the power of man instead. So because of these widespread heresies there’ve been no national revivals for the last 150 years and there won’t be any until there’s a true repentance in the nations churches. Also, God has essentially abandoned the denominations because they’ve institutionalized their lies and are seemingly beyond repentance. Likewise there’s never been a true revival in the Roman Catholic church because of her numerous apostasies! The few revivals we’ve seen in the reformation churches since the 1850’s have always been a departure from organized or institutionalized religion. In the Pentecostal revival for example the people left the denominations and started new churches. And that’s been the way revival has worked since then because the way to get away from institutionalized heresy is to get away from the heretical institutions. Unless the institutions themselves would repent, recant their heresies and restructure themselves according to the Word of God, revivals will have to continue to fulfill “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord, don’t touch what is unclean and I will receive you.” (2Cor6:17) To date we’ve never seen it happen. Where a true repentance occurs, we could expect it to include such things as the burning of books. The book of Acts reports how new believers burned their books of sorcery and magic. (Act19:19) But it’s just as evil to keep religious books with heresies in them. Shouldn’t a person, or a church, or a denomination, who’s returned to the Lord search out their heretical books and burn them? Such books as McArthur and Scofield’s “Once Saved/Always Saved” study bibles, presumptuous teachings that claim believers have the promises of God when they haven’t fought the good fight of faith to enter in; or the heretical faith movement teachings that “godliness is financial gain.” (1Tim6:5) Shouldn’t the truly repentant say, “Lord, we’re sorry we were ever associated with such things” and bring forth fruits of repentance by renouncing and casting away all their heretical books? In the war between Ahab and Ben-Hadad the king of Syria, Ben-Hadad attacks Israel two times and is defeated two times. Finally, Ben-Hadad fled and went into the city, into an inner chamber. Then his servants said to him, “Look now, we’ve heard the kings of Israel are merciful kings. Please, let’s put sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he’ll spare your life.” (1Kng20:30,31) The servants of the defeated enemy are now looking for mercy. So they wore sackcloth around their waists and put ropes around their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-Hadad says, ‘Please let me live’” Then Ahab answered; And he said, “Is he still alive? He’s my brother.” Now the men were watching closely to see whether any sign of mercy would come from him; and they quickly grasped at this word and said, “Your brother Ben-Hadad.” Notice the word brother. So he said, “Go bring him.” Then Ben-Hadad came out to him; and he had him come up into the chariot. So Ben-Hadad said to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I’ll restore; and you may set up marketplaces for yourselves in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” Then Ahab said, “I’ll send you away with this treaty.” So he made a treaty with him and sent him away. (v32-34) Now a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor by the word of the Lord, “Strike me, please.” And the man refused to strike him. Then he said to him, “Because you’ve not obeyed the voice of the Lord, surely, as soon as you depart from me, a lion shall kill you.” And as soon as he left him, a lion found him and killed him. And he found another man, and said, “Strike me, please.” So the man struck him, inflicting a wound. Then the prophet departed and waited for the king by the road, and disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes. (v35-38) Now as the king passed by, he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and there, a man came over and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he’s missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’ While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” The prisoner escaped. Then the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.” (v39-40) What happened here is like when Nathan came to David and said, “You’re the man that stole the lamb.” (2Sam12:7) And he hastened to take away the bandage away from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. Then he said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because you’ve let slip out of your hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.’” (1Kng20:41-42) This is similar to when Saul didn’t kill king Agag. (1Sam15:10-23) Ben-Hadad has tried to destroy Israel and has killed many of God’s people. Yet once Ahab gets the upper hand, he makes peace with Ben-Hadad. What’s going on today? What’s happened to the reformation? It’s been documented that Roman Catholics were instigators in the deaths of millions of Christians in the last millennium. But now when it seems Catholics can no longer destroy us and the Protestants have the upper hand, are we to call them brothers? God has appointed all heretical, antichrist institutions to utter destruction. That means we’re to expose and disconnect from them. It means we’re to fight against them with the Sword of the