Posts Tagged ‘prayer movement’
A prophetic strategy: Breaking the power of the homosexual spirit & setting the captives free
Operation Babel: A prophetic strategy to break the power of the homosexual spirit
God opened up a powerful strategy to disrupt the momentum of the homosexual agenda to me—and a successful campaign will result in innumerable people set free.
Love the sinner, hate the sin.
Is this really the limit of our wisdom?
I’m sure the LGBT community is sick, bored and tired of that defense—and I am too.
It offers no strategic plan of action and it reveals that we have exhausted our arguments. After loving the sinner and hating the sin, where does that leave us? What do we do?
That statement, love the sinner and hate the sin, really needs to be retired.
In fact, it was made famous by someone who wasn’t even a Believer in Jesus—Gandhi.
As I was considering this in prayer, God suddenly and powerfully revealed a clear, easy to understand strategy that will, without question, stop the fast moving gay agenda in its tracks.
The church just has to make it happen. Spoiler alert: We have to pray, in unity, with one language, in the Holy Spirit.
The gay agenda is driven by a spirit. We must keep this in mind. Of course, we don’t wrestle with people. We wrestle with unholy spirits. But, it’s true that many people are in alliance with those very spirits that we are battling, so it’s unfortunately common for there to be collateral damage. Don’t mistake that collateral damage with fighting against flesh and blood. When we deal with evil spirits, those who renounce them will be set free while those who embrace them will experience their judgment.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12
Pray that the Holy Spirit draws many to renounce the spirits that are holding them captive as this massive strategy that I’m calling Operation Babel unfolds.
Maybe we need to advance our plan from “love the sinner, hate the sin” to “fight the spirit, free the person.”
Operation Babel
ONE.
Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. Genesis 11:1
Unity. If Christians grasped the power of true unity, around a common holy purpose, we’d see unstoppable advance. The Kingdom of God would move in the power and at the speed of lightning.
All the believers were one in heart and mind. Acts 4:32
…so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:6
Unfortunately, the church is lacking in unity (and I’m not talking about ecumenical affinity). We must immediately unify around the upper room of fervent prayer.
And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: “‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations””… Mark 11:17
Today’s homosexual movement is possibly the most unified on the Earth. They have one language and one purpose. Everybody is in agreement and they are infiltrating with the intention of leading every segment of society.
They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. Revelation 17:13
Unholy unity was a key strategy in history, it’s a key strategy today and it will be a key strategy at the end of the age as people will come into alignment with the beast.
Today’s unity in the homosexual movement is what we must address now.
TWO.
And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Genesis 11:2-3
Bricks are representative of human efforts to build their own kingdoms. Remember Egypt? The Hebrews were required to make bricks so Pharaoh could continue to build his empire.
That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and foremen in charge of the people: “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. Exodus 5:6-7
Today there is a mass movement of brick making.
Individual bricks, when put together, will result in a mighty city and a mighty tower.
The bricks of legislation and gay friendly government policies are being made a record pace. Bricks carefully made by human hands can be seen in a variety of places such as gay pride parades, gay friendly curriculum in schools, the advance of gay marriage from state to state, entertainment and media, marketing campaigns and through the influence of major brands. Each brick is resulting in greater affirmation of this unholy movement.
Additionally, as with Pharaoh and the Hebrews, there is intense pressure today on Christians to actually make the bricks!
Pharaoh forced God’s people to make bricks for him, and today’s homosexual movement is attempting to force God’s people today to do the same thing. Christian bakers are being forced to make wedding cakes for gay weddings. The threat of forcing Christian pastors to marry homosexuals is just over the horizon. This evil spirit is bent on commanding Christians to agree with and actually promote his plan of destruction!
Just as the bricks were baked thoroughly at Babel, there is a thorough, well thought out process of brick making in play now that will, if we don’t step up, result in an evil city and tower being built.
THREE.
Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens… Genesis 11:4a
The goal then was to take dominion, and that’s the goal now.
The city represents the plan to spread horizontally around the world—to see homosexuality become not only accepted, but the primary leader of humanity. This spirit doesn’t simply want to be affirmed—it wants to dominate.
The tower represents a connection with Heaven. The “gay Christian” movement is moving at the speed of light—and even the most biblically sound arguments against it are not convincing those who are seduced by this spirit. The unity is too strong and the response of the church has been too weak.
This simultaneous horizontal and vertical advance of the homosexual movement is brilliant, though not original. We saw it at Babel, and we’ll see it again at the end of the age. The Antichrist’s strategy includes horizontal world domination and a vertical one world religion. At the end of that strategy, after a great battle, God wins. God is primed to win this battle today as well—but the church must fight from a place of humility, love and prayer.
But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Revelation 19:20
FOUR.
…and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:4b
Pride. The flood of Noah was a much nearer reality to them than it is to us today, and they weren’t about to let their destruction happen again. They were determined to grow in strength through radical unity and to defy God through pride. They wanted to make a name for themselves. This is a Luciferian spirit that, in pride, seeks to rise to the heavens.
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ Isaiah 14:12-14
Identity. We can see how successful the enemy has been just by how many are absolutely convinced their homosexuality is core to their identity. The argument is that they were born that way. It’s the defining mark of who they are as a person, and they are proud of that.
