Revival in the Pentecostal Church Part II

We have said that God wants to do a new thing. But does He want to abandon everything that has gone before? Does He want to do something so bizarre just to prove that it is new? Probably not! Satan is the one who likes the bizarre; along with, perhaps, some self-appointed apostles.

Thus says the LORD,
“Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths,
Where the good way is, and walk in it;
And you will find rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ ”   Jeremiah 6:16

Jesus said that He did not come to destroy the Law but to fulfill it. He preached in the synagogue of His home town, using the appointed scriptures of the day (lectionary). He did not say the service was all wrong. But He did speak prophetically. He attempted to explain the Word that was read. He was God present in the forerunner of His Church. They did not want Him or what He had to say. They already had it together.

The worship service is honoring and worshiping God. It is also about evangelism. It is meant to strengthen the faithful, but also to reach out to the lost. It is about discipleship in the kingdom of heaven.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. “So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes.” And Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”   Matthew 13:47-52

The old ways are not to be abandoned necessarily. That which is tried and found true should be embraced. What the Lord Jesus wants to do is breath new life into the established Godly foundation of the Church. He is the cornerstone of the foundation. Everything must be aligned with Him. We are not the cornerstone. Our programs are no substitute for His presence in the Church. Yet, our programs and methods, to which we cling so tightly, are taking His place.

What happens is that we try to duplicate past revivals. We try to copy certain worship services in the past that seemed to be anointed. But just as a vitamin pill is designed to offer the some of the same nourishment as real food, something is missing. We do not know enough to know exactly just what that is!

God does not duplicate. He creates. He is a full nourishment God. Let us let Jesus be free to be head of His Church. What could we lose? He certainly won’t do any worse, but the pharisees thought that he would. Are we the pharisees of our day? Spirit-filled pharisees?

This is what is going to happen. You are no longer going to major on the minors. You are not going to worry about the quality of the entertainment. You are going to allow time for worship to get into God’s presence. God may come with a still small voice at first. You are going to avoid always saying: “Let us give a loud handclap for the Lord” — when you know it is not for Him anyway. Get real and get humble before Him. Take time to honor Him in prayer and true worship. And do not preach your sermon. Preach a prophetic word that God has given you through prayer and fasting. Then, before any altar call ask Jesus to take over entirely. Be the first yourself to knell before that altar. Set an example.

What if Jesus does not show up? He said He would. “Wherever two or three or joined together in my name I will be in the midst of them.” Why not close the service with Holy Communion? He has promised to be present to us as we partake of His body and blood. The communion takes too long? No! What takes too long is the long self-aggrandizing sermon. But is takes preparation. We need prayer time to get things right beforehand. Yes, that is what revival is about.

How will the people know that Jesus showed up. They may be healed without a word from the pastor. There may be weeping and true repentance. There may not be any bizarre signs and wonders. If they do show up someone may need prayer for deliverance. Discernment is key. But first pray for discernment for yourself well ahead of the service. Do not fall in love with signs and wonders. Remember, Jesus is our first love.

Imagine the little child in the picture above is your church. Wouldn’t you prefer that Jesus conduct your worship and all other matters? He will direct you, pastor. Practice listening to Him.

May God bless this teaching and may Jesus take over your church. Amen.

Read Revival in the Pentecostal Church Part I

Revival in the Pentecostal Church Part I

For some it may be difficult to conceive a revival in a Pentecostal Church. The Pentecostal Church in America was formed out of revival. The terms Pentecostal and revival may seem synonymous. But, in fact, they are not, though at an earlier time they were similar. What has been lost in many Pentecostal Churches is the concept of repentance. Repentance brought revival in the first place and repentance is required to sustain an authentic church. Yet repentance has been overtaken by a fixation on signs and wonders.

The author is “pentecostal.” He has witnessed many signs and wonders. In truth, many of them came from God. But some did not. But if and when they do come from God they do not authenticate true revival. Repentance and transformation are the hallmarks of revival. If this premise can be excepted and if calling into question some “signs” does not cause offense, then what follows might be helpful.

