Posts Tagged ‘revival’
A warning dream: Contending for revival in a culture of positivity
A primary barrier to revival is the church’s reluctance to honestly analyze the dark, negative condition of our culture.
It is necessary to awaken men to a sense of guilt and danger. ~Charles Finney
There is increasing pressure from the church in our nation to reject any negative analysis or any call to reformation that reveals that which is out of order yet still valued by the people.
I feel this pressure in our ministry often. The demand is for balance, or, in reality, an overdose on happy with a rare, occasional sprinkle of temporary sobriety. Focus on the good in the hopes that it will resolve the bad. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t work that way.
I take the troubling, urgent, upsetting, all consuming messages of my heart to the Lord daily—often many times a day. The fear of the Lord is on me, and I don’t want to communicate anything that’s not driven by love and obedience. I can’t imagine preaching something out of my soul that God would resist. I tremble at the thought.
I also feel God’s fear from the other direction—I can’t imagine staying silent or giving into demands for balance or positivity at the cost of souls. I know there will already be people in Hell forever because of my failure to speak the truth, and I cannot bear to let that tragedy continue.
Prophecy of the end-times by 90 year old woman in 1968: A lukewarmness without parallel will take hold of the Christians, a falling away from true, living Christianity. Christians will not be open for penetrating preaching. They will not, like in earlier times, want to hear of sin and grace, law and gospel, repentance and restoration. There will come a substitute instead: happiness Christianity. Churches and prayer houses will be emptier and emptier. Instead of the preaching we have been used to for generations -like, to take your cross up and follow Jesus, – entertainment, art and culture will invade the churches where there should have been gatherings for repentance and revival.
The true analysis of the church in our nation is exactly what this women prophesied. The sackcloth and ashes are nowhere to be found. The playful, careless attitudes have resulted in a measure of happiness but no revival.
The very need for revival reveals the true condition of the church.
It presupposes that the church is sunk down in a backslidden state, and a revival consists in the return of a church from her backslidings, and in the conversion of sinners. A revival always includes conviction of sin on the part of the church.~Charles Finney
Positivity has invaded the church and its strategies. Even evangelism today in many places is devoid of dealing with sin and repentance. The message is, “God loves you” without also communicating the dark, depravity of the human heart. Who wouldn’t want to follow a happy God who likes us? The problem is that’s not the entirety of the Gospel, and that message is resulting in disillusioned people following Jesus in an unsaved condition.
Church services are full of celebration but absent of grieving. This must change.
There is so little principle in the church, so little firmness and stability of purpose, that unless the religious feelings are awakened and kept excited, counter worldly feeling and excitement will prevail, and men will not obey God. They have so little knowledge, and their principles are so weak, that unless they are excited, they will go back from the path of duty, and do nothing to promote the glory of God. ~Charles Finney
I’ve said it many times before: we need to cancel most everything we do and gather together day after day and pray.
Many wonder why I keep beating a dead horse. It’s simple. Because the horse is still dead.
Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Revelation 3:2
It’s time to shut down our conferences, cancel our church services, eliminate everything that will distract us—and pray. Continually. Together. For months or years until revival breaks out.
And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; Acts 1:4
Revival in America?
Ok, of course there’s hope for revival in America. So, what’s the problem? The church is mostly sitting back on a casual, costless idea that revival can come without investing into the clear, non-negotiable process. Thus, our pursuit of revival has become little more than a mystical wish upon a star.
I want to make this as simple as I can. Until the church gathers together continually, prays fervently and repents in tears, revival is little more than a pipe dream.
Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes. Joel 1:14-15
How can we presume revival is near when people are not interested in doing now what they will be doing when revival breaks out? It’s insanity.
Some people are terribly alarmed at all direct efforts to promote a revival, and they cry out, “You are trying to get up a revival in your own strength. Take care, you are interfering with the sovereignty of God. Better keep along in the usual course, and let God give a revival when he thinks it is best. God is a sovereign, and it is very wrong for you to attempt to get up a revival, just because you think a revival is needed.” This is just such preaching as the devil wants. And men cannot do the devil's work more effectually than by preaching up the sovereignty of God, as a reason why we should not put forth efforts to produce a revival. ~Charles Finney
Revival isn’t a mystical, ethereal experience that appears out of nowhere. There is cause and effect.
There has long been an idea prevalent that promoting religion has something very peculiar in it, not to be judged of by the ordinary rules of cause and effect; in short, that there is no connection of the means with the result, and no tendency in the means to produce the effect. No doctrine is more dangerous than this to the prosperity of the church, and nothing more absurd.
