Prayer
27 Points of Revolution in the Church
This Reformation Thesis is a call to massive shift in the church and in our nation.
God has given the church every resource and opportunity necessary to initiate a fire of revival that will burn our cities, nations and planet.
We can all agree this fire is not raging–and the current structure in the church can neither initiate nor sustain a move of God of this magnitude.
It’s time for a radical and momentous change in the church. It’s time for reformation. It’s time for revolution.
APOSTOLIC CENTERS
Glenn Bleakney writes:
In this critical hour, Holy Spirit is revealing the significance of shifting churches away from conventional gathering places towards Apostolic Centers. These Apostolic Centers are not merely physical locations; they are communities where God’s people assemble to encounter the tangible presence and glory of God, and be equipped to advance His Kingdom.
Apostolic Centers are dynamic hubs where the Holy Spirit is actively moving, transforming lives, and empowering believers for kingdom work. In these physical environments, the gathered people of God experience His manifest presence, receive prophetic revelation, and are trained and mobilized as effective ministers of the gospel to advance the kingdom of God into the marketplace, cities, and nations.
Rather than focused solely on weekend services, Apostolic Centers foster a culture of ongoing discipleship, ministry training, and missional living. They equip believers to operate in the fivefold ministry gifts, and send them out as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to impact their communities and the nations.
This shift towards Apostolic Centers is a strategic move of the Holy Spirit to prepare the Bride of Christ for the harvest and the return of Jesus. As the church aligns with this vision, it will experience a new level of authority, anointing, and impact in the earth.
The “family-style” churches must quickly shift and embrace a governmental paradigm. We must gather laborers, pray with passion, equip a holy military and advance into the darkness as we pursue full-blown revival. An outpouring and a city-structure that can withstand the weight must consume our thoughts.
27 POINTS OF REFORMATION AND REVOLUTION IN THE CHURCH
The following was written originally in the mid-2000s to the church of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and then to the cities of the earth. While I don't know the current landscape of the church of Colorado Springs, I've heard rumblings about the lack of five-fold, apostolic, governmental order in the city. If true, this shouldn't come as a surprise as this is true in most cities.
The verbiage in the Thesis was adjusted to address our current city, Branson, Missouri, though any city could most probably be substituted. These 27 points are simple yet critical to consider. I address the problem and then share the benefits of extreme course-correction:
1: We must repent of prayerlessness.
A call is being made for every believer to pray with hunger and passion to an extreme degree. Spiritual leaders of this city must model such a lifestyle of prayer on a daily basis. It must be our primary activity.
Pastors and leaders–let’s agree to developing a furnace of intercession in every local church and a weekly city-wide prayer event that shakes the region to the core.
Keep in mind, your primary call is prayer and study of the Word, not visitation, program development, administration or other focuses that steal time energy and focus.
Leonard Ravenhill said, “Pastors who don’t pray two hours a day aren’t worth a dime a dozen”
“Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”” (Acts 6:3–4, ESV)
BENEFITS:
Literally everything changes when we adopt an intense, strategic, continual lifestyle of intercession.
The supernatural increases, miracles happen, intimacy with Jesus skyrockets, pretenders are exposed, the corporate mission is strengthened.
I’ve counseled pastors to incorporate deep, fiery prayer meetings to set the culture in their leadership team. These supernatural meetings will quickly reveal those who are resistant, opposed to the mission, apathetic, given to a spirit of control or who have embraced an Absalom spirit.
2: We must repent of competition.
It’s time to promote the city church ahead of our local church. Are we willing to lose people, money, our ministries and our reputations for God’s corporate dream of city-wide revival to explode? The “sheep stealing” myth must be exposed for what it is: insecurity, personal kingdom building and a spirit of competition. The truth is it's impossible for someone to steal what we don't own. We don't own the sheep.
As Bring Ming said, “God forgive us for building kingdoms of man on doctrines of demons in your name.”
Further, our aim is not to grow our local church, but rather, as a simple, small department of the city church, we must promote connection in various ministries in the region.
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3, ESV)
BENEFITS:
We have no idea the nuclear-level strength we’ll have if the churches of the city became the church of the city.
Everything is stronger, healthier, more precise, better equipped. Additionally, self-centered kingdom building and other idols are torn down in favor of a city-wide altar of worship.
3: We must repent for being mindful of man ahead of God–and then resign our positions as salespeople. We are to once again lead with a bold prophetic mantle.
As a leader, the primary role is to hear God in prayer and to declare his Word to the people. The body must renounce consumerism in the church by asking not what our church can do for us but what we can do for our church.
We must stop attempting to make our church more desirable, attractive and popular so as to attract the crowds. The prophetic messages we are called to shout will repel most.
“But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”” (Matthew 16:23, ESV)
BENEFITS:
Allowing God to give supreme leadership will offend many and will upset those who have built a “family-style church.” However, the resulting remnant will be firebreathers who are ready to lay down their lives and expose the darkness.
4: We must repent for forsaking the house of prayer.
There is a call for every church in the city to maintain prayer as its primary ministry. It is to be modeled and led by senior leadership.
The primary purpose of the church is not teaching, visitor assimilation or fellowship. It is undeniably night and day prayer for the nations. Lengthy prayer should be taught and modeled as the dominant activity of every believer. Those who refuse to buy into this mission must not be allowed to dictate the level of passion in the ministry.
As I've often said, “I refuse to tone down the activity of the Holy Spirit out of respect of those less hungry.”
“these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”” (Isaiah 56:7, ESV)
BENEFITS:
When prayer is not the primary activity of everyone in the church, the entire mission is compromised and underpowered. A culture of intercession results in unity, strength and ever-increasing passion for Jesus.
“Prayer is the highest activity of the human soul, and therefore it is at the same time the ultimate test of a man´s true spiritual condition (there is nothing so much as prayer life that tells the truth about us as Christian people). Everything we do in the Christian life is easier than prayer.”- Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones
“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:11–12, ESV)
- Fervent: hot, boiling
“I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,” (Romans 15:30, ESV)
- Fervent, urgent
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:16, ESV)
- Fervent, To be active, to be mighty in, to work
5: We must repent of pride.
God resists the proud, and this city can’t afford for God to move away from us. We must repent, humble ourselves and cry for Jesus to come!
“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”” (James 4:6, ESV)
BENEFITS:
God literally stands opposed to those who are proud and the same is true for churches that are formed in pride. Renouncing this alliance with a wicked spirit of pride will result in deep intimacy with Jesus, great favor, a fresh wind of the Holy Spirit and a grace that is immeasurable.
(Scripture + commentary) Matt 23:12 Whoever exalts himself [with haughtiness and empty pride] shall be humbled (brought low), and whoever humbles himself [whoever has a modest opinion of himself and behaves accordingly] shall be raised to honor.13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces; for you neither enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are about to go in to do so.14 [Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you swallow up widows’ houses and for a pretense to cover it up make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation and the heavier sentence.15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes one [a proselyte], you make him doubly as much a child of hell (Gehenna) as you are.
6: We must repent for quenching the Holy Spirit.
Our cry must be, “Come as you are and do what you want!” Sunday services should be marked by significant and earth-shaking supernatural moves of the Holy Spirit.
“Do not quench the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19, ESV)
BENEFITS:
Where do I begin?! When the Spirit is not quenched AT ALL, the entire place erupts in fire!
“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:7, ESV)
Wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, faith, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation; the benefits are immeasurable.
A church that is not moving in the supernatural must be scrutinized. The mission we have been given is impossible to accomplish without signs, wonders, miracles, dreams, visions and supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit.
7: We must repent for resisting the prophetic.
Now, more than ever, we need to hear the Word of the Lord. We must teach every believer how to hear God, how to steward that Word and how to take responsibility in the fulfillment of that Word.
“Do not despise prophecies,” (1 Thessalonians 5:20, ESV)
BENEFITS:
Leading a church without a vibrant prophetic culture is an experiment in futility. God has absolutely critical revelation to reveal to us.