I’ve argued before that I don’t believe the primary driver of homosexuality is lust—it’s identity. When personal desires and experiences are grafted in at the level of identity, the enemy has won a primary battle. When he has won that battle with many people, a movement around that very personal and overpowering identity results. That nearly unstoppable unified advance is what we are dealing with today.
FIVE.
And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. Genesis 11:5
God is not absent. He is watching and he is ready to move. His desire, which is so much stronger than ours, is for freedom. For life. He wants the movement stopped and he wants its influence marginalized.
SIX.
And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do… Genesis 11:6a
Again, their unity and their common language is all it took to advance in strength. Spoiler alert: Are you noticing an Acts 2 strategy?
This very simple strategy of unity and common language is also driving today’s homosexual agenda. They are agreed in identity and are saying the same things. Their resulting pride gives them great strength.
However, be warned, this is only the beginning. God revealed this about those building the city and the tower. It was only the beginning of what they would do! Basically, God was saying they would be unstoppable.
There is a great threat today as well. The demonic spirit behind the homosexual camp has much more planned than promoting equal rights. He is intently focused on destruction.
SEVEN.
…And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Genesis 11:6b
Their options were limitless. Their unity resulted in strength and capability beyond anything that had ever existed among men.
The Strategy
EIGHT.
Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” Genesis 11:7
Confusion in the camp. That’s the plan.
The inability to communicate and the existence of confusion will stop the most advanced, aggressive and powerful movements.
NINE.
So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth. Genesis 11:8-9
In a moment, the movement ceased.
Did you notice a similarity between the enemy’s strategy of unity and common language to a well known strategy of God?
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. Acts 2:1
They were unified and together—and confusion was eliminated as the language barrier (that God created in Genesis 11) was overcome!
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. Acts 2:4-6
A Prayer Movement
Simply stated, we must have a movement of Holy Ghost infused intercession. A mass advance of people praying in tongues is non-negotiable if we hope to move ahead in great unity. As we do this, we will stand in powerful agreement and pray for confusion to come to the enemy’s camp—so the millions of slaves held there can drop their bricks and be free.
The stories of Babel and the Exodus have key parallels.
The confusion at Babel and the plagues at Egypt got the job done.
Some will radically reject God at that time and be dispersed while others will fall in love with Jesus and move out of slavery and into the glorious encounter.
Pray for God to continue to raise up mighty men and women of God in the spirit of Moses to deliver people from horrific bondage.
Pray for God himself to come down and bring confusion to the homosexual movement.
Pray for the church, in a spirit of passionate love, to gather together in fervent, Holy Spirit driven intercession.
It truly is a prayer movement that will see this unholy tower dismantled.
A season of shift | God, church, ministry and revival
My gut says there is a remnant that is feeling the same raw emotions I am about God, the church and revival.
- First: TONIGHT at 7pm, you are invited to experience the fire of the Holy Spirit with us at Revival Church! He has been showing up in an EXTREMELY powerful way over the last week!
- Second: You can now sign up to join the1000 Intercessors for Detroit here: www.detroitprayerfurance.com/the1000, AND request info about joining theCore Leadership Team at the Detroit Prayer Furnace here: www.detroitprayerfurnace.com/thecore.
Sometimes it’s therapeutic to simply write—and let the raw emotions of one’s heart to be exposed to the masses in the hopes that a few can relate. I’m absolutely wrecked and near tears regarding the dire need for end-time warriors to emerge! Rise up burning ones! Be awakened to the alarms of Heaven!
23 years ago I was alone in an empty church room in Dayton, Ohio. It was a crossroads moment for me, much more than I realized.
I had witnessed a lot of what we are familiar with in the Charismatic stream—people dancing, falling over, praying in tongues and exhibiting a lot of passion. Some of it was legit, some of it was not—and I knew it.
I craved God so deeply, though I had never truly experienced him—or, at least I hadn’t in a way that I was immediately convinced I had an encounter with a supernatural force. I wanted God to touch me in an undeniable way—but, I had no patience for anything fake. It must be a legitimate move of God in my life.
I told God, “If you aren’t really a healer, a powerful force, a mighty God, a sign and a wonder, I don’t want anything to do with you…but, if you are, I’ll die for you.”
That simple yet profoundly deep, emotional cry of my heart changed my life—and it has caused me trouble. I didn’t realize it then, but I had just signed up for a very lonely life. Those who would run with me at that pace would be the most precious people in the world—but they would be very few and far between.
I signed up as a forerunner—and today my heart isn’t satisfied if I’m not moving aggressively, with extreme commitment, with a team of other end-time forerunners—or raw, hungry emerging forerunners. I am possessed by the Spirit of God with a never ending passion for finding those people.
SHIFT?
If you know me, you understand the daily wrestling of my heart. I’m provoked, troubled, wrecked—yet joyful and expectant. The vision God has given possesses me, and I will see it to the end!
That being said, can I try to relate to you? I, like you, have emotions and a lot of unanswered questions and I wonder what in the world is going on at times! It’s not uncommon for me to consider just what God means when he says it’s time to shift. What is that cost? What will I really have the guts to lay something down so that I can pick the new thing up? Is it possible that he’s calling me to something radically uncomfortable and out of the box? Absolutely.
I have actually come to the place of understanding the true impact of the ministry may not be felt for another one hundred years or more. This is actually not uncommon. Consider Jeremiah. I think of people like Leonard Ravenhill who may not have seen even a fraction of the impact that they will ultimately have during their lifetime.
