Let me be clear. I was a pastor and I understand pastors’ concerns. Nonetheless, we must now understand God’s concerns and put His concerns first if we love His kingdom and if we love our people.

God is ready for a revival. Are we? America is not ready but desperately needs revival. Most American churches are not ready. But there are a significant number of remnant churches that are ready. In those churches God is asking the pastors to step up and understand what He is doing. God is doing a new thing. Do we not see it?

Pastors, we are not the narrow way through which people must enter. Jesus is that way. Are we standing in the way of our people and opposing God?

It should be easy to tell if we are. Are we controlling the prayer meetings or are we releasing the intercessors to pray as the Spirit leads them? Are we robbing God of His praise by prolonging worship events for our aggrandizement. (What about you worship leaders?) Is there an open heaven over our church where prayers might receive answers and yet we are still equivocating in our prayer requests because of our own unbelief. Are we begging God or are we getting into His presence and prophesying over the circumstances with the assurance and authority that He gives us? In other words, are we listening to Him and acting as He directs or are we continuing to piously lecture God?

No true healing and deliverance in the church? But plenty of bizarre signs and wonders? Sounds more like witchcraft and sorcery than sound preaching and teaching. Pastors, we need to repent. Our church is big and successful and we are still preaching the “prosperity gospel?” We need to repent. Our church is small yet orthodox in its beliefs – but nothing is happening? The lost are not being saved? We need to repent. We are not having communion services because there just isn’t enough time to get it all in? Our sermons are too long and we are not balanced. We need to repent. We are not out on the street and in our communities and we are not disciplining our people to do the same? We need to repent.

Not preaching revival? Not preaching the Kingdom of God is at hand? Not preaching repentance? Saying that what we have in our church is pleasing to God and that it is like the Kingdom. We need to repent. Jesus preached that the Kingdom was at hand and that repentance was necessary. That was the same message given by His forerunner John. When people heeded the message great things started happening.

Homosexuality and abortions are not the concern of the church? These are too controversial and we do not need to go there? Premarital sex is not that big a deal? We need to stay out of people’s private lives and not be judgmental? The Apostle Paul did write that we should not judge the world. We do need to reach out the lost. But Paul did say that we have the right and obligation to judge the church. We are to teach and we are to disciple and we are to give witness to the conduct that pleases God. We are not condemned if we are in Christ. But certain actions are condemned if we do not repent and receive God’s deliverance and healing.

You may say that you do not understand all this and that even if you did you could not do it all. If so, you are right. In fact, you and I cannot do any of it. We need to step out of the way and let Jesus take over His Church. But first, we must allow Him to take us over. Are we sold out to Him? We just need more of Jesus in our lives and in our church. It is His church and He can do all these things. He said we could do these things too if we abide in Him and His Word abides in us.

What is in us? Who is in us? Are we men pleasers or God pleasers? Are we just spouting old cliches and politically correct sermons? If so, we are leading our people to hell. God will pass us by, but he will hold us accountable for not warning the people and for not trusting in His Word.

Revival is at our door. Are we shutting that door. Jesus said:

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Rev. 3:19-22 NIV