This past weekend there were numerous live stream conferences online. Some had hundreds of people in attendance, and some even had thousands. People filled auditoriums, churches and tent meetings worshipping Jesus side by side. Each person expressed their heartfelt worship with joyful singing and raised hands. Each ministry had their own unique music, and each person had their own personal way of connecting with God.
Ask anyone who has been 'in the way' with the Lord during the last 30-40 years &- regardless of reports of 'this and that' happening 'here, there & everywhere' - they will almost certainly tell you, 'Things in the church are going in the wrong direction.' By & large, they are onto something that most either ignore, or refuse to see. Of course, to face this stark reality takes an honesty which betrays organizational priorities, baked-in patterns of promotional hype & the fleeting forecasts of coming circumstantial change. Moreover, to face this reality requires a humility very few are willing to even personally face, let alone publicly admit. Therefore, the question: how will we stop regressing, turn it around & then go forward?
"I was just kidding." "I was only joking." How many times have you heard that or said it yourself? What better way for Satan to deceive people into speaking words they don't mean than to disguise it in a joke, or laughing matter? The Holy Spirit recently pointed out to me that sarcasm, or using words in a joking, hostile manner carries not only "crooked speech," but also looses an energy of hostility. After all, when someone teases or berates you, do you leave feeling blessed, edified, or built up? I don't! I ask myself if that really was a joke or is that person speaking what they truly think and covering it up with a laugh.
Can you imagine having an extended conversation with not just any angel, but one of the higher-ranking angels of God? Suppose that angel came to you and told you of kingdoms that would rise and fall in coming years, even explaining what principalities would manipulate those leaders and how alliances would form and be crushed as new kings rose to power. I'd be willing to give up a Twinkie or a T-bone steak for a few weeks in order to have my spirit open enough to receive such a visitation!
Do you truly enjoy the grace of God? Many Christians know the Bible, attend church, and even do ministry work while they struggle to understand the core of the gospel. They can quote Scriptures about what Christ did for them, but they still feel they must work to earn His love—and often they end up feeling unworthy and separated from God. Even though Jesus died on the cross so we wouldn't have to be judged according to the law, many Christians are still living in the Old Testament. They have never embraced the reality of New Testament faith. They are slaves to performance-based religion.
Concerning the Children: Can I bring life where there was once death? Can I raise life out of death and destruction? The enemy comes only to steal, kill, and destroy — but I came that I might bring life and life more abundantly. Lift up life! Speak life over the children and peace and a sound mind — that they would only hear truth and would reject the lies of the evil one. This is the day when many are giving way to the lies of the evil one, and they are speaking lies over the children. Speak life and break the curses of the evil one! Speak freedom to the captive spirits, freedom to those bound with habitual sins of harlotry!
You have the mind of Christ... what does that mean? If we open up to possessing the womb of His mind, then His thoughts can produce a baby. Let the man-child emerge. This mind is: beyond intelligence, beyond learning, beyond understanding. Here are some ideas on what that means:
"O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?" 2 Chronicles 20:6 When faced with what appeared to be certain destruction, King Jehoshaphat set himself to seek the Lord. Today's scripture is part of his prayer. Note that instead of rehashing his fears to the Lord and lamenting about how overpowered by their enemies their small tribe was, Jehoshaphat centered his prayer and thoughts on just how big and powerful his God truly is.
The expression "nobody's perfect" is a familiar phrase, and it's true—I'm not perfect, you're not perfect, nobody's perfect. Hopefully, though, we're all on our way to being more like Christ every day. The apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:12 (AMP): Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own.
The Holy Spirit, an indispensable guide, empowerer, and transformer in our faith journey, is always at work within us. However, certain behaviors can hinder His work. These 7 Warning Signs are not just indicators of actions that quench or grieve the Holy Spirit but also serve as a roadmap to align more closely with God's will. By exploring these warnings, supported by Scripture and insights from contemporary Charismatic and Pentecostal leaders, we can foster a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit, leading to personal growth and spiritual fulfillment.
Follow Up