We need the 100 prophets to emerge from the caves!
Obadiah hid them, Elijah was accused of being a troubler of Israel, the fire fell, the prophets of Baal were defeated. This scenario must play out again in Branson and the cities of the earth!
“And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly, and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.)” (1 Kings 18:3–4, ESV)
8: We must embrace and teach on the experiential reality of the presence of God.
If someone were to be on the moon, would he want to learn about air or experience air? Branson must experience the fresh flowing air of the Holy Spirit again.
“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.” (Acts 2:1–2, ESV)
BENEFITS:
Revival. When the Kabod and Shekinah come, and demons flee, and the anointing overwhelms, people are literally transformed forever.
Check this out:
“Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” (Acts 7:54–8:1, ESV)
Saul watched this! This was an experiential reality for him.
Saul would soon become Paul. The entire world would soon be turned upside down!
9: We must be willing to forsake programs and policies set in place by the demands of man in favor of the divine vision of the Holy Spirit.
Today people expect a vibrant worship ministry, children's ministry, youth ministry, singles ministry, coffee shop, small groups and much more. While any of these ministries are not inherently wrong, they quite often are not what God desires for a particular church.
Gather “pavement people.” Those who don't care about comfort, about the biggest and the best, about their own satisfaction are the remnant you are looking for. They are happy hitting the pavement and declaring the goodness of God.
“As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s house. When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”” (2 Chronicles 7:1–3, ESV)
BENEFITS:
Our energy will be reserved for what is most critical.
The vision will drive the ministry instead of what people presume to need or want. The trajectory of the entire church will be wildly different than if we were need-driven.
10: We must release control of our services.
We should expect to stay late, burn hot, experience much, cast out demons, prophesy, proclaim the Word, worship intensely and enjoy a wonderfully messy but Holy Spirit ordered event. The first church was birthed supernaturally in such a way that many marveled and many mocked. It must continue now as it started then.
“And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”” (Acts 2:12–13, ESV)
BENEFITS:
The unexpected must be expected. Limits to God need to be torn down and passion for the unknown, supernatural manifestations of God must overtake us.
11: We must raise the bar of expectations and do now what we will be doing when revival breaks out.
Pray continually, burn hot, be in the House of Prayer daily, cry out for justice, establish the 24-hour church, give, serve and enjoy God with other believers.
“And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?” (Luke 18:7, ESV)
“and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.” (Luke 2:37, ESV)
“And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:46–47, ESV)
BENEFITS:
We will be crushed and sharpened, disciplined and ready when the weight of revival hits the region.
God will be able to use us in a leadership capacity and as stewards of the outpouring. We will be ready.
12: We must repent for surrendering to culture by canceling services, closing the church doors and lowering the expected commitment.
We have submitted to a deadly and apathetic American culture, and it’s time to lead the way and bring reformation to that culture. The church must dominate our calendars again.
BENEFITS:
The church will shift from cowering to culture to shaping it.
Our families will be stronger, full of fire and deeply intimate with each other and with the Lord.
Prayer meetings, prayer walking, equipping, worship and so much more should be our primary activities, not T-ball, ballet, movies or other lesser things.
“And day by day, attending the temple together…” (Acts 2:46, ESV)
13: We must cry out for the love of God to weigh on His church in the form of both mercy and judgment.
Pray for God’s judgment to rest on you, your church and this city so as to ensure wrong things are made right, holiness prevails and God reigns supreme.
“For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17, ESV)
BENEFITS:
Judgment is simply God making wrong things right. God will use the least severe method to get the greatest results.
When we trust God to judge and crush and break us, everything changes. The church is stronger. Our families are stronger.
14: We must teach Acts chapter two style–experience a move of God and then teach on it.
Experience an overpowering move of the Holy Spirit to such a degree that highly anointed biblical teachings penetrate hearts. What God does in the moment is then taught and explained from a supernatural perspective. Instead of teaching about revival to come, we need revival to break out, providing us the opportunity to explain the other-worldly invasion that shocked the city.
“But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’” (Acts 2:14–21, ESV)
BENEFITS:
We get to experience God!
A full-speed ahead pursuit of supernatural visitation should consume us!
15: We must admit there are demons and that they must be dealt with.
Not through programs and projects but through prophetic proclamation. A unified assault on the kingdom of darkness will result in mass deliverance in our city.
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7, ESV)
BENEFITS:
The freedom will be immeasurable!
Demons will finally be forced out of hiding and we will be free and full of life.
The freedom will spread like wildfire as demonic strongholds are destroyed in the city.
It will be normal for demons to manifest on Sunday mornings, right in the middle of the service, as people pray, contend for freedom and witness supernatural deliverance.
16: We must be available for repositioning and do away with the redundancy that a church on every corner invites.
Many churches in our city should close. Those pastors would then assume more appropriate positions of service in other churches. Teachers would lead centers of teaching, pastors would lead small groups, and other leaders would serve in a variety of physical locations within the city church. The goal is one city church, many departments, unified leadership and individualized roles.
BENEFITS:
Huge unnecessary burdens will be lifted from leaders as they are released to focus on what they are called and wired to do.
The power of a city church can’t be understated.
17: We must again become Holy Spirit sensitive instead of seeker sensitive.
People aren’t looking for something worth living for, but rather for a cause worth dying for. Show them the cross.
The normal New Testament church experience is one of extreme manifestations of God, death to self, prophetic preaching and an unapologetic invasion into the culture which results in momentous change.
I believe the “seeker sensitive” movement has been the most destructive model of church in recent history. The devastation won't be fully realized until people enter into eternity.
“And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” (Mark 8:34–35, ESV)
BENEFITS:
The pretenders will leave and the remnant will be free to advance with great unity and strength.
The anointing will skyrocket and those “seekers” who are truly hungry will run to the altar. It will be more about God’s invasion into their lives than their assimilation into an affinity group.
18: We must again embrace dreams, visions, praying in the Holy Spirit and extreme encounters with God.
“So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.” (1 Corinthians 14:39, ESV)
BENEFITS:
The mission of the church will be strengthened as people are receiving revelation.
Our personal lives will become powerfully effective as we are led by supernatural guidance instead of staggering around in confusion.
19: We must repent for presenting a watered down, socially acceptable gospel.
Salvation requires death, surrender and commitment to the plans of God.
“And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Mark 10:21–22, ESV)
BENEFITS:
Authentic salvations will result in a powerful church.
The Rich Young Rulers won’t be affirmed, the Money Changers in the temple won't be coddled and the truth won’t be compromised.
20: We must repent for emphasizing what people can get instead of what they are to give.
To enter a church with the expectation of leaving with more than you entered with is to embrace the same spirit the money changers did. We must again, with fear and trembling, enter the House of Prayer with the expectation of making a sacrifice and giving an offering.
“And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”” (Matthew 21:12–13, ESV)
BENEFITS:
We will have clarity on our devotion to Jesus.
During the Triumphal Entry, Jesus was “worshiped” by people crying out “Hosanna!” That word, Hosanna, translates as, “save us now.” The focus was on self.
The moment they determined Jesus wouldn't give them what they hoped for, they turned on him. Their next cry was, “crucify him!”
People will attend our churches as long as we give them what they want. Instead we may need nearly empty churches with the few who have the guts to gather around the cross.
21: We must encourage every believer to grow intentionally, rapidly and independently.
And then, to step into their assigned ministry role.
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:12–14, ESV)
BENEFITS:
Strong leadership teams will develop as will strong, devoted people.
22: We must call for the fear of the Lord to return to our churches and city.
“Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” (Proverbs 23:17–18, ESV)
BENEFITS:
We will be calibrated with the reality of who God is. Both the love and the severity of God will be made known.
23: We must repent for rebellion, self-government, lawlessness and an independent spirit.
This is evidenced through church hopping and by leaving a church without being sent out by the leaders. This results in compromised missions, a divisive spirit and a splintering of the body. Accountability and submission to authority must again return to the church.