Spirit and make no alliances with them, that they may be ashamed. Roman Catholicism has killed more people than Hitler and Stalin combined. They aren’t brethren; they’re heretics and unrepentant mass murderers. Present day Catholics still lie under the curse of their antichrist forefathers. (Mt23:30,34,35) That which is obsolete and growing old is going to pass away. (Heb8:13) Whatever isn’t planted by God is going to be plucked up. (Mt15:13) God has appointed all things heretical to come down, and true Christians are in a constant battle with the false church’s lies, that when we get the victory over them, we aren’t to make peace and say, “They aren’t a danger to us anymore so let’s now work together with them.” If we do that, God will destroy us in their place and our life will go for theirs. (1Kng20:39) God wants all heresies permanently destroyed. Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I’m driving out from before you the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you’re going, lest it be a snare in your midst. But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images (for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they play the harlot with their gods and make sacrifice to their gods, and one of them invites you and you eat of his sacrifice, and you take of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters play the harlot with their gods and make your sons play the harlot with their gods. (Ex34:11-16) You save a Catholic when you get him to renounce Catholicism and come to God in Truth. He’s saved when he renounces the sins of his fathers; when he repents of being part of a church that’s murdered millions of saints and still twists and perverts the Word of God. You save a Baptist when you get him out of the Baptist church and he won’t participate anymore in their foolish heresies. (See “Once Saved Always Saved” and “No Other Doctrine.”) You don’t make peace with someone and call him a brother while he remains a “Syrian” because he isn’t a brother until he’s a true Christian. He isn’t a brother if he’s a heretic. He isn’t a brother if he’s a Baptist. He isn’t a brother if he’s a Catholic. Even though he’s temporarily subdued, he still eats from the table of demons. (1Cor10:20-22) And these antichrist spirits are just waiting for the chance to rise up again. Thus God has appointed these antichrist institutions and their lies to destruction. What the Holy Spirit teaches is when God brings lies down, we must keep them down and never let them rise up again. Just because they no longer seem to be a present danger doesn’t mean we can ignore them. You stay in a place of war with satan’s lies until there are no lies left. For the weapons of our warfare aren’t carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (2Cor10:4,5) We worship Jesus and He’s the Truth, and God’s church is the pillar and ground of the Truth, (1Tim3:15) therefore there can be no place for heresies or lies in the true church. It isn’t of God to be merciful to devils. We aren’t to be merciful to lies and heresies. We’re to be merciful to people who repent. Yet when someone’s rendered harmless by situations or circumstance and yet in heart they remain as evil as they always were, that isn’t repentance. Since they’ve lost their monopolistic power thru the reformation it’s difficult for Catholics to use murder and force against those they disagree with. But this isn’t a change of their heart or mind. It’s just a change in their situation. And when heretics suffer defeats because of circumstances they still remain enemies of God because of their heresies. The fact that they don’t appear to be a danger anymore doesn’t make them brethren. If you choose to associate with heretics then you won’t get revival. You’ll be destroyed with the heretics. Our greatest enemy is the flesh; flesh in ourselves and flesh in others. We’re to put to death the deeds of the body and never let the flesh reassert itself. (Rom8:13) Even though we may have conquered our flesh, we’re never to make a deal with the flesh of others. We’re to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires, (Gal 5:24) and not set up treaties or programs to indulge it. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. (Rom13:14) You must never let sin in your life be partially conquered then make deals with what remains to let some sin continue. This is a lesson God has often repeated. You can see it in Saul concerning Agag. (1Sam15) You can see it in God telling the Jews when they conquer the Holy Land they weren’t to make treaties with the people of the land but to wipe them out, and utterly consume them. (Ex34:11-16) Today all around us apostate churches are trying to make peace with every form of heresy that professes to be “christianity.” And that’s not Jesus! Jesus wants every heresy to be destroyed so there’s one true body of Christ, with one mind, one faith, one baptism, and one doctrine in Christ Jesus. There’s one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who’s above all, and through all, and in you all. (Eph4:4,6) Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, (Phil 1:27) fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. (Phil 2:2) For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not for the sake of dishonest gain. (Tit1:10-11) Charge some that they teach no other