Let me begin by saying that the Pentecostal Church is not without liturgy (or a way or method of conducting a worship service). The method is not necessarily a bad thing, particularly if it seems to work. The danger with any method, however, is that it could become the object of worship rather than the form of worship.

For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.  Galatians 6:15

Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.   John 4:21-23

The form is not as important as the substance it contains.

We have received prophecy about the coming revival. (If you believe the revival is already here you are partially right as we shall see.) What God has told us is not expect a revival like any other in the past.

Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert.   Isaiah 43:19

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined.   Luke 5:13

Before we look at the shape of the new let us reexamine the form of the current Pentecostal worship service. It consists of a beginning and rather lengthy time of loud praise or what is meant to be praise. A pep rally is what it seems to be. Is it designed to cheer God? Or is it to get the crowd stirred up to a certain level of emotion?

Only God can determine if it is true worship because such worship comes from the heart that only God can truly see. God does inhabit the praises of His people but He is not bound to respond to what may simply be a way of manipulating Him to show up whether or not the hearts of the people are really seeking Him. They may just be seeking signs and wonders.

But before the anticipated signs and wonders the pastor must preach. He or she wants to preach under the anointing. If the proper praise is not going up the anointing may not come down. Then the preaching is really going to be a chore. So the pastor may encourage the people to praise with more fervor. Is this a desire to honor God or merely to get something from Him? We must always examine our motives. Or it may just be that this is the just the way the pastor was taught. The pastor may be sincerely trying to follow what he or she thinks is expected by God, or at least by the people. He or she is relying on familiar a path that seemed to have worked in the past. And he knows that he needs God’s anointing to continue with the service effectively.

Pastor, listen please. God may no longer play by the rules of our game. Why? Because He wants to do a new thing. And He wants you to rely on Him more and less on your anointing. He wants to come in and take over the service. He wants to do and is ready to do things that you cannot do, and never will be able to do, even under His anointing. He may be tired of pastors working under an anointing that they so quickly and easily hand up in a closet after the service so that they may go back to living a less than holy lifestyle.

Do you understand this? He has even removed some anointings. Unfortunately, certain pastors have sought the power elsewhere as King Saul did when he lost his Godly anointing. This is how much witchcraft has entered the Pentecostal Church. Let us get real.

Pastor and elders, are you prepared to let the Lord Jesus take over now? Yes, you will lose control of the service. You will not be able to predict what will happen. But whatever that is you will not be able to take credit for it. You will no longer be the charismatic star. People may stop worshiping you. And it will no longer be necessary for you to prance around on the platform announcing that you feel the Holy Ghost in the house. People will know that God has entered the building.

What do you say? Do you trust God? The Lord Jesus wants to get back in His Church. If you let Him you will see a revival the likes as has never been seen. He wants revival more than we do. If we do want revival God will bring it. The price, however, is repentance and denial of self. Then we are to open up our churches to the One standing at the door. May the Lord bless this word to you. Amen.

(See Revival in the Pentecostal Church Part II)

The Anointing Part III

Isaiah 61:1-3

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Jesus was anointed for a purpose. The passage above from Isaiah tells of that purpose. This was the text Jesus preached from in His home town of Nazareth. There He declared the true purpose of His anointing and of every anointing from God. True believers have been deputized by Christ for this same purpose.

Are the apostles and prophets of today anointed to carry on the mission of Christ? We must examine their fruit. Is God being glorified? Are people repenting of their sin and seeking the righteousness of Christ? Are people being delivered from bondage? Is there joyful praise on their lips? Signs and wonders are secondary to the purposes of God. What are primary is setting the captives free and proclaiming the favorable day of the Lord. However, the day of the Lord will not be favorable to everyone. It will be a day of vengeance for those who refuse to repent and for those who glorify themselves and not God.

God is in the revival business. He wants to establish His kingdom on earth. He wants to renew and reform His church. He wants to refresh and strengthen His faithful believers. We cannot expect Him merely to bless the status quo in today’s American Church and society. And we cannot expect Him to be impressed with today’s signs and wonders. Jesus said:

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:15-23

Read: The Anointing Part I; The Anointing Part II

The Anointing Part II

Is it possible to both bless and curse people under the anointing?