Suppose a man were to go and preach this doctrine among farmers, about their sowing grain. Let him tell them that God is a sovereign, and will give them a crop only when it pleases him, and that for them to plow and plant and labor as if they expected to raise a crop is very wrong, and taking the work out of the hands of God, that it interferes with his sovereignty, and is going on in their own strength: and that there is no connection between the means and the result on which they can depend. And now, suppose the farmers should believe such doctrine. Why, they would starve the world to death.
Just such results will follow from the church's being persuaded that promoting religion is somehow so mysteriously a subject of Divine sovereignty, that there is no natural connection between the means and the end. ~Charles Finney
When we do certain things, revival comes. When we don’t, it doesn’t.
Revival is not a miracle, or dependent on a miracle, in any sense. It is a purely philosophical result of the right use of the constituted means–as much so as any other effect produced by the application of means. The revivals in the apostles' days were connected with miracles, but they were not miracles. ~Charles Finney
Evan Roberts modeled the cause and effect reality of revival brilliantly. It is simple:
“Congregate the people who are willing to make a total surrender. Pray and wait. Believe God’s promises. Hold daily meetings. ”Evan Roberts
Why is revival not breaking out in any of the 19,000 cities in America? It’s not hard to understand.
- Congregate the people—Prayer meetings and solemn assemblies are becoming emptier and emptier.
- Who are willing to make a total surrender—Cares of life, busyness and other personal endeavors have displaced the call to die daily.
- Pray—It’s rare today to find a Christian who pays the price of fervent intercession.
- Wait—In our ADD society, endurance has been offered at the altar of instant gratification, even if that gratification isn’t God.
- Believe God’s promises—Do we really believe the Bible? Do we stand immovably on the truths of Scripture? Not so much.
- Hold daily meetings—This one is laughable. We just don’t have the time, energy or desire.
As a nation, we are zero for six in response to Evan Roberts’ prescription for revival.
Keep in mind, Evan was responding to a message from Frank Bartleman who was curious as to how to initiate revival in his region. Frank listened to Evan and the Asuza Street Revival changed the world.
We aren’t waiting on God. He’s waiting on us. Revival is up to us.
Many people have supposed God's sovereignty to be some thing very different from what it is. They have supposed it to be such an arbitrary disposal of events, and particularly of the gift of his Spirit, as precluded a rational employment of means for promoting a revival of religion. But there is no evidence from the Bible that God exercises any such sovereignty as that. There are no facts to prove it. But every thing goes to show that God has connected means with the end through all the departments of his government. ~Charles Finney
In this nation I have found it nearly impossible to pull of the strategy that Evan Roberts prescribed, though in Haiti it was easy!
Every night I was there, people walked up to two hours through very difficult terrain to come to church and pray with passion! Nobody drove, everybody walked, and everybody engaged. Nobody milled around, left to go to the bathroom or was disinterested. Two thousand people a night were in position, in prayer and ready for instructions! Then, they walked home two hours in the dark and usually in torrential downpours to their homes.
I felt the spirit of revival in Haiti—the first time I’ve felt it in years.
That statement may cause trouble for those who embrace positivity. The thought is that any acknowledgement of a negative reality puts hope at risk. That is absolutely absurd.
Would anybody run a business this way? Would board meetings include only positive, happy thoughts in the hopes that they in themselves would turn the business around? Of course not.
Any successful business is an honest business. They analyze trends. They aren’t afraid to admit where they are failing. The don’t put their heads in the sand. They don’t presume a plastic smile is the answer.
Just as in business, revival will come as we honestly admit there is darkness in the land and trouble in the church.
A Warning Dream
I recently had a dream that was a personal warning to me, and it will help you understand better why the messages of repentance, reformation and revival can’t stop being the primary alarms of my ministry every day.
These alarms have cost my family and me quite a bit. While there is much fruit and glorious reports that continue to result from the message in my heart, the resistance is non-stop. While many have appreciated the prophetic call this ministry has, many others have pulled back from us, stayed at arms length, unfriended us or publicly renounced our ministry. I don’t say that to complain. Not at all. I say that to communicate how easy it would be to just stop ministering.
The temptation is there, ever so slightly, to pull back, chill out and become more balanced. More normal. More palatable.
I’m smart enough to know that I’d have a church of at least a couple hundred people, a healthy full time salary and a great reputation if I did so. I go to sleep with that thought every night.
