Hell, Holiness and Fear of Man | The true, prophetic church must emerge

By John Burton | August 16, 2013

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) ¹¹Take 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) ¹⁸For 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) ³⁰Then 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) ¹Hear 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; ²there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. ³Therefore 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) ¹⁹For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope ²¹that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. ²²For 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) ¹¹Let 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. ¹³I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” ¹⁴Blessed 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. ¹⁵Outside 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) ¹⁴As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, ¹⁵but 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) ²⁸And 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. ²⁹They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, ³⁰slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, ³¹foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. ³²Though 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) ¹⁰and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹²For 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) ⁹The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, ¹⁰and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. ¹¹Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, ¹²in 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: info@detroitprayerfurnace.com.

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 info@detroitprayerfurnace.com TODAY! We will give you info on how to get started.

Posted in The Church and tagged america, authority, church, crisis, detroit prayer furnace, facebook, fear of man, fervent, Gospel, hateful, hell, holiness, jonathan edwards, judgment, prayer, prayer movement, prophetic, rightwingwatch, sin, sleeping, Twitter

A powerful, unusual model of ministry at Revival Church : Plus, Julia Palermo tonight

By John Burton | May 26, 2013

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) ²³But 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. ²⁴God 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) ²¹Whoever 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.

Posted in The Church and tagged apostolic, detroit, firebrands, God, holy spirit, intercession, julia palermo, money changers, music, nations, overturn, pavement, prayer, prayer movement, prayer room, prophetic, remnant, spirit and truth, tables, worship, youth

Prophetic dream: An increasing danger in the worship movement

By John Burton | May 25, 2013 |

You might be surprised at the danger in the worship movement and how we connect to it.

I had a prophetic dream that is extremely simple to understand—the prophetic warnings are being drowned out by casual spirits and, yes, even today’s worship movement.

Ezekiel 13:1-3 (ESV) ¹The word of the LORD came to me: ²“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, and say to those who prophesy from their own hearts: ‘Hear the word of the LORD!’ ³Thus says the Lord GOD, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

Ezekiel 13:6-9 (ESV) ⁶They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the LORD,’ when the LORD has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word. ⁷Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the LORD,’ although I have not spoken?” ⁸Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord GOD. ⁹My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

There is a rapidly increasing movement of people who are shutting their ears to any prophetic words that have any measure of alarm to them. The warnings are not wanted as they threaten the current structures of comfort and ease.

These people are at risk of a catastrophe that will mercilessly hit them and those who have been influenced by their messages of peace and safety.

There are true voices that must emerge and declare the word of the Lord in its pure form.

If we EVER temper a message in the pulpit, online or one-on-one in the hopes of maintaining an audience, we've become a 2 Tim 4:3-4 false-teacher.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (ESV) ³For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Revival always includes the conviction of sin on the part of the Church. What a spell the devil seems to cast over the Church today! ~Billy Sunday

THE DREAM

I was the guest speaker at a church, and I was burning with an extreme prophetic message that I knew every single person must hear. Not only must they hear it, but they had to allow God to break and wreck them so they could become carriers of that burning message. God needed them to proclaim the word with boldness and brokenness.

It was time to begin the service, and I was on the platform feeling troubled and confused. I had about eight friends with me, people who were absolutely given to the message and who were standing very close to me.

Other than my friends, literally nobody was listening. Even the leadership was absent. People were dressed in shorts and flip flops and casual clothing and were just slowly walking around taking to friends.

My disturbance kept intensifying.

To my right there were a couple large garage doors and they were both open. People were moving out of the building and out onto the grass. It was a beautiful, sunny day.

As people kept leaving the building, someone walked close to the stage as I was preaching with unction and urgency, and he attempted to drown out the message by singing a worship song. It was a brilliant tactic. After all, it’s good to sing songs of worship in the church, right?

When he finished singing, the building was nearly empty. In my desperation to get the message relayed, I too went outside.

My friends and I left the building and stood on a small slab of concrete outside. I continued to preach, but it was as if I was nearly invisible and inaudible. From time to time people would wave and wink to me as an indicator that they are “with me” and to thank me for my ministry. I didn’t want their thanks. I wanted their hearts.

My friends pressed very close to me…so close that we were all squished together as a single unit as I kept preaching truth.

The people kept playing while we kept trembling.

I then noticed that some chose to climb a tree. When they decided to come back down, one of them fell just a couple of feet and those around them were alarmed and looked right me. They demanded that I leave my place and come over to help. I was grieved.

I did leave the concrete and tended to the person who had an extremely minor injury.

Distraction and a casual, playful, self-centered spirit overpowered the prophetic word of the Lord.

I then woke up.

THE INTERPRETATION

We live in a day where churches promote comfort and self-satisfaction. Coffee, personal ministry, blessing, programs and other lesser things are overshadowing the call to the cross. The alarm of the hour is not a welcome sound.

Casual spirits are driving the culture. The problem? The message of the cross is not a casual message.

The bottom line is this: A casual spirit will always reject a prophetic warning if it threatens their comfort. A prophetic spirit will always threaten something.

A.W. Tozer: I want the prophetic spirit upon me or I want to die.

In the dream it was significant that even the leaders were absent.

The pastors of that church should have been on their faces in deep repentance as they led their people into brokenness!

Nobody in that church had any concern about their own salvation (they should have), the condition of their city or the message of God. All was well. Peace and safety were the cries of their hearts.

My friends who were very close to me represented the remnant—those who are broken and surrendered and devoted to the call. They counted the cost and said yes.

Please keep this in mind—the remnant is an extremely small percentage of people in the church. Don’t presume that you have signed up as an end-time remnant Christian just because you go to church, love God and want revival. True remnant people aren’t only interested in revival, they are invested in it. To find a remnant Christian is actually quite rare, though every Christian has been extended that invitation.

WORSHIP

Possibly the most interesting part of the dream had to do with the person who walked up to me and started singing a worship song.