“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (Hebrews 13:17, ESV)
BENEFITS:
We will shed demonic influence that has brought ruin to people, families and churches.
24: We must repent of gossip, complaining and other forms of witchcraft.
“There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” (Proverbs 6:16–19, ESV)
BENEFITS:
Alliance with demons will be eradicated.
The church will be much stronger and full of Holy Spirit activity.
25: We must repent for embracing a religious spirit.
Religion is this: “man’s attempt to use God to get what he wants.”
It’s time to cry out for God to remove our man made structures and advance his Kingdom in our city!
BENEFITS:
A spirit of religion killed Jesus. This same spirit resists the Spirit of God today.
When eradicated, the Holy Spirit will come in like a flood and give supernatural, divine leadership to our churches.
26: We must repent to the nation for misrepresenting Branson as a significant Christian center of Holy Spirit activity.
It is not. We have wrongly stewarded this responsibility. We hear a lot about “God and country,” and there is much that is very positive happening here. However, we can't stop the analysis of the spiritual condition of our region with what seems to be healthy.
There are altars that must be torn down, wicked spirits that must be exposed and repentance that must overwhelm us all.
BENEFITS:
The humility repentance would bring will be a catalyst for a massive move of God.
It would also recalibrate the church of Branson and make it possible to effectively steward revival.
27: We must repent for not praying intently for our leaders.
Their failure is our failure.
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” (1 Timothy 2:1–2, ESV)
BENEFITS:
Leaders would be undergirded, their arms lifted and covered. Failure would decrease and the mission of Kingdom advance would be strengthened.
Pastors and other ministers would not be as susceptible to failure.
The people would not be as susceptible to disillusionment and falling away due to the failure of leadership.
FINAL THOUGHTS
As we pray, unify, preach the cross, love God and the people of our city with passion and embrace the present Word of the Lord Branson will be a propellant for revival around the world.
Written trembling in the fear of the Lord,
John Burton
Revival X
How to contend in earth-shaking intercession without getting bored, tired and discouraged
Could you not pray for one hour? ~Jesus
Prayer doesn’t typically come naturally. Actually, it comes supernaturally, but even so, there is a learning curve.
At Revival X, I am excited about the opportunity to help train hungry people in the art and science of impactful, fiery, powerful and supernatural intercession. Once we are struck by the shock and awe of prophetic prayer, we will crave interacting with God night and day.
Could you not pray for one hour? The obvious answer is no. The couldn’t. Or, actually, they didn’t. They could have. They should have, but the impetus was not there. The passion had faded. The urgency was gone. Carrying the burden of another requires we are impacted by the Spirit of God at a pretty deep level. This is what makes an intercessor.
This isn’t an involved teaching on the matter (that will come on Tuesday nights at Revival X!), but these are some simple tips and truths that will help make intercession much more enjoyable and meaningful. We’ll want to pray, without ceasing, as Scripture directs.
Eleven tips: How to engage in impactful, supernatural, prophetic and addictive intercession
ONE: UNDERSTAND THE ASSIGNMENT
Burdens for intercession become weighty and tangible when we understand, adopt and own the assignment. What is the purpose of your intercession? Is that purpose captivating you? If not, go to battle over your mind and emotions and avail yourself to the Spirit of God.
The assignment might be naturally obvious, like praying for someone to be healed. Or, it may be sudden and unexpected. There are times I’m awakened in the night with a celebrity on my heart. It’s typically someone I never spend time thinking about, and I know the Lord has asked me to stand in the gap for them.
Understanding God’s assignments in prayer will also relieve us of other prayer focuses that aren’t as pressing or timely on God’s agenda. It takes some discipline to stop praying for what we want to focus on to make room for what God is doing. Doing so is the first step toward intercession that’s fueled by God’s supernatural grace.
When we become “assignment-driven” instead of “issue-driven” in our lives, our prayer lives tend to erupt.
TWO: UNDERSTAND YOUR AUTHORITY
Prayer becomes a frustrating exercise of futility if we don’t understand our authority. If we don’t know without question that we cause things to happen simply by declaring and decreeing, commanding and enforcing, then we’ll fizzle out after just a few minutes of tiring prayer.
However, when we acquire a revelation of just how potent and powerful our words are, and how atmospheres and enemies have no choice but to submit to our Spirit-revealed directives, everything changes! We become super-charged, supernatural agents of the King.
We move mountains. We cast out demons. We war in the Spirit. We dictate breakthrough. We condition atmospheres. We truly are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
THREE: PRAY IN TONGUES
Bold tongues originating from the depths of our inner man should be erupting out of us from the beginning of the intercession session to the end. If I had to put a percentage on it, I’d say 95% tongues, 5% English. The Spirit knows exactly what needs to happen through our legislation. The most efficient way for him to move is praying in tongues. There is no comparison.
The Bible talks about groans “that can’t be uttered.” These are overwhelming spiritual unctions that overwhelm and overtake us as we take on the Holy Spirit’s burden. There is no need for words and there is no need for intellectual understanding when this occurs. We can rest easy knowing that God is actively, literally and immediately moving. Faith explodes through tongues and groans.
FOUR: DECLARE SCRIPTURE
The Bible is true. It’s mandatory that we absolutely, without any doubt or hesitation, fully and completely believe it. We must never condition Scripture with our experiences, disappointments or personal insights. The Word of God rules.
When we believe Scripture at this level, our minutes of prayer can easily launch into hours.
Grab hold of a single scripture or a passage and decree it. Declare it. Enforce it. Meditate on it. If you aren’t seeing a particular biblical truth manifest in your life or in a situation, go to battle. Proclaim the truth to the enemy. Proclaim it to yourself. Command your mind and emotions to align with it.
When you are done, find another scripture and do it again. Another hour will pass before you know it.
FIVE: KNOW WHAT GOD’S WILL IS
It’s safe to say that a lot of prayer that’s offered up every day, possibly the majority, is little more than asking God for stuff as we wonder if he’ll answer. This is a recipe for intercessory failure. Our faith plummets. Our hope fades. Our relationship with God is negatively affected because we don’t truly understand his desire for us.
The easiest way to know God’s will is through the Word of God. If he wrote it, he means it. Review the previous point and get excited about all of the promises in Scripture that are chiseled in stone. God means what he says.
In specific situations that the Bible may not cover (like what job to take or how to spend our money), the next point will help. Suffice it to say, intimacy with Jesus is key. As we learn to hear God’s voice, our prayer time will take a dramatic shift. No longer will we gaze up into heaven wondering where God is and what he wants. We’ll move right past that point and have great confidence in our prayer. It will shift direction from asking God to commanding situations. We will be a walking, breathing, supernatural command center, enforcing God’s will, not aimlessly wondering what it is.
And, during the “in between,” the times between our intercession and the clear revelation of God’s will, pray in tongues and declare Scripture. Enjoy Jesus. Develop intimacy. Correct wrong theology (like God is resisting you, or that he doesn’t love or like you). Simply know that Jesus is interceding for YOU nonstop!
SIX: DISCOVER THE PROPHETIC
Prayer that isn’t infused by the Spirit of prophecy is doomed. It really is. We must learn how to receive revelation. This is a massive topic that can’t be even summarized here. However, we need to know that God is talking and the things he’s saying are weighty. Our job is to receive the transmission and respond accordingly.
It’s critical to flow prophetically during intercession so we get the right job done the right way. We don’t want to pray for something that God is actually opposing. We don’t want to focus on a point that God says to put aside. This is where tongues helps (a lot). God will suddenly and overwhelmingly impact us with skyrocketing faith on a matter. He will tell us what to decree and how to contend. His will becomes obvious. What’s on his heart in the moment overtakes our heart. When the prophetic meets intercession, miracles happen. This is where the realm of wonders exists.
SEVEN: EXPECT SIGNS, WONDERS AND MIRACLES
When we pray, and when the prophetic is hot, miracles, signs, wonders, healings, revelations and great faith result. They become quite normal.