Instead, the resistance is intense and it’s rare to find those who will carry the burden with me. God once told me, “When you pray for the remnant, don’t be surprised when the remnant shows up.”
The masses will be drawn to happy celebration as during the Triumphal Entry but it’s a very small remnant that will respond to the message of the cross.
The Dream
In my dream I traveled to a church I spent a lot of time in my early years in Dayton, Ohio. I absolutely love this church and have been back there to preach on multiple occasions since I moved away.
I was the guest speaker for the weekend, and I was excited to release a powerful word of the Lord.
When I arrived, there were hundreds of people flooding the property. It was a festive, exciting atmosphere with a lot of young people.
I immediately realized though that while people were happy to see me, nobody mentioned anything about me speaking. It was clear that I wouldn’t be ministering at all.
The people were entirely focused on socializing and fun. There was a massive slide in the church, much like an enclosed waterslide that you’d ride at the water park. This one didn’t have water, but you rode down on a cart. People stood in line for a long time to ride, and then they came back up to ride again.
The pressure was to have fun, be happy and enjoy life. So, I did. I waited in line and rode through the slide. It was amazing! It was massive and full of thrills!
I then went to the foyer of the church and suddenly realized I was barefoot. I lost my boots. It was extremely strange.
I opened the door and looked outside. It was the middle of summer, but the snow was falling. There was at least 8 inches of snow on the ground and it was still falling very heavily.
I walked out into the snow covered parking lot and then realized my kids were gone. I started to panic when I heard Eva’s laugh. She was in her car seat, on the ground behind a parked car. She was covered with snow.
I then woke up.
The Interpretation
It’s very simple. The church wants to play, and the pressure will be intense to join them. The message of the hour is not wanted. Happy church is the plan and the sheer numbers who are supporting it will attempt to drown out any contrary voice.
When I gave in, I lost my apostolic authority, represented by my boots.
I also lost my children. Eva was in her car seat, which was designed to be in the car. Vehicles represent ministry. The loss of my apostolic ministry resulted in my children, my inheritance, also being removed from their ministry. The next generation will be affected by the response of this generation.
The snow represented the coming revival, the refreshing. Very few even experienced it and I was not prepared to minister it.
The Strategy
I will admit, I question whether revival will come to America. I know it can, but will it?
I’ve been in Detroit for five years, and every year many have presumed that revival was imminent. I wanted it to be, but I knew it was not.
Again, it’s because of a very simple analysis—the prayer meetings are sparse.
I’ve been to many prayer and revival meetings over the years, and most of them have been pretty good. However, most of them have been quite empty.
Until the church reprioritizes schedules and what’s important, and prays night and day from a place of repentance and desperation, revival will most likely be held back.
But, if a remnant group will do this, revival can certainly come. Only God knows how many must respond to the call.
I say we don’t risk it. Let every Spirit-filled Christian in the cities of the Earth move into a life of consecration and pray together non-stop until God moves in our nation.
I will leave you with a call to action that Charles Finney left those who heard his lecture on revival:
I have a proposal to make to you who are here present. I have not commenced this course of Lectures on Revivals to get up a curious theory of my own on the subject. I would not spend my time and strength merely to give you instructions, to gratify your curiosity, and furnish you something to talk about. I have no idea of preaching about revivals. It is not my design to preach so as to have you able to say at the close, “We understand all about revivals now,” while you do nothing. But I wish to ask you a question. What do you hear lectures on revivals for? Do you mean that whenever you are convinced what your duty is in promoting a revival, you will go to work and practise it?
Will you follow the instructions I shall give you from the word of God, and put them in practise in your own lives? Will you bring them to bear upon your families, your acquaintance, neighbors, and through the city? Or will you spend the winter in learning about revivals, and do nothing for them? I want you, as fast as you learn any thing on the subject of revivals, to put it in practice, and go to work and see if you cannot promote a revival among sinners here. If you will not do this, I wish you to let me know at the beginning, so that I need not waste my strength. You ought to decide now whether you will do this or not. You know that we call sinners to decide on the spot whether they will obey the Gospel. And we have no more authority to let you take time to deliberate whether you will obey God, than we have to let sinners do so. We call on you to unite now in a solemn pledge to God, that you will do your duty as fast as you learn what it is, and to pray that He will pour out his Spirit upon this church and upon all the city this winter.
Six reasons Haiti may be closer to revival than the United States
After a week of fire in Haiti, it’s clear to me why they may be closer to revival than we are.