I believe we are in a place of both great hope and great danger in regard to worship in the church.

True worship is going to return to the church. That’s the hope. There is a great movement of groan and intercession driven worship and adoration to Jesus that’s coming. It’s not here yet, but soon can be.

The present danger is great, however.

The worship service can easily become the lazy man’s intercession. Please consider this point carefully! The church is to be a house of prayer for all nations!

I’ve been in ministry for over 22 years and it has grieved me time and again when people would come and go based on the skill, style and feel of the worship team, but are indifferent regarding the prayer focus. In fact, when the call to worship is sounded, people flock, but when the call to prayer is sounded people flee.

This is disturbing and it’s an indictment on the church!

We don’t attend a church based on it’s ability to appeal to our desires! My God! How far have we fallen?

At Revival Church we recently made a bold decision for our current season—when our worship leader moved on, I decided it was time to bring intercession back to first place.

Instead of sitting back or lightly engaging as someone else leads in worship, we are calling the entire body to pray with us boldly for an hour prior to the teaching. Fervent prayer has replaced musical worship! The experience of worship or any other thing can no longer trump the call to pray and to deliver the prophetic messages of God.

In fact, I’m confident that biblical worship will emerge from this platform of prayer and no longer will we casually connect to God when the music plays. Musical worship has taken a back seat to the word of the Lord and it will again be calibrated to God’s heart.

If you want to gauge the spiritual maturity of your team, call a prayer meeting. Develop a prayer culture. Bring prayer front and center where nobody can hide. It may be offensive, but it’s simply true that only the broken, hungry and maturing will remain. It shocks me that people can lead worship, pastor a church or function in ministry without a vibrant, all-consuming life of prayer! It is actually rare to find praying church leadership in America!

There are individuals who have never done anything for Jesus Christ, and I have no doubt there are preachers as well, who have never done anything for the God Almighty. ~Billy Sunday

“If we do not praise we shall grow sad in our conflict; and if we do not fight we shall become presumptuous in our song.” –Spurgeon

Worship leaders who don’t burn night and day in intercession need to take a critical break to rediscover the God of their songs. A fearful tremble and awe must return to worship.

PAVEMENT PEOPLE

In the dream I moved to a concrete slab outside of the building as the people were scattering and playing. I have been crying out for the last several months for the pavement people to emerge! These are people in the remnant who are not looking for personal comfort, affirmation or anything other than hitting the pavement in true worship.

2 Chronicles 7:3 (ESV) ³When 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.”

I was on the pavement with my friends who were staying very close to me. I continued to preach in desperation as people were in the vicinity, but who were not at all provoked by the message. They were certainly not responsive, and, of course, they were in no place to become carriers of that fiery word for the nations.

Again, my grief escalated.

DISTRACTIONS

The types of distractions that the enemy will attempt to force on us are extremely hard to counteract.

First, it can seem strange and wrong to label worship as a disturbance or distraction. The enemy is often using worship, as I shared above, to provide people with a false sense of intimacy with Jesus, or at least a radically minimized encounter with him. If the music is good and even slightly anointed, and it feels peaceful or invigorating, then our job of honoring God seems to be done. We don’t have to go any deeper in Jesus. We are satisfied. It’s time to move to other things.

Additionally, the person that fell out of the tree was wounded, ever so slightly, and all eyes were on me to help. So, the corporate prophetic alarm ceased.

The problem? The person should never have been in the tree. They were called to the pavement. Their improper positioning negatively impacted the masses.

When we are close together, there is safety. Risk is minimized. Even when there is an issue, we can all stay together, in position as we serve one another.

Those in the Upper Room in Acts 2 certainly tended to each other as they were all on that holy pavement, that place of coming encounter and intercession for the nations.

Those who are scattering and playing instead of gathering and praying are loosely connected until crisis comes.

It’s time that we are “all together in one accord in one place” as they were in Acts 2.

A RESISTANT CHURCH

As it was in the days of Noah, so it is today. The alarms are resisted.

Matthew 24:37-39 (ESV) ³⁷For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, ³⁹and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Do we not know that God is raising up prophetic voices to help us? Why would we reject the warnings?

It’s time we gather and pray. It’s time.

I asked a question on Facebook recently:

If your church cancelled everything for a year…cancelled children’s ministry, teaching, programs, pot lucks, small groups…and replaced those activities with prayer meetings, would you stay in your church?

One response rocked me. It encouraged me that the remnant is out there:

That’s when I’ll return to the church.

Friends, it’s time that we embrace a God that loves us enough to keep us from slumber, to shake us with warnings and to prepare us for the tragic and glorious end-time shocks that are coming to the Earth.

Posted in Revival and tagged billy sunday, church, dream, movement, myths, peace, prophetic, safety, spirit, teaching, truth, warning, worship

Colorado Springs conference! Catherine Mullins & theLab U This Thursday through Saturday

By John Burton | May 15, 2013

Register TODAY! Catherine Mullins and theLab University team will be in Manitou Springs Thursday through Saturday!

Evening sessions are FREE, but registration is REQUIRED!

On opening night, Catherine Mullins will be leading in intimate worship and I’ll be bringing a prophetic message: God 2.0

REGISTER HERE: www.thelabuniversity.com/manitousprings

Learn more about Catherine Mullins here: www.catherinemullins.com
Learn more about theLab University here: www.thelabuniversity.com

WATCH A BRAND NEW VIDEO!

http://youtu.be/ozOM8bok1L4

A SIX MONTH SCHOOL OF FIRE

theLab University is coming to the Colorado Springs region this summer!

Experience six months of fire, encounter and equipping in the spiritually strategic city of Manitou Springs, Colorado.

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED even for the free evening sessions.

The events will be held at RHOP, 12 Old Man’s Trail, Manitou Springs, CO 80829.

THE COMING CHURCH

The theme: Equipping end-time prophetic messengers to prepare the way for revolution in the church.