The key is that we must stimulate our faith and develop extreme expectancy. Tongues helps. Scripture helps. Prophecy helps. Embracing our assignment helps. When all of this is working with synergy, the Spirit of God will often manifest.
A prayer-life without unwavering expectation of supernatural activity of the Holy Spirit is a prayer-life that’s truly on life-support.
EIGHT: FIGHT THE ENEMY
When all of the above points are in play, they will ultimately expose the activity of the enemy. When that happens, we must fight!
Understanding our authority will make this an obvious next step. It becomes clear that the enemy has been working hard behind the scenes (and often right on stage) to steal, kill, destroy, disrupt, discourage and stop God’s activity in our life and situation.
The prophetic is an invaluable tool as it shines a bright light on the darkness. The enemy can no longer hide. However, it’s absolutely critical that we engage in serious warfare. The enemy doesn’t like the light, but he’ll gladly stand there exposed if he knows we aren’t going to do anything about him and his schemes.
NINE: COMMAND VS. PETITION
If there anything that will kill a life of prayer it’s petition.
Yes, there are times to petition God. Scripture is clear about this. However, when we become petition-dominant in our prayer, our faith plummets. So much of what people petition God for has already been settled and revealed in Scripture.
So much more would be made known prophetically if we had fine-tuned that spiritual skill. Remember, part of our responsibility in prayer is to discover what God’s will is. Very often, his will is ready to be revealed, or at least the part that we need to know in the moment is. We just need to find it. Most often, petition is not the quickest way there.
TEN: FOCUS OUTWARD NOT INWARD
If I had to guess, nine times out of ten people pray about themselves or issues that directly impact them. There’s a time for this, but it’s certainly not ninety percent of the time.
Intercession demands we take on the issues on God’s heart. Keep in mind the assignment most usually will be mission oriented. Our call is to pray for souls, to contend for revival, to push back the enemy, to stand in the gap for others, to invade the darkness, to heal the sick, and on and on.
Intercession that’s focused outward is exponentially more potent than prayer for ourselves. Again, there’s a time to pray for our own situation. Even daily we can give time and energy to this. We can go to God with our desire for personal growth, concerns, questions and other such communication. We just need to know that staying in that place will drain us and weaken our faith. We were created to advance and to fight for others.
This is one reason why I personally feel prayer meetings at church shouldn’t focus much on their own church. Church growth, church needs, church challenges, etc. can be hit briefly in prayer, but don’t dwell there. Camp out on intercession for the city, for revival, for transformation and for regional and national issues.
ELEVEN: JUST DO IT
No matter the struggle, no matter how silent God seems to be and no matter how ineffective you feel your prayer is, do not stop. Go deeper. Go longer. Pray more deliberately. Intercede with passion.
You have to practice prayer continually in order to break through into new realms, new experiences, new victories and new revelations of how God moves through our intercession.
Simply know, God absolutely, without question, hears you, is moving through you and is training you as a mighty warrior of atmosphere-shifting intercession!
REVELATION DRIVEN PRAYER
Game changer! The most incredible, instructive and distinctive reading on prayer I’ve experienced in a long time. The writing is simplistic, refreshing and applicable. Every faithful Christian should read this to be renewed and empowered! ~Walkbyfaith
If, throughout the Bible, God causes men and women to do things that defy human logic, why do we default to common sense when making decisions in our lives? If God told Gideon to secure only 1% of his army to go into battle, which obviously defies solid and time-tested military wisdom, why don’t we consider that God may also cause us to advance in our lives via nontraditional and even bizarre means?
Job 11:7 “Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?”
The message of Revelation Driven Prayer will help launch you into the unusual and deep things of God that he has prepared specifically for you.
Undesirables in our culture will be permanently cancelled
Those in society presenting a risk will first be marginalized and then eliminated.
I'll never forget the terror I felt watching A Thief in the Night, an apocalyptic movie from the 1970's seen by over 300 million people. Christians who refused to take the Mark of the Beast were led to the guillotine. No resister was spared, not even small children. (Regardless of the timing of the rapture, Christians can and will exist during the Tribulation period.)
We are living in the final moments leading up to times of great trouble in the world. It's true that difficult times are upon us now, but, especially in America, what we are experiencing is paradise compared to the horrors to come.
Many believe once the end-time progression has fully matured, those who resist the mandates of a coming global leader will be mercilessly executed. This certainly includes biblical Christians and others who rise up with guns a blazin' in opposition to tyranny.
EVENTUALLY CHRISTIANS BE CANCELLED PERMANENTLY
Canadian pastor Artur Pawlowski who has resisted the mandates to wear masks and cancel church services was recently arrested on the tarmac at Calgary International Airport.
“They came for me, be sure of it, they are coming for you as well,” he said warning U.S. audiences.
There will be consequences if Americans don't take a stand, he continued: “If you will not do it, you're next.”
This is where it gets interesting, and where we as Believers in Jesus must understand the larger picture. We must also use great wisdom when dealing with the spirit of the age.
News flash: When all is said and done we will lose this fight.
I'm not trying to demoralize anybody nor am I buying into any sort of defeatism. I've read the Book and I am fully aware that martyrdom is very much in the future for many of us. The final victory is not carnal or earthly. After the Great Tribulation period and then ultimately after the Millennial reign, Satan and his hordes will be eliminated. We win, they lose.
But in the not too distant future, we will be permanently cancelled. No type of right-wing rebellion against the tyranny will work. Resistance is futile. Scripture makes that clear. Does that mean we give up and give in? No. Contending for righteousness is always appropriate, and there certainly can and will be important short-term victories. We can and should fight the fight (again, with wisdom) by promoting righteous laws and challenging unrighteous norms.
WE ARE BEING CONDITIONED
Today, social media and politics are the primary tools the enemy is using to force his agenda. Cancel culture is here to stay and it will get progressively more punitive, restrictive and threatening. This is why our strategies must go much further than ranting on Facebook and wearing MAGA hats. God is preparing his church for great persecution and he needs us to accurately discern the signs of the times.
Social media giants are conditioning us, muzzling us and attempting to force us into compliance. What we say, what we believe and what we do will result in affirmation or cancellation. Resisters will resist, but those who are Spirit-driven will be prepared to respond rightly to the evil end-time strategy.
ELIMINATING THE UNDESIRABLES
Ultimately, the plan is for undesirables (you and me) to be fully eliminated. During the Tribulation that may come in the form of a guillotine. In the seasons leading up to that we'll see an increase in propaganda, conditioning, cancellation and shaming aimed at those who voice any measure of opposition to the societal norms.
Do we simply unleash the Ben Shapiro's and Donald Trump's of the world to rage against the machine, or is there another, better response? While I appreciate what Ben and President Trump have done, and I do believe God can and has used methods they have employed, we need to zoom out and look at the bigger picture. This isn't about saving America anymore. This is about preparing for an encounter with the greatest evil the world has ever known.
How many churches are strategically preparing the people for trouble? I'm not talking about stocking up on toilet paper, fighting against liberal lawmakers or sharing the latest memes about Dr. Fauci. I mean, is the church praying, fasting and contending in tears for an outpouring of God's Spirit? Are pastors teaching on the end times? What is the spiritual response to today's crisis?
The Bible makes it clear that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but that seems to be all the church is doing lately. Fighting politicians, fighting mandates, fighting Facebook. Satan is moving in the spiritual realm and manifesting in the natural. All too often, the church is a step behind, reacting in the natural, responding in the flesh and relying on human intuition with no grid for the supernatural.
A Thief in the Night had me disturbed as a child and the truth it conveyed has me disturbed as a 52-year-old adult, though the reasons are very different. Then I was concerned for my own life. Today I'm grieved at the response of the church. In the near future, Christians who are rightfully prepared will stand against the threats and refuse to align with the anti-Christ, even if it means certain death. Those who are not will easily give in to the pressures of being permanently cancelled. No food, water, medical care, electricity or other necessities will be too great a price to pay for many.
SO, WHAT DO WE DO?
Our primary and constant response must be fervent prayer, radical consecration, holy living and devotion to the Word of God.