I tend to ponder and pray a lot, and I’m at my best when I lay all of my cards on the table and give God permission to radically shift my life. I’m in that place now. What is God saying? How will our current, ongoing efforts of intercession and training emerging leaders in our ministry impact the world? Of course, as we continue to pray and equip at Revival Church and our various ministries, there will certainly be a significant handful of people who will be transformed now—but what about the vision for masses of people who will live and breathe Jesus, serve with passion, pray continually, burn hot and change the world? When will they emerge? The laborers are truly few.
I think about the hundreds of houses of prayer that closed last year alone. Where are the forerunners and intercessors that were assigned to those ministries? Will they not respond?
CHURCH?
One of the greatest challenges is leading a “church” with all of the baggage and false-expectations that are attached to our American understanding of it.
Though I hear so much about how people are “tired of church as usual,” when presented with the cost of the reformation, church as usual becomes the more desirable direction.
I’d strongly encourage you to watch a video about a dream I had the other day. It’s titled “Assisted Suicide.” The dream was intensely personal and it revealed something hard core: the church is attempting to kill off the prayer movement. Those who don’t pray will aggressively react against those who do—and it will increase as the end draws near.
Of course, as you’ll see in the video, quitting is not an option—but the emotional desire to do so is an important indicator for us! The enemy is most forceful with the breakthrough is near.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: http://youtu.be/VXP3h6SHrls
WHAT’S EXPECTED?
We have to break through the resistance, cares of life and other life issues and lock in. Period.
The end-time army of forerunners will be so radically distinct from typical church goers that it will sear your spirit just by looking at them!
The coming church won’t fit into our busy lifestyles. It will jealously demand our full attention and that we take captive the distractions to the prayer movement.
For me, I need 40 people—weak yet disciplined and hungry for revival—who will run with joy this race with us.
The call? Show up. Pray always. Burn continually. Serve passionately. Die daily. Give cheerfully.
Sign up for theCore Leadership Team here: www.detroitprayerfurnace.com/thecore.
I still hold out hope that this small group of zealots in Detroit will have enough Upper Room power to turn this city upside down.
I’m also looking for 1000 people, from all parts of the world, who will pray every week for Detroit. This mission is so simple, yet the enemy is fighting fiercely!
Sign up for the1000 Intercessors for Detroit here: www.detroitprayerfurnace.com/the1000.
WHAT’S NEXT?
What’s next? The advance of the prayer movement! The enemy will feel the impact of burning prayer!
If it’s only me and a handful of other fiery people, so be it. It’s time to pray and shock the planet!
Let’s go!
A simple explanation of how to step into burning, revival leadership
Discover how you can participate in strategic intercession and personal growth as an end-time forerunner!
People have been asking how they can participate with us, even if they live on the other side of the world. I want to help answer that question!
This is my second video today, and this one will give you simple, practical steps into core leadership and intercession for Detroit.
We are looking for 40 burning men and women of God to join our core leadership team at the Detroit Prayer Furnace.
We are also identifying 1000 intercessors for Detroit—and anybody from any place in the world can participate!
Watch this short video and you are sure to be stirred by the fire of God!
After you watch the video, CONTACT ME and I will help you get started into a key leadership position for revival!
Hell, Holiness and Fear of Man | The true, prophetic church must emerge
When did it become hateful to warn people of the reality of Hell? Most go there and we have to get that message out.
Ephesians 5:11 (ESV) 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
I have no patience for the current trend in the church to ensure hearers of its messages suffer no troubled emotions or theological crisis.
If we read the Bible, and believe it is our blueprint for ministry, we cannot buy into this strategy. The Gospel troubles.
Ignoring Hell does not keep people from Hell—it increases the number who will perish. Ignoring sin in media, music and entertainment must stop—the church is devouring the vomit of Satan in media and is unconcerned about the effects because of an unbiblical view of an indifferent God.
We as Christians have NO OPTION but to shine the light on works of darkness, of unholiness—especially within the camp of the church!
There is a growing resistance by shepherds to the idea that judgment of God is in force today, and that somehow the better approach to the issue unholiness is to minimize its potency.
Romans 1:18 (ESV) 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
Strong delusion has hit the church—and many in Spirit-filled environments are on a path to Hell, and they have no idea.
Christians are watching R and PG-13 rated movies like The Wolverine and Paranoia , TV shows like How I Met Your Mother and Two and Half Men and listening to music by Beyonce, Jay-Z and others.
YES, being entertained by sin, watching and listening to such media ABSOLUTLEY PUTS PEOPLE AT RISK OF HELL—Christian or not.
This is why the prayer movement is so critical! You cannot be fervent in prayer and be fervent in sin at the same time.
A lifestyle of fervent, burning prayer and legitimate salvation are more closely related than today's religious teachings reveal.
FEAR OF MAN
God is raising up a people who have the boldness of the Holy Spirit, and who will, in humility, stare the enemy in the face and renounce him and his strategies! It’s time to tear down our father’s altars!
You will lose friends! Family will shun you! Are you OK with that?
Judges 6:30 (ESV) 30 Then the men of the town said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it.”
It’s time we stop using Facebook to post pictures of kittens and start using it as a platform to expose darkness and to declare the word of the Lord!