There is a coming burning church that will reveal to us the shock and awe of the glory of God. The call to participate in this last days movement of revival is a weighty call indeed. Discover your key role in The Coming Church and how you can prepare to carry the life, love and fire of God into a desperately wicked culture.

WHAT TO EXPECT

thLab University is a powerful and unusual ministry experience that will result in freedom and equipping. Each monthly three-day event will include morning and afternoon workshops, personal prophetic ministry and training in prophetic warfare and intercession in the streets of Manitou Springs.

The evening public worship and training is designed for maximum impact as we encounter God in a deep place of intimacy and embrace the urgent and sober call as forerunners.

THE COST

theLab University full six month session: $100
Individual weekends (all sessions in any given month): $30

MAY 16-18 SCHEDULE

Thursday 6pm: Prep Room (prophetic intercession)
Thursday 7pm: Worship with Catherine Mullins + Teaching (FREE) (The Coming Church)

Friday 10am: Workshop (positioning ourselves to receive revelation)
Friday 2pm: Prophetic Impartation & Activation (personal ministry & spiritual adventure in Manitou Springs)
Friday 6pm: Prep Room (prophetic intercession)
Friday 7pm: Worship with Catherine Mullins + Teaching (FREE) (Revelation Driven Prayer)

Saturday 10am: Workshop (the urgency of the hour)
Saturday 2pm: Prophetic Impartation & Activation (personal ministry & spiritual adventure in Manitou Springs)
Saturday 6pm: Prep Room (prophetic intercession)
Saturday 7pm: Worship + Teaching (FREE) (Carrying the Fire)

Posted in Revival and tagged catherine mullins, Colorado Springs, conference, john burton, julia palermo, manitou, prophetic, revival, school, school of fire, springs, thelab university

Next Week! Catherine Mullins: theLab University Colorado Springs/Manitou Springs

By John Burton | May 9, 2013

A SIX MONTH SCHOOL OF FIRE

FIRST: Have you applied for theLab School of Fire ONLINE? You can do so here: www.thelabuniversity.com/online

Hi!

I wanted to connect to make you aware of a very exciting and strategic series of events that’s coming to the Colorado Springs region.

God has been dramatically dealing with several people from Detroit and Kansas City to come as carriers of fire to Colorado six times in 2013.

Folks are taking off work and paying their own way to come, and serve the Pikes Peak region.

Since we are not local, we will need quite a bit of help spreading the word, gathering the intercessors, connecting with pastors and preparing for our first event in May.

Can you help? Evening sessions are FREE and we are also encouraging people to register for the entire weekend which will include prayer and workshops.

Pastors: Can you gather people from your church and sphere of influence and register as a group?
Intercessors: Start praying for these six weekend events and spread the word across the region.
Everybody: Use social media and any other method to get the word out.

Please contact me if you have any questions. I can’t wait to arrive in Colorado next week!

John Burton: john@johnburton.net • 719.231.6000

Catherine Mullins: theLab University Colorado Springs/Manitou Springs

A SIX MONTH SCHOOL OF FIRE

theLab University is coming to the Colorado Springs region this summer!

Experience six months of fire, encounter and equipping in the spiritually strategic city of Manitou Springs, Colorado.

THE COMING CHURCH

The theme: Equipping end-time prophetic messengers to prepare the way for revolution in the church.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The evening public worship and training is designed for maximum impact as we encounter God in a deep place of intimacy and embrace the urgent and sober call as forerunners.

THE COST

theLab University full six month session: $100
Individual weekends (all sessions in any given month): $30

MAY 16-18 SCHEDULE

Thursday 6pm: Prep Room (prophetic intercession)
Thursday 7pm: Worship with Catherine Mullins + Teaching (FREE) (The Coming Church)

Friday 10am: Workshop (positioning ourselves to receive revelation)
Friday 2pm: Prophetic Impartation & Activation (personal ministry & spiritual adventure in Manitou Springs)
Friday 6pm: Prep Room (prophetic intercession)
Friday 7pm: Worship with Catherine Mullins + Teaching (FREE) (Revelation Driven Prayer)

Saturday 10am: Workshop (the urgency of the hour)
Saturday 2pm: Prophetic Impartation & Activation (personal ministry & spiritual adventure in Manitou Springs)
Saturday 6pm: Prep Room (prophetic intercession)
Saturday 7pm: Worship + Teaching (FREE) (Carrying the Fire)

THELAB COLORADO 2013 SESSION

May: Thu 5.16.13 – Sat 5.18.13
June: Thu 6.13.13 – Sat 6.15.13
July: Thu 7.18.13 – Sat 7.20.13
August: Thu 8.15.13 – Sat 8.17.13
September: Thu 9.19.13 – Sat 9.21.13
October: Thu 10.17.13 – Sat 10.19.13

www.thelabuniversity.com/manitousprings

Posted in Revival and tagged catherine mullins, Colorado Springs, intercession, manitou, prophetic, school, school of fire, springs, thelab, thelab university, workshop, worship

Deeply Grieved | Pavement People | Seven Mountains

By John Burton | April 19, 2013 |

A premature outpouring of God's spirit would result in people vacating their place of prayer to experience an adrenaline rush.

This nation is in a state of extreme emergency, yet few are responding with a lifestyle of intercession.

Let me say this clearly: If you are a Christian, deep, continual, strategic intercession is your primary daily calling!

As in the days of old, every time the church doors are open, we should be there ready to pray!

The 24/7 church is coming and we will soon find ourselves together in intercession most every day of the week! Will you wait for another bomb to detonate and for more lives to be lost or will you start your new life of corporate intercession THIS WEEK?

When this precedent of continual prayer is established, revival will eventually come. It may take a decade of continual prayer before God sees our devotion to keep praying without stopping when the outpouring comes.

►Detroit needs a house of prayer like never before, and EVERY CHRISTIAN must show up day after day to pray! Start now!