In the short term I believe it's important that we do engage culture. We can win some of the current battles and push back the agendas of the enemy. If we use supernatural wisdom, we can see laws changed, social media transformed and tyranny confronted. It's a valuable and appropriate fight anytime we push back on darkness, especially when it's attempting to destroy our nation.
We must understand, however, that any victory in this realm will be short lived. Ultimately, the enemy will rage with such strategic precision that all who resist will be eliminated. Are we prepared to die as martyrs? Are we truly living and praying and walking in the Spirit? Are our children ready for overwhelming and terrifying persecution? If not, that must be our focus. It's about to get very interesting in the world, and we must do all we can to be ready to respond.
Photo credit: “Guillotine (musée des Souvenirs de guerre, Hô Chi Minh Ville)” by dalbera is licensed under CC BY 2.0
The only hope for America? Churches that promote extreme Holy Spirit encounters
Churches that don't fan the flames of intense Holy Spirit activity need to go.
Like so many, I'm crying out for an earth-shocking move of God, an undeniable invasion of supernatural power that will drive us to our knees. The tears and the tremble that result will never leave us. Our very reason for existing will shift in an instant knowing we have just encountered Deity.
The church has both the call and the authority to usher in such a holy visitation. Tragically, many have left the church with deep frustrations, giving up after holding out such high hope that revival would be the prime focus. Hosting the presence of God with the ultimate goal of igniting a regional outpouring is simply not the supreme motive of most churches today. Sure, many pastors and leaders would give a hearty head nod to the idea, but when it's time to contend, those who have refused to put down the weapons of warfare are few.
EMBRACE THE WEIRD
A pastor friend of mine recently mentioned the reason why so many in his Charismatic/Pentecostal denomination shy away from pursuing revival. They are “afraid of weird.”
I've said often that as a leader, I refuse to tone down the activity of the Holy Spirit out of respect of those less hungry. I fully embrace the weird. We need pastors who no longer care very much about how many mortals they have in the pews and start crying out for our immortal, fearful and omnipotent God to come! Oh yes, it will get wonderfully, supernaturally weird! Revival is messy, otherworldly, hard to understand and impossible to contain.
This is actually the problem. Many of today's pastors and leaders prefer a controlled flame to a wildfire. God is yearning to blow the winds of the Spirit over fast spreading fire that threatens everything in its path. He wants to consume homes, businesses and all his fiery love can overcome. He doesn't want containment. This fire must be wild.
NO MORE (SPIRIT-FILLED) CHURCH AS USUAL
Many have been campaigning for an end of church as usual. We need to take it a step further. It's easy for the Spirit-filled crowd to presume they have it. They are open to the moving of the Spirit of God and, as a result, have somehow arrived. This couldn't be further from the truth.
If a church genuinely wants the fire, they can no longer shut up the tongues. Tongues of fire must be unleashed in our churches again!
How rare is it to find supposed Spirit-filled churches that are roaring from groans that can't be uttered? The explosive, guttural cries of supernatural fire erupting out of the mouths of desperate people is a rare experience today. After all, that's weird and many of today's Charismatic pastors avoid it like the plague.
We are all familiar with a typical Spirit-filled church service. You'll get some extended, nicely polished worship along with some lifted hands, dancing and shouts. Sometimes people will fall over when prayed for which is a sure sign you are in a Charismatic church. A long, enthusiastic sermon comes next followed by quality time at the altars. You are with me, right? We've all been there, done that.
Of course, all of what I described, if authentic, is very good. Very, very good.
However, it's not nearly what is needed if we want God's supernatural presence to absolutely overwhelm us. Revival doesn't launch from such a predictable, controllable church strategy.
A FORMULA FOR FIRE
To take the church from tired, predictable services into the mission of revival requires a significant shift in strategy. Carefully crafting a smooth, vibrant, mildly supernatural Sunday church experience will never suffice. Churches that refuse to go into the depths in these end-times should go. They are standing in the way of legitimate revival in their city and are robbing God's people of the opportunity to experience an outpouring.
While churches may be exceptionally good at any number of things, including growth, outreach, teaching, encouraging and discipleship, if they aren't doing it in the fire, they have become a liability in the Kingdom. Pastors may be brilliant leaders with thousands of people showing up to hear what they have to say each week, but without the knee-bending wind of the Spirit of God howling through the church, what's the point?
Here are some of the key steps for promoting a wildfire revival.
A REMNANT MINDSET
In order for revival to become job one in the church today, the seeker mindset of old must go. We have to be ready and willing to allow the majority to exit our churches never to return if that is, in fact, the required cost of revival. Pastors, find your remnant and burn hot with them. Until we realize the church is more about ministering to God than it is ministering to people we'll never even take the first step toward an outpouring. Pastors need an army of locked-in people who aren't showing up for themselves, but rather as sacrificial warriors who are ready to pierce the darkness as a single unit.
TONGUES AND GROANS
From my article, The Tone of the Groan:
Throughout scripture we see groans preceding a great deliverance—and this deep groan of the Spirit must erupt in our churches and in our cities now. The days of quiet, sedate church services built upon human order must come to an end—Sunday mornings must resound with a prophetic shock and a new sound of trembling people exploding in groans of the Spirit.
We need Azusa-level reports to shoot around the planet as we explode in supernatural cries!
In a skeptical front-page story titled “Weird Babel of Tongues”,[17] a Los Angeles Times reporter attempted to describe what would soon be known as the Azusa Street Revival. “Breathing strange utterances and mouthing a creed which it would seem no sane mortal could understand”, the story began, “the newest religious sect has started in Los Angeles”.[20] Another local paper reporter in September 1906 described the happenings with the following words:
…disgraceful intermingling of the races…they cry and make howling noises all day and into the night. They run, jump, shake all over, shout to the top of their voice, spin around in circles, fall out on the sawdust blanketed floor jerking, kicking and rolling all over it. Some of them pass out and do not move for hours as though they were dead. These people appear to be mad, mentally deranged or under a spell. They claim to be filled with the spirit. They have a one eyed, illiterate, Negro as their preacher who stays on his knees much of the time with his head hidden between the wooden milk crates. He doesn't talk very much but at times he can be heard shouting, ‘Repent,' and he's supposed to be running the thing… They repeatedly sing the same song, ‘The Comforter Has Come.'
This is the most important and most effective step, by far, in promoting a wildfire atmosphere. Instead of nice, catchy worship and other typical church elements, introduce the raging glory and power of groans and tongues. Literally, when stepping into the sanctuary on Sunday mornings, the atmosphere will radiate with supernatural power as everybody is engaging in aggressive, expressive and booming groans and tongues!
When pastors lead the way by engaging everybody in 30-60 minutes (or more) of continual, intense intercession at this level, literally everything in the church will change. It will shift from a low-level, mildly spiritual atmosphere that is mostly dependent on coercing people to tithe more, serve more and attend more to one that has people lined up outside the doors for hours waiting to get in.
VISIONARY LEADERSHIP
I'm not talking about worldly vision or an entrepreneur spirit. I mean pastors and leaders must be living their lives saturated in prayer and the Word to such a degree that God exploded supernatural vision into their spirits. Dreams, visions and encounters will rock and shock them to such a degree that little else matters than running toward the fulfillment of what God has revealed to them.
Happy sing-a-longs, tepid prayer times, powerless sermons and a nice little family environment will give way to a vibrant, anointed, fearful and weighty atmosphere. Joshuas, Gideons and other bold, relentless biblically-modeled men and women of God will lead the charge into the great unknown. They know that only a remnant can get them where they need to go. Most will need to be released into the deserts of their own makings as they identify the few who have the courage to advance into the land of promise.
A PROPHETIC CULTURE
If authentic prophecy isn't predominant in each and every gathering, the advance toward a glorious revival will be stunted.
While low-level, carnal, fake and invented “prophecy” must be rejected wholesale, true prophetic revelation must be embraced. Decrees and declarations based on the timely insight that God has revealed to that local body will shock the atmosphere with authority. The people, the remnant soldiers, should be trained and empowered to prophesy, and the entire body must be ready to shift and redirect as the winds of the Spirit move them.