The evidence of declaring truth is not a growing sphere of friends, but a growing revolt by those who want you shut down. I’m talking about other Christians. Truth presents a clear and present threat to the lukewarm, casual lifestyles of the majority in the church today.
Fear of man will keep you silent with a sleeping prophetic spirit as you embrace false-humility and false-love in the hopes of maintaining friendships.
I refuse to honor immorality. I will not respect darkness. I won’t befriend the lukewarm and rebellious. I will love them instead.
WILL YOU REJECT THE FEAR OF MAN AND HELP ME SOUND THE ALARM? Use Facebook, Twitter and other outlets daily to shake and provoke the sleeping church! Here’s the message:
Enjoying media and participating in activities that approve of sin will result in a delusion that puts even seasoned ministers and other Christians at clear risk of going to Hell. This is not a rare situation in the American church, but, rather is the norm! Many will be shocked to find themselves in Hell one day!
“There is reason to think, that there are many in this congregation now hearing this discourse, that will actually be the subjects of this very misery to all eternity.” ~Jonathan Edwards speaking on Hell
Jonathan Edwards had no fear of man, none that we could see anyway. Read on:
“It is everlasting wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery. When you look forward, you shall see a long for ever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all. You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So that your punishment will indeed be infinite. Oh, who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! All that we can possibly say about it, gives but a very feeble, faint representation of it; it is inexpressible and inconceivable: For “who knows the power of God's anger?”
“How dreadful is the state of those that are daily and hourly in the danger of this great wrath and infinite misery! But this is the dismal case of every soul in this congregation that has not been born again, however moral and strict, sober and religious, they may otherwise be. Oh that you would consider it, whether you be young or old! There is reason to think, that there are many in this congregation now hearing this discourse, that will actually be the subjects of this very misery to all eternity. We know not who they are, or in what seats they sit, or what thoughts they now have. It may be they are now at ease, and hear all these things without much disturbance, and are now flattering themselves that they are not the persons, promising themselves that they shall escape. If we knew that there was one person, and but one, in the whole congregation, that was to be the subject of this misery, what an awful thing would it be to think of! If we knew who it was, what an awful sight would it be to see such a person! How might all the rest of the congregation lift up a lamentable and bitter cry over him! But, alas! instead of one, how many is it likely will remember this discourse in hell?”
“Therefore, let every one that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come. The wrath of Almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over a great part of this congregation. Let every one fly out of Sodom: “Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed.””
And the reaction of the people that day? It is what we must see in today’s church!
“Before the sermon was done there was a great moaning and crying out throughout the whole house, “What shall I do to be saved?! Oh, I am going to Hell! Oh, what shall I do for Christ?!” etc. etc. So that the minister was obliged to desist. Shrieks and cries were piercing and amazing. After some time of waiting, the congregation were still so that a prayer was made, and after that we descended from the pulpit and discoursed with the people, some in one place and some in another, and–amazing and astonishing!–the power of God was seen, and several souls were hopefully wrought upon that night, and oh, the pleasantness of their countenances that received comfort.”
Lest one believe that Jonathan Edwards was dour and sad, here is the text of his sermon, Heaven, A World Of Love:
“…But heaven is his dwelling-place above all other places in the universe; and all those places in which he was said to dwell of old, were but types of this. Heaven is a part of creation that God has built for this end, to be the place of his glorious presence, and it is his abode forever; and here will he dwell, and gloriously manifest himself to all eternity. And this renders heaven a world of love; for God is the fountain of love, as the sun is the fountain of light. And therefore the glorious presence of God in heaven, fills heaven with love, as the sun, placed in the midst of the visible heavens in a clear day, fills the world with light. The apostle tells us that “God is love;” and therefore, seeing he is an infinite being, it follows that he is an infinite fountain of love. Seeing he is an all-sufficient being, it follows that he is a full and over-flowing, and inexhaustible fountain of love.”
(from http://the-end-time.blogspot.com/2013/07/sinners-in-hands-of-angry-god-not-so.html)
THE CHURCH’S DIMINISHED AUTHORITY
Hosea 4:1-3 (ESV) 1 Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; 2 there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. 3 Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it languish…
We have a controversy in the land!
Swearing, lying, murder, adultery, bloodshed! It results in the Earth crying out!
The Earth is waiting for a holy army of sons of God to emerge!
Romans 8:19-22 (ESV) 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
I know that I will have no authority to preach in the anointing of the Holy Spirit on holiness if I enjoy anything that is unholy. The Spirit is holy, and for him to minister through us requires that we too are holy.
Revelation 22:11-15 (ESV) 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” 12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Be holy!
1 Peter 1:14-15 (ESV) 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
Again, my authority to speak on holiness relies on my agreement with holiness!
If I watch a sitcom that has homosexuality as a theme, whether overt or subtle, I simply need to know that I will not be able to speak to that with anointing in my ministry. Why do you think it was so important for the homosexual agenda to overwhelm media with homosexual characters and situations? So the church would become entertained by that spirit, and, in turn, become sympathetic to it.
Did you know that a popular Disney show is introducing a lesbian couple? Good Luck Charlie has been extremely popular, and now, when hooked, Disney knows they won’t lose viewers when they introduce immorality into the storyline. http://www.christianpost.com/news/disney-channels-popular-sitcom-good-luck-charlie-to-feature-married-lesbian-parents-100704/
Do you wonder why the church has near zero impact on the increase of violence in the world? Pastors and their flocks are playing first person shooter video games, watching violence in movies and ignoring calls to holiness.