As a revivalist for the last 23 years, it’s usually quite easy for me to discern the spirit of revival. When it’s there, it overwhelms me, and when it’s not, I’m grieved. Until last week, I’ve been grieved for years.
I preached 16 times over 8 days in suffocating heat and was wrecked as I watched hundreds of precious people aggressively contend for the fire of the Holy Spirit. Their worship was explosive and their commitment was remarkable.
Last week I encountered the spirit of revival for the first time in years. The last time I felt it was during an event with Brian Simmons in Detroit several years ago. It quickly faded however, and I’ve been outside of a revival atmosphere since—until Easter morning in Haiti, that is.
Nearly 2000 people packed that church in 85-95 degree heat and worshipped with fire!
Monday saw hundreds of people return, and by the end of the week we were at 2000 radical Haitian revivalists dancing and interceding deeply.
Watch a video of a massive fire tunnel of JOY that took place on the last night of the conference:
Six reasons Haiti may be closer to revival than the United States
1. Hunger
The entire week was filled with hundreds of people contending for freedom and an encounter with Jesus. People kept coming to me, some in tears, telling me in broken English, or in French with an interpreter how thankful they are for encountering Jesus. One amazing young lady was absolutely transformed after I prophesied to her on the first day. She went from a stoic, emotionless disposition to joy and tears on the last day. I told her I’d never forget her after watching what God did in such a powerful way in her life. She simply said through an interpreter, “I’ll never forget the fire you gave me.” I was wrecked again.
Their hunger wasn’t for a new car, a new house or for promotions or to discover their ministries. They simply wanted Jesus. The average income in that part of Haiti is about $70 a month. To honor me as a man of God (his words), one person gave me Haitian money that equated to $12 and I was deeply moved. That was possibly 1/6th of his monthly income. That translates to several hundred dollars when compared to our American economy. His hunger for Jesus resulted in thanks and honor of the messenger—and this messenger was probably more moved by him than he was by me.
2. Commitment
Nobody drove to the church. In fact, you nearly would need a four wheel drive to navigate the roads that led to the church. They were extremely rocky and broken up with deep holes.
Everybody walked to the church—many for up to two hours, and then, after a 3 hour service, they would walk home, two hours, in pitch darkness (no street lights at all) and often in a massive downpour (it was the rainy season when I was there.).
The Sunday service lasted six hours in extreme heat, and then, after a break, most returned Sunday evening for more. Then, their commitment was so intense that they returned every single night that I was there. Eight nights in a row!
There was no competing, more important activities such as ballet, baseball, movies, relaxation or ANYTHING at all! There was nothing better or more important than going to worship Jesus at the church. They were committed to the corporate gathering, and that in itself may be enough to see revival launch there.
In America we all drive, yet most wouldn’t think of sitting down in an air conditioned car for two hours to drive to church every night. The commitment we have in this nation just isn’t comparable.
3. Honor
I have never, in all of my years, seen a church honor their pastor with such passion, humility and love. It would be impossible for me to overstate what I experienced. One young emerging leader told me in broken English, “I love my pastor and he loves me. I love to stand next to him.” It was precious. The pastor and his wife are so humble yet unapologetically bold and focused on seeing transformation come to Haiti—and everybody honors that devotion.
They had a special service to show their appreciation this past Sunday, and for six hours people sang songs to them, present fruit as gifts, shared testimonies and literally laid out a red carpet as thousands gave them a long standing ovation. The pastor and his wife never would have asked for this, but the people exhibited their hearts of honor for them in a memorable way.
4. Boldness
Finally I found a church where you could preach convicting, challenging messages and the people actually rejoiced! The pastor isn’t playing games, and he refuses to entertain apathy or a casual approach to God or the church. He just gave a 30-day ultimatum. Either become 100% committed to attending regularly, to giving financially and to serving in ministry—or leave. You are either in or you are out. And guess how people responded. Yep, they are in.
Sadly in America we are so independent that any ultimatum like that would most likely result in most people checking out. The pastor would be accused of being controlling instead of appreciating his determination to accomplish the mission.
Haitians are radically devoted to seeing their nation experience revival and transformation. They aren’t in the church for the sake of their own experience. They are craving for God to move, and they embrace the sharp, difficult messages that are required to see this revolution come.
5. Supernatural
Demons are everywhere, and they know it. They experience such unbelievable supernatural realities that it doesn’t take much to ready them for a move of God. I asked a jam packed alter full of people how many were experiencing nightmares. This prophetic word was burning in me, but I had no idea what kind of response I’d get. Over 1/2 of the massive crowd raised their hands. 1/3rd said they were specifically aware of demons. Voodoo is rampant in the area and the power is real.