Now Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. So Moab was in great fear because of the people, for they were numerous; and Moab was in dread of the sons of Israel. Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this horde will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. So he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, at Pethor, which is near the Euphrates River, in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people came out of Egypt; behold, they cover the surface of the land, and they are living opposite me. Now, therefore, please come, curse this people for me since they are too mighty for me; perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” Numbers 22:2-6

Even though God ultimately intervenes and makes Balaam deliver blessings on Israel instead of curses, it’s clear that Balaam was a prophet for hire. We may remember that Balaam was on his way to do the bidding of Balak but was restrained by God from passing a certan point by an angel whom Balaam could not see but Balaam’s donkey could see. When Balaam struck his donkey to get him to move the donkey complained in spoken words that he could not pass by the angel. This humorous account suggests that the donkey had more sense and discernment than the prophet. What about many of today’s prophets?

The verses in 2 Peter 2:15 and Jude 1:11 we have warnings to beware of religious leaders who are seeking financial advantages. In other words, certain “prophets” may bless for a price and may also curse for a price. They may have had credibility as a true prophet of God at one time, but when they are motivated by financial consideration they are no longer serving God.

Here is a New Testament example:

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! “You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. “For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.” But Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”  Acts 8:14-24

What is amazing about Simon is that he once was a sorcerer but had given his heart to Christ and been baptized. This did not stop him from pursuing fame and fortune through the power of the Holy Spirit. Again, where do many of today’s prophets and apostles stand?

Read: The Anointing Part III

The Anointing Part 1

Now fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. Elijah took his mantle and folded it together and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven. Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan.

He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.  2 Kings 2:7-14

Let us examine the anointing of Elisha compared to that of Elijah. Clearly, Elisha sought the power of Elijah. In fact, he sought a double portion of his power. But he did not seek God for this power. Rather, he sought Elijah. Nevertheless, from the scripture it is clear that there was some sort of transfer of power before Elijah was taken up in the whirlwind. But we are lead to wonder what type of relationship Elisha had with God based on the question that he asked: “Where is the God of Elijah.” We might wonder: “Who was the God of Elisha?”

Surely there is noting wrong with doing ministry under the power of the anointing. In fact, that is the way to do ministry. Elijah had a powerful anointing. We remember that he defeated all the prophets of Baal on the same day. Jesus had an anointing:

You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.  Acts 10:38

So what could be wrong with an anointing from God? We could ask this question a different way. Is it possible to misuse a gift from God? Let us examine one of the first acts of Elisha after he received his anointing:

Then he (Elisha) went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number. 2 Kings 2:23-24

It is clear that Elisha did not have the same character of Elijah even though he possessed a portion of Elijah’s anointing. A certain anointing is apparently transferable. But a Godly relationship and Godly character are not directly transferable.

Jesus foretold of a day when people would be looking everywhere for signs and wonders and the power of God:

And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.  Luke 17:20-21

People are seeking the power of God today, but are they seeking a deeper relationship with Him?

Read: The Anointng Part II

Strange Fire

Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command.
So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD spoke of when he said:
“‘Among those who approach me
I will show myself holy;
in the sight of all the people
I will be honored.’”
Aaron remained silent.

Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel, and said to them, “Come here; carry your cousins outside the camp, away from the front of the sanctuary.” So they came and carried them, still in their tunics, outside the camp, as Moses ordered.

Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not let your hair become unkempt, and do not tear your clothes, or you will die and the LORD will be angry with the whole community. But your relatives, all the house of Israel, may mourn for those the LORD has destroyed by fire. Do not leave the entrance to the Tent of Meeting or you will die, because the LORD’s anointing oil is on you.” So they did as Moses said.  (Leviticus 10:1-7)

God is looking for a Holy people through whom He will pour out His revival. Are you called by God to that royal priesthood? If so, beware of the strange fire that has entered into the Church. If you are God’s anointed then you will have no part of this strange fire.