The church is deceived! People are being given up by God to a debased mind! A falling away has begun in the church!
Romans 1:28-32 (ESV) 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
Every time we are entertained by a sin that required the death of Jesus, we are approving of those sins, and our future is terrifying.
Ephesians 5:10-12 (ESV) 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.
If even talking about sin is shameful, how can we presume God is indifferent to us being entertained by it in media?
To approve of being entertained by sin in media, and to communicate that there is no fear of punishment, no repercussions, is to function as an end-time false prophet.
What about legalism? The moment we start preaching against something that we are participating in, we are devoid of power. But, we can preach the same message from a place of holiness, brokenness and Holy Spirit anointing and it will explode in power out of us! It’s not legalistic to call people to holiness. It is legalistic to call people to human works.
Sin hardens hearts, and deception and darkness will overwhelm us if we entertain sin.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (ESV) 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Pleasure in unrighteousness will result in great apostasy and falling away—in the church!
Telling people only about the love of God without also discussing the fierce judgment of God not only won’t work, IT’S NOT BIBLICAL.
We see warnings from cover to cover, Old Testament and New Testament.
Check out this video. It’s simple, basic, scriptural preaching—and it actually made the www.rightwingwatch.org website. What?
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/georgia-pastor-day-tony-byrd-compromise-leads-catastrophe
WAKE UP CHURCH!
At the Detroit Prayer Furnace we are calling together those who are ready to be trained as loved-fueled prophetic messengers.
I want to invite you to participate in a movement of fire and holiness in Detroit. We are calling together awakeners!
Contact us TODAY: [email protected].
Here is the info about how you can become equipped and ready to move in boldness and fire that I posted yesterday:
Give leadership to the prayer movement in Detroit • The Detroit Prayer Furnace is a contending house of prayer for revival.
Habakkuk 2:2 (ESV) And the LORD answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.
The staff at Revival Church, theLab and the Detroit Prayer Furnace are focused on two numbers:
40 core leaders at the Detroit Prayer Furnace and 1000 intercessors for Detroit
the40
You are invited to join our team of revival minded core leaders at the Detroit Prayer Furnace. (Check out our NEW website here: www.detroitprayerfurnace.com.)
The process is simple and you are encouraged to start into it today!
There are three designations at the Detroit Prayer Furnace: theField, theLab & theCore
theField
Simply gather together with us and grow through prayer, teaching and by enjoying our community.
A variety of opportunities to grow are available to you including:
- Saturday Prep Room Prayer & Primary Weekly Service
- Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday Prayer & Teaching
- Friday Prayer Events
- Prayer Watch Teams (coming soon!)
- Life with John and Amy (monthly small group)
theLab
We strongly encourage everybody in our community to enroll in theLab University. This is a focused, intense training environment that will unlock your destiny and set you ablaze!
Everybody interested in joining theCore, a team of 40+ leaders in the Detroit Prayer Furnace, must successfully complete one three-month session of theLab.
You can learn more about theLab University here: www.thelabuniversity.com
theCore
A team of 40+ leaders will head up the Detroit Prayer Furnace revival movement.
Opportunities for those on theCore include leading prayer watch teams, teaching, developing ministries and advancing the prayer movement with a family of burning men and women of God.
theCore team is devoted to consecration and modeling the lifestyle of an end-time forerunner.
This commitment includes:
- Three prayer & ministry events per week
- A high standard of holiness
- Traveling locally (and further if available) for ministry events
- Financial partnership (tithe)
- Continuing education
If you are ready to start your process toward leadership as a part of theCore at the Detroit Prayer Furnace, talk to us at an upcoming Saturday service. We can’t wait to help you get started!
the1000
theCore are automatically a part of the1000 intercessors for revival in Detroit.
That leaves an additional 960 people who are needed to respond to this prophetic assignment!
The commitment is simple but significant:
- Sign up for a weekly prayer watch through www.hiddenonesmi.com (Transformation Michigan’s prayer effort)
- Sign up for our email alerts so we can communicate with you
- Attend a monthly prayer event at the Detroit Prayer Furnace OR another connected prayer ministry
- Communicate monthly by filling out an online form
This enables us to stay connected and locked in while serving in our various local ministries.
If you want to join the1000, we want to hear from you! Please email us at [email protected] TODAY! We will give you info on how to get started.
A special & important message for those interested in the house of prayer and revival
As promised, here is information about a special opportunity to invest in the prayer movement!
If you missed it, read about the exciting news we announced yesterday HERE! Revival Church and theLab University have a new home!
Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly. 1 Chronicles 29
We have connected with many amazing people around the world who are contending for a movement of prayer that initiates revival and transformation.
We now have an opportunity to invest into that passion!
Revival Church and theLab University are moving into our new mission base in the Detroit area. The mission is significant, and our army is small—so we are reaching out to that army AND to those around the world to help us get moved in and functional in our new property.
We have broken down the needs, placed a dollar amount on them, and made it easy for you to cover the cost of that purchase!
View the needs and donate here: http://www.explorerevival.com/specialgift
Needs include everything from children’s materials to signage to furniture to sound and lighting equipment.