doctrine. (1Tim1:3) Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (Jude3) We aren’t to make friends with heretical “churches.” We’re to rebuke them. They need to renounce the sins of their fathers and not continue to perpetuate those sins in the very organizations their fathers put together to promote their lies. They say, “If we’d lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.” Therefore you’re witnesses against yourselves that you’re sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you’ll kill and crucify, and some of them you’ll scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.” (Mt23:30-36) Do you think the Catholics of today, had they lived in the days of their fathers, wouldn’t have participated in the killings of the saints and martyrs? The very fact that they’re Catholics proves they’re still following the sins of their fathers and as their fathers have done they will do. (Jn8:41) They follow the same lies and will commit the same sins and suffer the same judgments. There’ll not be revival in the churches until the churches see their heresies are sin. Behold, the LORD’S hand isn’t shortened, that it can’t save; nor His ear heavy, that it can’t hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so He won’t hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perversity. (Is59:1-3) If God were to give such “churches” revival they’d indoctrinate the new believers into their old heresies and ruin them. You make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. (Mt23:15b) Every heresy is a poison pill that will at some point prevent its victim from attaining to perfection in Christ if it isn’t dealt with and removed. And it’s not in the wisdom of God to use heretics to “save” people when the heretics will ruin the new believers with lies after God “saves” them. Remember, standing in the gap isn’t mere intercession but it pertains to finding out what the sins of the churches are and correcting those sins, correcting bad doctrines, and chasing the devil out of the church. Cry aloud, spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. (Is58:1) Revival has to begin with repenting of sin and seeking out the Truth of God. God has made Jesus King and it doesn’t matter whether the nations receive Him as King or not. God has appointed Him. (Ps2) This isn’t an election. The nations have no say in it. Jesus is King. Now your part is to come into accordance with God’s Kingdom by kissing the Son. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. (Ps2:11,12) What this means is you bow the knee to Him and you receive Him as King if you want to live. Today many people are demanding to have church their own way. They may be able to have church their own way because God has granted men free will but there’s no promise of salvation when you have church your own way because God has not granted you the power to have church your way and have the same results as someone who has church Jesus’ way. You have the ability to do what you want to do but you don’t have the right to determine the consequences of what you do. God will determine the consequences of what you do. Let those who have charge over the city draw near, each with a deadly weapon in his hand. (Ezek9:1) Then God sends one of the angels out with an inkhorn to mark the foreheads of those who sigh and cry over the sins of Jerusalem. (v4) Next He sends the others out and says, “Kill anyone who doesn’t have the mark.” (v5) It’s a remarkable revelation. “Let those who have charge over the city draw near!” This shows God has angelic beings, warriors, who reign over cities, principalities, powers, governments, dominions and such. Yet they don’t have charge in such a way as to make the people obey God. That’s not what they’re in charge of. They aren’t in charge of people’s wills. And obviously most of the people in Jerusalem at this time are doing wrong! What the angels are in charge of is the consequences. These angelic warriors who have charge over the city are there to see you get the proper consequences according to what you chose to do and in this case, except for those who have the mark, the consequence is destruction because the people have chosen evil. The Lord rewards each one according to his works and He has angel warriors who’ll make sure that happens. You have the right to have church your way but you don’t have the right to get the consequences of having church Jesus’ way when you’re having it your way. And when you have “church” your way, you aren’t having Church! The very essence of being in the body of Christ is you’ve given up your way and you’ve acknowledged Jesus is King, so you’re seeking Him for His instructions that you might obey Him and do things the way He’d have you do them. You must bow the knee to Christ and ask for mercy and grace that you might be counted a worthy citizen of His Kingdom. Then you must obey Him. And thereby you become a part of the body of which He’s Head and of which you’re a member because of your faith and obedience to Him. There’s no other way to get into the church of Jesus Christ than thru repentance from your dead works, the things you do on your own, and then entering into His will and becoming a part of what He does instead of what you do, as in He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. (2Cor5:15) But the unbelievers are characterized by why do the nations rage and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, “Let’s break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us.” Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. (Ps2:1-3;10-12) So the unbelieving world will suffer the wrath of God because they’re not submitting unto the will of God. If they don’t want to perish in the way, they’d better bow the knee to the body of Christ which is the true Church. But most “churches” today aren’t submitted unto the will of God either! They’re having “church” their own way. They’re making up their own interpretations of faith, their own doctrines and are trying to attain to salvation according to carnal and erroneous ideas. Now why in the name of Jesus should we expect the world to bow the knee to a “church” that hasn’t bowed the knee to Jesus? And the “churches” are looking in the wrong place for revival when they’re looking for God to punish the world for its disobedience when the “church” itself hasn’t obeyed. And being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. (2Cor10:6) And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you’ll escape the judgment of God? (Rom2:3) Revival can’t begin at the house of God until judgment begins at the house of God. Until Christians repent, get on their knees and their faces, seeking the Lord for what He’d have them do and what He’d have them understand and what He’d have them obey, and for His ways of interpreting His Word. The Holy Spirit is the only teacher who’s capable of rightly interpreting the Word of God. And there’ll be no revival in the heretical churches unless they repent of their heresies and stop holding onto their lies, their idols and their false doctrines and turn back to the Lord and His Truth. But we don’t see any signs of that happening, particularly in the large religious organizations who’ve institutionalized their heresies. But it’s happening right now in individuals whose eyes are being opened to see they’ve been trapped in false churches and in a false Christianity. By the grace of God many individuals are coming out of Babylon. (Rev18:4) They’re coming out from among them, to be separate and touch not the unclean thing. (2Cor6:17) They’ll not be destroyed in the destruction of Babylon and they’ll not partake of her sins only if they’ve come outside the camp to bear Christ’s reproach. (Heb13:13) And that’s the way Christ is teaching us it must be in these last days, that the people who are coming to Christ need to leave the common forms of “christianity” and the institutionalized “churches” that are mainly just businesses operating to fleece God’s sheep. Again concerning revival the greatest problem is the fact that the “churches” haven’t seen their own sin yet. But the blessing is that God has been showing us what the sins of the churches are and showing us our own short comings so we can repent and get them straight. And that’s where revival begins. When you and I return to God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and serve Him in the way He deserves, then He can use us to bring conviction on others also. That’s when the Spirit begins to pour out; and the early and the latter rains start to fall. That’s where waters arise in the wilderness, and we can call upon Him to open the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf. (Is35:5,6) If you’re going to open their eyes but there’s nothing to see or open their ears when there’s nothing to hear then what’s the sense? But at “My Father’s House” we have the Truths they need to hear and things they need to see. We need to show people what church is like among us. It would open many eyes if believers could participate in a service here and see what’s going on in the prayers, the sharings, the prophecies and the Spirituality of even our young children. It would shut many foolish mouths because in “My Father’s House” there is something to see. And as we send our Glory of His Grace books out, we can ask God to pour out His Spirit so people can learn! And we can share our testimonies and such with people because there is something to hear. There’s something for them to turn to and repent from. And that’s where revivals begin, when people who believe in God begin to see their own sins and start repenting over their own shortcomings. For example, how many “believers” have really watched and prayed? How many have entered into the true purposes of God? Therefore don’t be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Eph5:17) Watch therefore, for you don’t know what hour your Lord is coming. (Mt24:42) Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. (Mt25:13) Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Mt26:41) How many “christians” today do you think you could ask, “What’s the hope of Christ’s calling?” (Eph1:18) and they could answer you? How many do you think know what it means to “press towards the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus?” (Phil 3:14) How many have any sense of being “dead and your life is hid with Christ in God?” (Col 3:3) He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (Ps91:1) Do you know what it means to dwell in the secret place of the Most High? If you’re dead and your life is hidden (in the secret place) with Christ in God, then you’re fulfilling the first verse of Psalm 91. You abide under the shadow of the Almighty if your life is hidden in