Fire and brimstone preaching will have to make an appearance in such a revival-focused environment. Unapologetic calls to radical consecration are absolutely mandatory. Holiness and repentance must be a common thread through everything in the ministry. While an atmosphere of grace is key, allowing people to authentically reveal their struggles in a loving atmosphere, the severity of the fear of the Lord must also be felt.
THE WORD OF GOD
The Word of God must be read and fully believed, proclaimed and boldly decreed if revival is to be had. The mission must be based on extreme adherence to the challenging truths of Scripture. Those who know God will be strong and do great exploits, and the revelation of the Word along with an atmosphere of fervent prayer will result in a people who know their God.
Simply, Sunday School style Bible teaching won't cut it. We need faith-filled, vision-driven and fearless proclamations of Scripture that rips apart strongholds and shatters the teeth of the enemy. We need biblical revelation that strikes us, marks us and wrecks us. We need the Word of God to pierce our hearts, captivate our minds and overwhelm our intellect.
THE SURRENDER OF CHURCH GROWTH
The pursuit of revival is a regional and national pursuit, not a local one. What I mean is, the end goal is not local church growth. It's beyond time to forever surrender the annual goals of more people, more small groups, more offerings, new buildings and any focus on local.
If God starts moving powerfully in another local church in the city, pastor, you must shut your thing down for a season and support what God is doing on the other side of town. The goal is regional outpouring. The vision is much greater than four walls.
The moment the goal is the development of a single local church is the moment that church has been disqualified from the pursuit of regional revival.
INTERCESSION
I covered this mostly in the section about tongues and groans, but felt it necessary to doubly impress upon you the need for constant, fervent and powerful intercession. This is not a separate, side ministry that takes place before a service or on an off night. It's not to be relegated to a side room or to be led by anybody other than the senior leader. It's the most important, most powerful and most neglected ministry of the church.
The church isn't a house of preaching, a house of relationships, a house of evangelism or a house of anything other than a house of prayer. That's it.
Sunday services should be mostly vibrant prayer meetings. The cookie-cutter model we've become so used to must go. The worship, announcements, preaching, altar time paradigm must cease. The new wine skin is bathed in intercession, and every member of the remnant church must deliberately give themselves to it night and day.
FINAL THOUGHTS
We are far from revival. I hear prophets and preachers talking about how near we are, and I just have to shake my head and wonder what exactly they are discerning. In terms of timing, can revival break out sooner than later? Sure. But in terms of distance, in terms of where we are now and were we must be as a church to see revival hit, we are far.
The church must experience a reformation that will shock it to its core. It's this shock and awe of God's supernatural invasion that will never let us do church as usual again, Spirit-filled or otherwise. Every goal will change. Board and staff meetings will never be the same. Strategies and how money is spent will morph over night. When God visits, nothing else matters. The result will be a church on fire that prays night and day with ferocity.
Remnant-sensitive churches arise!
A massive falling away from the faith will be a mark of churches devoid of supernatural power.
It's time for a dramatic shift from seeker-sensitive churches to remnant-sensitive churches in our nation. There is an army of supernaturally-minded followers of Jesus looking for their tribe, and there are few churches that pass the test.
All that is natual or done in human power isn't bad by default. Mankind whether Christian or not can do much good simply by, well, doing good. We can feed the hungry, serve sacrificially, give extravagantly, smile, hug, encourage, befriend and do much good for mankind.
In the church realm we can pray for the sick, visit shut-ins, teach the Bible, pass out Gospel tracts, attend small groups and much more that doesn't necessarily require the power of God to accomplish. Of course, when we add God's power to any of the above, the impact is dramatically different.
NATURALLY DRIVEN CHURCHES ABOUND
When church-shopping, if people were honest, they would commonly admit they are looking for a variety of things. Topping the lists of many in search of a new church home are good children's and youth ministries, dynamic and skillful worship, excellent teaching, the ability to develop new relationships and a welcoming environment.
In fact, church growth strategies tend to be natural versus supernatural as they focus on how we can meet the demands of the customers (current and potential church members). An article on the Smart Church Management website titled 7 Keys to Church Growth zeroes in on what is humanly achievable. Again, all that is humanly possible isn't unbiblical or inappropriate. Natural methods, secular strategies and ideals found in the business world can, at times, be applied in the spiritual world.
Some of the keys to church growth mentioned in the article include creating an inviting atmosphere, creating a welcoming experience, care for church members and providing opportunities to serve. There's not a thing wrong with any of this, except that what matters most wasn't mentioned. Nurturing the supernatural manifestation of the presence of God didn't make the list.
Naturally driven churches abound from coast to coast in this nation. You'll hear a lot about great coffee, vibrant community and programs for the entire family. In fact, many err on the side of caution by downplaying the supernatural. The risk of alienating visitors or conservative members is too high to allow it. Tragically, the risk of alienating God isn't often considered.
CRISIS WILL OVERWHELM THE NATURALLY MINDED
You'll know a supernatural church when crisis hits. Supernaturally driven Believers will respond radically differently to crisis than those who aren't living, walking, praying and governing in the spirit. Without developing a history in God that's marked by fervent intercession, intense devotion, great faith and openness to the moving of the Holy Spirit, people will default to what makes sense in the natural realm.
Without a supernatural mindset, it will be impossible to respond to crisis as God intends. Natural strategies won't work. Panic will set in. Fear will dominate.
This will be followed up by lost faith and angry fists raised to heaven. A failure to live in the otherworldly, supernatural place of signs, wonders and miracles will result in a devastating lack of spiritual tools in people's toolbelts when they are most needed.
The church's failure to equip people in the Holy Spirit is more eternally costly than we can imagine. Satan is raging and there is no natural response that will slow him down. A powerless church births powerless Christians who are primed to be easily devoured by the hounds of hell.
THE DEMISE OF THE SEEKER-SENSITIVE CHURCH
If we put on our marketing hats, it makes sense to target the largest segment of society. Coke, Nike, Disney and other companies want their products or services enjoyed by as many people as possible. Pastors want people in the seats. The quickest way to make that happen, one would presume, is to target the largest segment of those who are most prone to visit. Seekers are everywhere and some will show up on Sunday morning if the services are welcoming, comfortable and definitely not weird. Eliminate the supernatural and they may come.
This strategy must end. The end-time church is a church on fire, not a comfortable living room where we can put up our feet, eat some snacks and watch the show. The Holy Spirit isn't drawing seekers into a tepid environment. He's not looking to ease people into a new life in Christ. God is calling all to the cross, to full surrender and right into the furnace of his presence.
When seekers are introduced to God in a way that's naturally understandable, the dive into the often bizarre, intense, all-consuming activity of the Holy Spirit is nonsensical to them. Such an experience becomes unnecessary if they, after all, have alread “said yes” to Jesus in a costless, comfortable environment.
Hearing God's voice, dreams, visions, encounters, being baptized in the Holy Spirit, spiritual warfare, casting out demons, moving in the gifts of the Spirit and so much more becomes unnecessary to those who “got saved” in a comfortable, non-threatening, naturally-driven church.
CHURCH ON FIRE ARISE!
The end-time church is a remnant church. It's time we stop appealing to the general population to build kingdoms of man and start calling in those who are ready to make a total surrender and advance the Kingdom of God. The remnant firebrands are desperately looking for their home base. They want to find their fellow soldiers who are ready to move ahead with precision against the wickedness in our nation.
They aren't looking for churches with trendy youth ministries, the best coffee shops or even great worship or teaching. The remnant is looking for the fire of the Holy Spirit. They want to know if intercession drives the ministry. A specific, world-changing, divine vision is crucial. The pursuit of the wonders of God is paramount. An extremely prophetic atmosphere is non-negotiable. Great faith and extreme devotion to the Word of God are critical. These end-time warriors refuse to play games and they won't stand for lesser things getting in the way of the greater mission. Coffee, friendships and programs become laughable as foundations to build on.