Your donation will help enable us to:
- Provide a place for the Detroit region to gather and pray seven days a week
- Equip end-time intercessors, revivalists and prophetic messengers at Revival Church and theLab University
- Equip children to know God deeply, pray and prophesy
- Provide teachings online for anybody around the world to experience
- Much, MUCH more!
We are about to move into a feverish month of preparation—and your donation this week will help us do all we need to do before the first service on July 13th.
Thank YOU for your heart and passion for revival!
If you prefer not to designate a specific item to donate toward, there is a place on the form to choose the amount of your donation and allow us to apply it to whatever is most pressing.
Donate TODAY: http://www.explorerevival.com/specialgift
Read the following passage on passionate investment in the place of prayer:
1 Chron 29:1 And David the king said to all the assembly, “Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great, for the palace will not be for man but for the Lord God. 2 So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able, the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, besides great quantities of onyx and stones for setting, antimony, colored stones, all sorts of precious stones and marble. 3 Moreover, in addition to all that I have provided for the holy house, I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, and because of my devotion to the house of my God I give it to the house of my God: 4 3,000 talentsa of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and 7,000 talents of refined silver, for overlaying the walls of the house,b 5 and for all the work to be done by craftsmen, gold for the things of gold and silver for the things of silver. Who then will offer willingly, consecrating himselfc today to the Lord?”
6 Then the leaders of fathers’ houses made their freewill offerings, as did also the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the officers over the king’s work. 7 They gave for the service of the house of God 5,000 talents and 10,000 daricsd of gold, 10,000 talents of silver, 18,000 talents of bronze and 100,000 talents of iron. 8 And whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the Lord, in the care of Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.
A powerful, unusual model of ministry at Revival Church : Plus, Julia Palermo tonight
Does the American church have the desperation and the guts to return prayer to first place?
TONIGHT at 6pm! Julia Palermo is going to bring a potent message that will awaken your spirit! You MUST watch a short video of her preaching to a crowd of people—many of which were on drugs and radically demonized. The call is for the firebrands—the generation of youth to lead the prayer movement in Detroit and our nation! Watch here: http://youtu.be/EZ9CClOVNJE
Revival Church meets at CENTRAL CHURCH, 1529 E. 12 Mile Rd, Madison Heights, MI 48071.
RETURNING PRAYER TO FIRST PLACE
When our worship leader recently moved on, I made a bold decision. Fiery intercession is every Christian’s most foundational calling, and in place of a typical musical worship environment, the atmosphere is now filled with passionate prayer, decrees and expressions of worship and surrender.
I’ve often said one reason the prayer rooms are empty is because prayer has been relegated to a secondary activity in the church. It’s usually an afterthought. It’s certainly not primary in our nation.
When fervent prayer is returned to first place, everybody in the church will be in the prayer meeting—because the prayer meeting will be THE meeting.
My wife asked me a question the other day that caused me to come alive:
We have Prep Room, which is pre-service prayer, from 5:15pm-6pm. We then roll right into an hour of corporate intercession as light instrumental music is played behind us.
Amy asked, “So, just what is the difference between Prep Room and the first hour of the service?”
Nothing! Nothing at all! I love it! Finally, prayer is the main thing in the church!
I often hear that prayer like this is not for the new Christian—they will feel out of place. That is a doctrine of demons that must be rebuked! The prayer room must be the first stop for every new Christian! It’s absolutely nonsensical to say that ministering to God is reserved for those who have been a Christian for a while! As a very young Christian, I was awakened in the prayer room. Prayer is not complicated, only costly. It is for everybody.
Will musical worship return? Yes, but only as it’s birthed out of burning, groaning intercession. There will be a tremble on the worshippers. Worship will exist in the realm of the Spirit and we will all sing from a place of brokenness, encounter and surrender.
John 4:23-24 (ESV) 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
OVERTURNING TABLES
Everything that takes precedence over prayer for the nations is about to be overturned in the church.
This shift in the church will be extremely offensive to those who don’t value connecting with God in prayer. Today’s system affirms a casual connection. In fact, church systems and programs are set up to remove responsibility from the people—to make it easy and costless for them to participate. This is our current American church culture, and it will soon be overturned.
I so often hear angry Christians mention how there should be no leader/laity division—yet, when the call to the body is sounded to serve like a leader, to pray like a priest, to do the work of intercession, to advance with passion and to be in position as a ready soldier, there is a spirit of resistance that often rises up.
I’m all for laity to serve as leaders—but it’s rare to find those who will actually do it. The cost is too high and the return on investment seems to be so low. (We forget that the return on our investment isn’t personal blessing but rather blessing for the nations—and the fruit of our prayer may not be fully realized by them for decades.)
The money changer mindset results in us focusing on self—on using church for personal gain, on expecting ourselves to be served or entertained or blessed instead of surrendering all and praying for the nations.
I’d encourage you to read my article titled God 2.0 where I address the danger of being a Money Changers Church here: GOD 2.0.
Today, worship teams lead while the body engages at the level they prefer. This is about to change—and those who want to be served rather than serve are at risk of great offense. This reformation in the church will change our expectations radically. The body won’t simply sit and soak as others sing over them. We will all do the work of intercession in a corporate setting. It’s not about receiving from God, it’s about ministering to him. This is pure worship.