the secret place with God. But that means you’re dead to this world – all worldly pursuits and interests. And the things you’re alive to are God’s interests, His will and the things He’s doing most of which aren’t comprehensible to worldly people. (1Cor2:14) God and His doings are invisible to sinners. But the true saints live in that invisible realm of God’s purposes, doing His will. So they live in a secret place hidden with Christ in God. Now are you experiencing Christ’s “hidden life?” How many in the “churches” around us really know anything about being dead to this world, but alive and functioning in the purposes of God? How many have any real understanding of They’re enemies of the cross of Christ who set their minds on earthly things? (Phil 3:18,19) Now, how many so called “believers” think, “I’m not an enemy to Christ” and yet their mind is almost completely set on earthly things? And they go to what they call “church” and the “preacher” tells them, “You’re the friends of God, you’re His children and God loves you so your salvation is secure.” But the bible says, “You set your minds on earthly things. You aren’t God’s people. You’re enemies of the cross.” If we’re really God’s people then our citizenship is in Heaven and if our citizenship is in Heaven, our affections must be set on things above where Christ is seated in the Heavenlies. (Phil 3:19,20) So people can’t truthfully claim to be Christians if they’re consumed with the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and lusts of other things. (Mk4:18,19) If sports, news, politics and all the activities going on in this world is what occupies their attention, then they have their minds set on the things below and they’re enemies of the cross. They’ve not received the cross, but they’ve rejected it for themselves – it hasn’t crucified them. (Gal 2:20) Jesus says “You can’t be My disciple unless you pick up your cross and follow Me.” (Lk14:27) This means He’s leading you to be crucified to this world so you can live for God. But when “believers” reject the cross they still live for the world. They care about this world and don’t know or care about God’s things because being uncrucified they have very little room for God in their worldly lives. If you understand these things then you can see what the bible calls church is not what most “believers” today call church. Christendom today is heretical, it’s apostatized, it’s carnal and it doesn’t measure up to what God is calling us to and most “christians” today don’t even know how far from God they really are. They complain the world hasn’t bowed the knee to Christ, but the “churches” – the “christians” for the most part haven’t bowed the knee to Christ. And until they bow the knee to Christ there won’t be any revival for them! There’s no sense in God pulling people out of the world and putting them into a disobedient church. Revival must begin with obedience in the church. And being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. (2Cor10:6) Today, many “churches” look very dry, very hopeless but sometimes with God the dryer it looks and the more hopeless it looks the closer we may be to the pouring out of the Spirit. Then The eyes of those who see won’t be dim, and the ears of those who hear will listen. The foolish person (or the heretic) will no longer be called generous (orthodox.) (Is32:3,5) When the Spirit is poured out people will see who’s of God and who isn’t – what’s of God and what isn’t. When the Spirit is poured out, God’s Truth and His glory becomes visible. And we’ve seen that happen here in My Father’s House in a mighty way and it can also happen on a much larger scale if we hold on to God and ask Him to pour His Spirit out even more so. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. (Is35:5,6) The true believers have access to the throne of grace. We’re His people whom He’s cleansed, accepted and taught His ways and we have the privilege to go boldly to the throne of grace (Heb4:16) and ask, “Lord, please pour Your Spirit out upon this desert around us. Open the blind eyes. Bring the “believers” back to God, back to sound doctrine. Bring them into the life that’s hidden in Christ. Get them out of the apostasy. Get them out of Babylon. And, Lord, we know You can do it because all it takes is Your Spirit – the promise of the Spirit thru faith. (Gal 3:14) The same Spirit You’ve poured upon us You can pour upon others. Give us Your grace to see it happen.” And James says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (Jms5:16) Righteous Elijah brought about a revival by his fervent prayer – just one man! So we don’t need to depend upon numbers to get revival. But we do need acceptable “fervent” prayer. And the way to move God is to bring an acceptable sacrifice. An acceptable sacrifice isn’t loud or noisy prayer but an acceptable sacrifice is Christ-like. And Christ-like is prayer in which your heart is broken and your life is being laid down for people, in love and in asking God to bless them. When God sees someone laying his life down with tears in his eyes and love in his heart, not seeking his own, God is moved. He sees a Christ-like acceptable sacrifice, where the Spirit of Christ is in the believer! And that’s the way we’re going to get revival. The “churches” aren’t going to get revival pushing for their own will. They’ll get revival when