So, if the enemy is that real, then it’s easy to understand just how real and supernatural God is.
This being the case, everything just feels much more powerful. The intercession and worship is intense. The atmosphere is alive. They understand deliverance and they expect other worldly encounters.
6. Desperation
The earthquake in 2010 killed 225,000 people. The region is devastated and poverty is extreme. It’s a third world country that seems to have more needs than can ever be met.
It feels hopeless. In a remote region I asked the pastor how in the world the police would find us if there was a problem. He said, “You don’t want to need the police.” That wasn’t very comforting! I realized how much they actually have to rely on God.
The police or an ambulance can’t come to our rescue. That’s the situation in a nation where medical care in poor and emergency systems are nearly non-existent. As I stated before, the average income is $70 a month.
The pastor told me about a critical prayer meeting that he held just prior to the earthquake. 1400 people showed up. None of them died in the earthquake. Three people from the church who didn’t attend did die.
They understand the realities of life and death, and they are extremely desperate for Jesus. The prayer meetings are full. In fact, the pastor just added another weekly prayer meeting with the expectation of revival breaking out—and the desperate are coming.
How can America see revival?
I am so disinterested in most strategies, round table sessions or great ideas.
I want prayer meetings.
Lots and lots of prayer meetings with hundreds and thousands of people in attendance.
The prescription of revival is simple:
“Congregate the people who are willing to make a total surrender. Pray and wait. Believe God’s promises. Hold daily meetings. ”Evan Roberts
Is anybody ready to fully surrender, pray, wait, believe and attend daily meetings in America? If not, revival will have to wait.
Shocking dream reveals the need for revival
A shocking dream will make it clear how critical it is that we gather and contend for revival.
I recently had a dream that shook me to my very core. I’m currently revising my book The Coming Church to include what follows:
The Submarine Dream
My wife and I were in a military grade nuclear submarine following behind a second submarine that contained my Father and Mother-in-law.
I was analyzing the situation, trying to gain understanding on what exactly were were doing while my wife was playfully looking through the periscope. Both submarines were staying at the surface of the water, and they were being used as tour vessels. The atmosphere was playful and carefree.
After a short time everybody was done playing and we decided to park the submarines alongside a long pier. We climbed out and walked down the pier and onto an ocean side boardwalk. There were people everywhere enjoying a beautiful sunny day. The restaurants and shops were full of activity.
We walked onto the sandy beach which was about one hundred yards from the submarines.
As we gazed out over the water, both submarines suddenly began leaving. They headed out toward deeper water.
My in-laws immediately started running into the water giving chase to the submarines. As they did, I was thinking that it was impossible for them to get anywhere near to the fast moving vessels and I didn’t understand why they had tried.
Then, my wife ran into the water as well.
What I saw next can’t easily be described in a way that is true to the emotion I felt. The water immediately began erupting as if a powerful hurricane was upon us. I was terrorized as I frantically tried to devise a plan to help. What I saw next drained every bit of hope from my being. A whirlpool opened up underneath my in-laws and sucked them under. Then, a second whirlpool took my wife.
I was screaming for help. A few people gathered around but could offer no help whatsoever. I called 911 and all I heard was this recording, “We can’t send help for an hour. We can’t send help for an hour.”
It looped over and over. I knew that THIS was the hour. I couldn’t wait! The emergency was upon us.
As I stood on the beach, hopeless, the scene changed.
Only a few days had passed yet it was now bitterly cold and the water had frozen over. There was at least ten feet of snow on top of the ice.
I started moving slowly, though as quickly as I could, through the snow in the direction of where the whirlpools were.
I started digging ferociously and what I saw next will forever be seared in my memory.
It was my wife, frozen. She was gone.
I ran back to the boardwalk and into a restaurant. I saw someone who had tried to help previously behind the counter of a sports bar. He was a volunteer firefighter in addition to working at the restaurant. I yelled, “Help! Help! I found her! I found her! Come quickly!”
He just casually said, “Sorry man, I’m working.”
What? I couldn’t believe what I heard. I said, “No, you don’t understand! I found my wife! I need help!”
He just said, “Sorry.” and then looked at a customer and said, “How can I help you?”
I ran back to the snow where my wife was buried. I thought that maybe, just maybe, since she was frozen that there was a chance she could be revived. I’ve heard of people freezing and their heart beat is slowed to almost nothing before being brought back.