There is an emerging remnant of pavement people who understand this, who will forgo personal comfort and hit the concrete in prayer and worship as we saw in 2 Chronicles 7:

2 Chronicles 7:1-3 (ESV) ¹As 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. ²And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house. ³When 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.”

I have been continually grieved and disturbed for more than two decades of ministry by the lack of fervent prayer in the church. I literally can’t think of a single place in the world that I’d rather be than in the prayer room—even if it’s a concrete floor. The fact that calls to prayer are resisted with excuses of busyness, disinterest and the ever increasing cares of life is evidence that we still don’t understand a primary reason we are alive—to minister to God in personal and corporate intercession.

With that in mind, prayer rooms remain empty because we as leaders know people are averse to prayer…and we offer them alternate activities.

Instead of burning intercession for the nations, many use prayer as an attempt to achieve or protect their own definition of a normal life. When normalcy is stable, prayer ceases. If someone is sick, they pray for God to restore them to the normalcy of health. If they are short on finances, they pray for God to bring them to financial normalcy.

The problem with that is that prayer isn’t mostly about focusing on self and securing the life we hope for—it’s for deeply knowing Jesus and interceding for the world to experience the life that he paid the price for.

A CONFUSING EXPERIENCE

More than two decades ago, as a new burning child of God, I was met with confusion that is still with me today.

I was helping give leadership to a monthly regional youth event that was drawing around 100 young people for all over the Dayton, Ohio area. I’ve always believed the hour of prayer before the service was actually much more important than the service itself. (Anything driven by prayer carries extreme importance.)

I was truly confused each month as we sounded the alarm, spread the word, plastered signs in the foyer and let everybody clearly know that they were needed in prayer prior to the service. Each month we’d have 5-10 people in the huge sanctuary in prayer for an hour, while I watched a hundred people cram into a tiny foyer waiting for the service to start.

Was my promotion insufficient? Did I not make it clear enough? It was so packed in the foyer that faces were nearly squished up against the glass on the doors—right next to the signs inviting them to enter and pray.

I’ve watched this scenario play out time and again through my youth and senior ministry years. In San Diego I’d load up the bus with 50 kids to take them to the beach on Thursday, and then have 5 or 6 join me on prayer walks on Friday.

I will continually be confused and disturbed by the lack of passion for intercession—especially in a time of crisis like we are now in in America.

THE CRISIS IN OUR NATION

Last night at theLab House of Prayer, we prayed about the recent bombings in Boston, the earthquakes around the world and the explosion in Texas, and we interceded for Detroit. There have been many urgent prophecies and dreams about a nuclear level event downtown Detroit.

For those who only pray to achieve personal normalcy, there is little reason to fill the prayer rooms. Detroit is still standing.

However, even now, Detroit is not in revival. Even now there is suicide and murder in this region. Children are abused. Political corruption is extreme. An outpouring is no where to be seen.

Additionally, we are experiencing a Jeremiah 2 crisis. Check it out:

Jeremiah 2:4-8 (ESV) ⁴Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. ⁵Thus says the LORD: “What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? ⁶They did not say, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells?’ ⁷And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination. ⁸The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit.

The Breakdown

Verse 5: There is a spirit of accusation against God on the rise in America. Today, people are finding much wrong with God—Christians and non-Christians alike—and the result is a move toward accusation and away from intimacy with him. A misunderstanding of God’s role in our lives will do that. If we expect him to perform for us instead of us responding to him, we will quickly become offended at God and turn to worthless things—and become worthless ourselves.
Verse 6: Thanksgiving was nowhere to be found. God admits that he intentionally led them into a place of drought and darkness—and then led them through.
Verse 7: America was given as a gift, a plentiful land with good things. Today, the land is defiled and the heritage of God is an abomination. Oh what we have forsaken!
Verse 8: The priests did not seek the Lord! This is the state of the prayer movement! In a time of crisis, the priests (all of us) must continually give themselves to seeking God! Pastors are failing and prophets are sharing doctrines of demons in the name of God! There are a lot of “false positives” out there in the prophetic…hopeful messages that don't reflect what God is saying.

THE SEVEN MOUNTAINS

I personally don’t see the church fully taking over the seven mountains in this age as some do, but I do believe we are to have significant influence and impact, and to give leadership as God opens those doors.

This being said, the thought of an idolatrous church increasing in influence in the seven mountains should cause us all to shudder.

A consecrated, praying church that is intimate with God is mandatory!

Psalm 24:3-4 (ESV) ³Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? ⁴He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.

Today, much of the church is at the base of the mountain fashioning an idol, a god of their own design, while Moses met with God on top of it.

The prayer movement that’s focused on the heart of God will result in continual repentance as we allow God to search our hearts and burn up any idol or any desire for one!

Check out how serious God is about the call to ascend the mountain:

Exodus 19:16-25 (ESV) ¹⁶On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. ¹⁷Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. ¹⁸Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. ¹⁹And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. ²⁰The LORD came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. ²¹And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the LORD to look and many of them perish. ²²Also let the priests who come near to the LORD consecrate themselves, lest the LORD break out against them.” ²³And Moses said to the LORD, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.’” ²⁴And the LORD said to him, “Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the LORD, lest he break out against them.” ²⁵So Moses went down to the people and told them.

So, Moses ascended, and the people played. The prayer movement will absolutely separate out those who are truly devoted to God and those who are focused on self:

Exodus 32:4-6 (ESV) ⁴And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” ⁵When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.” ⁶And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.

Eat, drink, play. As long as the normalcy of personal consumption and entertainment is safe, the church will see no need to pray—all while the consecrated remnant, the pavement people, are on the mountain in the presence of God receiving instructions for revival and Kingdom advance.

My God. Help us.