The time is now for a massive reset to come to the church. We have Ichabod churches dotting our nation and many others that do have a heartbeat yet refuse to dive into the depths of the fire. We need an Acts 2 church that is volcanic, supernatural and radiating in immeasurable power.
How does this happen? Become remnant-sensitive. Gather in those who are ready to lay it all down and contend with tears for God to move. Pastors must shift dramatically and refuse, ever again, to make decisions based on how the people will respond. The idolatry of filled pews must be repented of. The fear of offending the tithers must cease. The focus on keeping everybody happy can't continue.
We need the supernatural church to arise in these dire end-times. Without a prophetic mantle and the ability to advance in extreme Holy Spirit power, we have no hope. However, if we start training people in the fire and advance as a burning end-time army, kingdoms of darkness will shatter. And finally, we won't have to function as time-share salespeople, giving gifts and promising all sorts of benefits to those mildly interested in God if they sign on the dotted line. The seekers will witness undeniable supernatural power and the Holy Spirit will overwhelm them as they hit their knees and cry, “Holy!”
Originally published by Charisma Media.
Boring, predictable prayer will never save a nation.
There's a reason most prayer rooms are empty.
I'm a prayer freak. Nothing invigorates me like passionate, Holy Spirit-driven intercession that results in stunning and miraculous moves of God. Absolutely nothing compares to being both in God's presence and in his will.
I also understand why so many are staying far away from the dry, dusty prayer rooms. Too many of these supposed calls to prayer are marked by unbelief and apathy while being devoid of the fire and the wind that were made famous in Acts chapter two.
Yet, more than any time in this planet's history, we need firebrands who will take up the mantle of fervent intercession. Without it our nation is doomed.
“Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.” (2 Chronicles 7:15, ESV)
IF PRAYER IS BORING, YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG.
Dastardly, wicked forces are overrunning America and too few are wielding our most potent and effective weapon, intercession. It will grant us dramatic victories that can come no other way. No measure of brilliantly crafted political talking points, well organized protests or grass roots uprisings against the various threats in our land compares.
We need to discover the wild wonder of fervent intercession. Hitting our knees, pacing around a prayer room or collapsing in desperation at an altar with tears and cries will have profound impact. Living in the very presence of God, hearing his voice and experiencing the shock and awe of his movement is enough to cause any of us to never want to stop. Truly, if prayer is boring, something is off. There is no way to become disengaged when the Creator of the universe is manifesting in the place of prayer. The interaction, revelation, healing and overwhelming love that comes from our passionate intercession cannot be described.
Imagine living under a promise of God to be attentive to our prayer. That would be a game-changer for our nation. Unfortunately, I don't believe we have done what is necessary as a nation to step into that. In order for God to truly hear our prayers, much must be accomplished first.
“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:13–14, ESV)
Boring, predictable prayer will never save a nation. Vibrant, fiery, zealous, faith-filled and unrelenting prayer, however, will.
The famous verse found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 is often repeated but rarely adopted and the chaos and crisis in our nation is the result.
THE KEYS TO VICTORIOUS INTERCESSION FOR AMERICA
While there are numerous scriptures and passages in the Bible that give us clear direction regarding effective prayer, we cannot ignore the undeniable instructions found in 2 Chronicles 7.
Failure to consider any of the following points will compromise the mission. America will grow darker and the hope for revival will become dimmer.
ONE. GOD AT TIMES RESISTS NATIONS.
“And at this house, which was exalted, everyone passing by will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?’ Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore he has brought all this disaster on them.’ ”” (2 Chronicles 7:21–22, ESV)
If we hold to a theological belief that God does not bring pestilence, disaster, famine and other judgments to nations, we will have no grid to begin our intercession. Many argue that God is the author of all that we would call good and Satan is the author of all that we would call bad. That doctrinal analysis, however, doesn't hold up to even an elementary review of Scripture. Others would say that all of this has changed in the New Covenant. While there were dramatic shifts after the death and resurrection of Jesus, God's role of judge hasn't changed. Justice has not been eradicated.
TWO. ARE WE TRULY HIS?
Verse fourteen starts, “if my people…”
If we aren't among the consecrated Bride of Christ, those who have filled their lamps with oil and who are radically surrendered to God, we must question whether we are his.
Regardless of whether we are saved or not, we must soberly consider if we are living a life devoted to Jesus. Are we embracing holiness and repentance as we pursue God with wholeheartedness? Or are we lukewarm and backslidden? The answer matters. Sin threatens intimacy with God which is instrumental as we contend for revival in our nation.
THREE. DO WE HAVE PRIDE?
If we are called by his name and if we humble ourselves we are on the right track. However, a lack of humility will stop us in our tracks. God resists the proud, and that's not good if we are attempting to have his ear.
FOUR. DO WE PRAY?
“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16, NKJV)
If our life is marked by intense, continual prayer, we will see the wonders of God manifest in our lives and in our nation.
FIVE. DO WE SEEK HIS FACE?
Spending hours seeking after God is a glorious pursuit. Read the Word of God, fill the room with anointed worship music and talk to him as a friend. This single discipline will transform your life for eternity.
SIX. HAVE WE TURNED FROM OUR WICKED WAYS?
James tells us the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Again, holiness matters. Unrepentant, continual sin of all types will result in judgment. Whether it's lust, unforgiveness, pride, apathy or any other forbidden issue, wickedness will destroy our nation, not save it.
I do believe the turning of our nation is a simple as adhering to 2 Chronicles 7. Fervent, passionate prayer from a repentant, surrendered church will usher in revival that will set America ablaze with the love and power of Jesus.
Conspiracy Theories Won’t Save America
Christians lose credibility and influence when they promote conspiracy theories in these dire times.
The last year of human history has proven to be one of the most bizarre thanks to the strange political divide that has widened over masks, vaccinations, Donald Trump and cultural troubles.
Speaking in generalities, those on the right are pro-Trump, anti-mask and anti-vaccine. The left despises Donald Trump, wear masks as a badge and are dumbfounded that anybody could oppose a virus-ending medicine.
Certainly, there are others who analyze the sharp contrast and are stunned at where the arguments have landed. Can a conservative not don a mask without the fear of being called out? Are there any liberals who are admittedly nervous about the vaccine? Is it at all possible for the left to appreciate anything our former President did for our nation? Can those on the right do the same with the current administration? Or is it all black and white? Well, I personally haven't seen the gloriously mundane shade of gray much at all since the crisis has begun.
THE RISE OF THE CONSPIRACY THEORISTS
We are living in a day when the world is in desperate need of balanced, biblically invested and prayerful Christians. The days are complex and confusing to most and fearful to many. This end-time season should have been a testing ground for the church, a time for us to grow in our faith, to learn how to love and to truly discern how to respond.
For many Believers, this in fact did happen, yet many others have instead adopted right-wing conspiracy theories as their go to reaction. This is deeply compromising the mission of the church and it is wounding our nation.
Sometimes I sit back and shake my head as I read the social media rants promoting ridiculous theories. Honestly, it's an embarrassment to the church, while also being an indictment on the church. Where are the biblically grounded pastors and leaders who are speaking into the lives of these rogue propagandists?
As an example, many believe receiving the vaccine results in taking the Mark of the Beast. This is impossible. The level of biblical illiteracy is stunning. Others actually are saying the vaccine changes your DNA, deeming you an unhuman hybrid. I'm not making this up. You are now unredeemable. With altered genetics, it's impossible for you to ever become a child of God, or if you already were one, impossible to remain in God's family. A visit to the drugstore to get vaccinated apparently transforms you into a Nephilim of sorts, resulting in a sentence of eternal torment in Hell. Others are saying the virus is entirely a media-driven myth. Nonsense. Any intellectually honest person will admit that COVID kills.
TRIGGERED CHRISTIANS
I believe we all need to err on the side of civility and endorse people's right to make their own medical decisions for themselves and their families. No shaming is ever appropriate for Christians.