As I was thinking about this I looked down at her, and there was a paper right next to her frozen face.
I picked it up. All it said was, “Wake up and strengthen what remains and is about to die.”
Then I woke up.
Interpretation
When I woke up I was shaken to my core.
As I started to pray and analyze the dream, the following is what was highlighted to me:
- The submarines: Vehicles represent ministry, and I believe the submarines represented the church. The church is not meant for casual play at the surface of the water. It’s a military weapon of war designed to move into the deep as it advances toward enemy targets. When the submarines left on their own, that represented the truth that the church will most certainly advance on its mission with or without us. We can be left behind as we continue our focus on entertainment and leisure if we so choose.
- My family: Of course, this was a hard core part of the dream. The first reaction is to do everything I can to ensure those close to me are doing well and burning hot for Jesus. Beyond that, symbolically I feel they represented familiarity and presumption. It’s very easy to presume those who are close to us are most certainly doing well in their relationship with Jesus—and then to model our lives after theirs. What happens so often is that we can adopt their pace and their level of passion instead of staying locked in, on alert and advancing in the fire of God. The pressure of maintaining civilities and false-unity can result in a marginalized, lukewarm, casual disposition.
This verse best represents what I am communicating:
…I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Revelation 3:1
We must be careful not to presume that we are alive and that others are alive simply because of the preceding reputations. There are many people with both a spiritual legacy and a name for being zealous who are doing little more than playing—and it’s possible that those people may be some of our closest friends, family, pastors and other personal heroes. Don’t measure your life by their grid. We must calibrate to the truth in scripture that will bring light to every issue of our heart.
Then, we can be true awakeners. If we think people who are are asleep are already awake, then we will have no need to step into our roles as end-time prophetic messengers.
- 911: I was sounding the alarm in a variety of ways including by calling 911. I also ran into the sports bar looking for help. Both rejected the alarm. It’s clear that the hour is now for awakening though even those trained as emergency responders won’t see it. What was the alarm? Those that have a reputation of being alive are dead! Wake up!
- The storm: It was sudden, violent and really out of place. It didn’t make sense, but it wasn’t obligated to explain itself. If we would have been in the submarines AND in the deep, the storm would not have touched us.
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; Matthew 24:36-38
The Call
So, what’s the call?
It’s simple, and it’s directed to the church, to those who are to be in the deep:
Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Revelation 3:2
Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Revelation 3:4-6
God instructed me to wrestle with Revelation 3:1. I've been burning hot for Jesus for over 20 years, yet, is it possible that my devotion is not as deep as I might think? Yes, it is possible.
God didn't accuse me of being dead. He didn't reveal that my passion was false. He simply wanted me to always consider the possibility that my reputation will always be at risk of being more intense than my reality.
…I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Revelation 3:1
It's time to go deep, to be awake and alert and then to awaken the sleepers…many who may have a reputation of being very much alive…but are not.
It’s time for revival. This is the hour.
Live video • theFurnace.tv • 16 Dangers of the Positive Christianity Movement
TONIGHT at 10pm on theFurnace.tv • 16 Dangers of the Positive Christianity Movement
Revival requires that we know and embrace God as he is—in his tenderness and in his severity.
There is a seductive yet extremely dangerous movement in the land that refuses to acknowledge God in any other fashion than good and happy.
Tonight at 10pm EST I’ll be discussing this. (And, yes, Nia will certainly make another appearance.)
You can participate via the chat room and I will address your comments and questions live on the air.
Head over to www.thefurnace.tv/live and get ready to encounter Jesus!
Stop the prophetic nonsense
Stop the prophetic nonsense
STOP THE NONSENSE
Someone just needs to say it—it’s time to stop the prophetic nonsense that’s inundating the church today.
I am one who radically affirms modern day prophetic revelation. I teach on it, I’ve written on it and I live it. We should absolutely be experiencing critical and timely dreams, visions and revelation. In fact, we need to live a true prophetic life in a much greater way in the end-times. Our very lives should be driven by revelation.
I’m honored to be traveling to Haiti in a couple of months to teach on the prophetic in a ministry school there. I fully expect God to manifest in substantial ways as we all grow deeper as hearers and proclaimers of God’s messages.
That being said, the fear of the Lord must be continually on us as we stand as God’s mouthpieces in the Earth. The coming revivals that will hit cities and regions must be preceded by bold and accurate voices that prepare the way of the Lord.