Posted in Revival and tagged 2 chronicles, 7 mountains, christian, house of prayer, intercession, outpouring, pavement, pray, prophet, prophetic, revival, seven mountains, thelab

Negative Prophetic Warnings? | Terrorism, Bombings and 9/11 | Get Ready

By John Burton | April 17, 2013

Terrorism, Bombings, Earthquakes and 9/11

In light of the Boston bombings and the earthquakes in Iran, Oklahoma and Papua New Guinea that followed, I thought it was important to share this message by Bill Click with you.

Before I do, I want to make one important point.

I often experience the resistance of some Christians to what they call negative prophecy. There is a movement away from warnings, end-times revelations and other prophetic insight that highlights disaster, wars, famines, etc.

The easy point I can make is that such prophecies are biblical. We seen negative prophecies cover to cover from Joseph to John the Revelator.
The additional point is this: Those who resist negative prophecies are fully supportive of natural intelligence! They support the CIA, FBI, Homeland Security and other agencies as they listen to chatter and gain intelligence regarding planned terror events.

If the CIA reveals that they picked up on communications from a terror organization who is planning to plant bombs somewhere on American soil, we are thankful for that revelation! We plan accordingly, and urgently!

But, when the prophets mention that they have picked up on communications, they are ignored at best and discredited and resisted at worst.

The point? Listen to the prophets and don’t only receive the messages that tickle your ears. We need to hear the chatter about what is coming. God wants us to prepare for judgments of God and attacks of the enemy that are on their way.

It’s critical that we don’t put our heads in the sand and ignore what’s happening around us. That is not spiritual warfare, it’s abdicating our spiritual responsibility and it’s quite serious.

BILL CLICK

April 16, 2013

Early on Monday I was trying to decide on a message for the week. I felt impressed to reissue a previous one, and what is below caught my eye. I initially dismissed it as not really relevant for now, that it would need a major revision and edit for update.

I then decided on another one that I would look over a bit before sending.

But after returning home Monday afternoon, and beginning to see the reports from Boston, I decided to reissue the following message from late in 2004, without revision.

What the Lord is Saying at this Time Originally released on October 6, 2004 Bill Click

1. Something Worse than “911” is Going to Happen in the United States.

On September 14th of this year as Nancy and I were driving, the anointing of the Lord came upon me and the Spirit spoke these words within my spirit: “Something worse than ‘911' is going to happen in the United States.” I have not yet been told anymore about when, where, to whom or through whom. But I am released to share this with you.

Shortly after “911,” there were “Dirty bomb” scares– concerns that Usama bin Laden had nuclear capability. The Lord clearly showed me at that time that bin Laden did– in fact– have the means, but that God was going to protect the USA. Furthermore, it was a conditional word based on the church's continual willingness to be made battle ready in the Spirit by evangelizing the lost, equipping the saints and de-religiousizing the church through authentic spiritual reformation which will be evident by structural transformation. The church must be built as Jesus designed and the Word makes clear– around gifts and offices instead of talents and positions. For this to take place, the Spirit must be yielded to throughout continual processes which bring constant change until the church is totally designed, led, powered and directed by the Head.

It has not been revealed to me what type of calamity is coming to the USA, but the separate experiences concerning calamity and a nuclear disaster which has been averted to this point could very well be related. It is semi-common knowledge that many “close calls” (nuclear & otherwise)– that have never been made public– have been turned back by the military and other “intelligence” through God's merciful protection during past years.

Regardless of what is ahead, I am sure that the Lord is saying that the “something worse than ‘911′ that is going to happen in the United States” IS going to happen. It is too late to avert it, but not too late to get ready for all trouble by being battle ready in the Spirit, evangelizing the lost, equipping the saints and de-religiousizing the church through authentic spiritual reformation which will be evident in structural transformation– the church becoming truly established by Christ in gifts and offices instead of talents and positions.

2. The Body of Christ Needs to Retire all Credit Card debt by June 2005

A few days before I received the revelation of calamity I just shared, I was impressed by the Spirit (for reasons I do not claim to understand) “The body of Christ needs to retire all credit card debt by June 2005.” Does this relate to the above? I don't know, but I am confident in sharing this with you. Some reading this will despair, saying: “How will we do it?” Some can do it by discipline and budgeting. There are 8+ months left and it is easy enough to compute (although much harder for many to say “no” to borrowing against a very uncertain future). Most will need a “supernatural exchange,” like we did in 2002. At the beginning of 2002, the Lord spoke to us to double our giving and then said we would receive increase, with which we were to retire our personal credit card debt. The first four months things got worse instead of better. The increased giving resulted in our only making minimum payment on cards totally $10,000+ in debt. In late April, God began to move and all that debt was retired by the end of August 2002. There is still no debt. In July 2003 we purchased the building we meet in and there is no debt attached to it either. We are a debt-free ministry.

God CAN if we will listen to and follow Him completely. For many, giving and receiving will be the only way you get ready for June 2005. What will happen then? I don't know, but if it turns out that we will have opportunity to invest, or receive wealth transfer at that time (instead of a banking or market collapse that some may read into this), don't you want to be ready for God's increase, whatever it is? To do so, we must all obey the Spirit of the Lord. 3. Terrorism– No Matter how or through whom it Manifests– is the War that will Grip the World's Attention, Resources & Efforts until the Return of Christ.

I want to assure you as I continue that I am neither Democrat nor Republican. Terrorism is a war without borders that cannot be won, it can only be contained. I agree with President George W. Bush that warring against terrorism requires “perfection” to be successful. People of God, there is no such thing as “perfection” in the natural realm. There IS however, the merciful protection and blessing of God. Blessing, however, is reserved for the obedient. And there will be moments when mercy is to let us see how far we are from God and the severity of the need to continually turn toward Him.

I disagree with the President, however, when he asserts that we must fight terrorism “there” so we don't have to fight it “here.” We have to fight it everywhere– and it is already here. Begin to claim as your inheritance those who frequent the Mosque's in your area, and pray a laborer in their path– being willing to be that very laborer when the Lord appoints and anoints you for the task.