Instead the mere suggestion of vaccinations triggers many who hold to an opposing scientific view. This is where the dividing line is drawn and the shaming begins. Again, I personally find it both suspicious and strange that a vaccination is where so many have chosen to divide. For those who believe the risk of the vaccine is greater than the reward, it's appropriate and good that they share their concern with others. But, good-hearted concern isn't mostly what we are seeing today. There's an underlying rage at play, anger that spikes when warnings about the vaccine go unheeded. There is an unholy spirit at work and we need to do a much better job discerning just what it is. Of course, you'll find rage on the other side too from those who are disgusted that some would defy national efforts to increase the vaccination rate. Everybody is triggered.
A RIGHT RESPONSE
It's important to admit that nobody has the full revelation on anything in this season. Both pro and anti-maskers and vaxers simply can't presume to be the resident experts on the topics. Too many are listening exclusively to their own echo chamber by finding supposed medical experts that are promoting their views. Statistics do suggest that vaccinations are extremely effective and are saving lives. Still, some are legitimately concerned about health risks. These concerns are valid, yet nobody can definitively say that all should be vaccinated or all should not. It is not black and white, which is why we must not respond with unfounded conspiracies or misguided fear-mongering.
The right response includes operating in a spirit of honor towards those who disagree with us. If someone does or does not want to get the vaccine, their decision can't be expected to include us (unless they are in our immediate family). Honor their right to autonomy.
Responding correctly also means we must go deep in intercession, in the Word of God and listening intently to the Holy Spirit. As someone who endorses true prophetic ministry, I must say that we need clarity regarding God's heart in this time. We can't presume anyone who experiences a flickering of their spiritual antennas to possess valuable and accurate revelation. Too many are spiritually immature or undisciplined to hear God clearly.
Does this mean we are to pull back and remain silent? No. We are free to communicate our beliefs on the subject if we admit we aren't privy to the full picture. If our concerns are severe originating from an authentic warning from God, shout it from the rooftops. However, that shouting must be from a tender, humble heart. Arrogance, presumption and know-it-all-ism isn't behavior becoming of a Believer in Jesus.
Lastly, abandon the conspiracy theories. Yes, even conspiracy theorists will be right every now and then, but the hour we are in demands sobriety and accuracy. We can't afford to provoke unnecessary scorn from the mockers. May God raise up true end-time people who are led by love, who reveal the heart of God and who refuse to be triggered by simple differences.
Photo credit: “Woman with tattoos receiving vaccine” by SELF Magazine is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Protected: Why some of the LBGTQ+ arguments make all the sense in the world
Celebrity Christianity should cause great rejoicing — and caution.
Revival in Hollywood would shock the planet with the love and power of Jesus.
I come alive imagining a spirit of legitimate revival blowing and burning through the sound stages and mansions of Southern California. Consider an atmosphere of intense intercession with some of the media elite on their knees, weeping, crying out and contending for a move of God to overtake the nations of the earth. Can you see it? Tom Cruise leading the room in repentance, Miley Cyrus declaring freedom to the oppressed, Jimmy Fallon casting out demons, Ellen DeGeneres healing the sick and Tom Hanks preaching the Word. I can see it. The thought of daily prayer meetings that draw the most prominent talent from television and the big screen is invigorating. It's past time for the Jennifer Aniston's and Johnny Depp's of the world to fall madly in love with Jesus and to lead the charge for a Holy Spirit outpouring in Hollywood. Possibly more powerful and far reaching than a move of God in any other segment, revival in Hollywood would dramatically shift the entertainment industry into something that impacts the world for Jesus.TWO TROUBLING CONCERNS
As I dream of a Jesus revolution in Hollywood there are two troubling concerns that haunt me. First, the lack of authentic revival there to date grieves my spirit. While I'm certain there are some who have been dramatically transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, the numbers are few. I'm struggling to think of a single well known celebrity who has had a legitimate Damascus Road experience. Where are the tear-jerking stories of radical surrender to Jesus in Hollywood? Why are there no (or so few) testimonies of life-altering encounters with God, undeniable healings, deliverances and overwhelming freedom? It should become common for people like Sylvester Stallone, Dwayne Johnson, Will Smith, Harrison Ford and others to wholeheartedly repent and start following Jesus with exuberant passion. Yet, such reports are rare. Second, and possibly more concerning, is the potential redefining of Christianity by those who do appear to embrace God. For quite some time I've been alerted in my spirit to the risk of “celebrity Christianity.” God has often been thanked behind an Oscar Awards podium, yet it's obvious most who shout his name are in no way devoted to Jesus. This casual shout-out to God has now morphed for many into an intentional redefinition of biblical truth. While it's certainly exciting to see some of the world's most famous people mention God in a positive light, we have to reel in our fervor and honestly consider whether it's truly Jesus who is being promoted. “So, you now telling me that I'm allowed to redesign my relationship with God as an adult, and make it how it feels most accepting to me, makes me feel so less turned off by spirituality.” This is the message Miley Cyrus seemed to get from Justin Bieber's wife, Hailey in an Instagram video interview. Hailey Bieber recently talked about the expectations she and Justin have as professing Christians. “As a model, Bieber says she’s often expected to “show skin” but then hears that’s “not a good representation” of her Christian faith. When she receives flak for posting certain photos of herself online, Bieber says she wonders, “Am I doing something wrong? Am I setting a bad example [because] people in the church will see this? And the reality is—no.” We must understand that we are all in process and Hailey and Miley are very young and still searching. We need to celebrate the search. They are remarkable human beings and deeply loved by God. However, we can't remain silent when the signals being sent in the midst of that search may lead people astray. It is troubling, whether Hailey meant to communicate this or not, that Miley Cyrus felt vindicated and confirmed in her own version of spirituality. “I was raised going to church as a believer, and that was a really important part of my life,” Miley shared. “And I kind of fell off that path a little bit because I think I had a hard time finding a relationship with God that worked for me as an adult.” Miley's journey seems to have led her outside of biblical boundaries and to feel confirmed in her decisions is troubling. New Age, psuedo-Christian spirituality has been around Hollywood for a long time, yet now it's being affirmed as authentic, biblical Christianity, which it is not. In the Instagram video Hailey promotes community whether it's at church, on a sports team on in a book club where there's no judgement and where you find acceptance and love. She states, “For me that's church and that's God and that's faith.” Miley, who was raised in church, said, “I'm so happy I just learned something. What I just took away from you is I'm allowed to decide what my relationship is with spirituality as an adult that doesn't have to be aligned the way it was when I was brought up.” Hailey said, “It's your journey between you and God. I've always had a hard time too with church making people feel excluded and not accepted and like they can't be a part of it because of what they believe in or who they love or who they don't love.”ONE EXCITING REASON TO REJOICE
In the interview, which was supposed to be about makeup (and eventually did switch over to that topic), Miley said something that caused my spirit to rejoice. “I'm so happy we are talking about God and not about makeup! This is like what I need right now. I need to hear this. I can just talk with God directly.” The Holy Spirit is drawing Miley and so many in Hollywood and the entertainment industry right now. I'm wildly awakened to the wooing of the Spirit of God in what many would call the most unredeemable cultures. Whether it's Hollywood, Nashville, Washington D.C., our nation's universities or other atheistic environments, the power of God will burn through the arguments, confusion and resistance. We must contend for the souls of the searching and stand strong, in love, with humility against mixed messages that lead people away from the truth. Miley Cyrus is on God's heart and while she has been jaded by church hurt of the past, her future is prime for surrender to the One who loves her with such overpowering zeal. Pray for Miley. Pray for Hailey and Justin. Pray that God's character is fully revealed, that love and holiness are pursued and that they all embrace him for who he is, not who they want him to be. This message is for you and me as well. Photo credit: “Miley Cyrus [HM: BackStage]” by AlexKormisPS (ALM) is licensed under CC BY 2.0BREAKING: Jeff Jansen Scrutinized for Trump Prophecies, Dismissed from Church Leadership