This shift in the church will result in a violent assault by those who have their pet church focuses, relationships, levels of commitment and expectations threatened. Instead of simply showing up for a Sunday service and enjoying good worship and positive teaching, the expectation is now for everybody to go hard in fervent, violent prayer for the billions of people in the nations of the Earth who are nearing an eternity in Hell. Check out what happened to Jesus when he set the church in order:
Mark 11:15-18 (ESV) 15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” 18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching.
They wanted to destroy him. Their personal blessing was threatened.
PRAY CONTINUALLY?
If the scriptural call is to pray without ceasing, is it not strange that people so often run when the prayer meeting is called?
The thought of having a two-hour prayer meeting as the primary Sunday service shouldn’t be a strange idea at all if we are already praying the remaining 166 hours throughout the week. It’s simply an glorious corporate expression of what we should already be doing individually. Every one of us should walk into the church building burning, trembling, praying in tongues and coming out of perpetual encounters with God.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV) 17 pray without ceasing…
I have extreme patience for those who are struggling to connect with God as they devote themselves to finding him. (Ask, seek, knock)
But, let me be clear—those who complain that they don’t encounter God, they don’t feel God’s love, yet do not devote themselves to wrestling with God in prayer until they break through are without excuse.
No amount of teaching, anointed worship music, positive thoughts or counsel from others will result in a life of encounter with Jesus. Only prayer based on the truth of the Word of God will do that. Others can help you learn about God, but you have to meet him on your own. And, meeting him doesn’t always feel sweet and happy. It will actually burn our flesh and crush every part of us.
Julia Palermo: “People want loving God to be an emotional experience, but loving God has a very practical expression. Obedience.”
John 14:21-22 (ESV) 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?”
Intercession isn’t about emotionally enjoying God, though that can certainly happen at times. It’s about work. It’s about carrying the burden of God’s heart. This is what must lead our church services and our entire lives again.
Mike Bickle: The revelation of the Bridegroom filled with tenderness leads some to laziness because they have not seen the revelation of His heart of abandonment or His call for us to be abandoned to Him.
A CORPORATE REBUKE FUELED BY LOVE
God is so zealous about his Bride, his church, that a love-fueled rebuke is coming—and it will hit most every one of us.
The money changers spirit has so infiltrated the church that judgment is necessary just to save God’s precious Bride.
A critical correction is coming to those use the church as their personal blessing machine. In Revelation we see God lovingly rebuke the churches. It’s time for an end-time judgment to hit our churches. Judgment isn’t a bad God doing bad things to bad people. Judgment is an act of extreme, passionate love. Judgment draws the remnant to God, and exposes the pretenders as they run from God. It’s a wheat and tares reality.
Connecting in the church because of good friendships, good teaching, good worship, good programs, good children’s ministry, good environment—and disconnecting when any of that doesn’t meet our standards—is coming to an end.
The Upper Room mandate is upon us—we gather and pray. If prayer is there, so are we—every time the doors are open.
THE LOOK OF THE COMING CHURCH
Again, the 2 Chronicles 7 pavement people are the model of the remnant church. Acts 2 is a New Testament example of it—the whole house will be filled with the fire of God as every single person prays in the Spirit.
Acts 2:2-3 (ESV) 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.
This is some of what we can look forward to—and what we can start working towards right now. God is building his church through his apostolic and prophetic remnant and it will be a white hot center of intercession for the nations.
- We will walk into the meeting praying in the spirit, trembling, in the fear of the Lord, often coming out of dreams of God.
- There is no concern for comfort, who likes us or who doesn’t like us.
- Our position in the church won’t matter—we will know our position is on our face in fervent prayer.
- The room may simply be a giant warehouse with a cement floor—it won’t matter. We’ll bring a blanket, throw it down and prepare to encounter God with other desperate people.
- When we enter the room, we hit our faces without prompting, music or no music, and start praying passionately in the spirit for the nations and the burdens on God’s heart.
- Kids may be right next to us, or in a similar environment in a classroom elsewhere. Either option will work just fine.
- An hour or two later, teaching will boldly call us to action as the Word lands on our burning hearts.
- Teaching will be mostly prophetic/apostolic. Prophetic alarms and decrees will be constant and extremely anointed.
- We will all respond to the instruction corporately and prepare to fulfill our assignments.
- We will return to the corporate gathering for intercession and apostolic equipping several times a week instead of waiting for the next Sunday.
- Between meetings our personal lives will be filled with prayer, reading the Bible, listening to sermons and fulfilling our ministries. We will have plenty of time to do that as TV, movies, entertainment and other cultural norms are put under submission.
Are you part of the remnant church? Are you ready to join a company of pavement people? Will you jump ship when the old wineskin is removed, or will you embrace the fresh fire of God in our nation? Are you burning hot for God? Or, are you lukewarm?
These are critical questions we all must answer. Do we attend church because of what we get out of it? Because people like us? Because we enjoy it? Or, do we understand our call to die, to surrender, to pray and to burn night and day?
See you tonight.
theLab House of Prayer launches tomorrow | Pavement People
Join us for raw, fervent prayer Thursday at 7pm at theLab House of Prayer!
FIRST: “Life with John and Amy” which takes place the first Saturday of each month at our house is CANCELLED this Saturday. We are officially on BABY EVA WATCH! She could come any time, so we’ll see you in May!