The Military will never win this war of “terrorism,” but it must continually fight for it to be contained. Those who are truly God's will be rise up and be strengthened when threats and fear abound however, not shrink back. The church WILL continue to be gathered, established and when all is ready– The Father will send Jesus and He will defeat the many differing “fronts” of the war Antichrist wages. But terrorism's root– no matter how or through whom it manifests (Jihad, White Supremacists, antigovernment groups, murderous antiabortionists, the Klan, the intimidation through organized crime, gangs and even vandalism, etc.) is the spirit of Antichrist.

4. Terrorism is only One Strategy of the Spirit of Antichrist's Efforts to Stop the Gospel of the Kingdom and Delay the Return of Christ.

There are others:

A. False unity in the church. This manifests in various ways, from “dumbing down” God for the seek of seeker sensitivity to “lowest common denominator” multi-church unity meetings to also the efforts to arrive at a “consensus” among gatherings of horizontal church leaders. Where there is no true function of an individual's spiritual nature and grace, there is no true assembling of the Body (Psa.133). Don't fellowship “down” to belong or to include, or to be included. If they want you, then be you when you're there. Don't settle for being rejected by the rejected. You cannot be rejected, you have been accepted by the One whose acceptance of you settles it forever.

B. Preference of false religions in our society through what is called “political correctness.” Whether it be in the government, the workplace, in education, in technology, etc. – if you are a “Christian” who proclaims Jesus Christ you will be increasingly singled out, ridiculed, minimized, passed over and otherwise left out in days ahead. KNOW your “place” in the world as a witness, and be ready to increasingly be bold and see the extent to which God is with you. God will protect and provide for those who truthfully represent Him with no apology. Although we ARE to gather resources from the world for the Kingdom (Dt.8:18), we are to above all else be witnesses of Him in that realm (Acts 1:8; Mt.28:18-20).

C. Nations who “cooperate” with one another schizophrenically– always requiring “consensus” before acting as a means of actually preventing that very action, not endorsing it. C. Peter Wagner's description of the “corporate spirit of religion” in his book “Changing Church” can be applied to this realm as well, albeit by another name: “the spirit of Antichrist.” To be included or sought out for the sake of being controlled does not insure that what God has given the church will continue to live, increase and reproduce. Instead, it guarantees its demise.

In the same way, for the USA to place their protection in the hands of other nations playing a schizophrenic “push-pull” of support and inaction while protecting their own interests and covering their own scandals should be easy enough to see for it is: deception at the international level for the sake of “controlling” the USA while protecting the spirit of Antichrist.

President George W. Bush has always cooperated more than enough, and has only acted when it was clear that every resolution to act was meaningless. Even though being in Iraq, Afghanistan and virtually everywhere else is a strain on all our resources, and precious lives have been lost– it is clear in my spirit that George W. Bush is God's choice for the next 4 years. I pray that he receives the support that his being “chosen” should provide. Why? “Because something worse than ‘911' is going to happen in the United States,” says the Lord.

Remember:

The Body of Christ needs to retire all Credit Card debt by June 2005.

Terrorism– no matter how or through whom it manifests– is the war that will seize the world's attention, resources & efforts until the return of Christ.

Terrorism is only one strategy of an Antichrist effort to stop the gospel of the Kingdom and delay the return of Christ.

_______________________________________________

RIVER OF POWER MINISTRIES rpm5clicks@juno.com www.riverofpower.org

Posted in JBMIntercession and tagged 911, bill click, bombings, boston, earthquake, iran, oklahoma, papua new guinea, prophecy, prophetic, terrorism, terrorist, united states, warning

An extremely special end-time event TONIGHT at Revival Church: IHOPKC trained prophetic messengers

By John Burton | March 24, 2013

I’m BURNING! Two key IHOPKC trained prophetic messengers will be releasing prophetic decrees and teaching on The Coming Church TONIGHT!

Julia Palermo & Chris Ferguson will be tag team prophesying, teaching and decreeing the word of the Lord with me TONIGHT at Revival Church!

I’m SO ROCKED right now…something is absolutely going to explode at Revival Church tonight! Join us in the sanctuary at 5:15pm for targeted and passionate intercession, and then at 6pm for a special guest worship team, prophetic decrees and teaching on The Coming Church!

OUR GUESTS SPEAKERS:

CHRIS FERGUSON: Director of Pastoral Care, Internships at International House of Prayer Kansas City • Chris & Yvette Ferguson, have been married for over 20 years and have two children. They are currently on full time staff at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City. Prior to joining IHOP-KC in October of 2005, the Ferguson’s were Associate Pastors at TurningPoint Community Church in Seattle, Washington. Chris has served 20 “Intro to IHOP-KC” Internships as Sr. Core Leader and Director of Pastoral Care. Coaching, mentoring and raising up the next generation of leaders in each of IHOP’s four Internships.

JULIA PALERMO: Founder & Director of Sojourners International •Julia Palermo is a raging furnace of revival who is only growing more focused and intense in her ministry. Prepare yourself to be rocked by a burning prophetic messenger that operates at a uniquely high level of maturity, passion and excellence. Julia is a sign and a wonder who will encourage your church into its destiny. ~John Burton

Revival Church meets at CENTRAL CHURCH, 1529 E. 12 Mile Rd, Madison Heights, MI 48071. www.explorerevival.com

I regularly receive requests for theLab to be made available online…and that time has come!

This will be an extremely unique training experience and end-time community.

More info is coming soon…but in the mean time, check it out at www.thelabuniversity.com!

COMING JULY 18, 2013!

theLab University Online

Our NEW twelve week online university launches on July 18, 2013.

INTRODUCTORY TUITION PRICE of $100!

Your enrollment will begin immediately upon payment. The twelve week school continually rotates so you can jump in at any time.