The prophetic culture that has taken form in our nation looks little like the one two thousand years ago where a bold wilderness prophet prepared the way of the Lord.
We must have unapologetic calls to repentance and holiness in the spirit of John the Baptist! We cannot expect revival if we don’t have Elijah style prophetic confrontations with the spirit of the age!
Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. 17 They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, g‘No disaster shall come upon you.’” Jer 23:16-17
Instead of warning the people of the Earth of impending disaster, so many of today’s supposed prophets are building their ministries by promising blessing after blessing—always just over the horizon, in the not too distant future.
Any prophetic voice that doesn’t reveal the dread of the Lord and the call to turn from wickedness as a part of their ministry is a prophetic voice that cannot be trusted. They are not credible.
THE SUPERBOWL?
I about came unglued when I heard about prophetic guarantees that a certain team would be winning this year’s Superbowl.
This is madness! How dare we use the fearful gift of God’s very words to guarantee the outcome of a game? A game!
Can you imagine John the Baptist setting up his fortune teller booth and predicting the outcome of chariot races? It’s insanity—and it’s inexcusable. We must stop the nonsense.
BALAAM
They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness. 2 Peter 2:14-16
The prophet’s madness!
If you want to pack out a conference, develop a reputation of a Jeremiah 23 prophet. Refuse to mention anything challenging. Don’t rebuke. Don’t call to repentance. Don’t highlight the negative. Have a plastic smile on your face and cause everybody to feel great about their condition. Tell them God is thrilled with them and they are primed for massive reward, even if they are walking in compromise and darkness. Embrace the greed of Balaam and form your prophetic words just right so people will give extravagantly to your ministry.
If you want to be accused and despised by most, weep and cry at the state of the church and the world. Develop a backbone of steel and let the fire of God rage in your gut. Let the fire burst out of your mouth as it shocks the sleepers out of their coma!
You probably won’t have a worldwide ministry that draws multiplied thousands, but you will be an obedient servant.
We have become so afraid of coming across as negative! My God! How has the fear of man so bewitched us?
Give me an angry prophet with fire in his eyes and brokenness in his spirit any day! We must be angry—exceedingly angry! The fury of God’s wrath rests on a wicked people, and the church is selling sugar that’s laced with a drug that will put this generation into an eternal sleep!
REVIVAL?
The topic of revival is what drives me probably more than any other.
While I absolutely affirm various signs and signals that can indicate regional activity of God, I must admit that I’m growing more troubled at the imbalance growing focus on natural indicators of supposed revival.
I stated five years ago when I first arrived in Detroit that revival was not near. I was actually shocked that so many people were so convinced that God was about to pour out in this region. The prophesies continually revealed that revival was imminent.
I was talking with a prominent national leader last week about the state of revival in the Detroit region. He had been very active over the previous several years in the effort to rally the church into revival readiness in this region. I shared with him that the spirit of revival has nearly disappeared. He agreed. I believe we have actually fallen further behind in the pursuit of revival than we were five years ago.
I don’t believe key indicators of revival in a region are materialistic prosperity, natural revitalization or economic gain. It’s mass repentance. Period.
I am not looking at anything other than a sleeping, compromised church and a wicked secular culture with tears in my eyes. The cry is REPENT! Wake up!
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9
How is it that we can presume we are where we need to be for revival to break out? Are we letting God search our hearts and crush our resistance to his leadership?
I was interviewed on Family Life Radio today on my book 20 Elements of Revival. I explained to them that I have yet to find a single church that has proceeded beyond element number two.
The first element is agreement. We must be agreed as they were in the Upper Room. They were in one accord. They were also in one place. Element number two is an extreme devotion of time. We must gather together continually as we put the rest of life on the shelf and cry out in repentance and intercession! Without unity around the call to repentance and intercession, we can’t presume to have even taken the first step towards revival!
Now do you understand why it is simply nonsensical to prophesy that revival is right around the corner?
Of course, God can do anything he wants, and certainly there are pockets of Believers in this region and around the world who are contending, repenting, interceding and hungering for God to move—and that is significant. However, there are over 19,000 cities in our nation and NOT ONE of them is experiencing revival! That means we are zero for 19,000! We are doing something wrong—19,000 times!
Revival will be preceded by anointed, love driven, sharp preaching on righteousness. The prophecies must include the coming doom for those who resist God! Warnings must go out to the masses! We can’t just tell people God loves them and that he has a great plan for their life! Come on! We must warn of the wrath the unredeemed are under, reveal the reality of Hell and call them out of condemnation into the light!