they’re pleading for God’s mercy, and offering the acceptable sacrifice. This can’t begin until the people who are in prayer for revival recognize the first step is repentance from the sins of the church; the heresies, the lethargies, the deadness, the Laodiceans, the Jezebels, the Balaams, the Korahs; all of the many, many sins that displease Christ, that ungodly men have allowed to run rampant in the “churches.” If we’re truly Jesus’ disciples, we must be found standing in the gap, raising up sound doctrines again as the standard of Truth that the church must live by. We must refuse to associate with the heretics, refuse to allow their lies to be heard in the church of the living Christ because lies defile God’s church; because they’re the devil in the church, because there can be nothing false in Christ’s church which is the pillar and ground of the Truth. (1Tim3:15) So we must stand up for Jesus to do it His way and only His way and without any other way being permitted as we cry from a broken heart for the mercy of God to be poured out on the desert around us; that’s what’s going to bring revival. Now after the conquering of Ben-Hadad, Ahab was convinced to forgive and make a treaty with Ben-Hadad, by the intercession of the servants of Ben-Hadad. (1Kng20:31) It was Ben-Hadad’s servants who said, “We’ve heard that the Israelites are merciful so let’s see if we can make peace with them.” And in their conversing with Ahab, Ben-Hadad’s servants caught hold of where Ahab said “he’s my brother” and they began to repeat, “He’s your brother.” In today’s world, do you know who those servants are? They’re the ecumenists. Who are they serving? Are they serving Jesus’ church? No, they’re serving the Catholics, they’re serving the Baptists, and they’re serving the heretics. And regarding all these fake and heretical churches whose lies our protestant forefathers overcame and separated from; today the wicked ecumenists are saying “He’s your brother.” They’re trying to make peace between the victorious church that has the Truth and her heretical enemies. And what we must do if we’re to remain the victorious church is refuse to call them brothers. Do you know what Joshua did with the five kings he captured in the battle of Gibeon? He brought them out, made them bow down in front of the people and he said to his captains, “Put your foot on their necks.” (Jsh10:24) Do you know that’s what Jesus is going to do with the heretics who don’t repent? He’ll make them ashes under our feet. (Mal 4:3) We’re never to make peace with liars. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? (2Cor6:14b) But we’re to conquer all lies with God’s Truth and totally defeat them, in the name of the Lord! For the weapons of our warfare aren’t carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (2Cor10:4,5) Prophecy: O My children why do you doubt Me? Why do you doubt that I’ll bless you? Have I not proven Myself to you that I’ll reward you when you diligently seek Me? I’ve revealed Myself to you. I’ve poured My heart out to you, but I can’t bless those who doubt Me. I can’t answer the prayers of those who doubt Me. Those who doubt receive nothing from Me. Have faith in Me and I’ll give you all that you desire. I’ll fill you with everything you need to serve Me. I’ll give you the grace to overcome. I’ll give you the supply of the Spirit. There’s no longer time for doubting. You must be a people of faith. Have faith in Me that I’ll use you mightily and I’ll keep you. I’ll put all things under your feet and make you a glorious church without spot or wrinkle, saith the Lord. Don’t doubt Me for I love you My church. I love you My children and I desire to bless you. But you must return to My Word and have faith in Me without doubting, saith the Lord. Prophecy: Call upon Me and I’ll answer and show you mighty things. And will I not do as I’ve spoken? Shall I not pour out My Spirit upon all flesh? Shall I not make the desert blossom and waters come forth in the wilderness? Will I not turn the fruitful field into a desert and the desert into a fruitful field according to My Word? Will I not show you great and awesome things which you haven’t seen before? I tell you My people I’m looking for faith. I’m seeking for a people who’ll call upon Me in faith that I may show them mighty things and do such mighty things on their behalf and on behalf of those for whom they intercede, that all may glorify Me in the earth. But first I’ll be glorified in My church by a people of faith through whom I’ll bring My Word to pass and show all peoples that I’m the Lord and I’m the only God and the Creator of all things and the Righteous One from whom all goodness flows. Call upon Me and don’t refrain nor hold back your voice and don’t be discouraged when there’s delay, for I’ll most certainly answer when I hear the voice of faith. For when you persist and faith continues to rise up, there’ll come an answer. And I tell you My people it will be worth the wait when My answer comes. You’ll rejoice in that day that you’ve held on to your faith, saith the Lord. (Prophecies delivered at My Father’s House)
The Glory of His Grace is offered free of
charge. However, tax-deductible contributions can be made to “My Father’s House”
and are much appreciated.
113 Martin St. Indian Harbour Beach, FL, USA 32937
|
|
Copyright © 2006 My Father's House Incorporated
|