Your enrollment includes:

Twelve weeks of training on various subjects including the end-times, prophetic prayer, the coming church, the lifestyle of a forerunner, and the call for revival
Various books, notes and videos to accompany each week’s class
Monthly live classroom sessions
Personal prophetic ministry
Practical ministry assignments
Daily access to instructors and fellow students in forums and chat rooms
Life coaching and mentoring
Much more!

theLab University Online Classes:

The Coming Church – John Burton
Becoming Unoffendable – John Burton
The Forerunner Calling – Julia Palermo
The Forerunner Lifestyle – Julia Palermo
Prayer 101 – Fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit – Chris Ferguson
Prayer 101 – Revelation of Intercession – Chris Ferguson
Six Enemies of Fulfilled Destiny – John Burton
Revelation by Meditation – Chris Ferguson
Intro to the Prophetic – Chris Ferguson
Intro to the End-Times 1: Urgency of the Hour – Julia Palermo
Intro to the End-Times 2: Overview of the Book of Revelation – Julia Palermo
Carriers of Fire – John Burton

Posted in Revival and tagged chris ferguson, ihop, ihopkc, internship, julia palermo, Lord, ministry school, prophesying, prophetic, prophetic messengers, revival church, school of fire, teaching, the coming church, thelab, university, worship

A new house of prayer for the Detroit region: Pastors, leaders, intercessors, musicians…

By John Burton | March 11, 2013

A house of prayer to break down competition and build up unity in the pursuit of revival in Detroit and beyond!

FIRST: The worship and teaching and atmosphere at Revival Church has shifted into prayer-fueled culture of extreme joy, faith and expectancy! I’m humbled!

Listen to last night’s message…Joshua Generation Part Two: http://media.johnburton.net/7468076 I’ll include the notes below.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Register for thelab school of fire Colorado!

Travel to Colorado for a six-month series events and conferences! You DON’T want to miss this fiery, prophetic shock to the Colorado Springs region! Visit www.thelabdetroit.com/manitousprings!

SECRET PRAYER

I was once asked by a reporter for Pray! Magazine a very interesting question.

The interview was about an underground prayer movement called Secret Prayer in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In total, we prayed in over 100 churches in the city and God was uniting people in remarkable fashion.

Pastors, who sadly are historically nervous and territorial, were opening up their pulpits to our team—usually without ever meeting us first! We would arrive at 10pm on a Friday night and pray in fire for two hours. At times we’d have over 200 people from churches all over the city converging together to intercede for Colorado Springs until midnight every Friday!

With this unusual openness following our team every week, I was asked, “John, how is it that pastors, who are often resistant to one another, are coming together like this? Where is the contention?”

I responded by simply saying, “You can’t hate or despise someone you are praying blessing over.”

I was also interviewed by the Christian Examiner. Read that article here: www.thelabdetroit.com/secretprayer

CONTENTION IN DETROIT?

After four years, I’m no longer the new kid on the block. I’ve had an opportunity to check out the landscape of the church in this region, much like I did in Colorado Springs.

We have been in over 6o churches here, and have experienced much of the same freedom and fire that we did in Colorado.

I’m happy to say that there are many, many pastors and leaders who are humble, hungry and ready to lay it all down for the sake of revival in Detroit!

However, it’s also true that there are murmurings, contentions and division in the land as well.

THE REMEDY

Prayer. Continual prayer. Unified prayer. Fervent prayer.

We won’t oppose other leaders, churches and movements we are aggressively asking God to bless.

If we ask God to cause another church to grow faster than our church, have more money than our church and radically increasing impact, our own jealousies are diffused!

If we are willing to release the people in our church to move to another church, we will no longer struggle when transfer happens!

I’ve said before, at Revival Church and thelab, we have an open hands policy. We don’t own sheep and therefore it’s not possible for someone to steal them from our ministry. Anybody, any pastor, any leader can come to our church at any time and freely, with out any guilt, recruit anybody to leave our ministry to join theirs.

I’d encourage you to read another article I wrote about the Sheep Stealing Myth here: https://burton.tv/2011/09/06/church-competition-and-the-sheep-stealingtransfer-growth-myth/

THELAB HOUSE OF PRAYER

To break down a spirit of competition and jealousy and to promote a unified pursuit of revival in this region, we are inviting pastors and leaders to join with us in prayer—and to join in the building of a new house of prayer for the region!

thelab house of prayer is functional ever Sunday night at Revival Church, and the next step will result in an explosion of daily intercession, training and worship.

We are inviting intercessors, musicians, leaders, pastors, revivalists, prophetic messengers and others to partner in the development of this new regional ministry!

Contact me at john@johnburton.net for details. We are ready to develop worship teams and intercession watches!

You can help us raise the remaining $40,000 by giving here: www.thelabdetroit.com/payment.

Posted in Revival and tagged atmosphere, christian examiner, church, colorado, Colorado Springs, continual, detroit, faith, fervent, house of prayer, intercede, intercession, joshua generation, joy, leader, musicians, pastor, pray magazine, prayer, prophetic, region, revival church, school of fire, secret prayer, sheep stealing, teaching, thelab, worship

Prophetic House of Prayer: Revelation Driven house of prayer model

By John Burton | January 31, 2013 |

House of Prayer: A Revelation Driven House of Prayer model is coming to the Detroit region! You are invited to dive into the fire with us!

First! TONIGHT learn more about the coming house of prayer strategy as I teach at theLab on Revelation Driven Prayer! Perfect timing! You can audit this class for $25. Just show up and pay at the door TONIGHT, Thursday, January 31st at 7pm! (Cash, check, credit card)
Revival Church meets at CENTRAL CHURCH, 1529 E. 12 Mile Rd, Madison Heights, MI 48071.

The purpose of this message is twofold:

Explain the new house of prayer model that’s coming soon to the Detroit region
Solicit help to find the perfect property to house it

Revelation Driven House of Prayer

Simply put, a Revelation Driven House of Prayer is a house of prayer marked by a sharp and vibrant prophetic fire.