SECOND: Listen to a sharp word about how to stay on fire for God in the first part of a new series: Four Fires http://media.johnburton.net/7931865
Featured XPMedia Video
The prayer movement in Michigan is capturing the attention of the world!
My video on “A Revival Prayer Model” was featured on Patricia King’s XPMedia today. It was sent out to over 47,000 subscribers!
You can watch it here: https://www.xpmedia.com/video/10529/a-revival-prayer-model/?affid=8389
theLab House of Prayer
This is the key initial step in the establishment of a house of prayer in the Detroit region!
There is an awakening and gathering of what I call pavement people in the Detroit area—people, as in 2 Chronicles 7, who are willing to hit the cold, hard pavement and glorify God.
tAs soon as Solomon finished his prayer, ufire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, vand the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 2 And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's house. 3 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, wfor his steadfast love endures forever.” (2 Chronicles 7:1-3, ESV)
Are you a pavement person—one who places no demands on God, who couldn’t care less about personal comforts and who is provoked to spur this region on in repentance, surrender, fervent intercession and passionate worship? We want to meet you!
theLab House of Prayer is a place to boldly declare the Word of the Lord and cry out night and day for revival in our region!
Join us from 7-9pm every Thursday night beginning tomorrow, April 4th, 2013.
theLab House of Prayer and Revival Church meet at CENTRAL CHURCH, 1529 E. 12 Mile Rd, Madison Heights, MI 48071.
Lion’s Paw • Janice VanCronkhite • April 6-7
An inspiring conference speaker and prophetic activator, Janice challenges the church to be released into the fullness and anointing of God’s creativity and to see his love and supernatural power exhibited through every kind of earthly artistic medium. Her depth of wisdom, favor and experience practically illuminate how to overcome obstacles and continue the journey into creative fullness.
Register TODAY at www.explorerevival.com/paw.
Our NEW twelve week online university launches on July 18, 2013! www.thelabuniversity.com
Instructors: John Burton, Chris Ferguson, Julia Palermo
Classes include: The End-Times, Carriers of Fire, Prayer 101, Intro into the Prophetic, The Forerunner Lifestyle, more!
A wave of revival hit Revival Church : Revival Church moving or switching nights
The thought of having a church service without the manifest glory of God just doesn’t make sense.
We’ve been declaring an atmosphere of signs and wonders, and last night at Revival Church several experienced gold dust. Someone who had it manifest in the children’s ministry just posted on Facebook:
I still have it on me! It comes and goes……its wild!
The packed out church was covered with the fire and glory of God as Catherine Mullins and Matt Sorger released the life of Jesus.
This atmosphere must be stewarded… and the company of burning ones at Revival Church are invested in this magnificent process of fire in Detroit!
HUMILITY AND HOLINESS
I continue to be wrecked by the fear of the Lord. It’s increasing. As the pressures of revival increase we must understand that the only way we’ll stand is if we fall to our knees.
Let’s continue to embrace holiness and humility as we strategically go after God unlike any time in our lives. The times are quite serious and we can’t casually handle the fire.
We have adopted what we consider to be the best advice for launching a full scale revival. Evan Roberts, the great revivalist, said:
"Congregate the people who are willing to make a total surrender. Pray and wait. Believe God’s promises. Hold daily meetings.”
A COMPANY OF BURNING ONES
We have already assembled the best team of emerging leaders I’ve ever been associated with—but we are just beginning!
The call is to gather the hungry and surrendered and pray. There is a groaning intercession movement that has already started to take Detroit by storm in theLab, and you are invited to join the ranks! Learn more about the strategy to see revival engulf Detroit!
Visit both www.revivallab.com and www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/revivalcompany for info on how to connect in theLab prayer movement and in Revival Church
HOLD DAILY MEETINGS
This is the next step in our strategy, but we need your help! Our host church is starting their own Sunday night service the first of January, which means we have a decision to make.
The ultimate goal is to secure a property that can hold thousands for major prophetic/revival conferences and events along with room for dorms and theLab internship. If you have ideas, I’d love to talk. I can connect you with the team involved in our property search. When we have our own property, we will be able to start developing the 24/7 church. Not only will there be daily meetings, but there will be hourly events around the clock. Imagine continual teaching in one room, non-stop groans of intercession in another and fiery revival services in another!
Since we only have a little over a month for something to happen, it looks like we may end up moving from Sunday night to Saturday night beginning the first week of January, 2012. So, clear your calendars now for this shift!
THELAB INTERNSHIP DEADLINE
If you want to save $200 on the next internship session, you have to register by November 30th! Go here: www.revivallab.com/apply.
John’s interview on the Miracle Channel : Watch tonight
I was interviewed back in October on Canada’s largest Christian television network, The Miracle Channel. It was an awesome experience.
I talked about my book Revelation Driven Prayer on an hour long episode of The Bridge.
You can watch the show as it airs tonight at 10pm Eastern. Head on over to www.miraclechannel.ca and click the ‘Watch Us Online’ banner on the top right.
You will also be able to view the archive starting tomorrow by going here: www.miraclechannel.ca/thebridge
Let’s pray that this message of encountering God reaches millions of people and impacts them powerfully.
ALSO: I’ll be preaching tomorrow (Friday) at IHOPE at 7pm. Come on out for a night of intercession, prophecy and fire!