We have experienced absolutely stunning miracles throughout the years when we have employed this revelation driven model of intercession. You can listen to some of the dramatic stories that we lived through in Manitou Springs, Colorado. I shared them Sunday at Revival Church. Listen to the house of prayer stories here: http://media.johnburton.net/6670824

This house of prayer model embraces various styles of prayer including decrees, soaking, declaring the Word, worship and others. The common thread is encounter and response to the heart of God.

Additionally, there is a mysterious yet powerful balance between brokenness and exuberant joy. Between repentance and freedom. Grief and victory.

Simply know this, it won’t be a despair driven house of prayer! Sadness, depression, frustration, unbelief and hopelessness are not a part of the strategy! Joy, freedom, dancing, victory and bold authority to advance revival in our region will fuel us!

As we advance together, a powerful and constant prophetic atmosphere will be developed, and we will watch miracle after miracle occur as we respond to the revelation God gives us. It will be an adventure to say the least!

The Revelation Driven House of Prayer Plan

While the specifics can change as we get closer to launch, the plan currently includes:

Revival Church is the foundation on which the house of prayer will exist. The property we find will house both (which are really one, but for the sake of communicating this fresh vision, I’m making distinctions.)
Two primary weekly encounter services (Saturday & Sunday nights)
One Revival Church service (Sunday morning)
Joyful, weighty worship
Revelation Driven Prayer Monday & Tuesday nights
Verse-by-verse Bible study Wednesday nights
theLab Class Thursday nights
City focused events off site Friday nights
Daily noon worship & soaking prayer (Mon-Fri)
This model will be reproduced in our Tribes, and in other cities around the world! We are ready to bring our team to your location to help launch a Revelation Driven House of Prayer!

Property Search

We are ready to start the new house of prayer immediately. Can you help us find a property? Here’s what we need:
Within approx 7 miles of our current location in Madison Heights. Troy, Warren, Royal Oak, Sterling Heights and other nearby places could work well.
At least 8,000 square feet, preferably closer to 20,000
A large open room that can hold a large stage plus at least 150 chairs
Parking for a minimum of 30 cars, preferably over 50
Air conditioned
Good condition/move in ready
Offices and classrooms
Zoned correctly and no modifications necessary to house a church (for example, buildings designed for large assemblies must have a certain type and number of restrooms)
Approx $2000/month to lease, or a donation of a property to Revival Church
Could be an existing church (which would be the easiest), a warehouse, industrial property, etc.

Additionally, we are currently fundraising for the new house of prayer. We need to raise an additional $45,000. We are encouraging people to ask the Lord about making a significant, special donation in addition to regular tithes. Get creative in your giving! Real estate, jewelry, vehicles, etc. will help us reach this goal! You can give online at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/donate. All donations are tax deductible.

Some have made faith pledge, and you can do the same by emailing us at info@detroitrevivalchurch.com. All it would take is nine people pledging $5000 over the next few months! Just mention the house of prayer property in your submission!

prophetic house of prayer teaching

A Crisis in the Church: the house of prayer

International House of Prayer

Posted in Revival and tagged colorado, Colorado Springs, detroit, fire, house of prayer, manitou springs, model, property, prophetic, revelation driven, schedule

When did it become hateful to warn people of the reality of Hell? Most go there and we have to get that message out.

FEAR OF MAN

THE CHURCH’S DIMINISHED AUTHORITY

WAKE UP CHURCH!

Contact us TODAY: info@detroitprayerfurnace.com.

Give leadership to the prayer movement in Detroit • The Detroit Prayer Furnace is a contending house of prayer for revival.

the40

theField

theLab

theCore

the1000

Does the American church have the desperation and the guts to return prayer to first place?

RETURNING PRAYER TO FIRST PLACE

OVERTURNING TABLES

PRAY CONTINUALLY?

A CORPORATE REBUKE FUELED BY LOVE

THE LOOK OF THE COMING CHURCH

You might be surprised at the danger in the worship movement and how we connect to it.

THE DREAM

THE INTERPRETATION

WORSHIP

“If we do not praise we shall grow sad in our conflict; and if we do not fight we shall become presumptuous in our song.” –Spurgeon

PAVEMENT PEOPLE

DISTRACTIONS

A RESISTANT CHURCH

Register TODAY! Catherine Mullins and theLab University team will be in Manitou Springs Thursday through Saturday!

REGISTER HERE: www.thelabuniversity.com/manitousprings

WATCH A BRAND NEW VIDEO!

A SIX MONTH SCHOOL OF FIRE

theLab University is coming to the Colorado Springs region this summer!

THE COMING CHURCH

WHAT TO EXPECT

THE COST

MAY 16-18 SCHEDULE

A SIX MONTH SCHOOL OF FIRE

Catherine Mullins: theLab University Colorado Springs/Manitou Springs

A SIX MONTH SCHOOL OF FIRE

THE COMING CHURCH

WHAT TO EXPECT

THE COST

MAY 16-18 SCHEDULE

THELAB COLORADO 2013 SESSION

A premature outpouring of God's spirit would result in people vacating their place of prayer to experience an adrenaline rush.

A CONFUSING EXPERIENCE

THE CRISIS IN OUR NATION

The Breakdown

THE SEVEN MOUNTAINS

Terrorism, Bombings, Earthquakes and 9/11

BILL CLICK

I’m BURNING! Two key IHOPKC trained prophetic messengers will be releasing prophetic decrees and teaching on The Coming Church TONIGHT!

OUR GUESTS SPEAKERS:

theLab University Online

theLab University Online Classes:

A house of prayer to break down competition and build up unity in the pursuit of revival in Detroit and beyond!

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Register for thelab school of fire Colorado!

SECRET PRAYER

CONTENTION IN DETROIT?

THE REMEDY

THELAB HOUSE OF PRAYER

House of Prayer: A Revelation Driven House of Prayer model is coming to the Detroit region! You are invited to dive into the fire with us!

Revelation Driven House of Prayer

The Revelation Driven House of Prayer Plan

Property Search

THE COMING CHURCH

ARTICLES