CONCLUSION
I will be discussing all of this and more in just under four hours from right now.
Watch and participate LIVE at www.thefurnace.tv/live at 10pm EST.
The times we are in a dire, and we need true prophetic voices who not only reveal God’s blessings, but his severity as well.
Fresh prophetic message: I’d like to strongly encourage you to head out to Revival Church tonight…
If you are local, join us at Revival Church OR if not, stream LIVE tonight at www.thefurnace.tv/live!
I will be bringing a sudden prophetic message that God deposited into my spirit last night.
I’ll discuss two spiritual giants who were wildly successful in their missions—but who were both disqualified because of their hearts and emotions.
I believe you will be set free from struggles that have locked you down as God brings this piece of revelation to life for you!
Revival Church is located at 26091 Sherwood, Warren, MI 48091.
Prayer begins at 6pm (join us!) and the service at 7pm!
MEDIA
A major emphasis and focus of our ministry is to reach the nations with the message of revival.
Even locally, everything is setup to minister in a primary way to those who are listening and watching to our various events online. This ministry in Detroit is focused on the cities and nations of the Earth!
PLEASE head over to www.thefurnace.tv/live TONIGHT at 7pm and listen to our worship, intercession and this key teaching! The event is intentionally fast paced and broken up into two teaching segments, with worship and decrees before and after! It will rock you!
See you tonight!
New! Live nightly video broadcasts on revival, prayer and more!
I will be broadcasting live Monday-Friday at 11pm…tune in TONIGHT at www.thefurnace.tv/live!
Last night I started forty nights of video broadcasts, and I will continue TONIGHT at 11pm Eastern.
You can watch last night’s video, “False-Grace: What Does God Look Like?” HERE.
You can always jump right to the Youtube LIVE stream every night from our live streaming page: www.thefurnace.tv/live.
Be sure to comment right on the Youtube page during the show!
See you TONIGHT!
Madmen are coming—and their bold decrees just may kill your church.
I knew there was a risk of losing everything when the call to the deep was announced.
The coming church will be a model of normal Christianity, and it will be so costly, offensive, exclusive and challenging that only the remnant will remain—and this is most certainly the plan of God.
We’ve become such a passive church society that the abrasion that’s coming will be wholeheartedly rejected by mainstream Christianity. False-humility and superficial pleasantries are masquerading as spirituality while truth is moderated to ensure it doesn’t disturb anybody.
The result is a Christian culture that celebrates the shallows and merely acknowledges the depths as optional for those who may want to venture in.
Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river. Ezekiel 47:3-6
The time is coming when the deep is no longer presented as an option for the Christian, but rather, it’s the only hope for those who desire to truly follow Jesus. Prophetic awakeners will be boldly moving into deep waters and calling out those who are splashing like children in the shallow waters while presuming themselves to be normal, biblical Christians. These awakeners will be shocking an apathetic people like madmen!
Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. 2 Corinthians 11:23
We have fallen for the deception that we are all equal in our Christianity and any type of distinction based on maturity, passion or discipline is quickly hushed out of fear that the less committed will feel alienated. This fear is going to cease as prophetic voices will be calling all who are willing into the deep—and those who choose to splash and play will do so of their own volition.
But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:1
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Ephesians 4:11-14
About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, Hebrews 5:11-12
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 1 Corinthians 13:11
Grow up and get into position! That’s the call of the hour. It’s time to count the cost, get into position and run with passion as the Church worthy of the name of Jesus Christ!
Don’t think for a minute that you can’t do it. That would be an insult to the grace of Christ!
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Paul refused to shrink back. He moved in great grace and turned the world upside down! He ran. He fought. He knew his sole purpose on the Earth was to advance the Kingdom and that mission burned in him night and day.
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 1 Corinthians 9:24
Paul said to the people, “Follow me as I follow Christ,” and not to Jesus, “Hey, wait up, let’s move at the pace of the people.” God sets the pace, not us.
The fear is that others will presume we are arrogant or haughty when we call them higher—after all, if we are calling them higher, we must think we are higher already.
- First, the closer we get to Jesus, the deeper we go, the more humble and broken we become—our own depravity, weaknesses and struggles are clarified as the holiness and majesty of Jesus are magnified. The deeper we go the deeper we have to keep going. The deep is truly the point of no return.
- Second, what would the suggestion be? That we lessen our intimacy with Jesus and encourage people in their apathy so as not to offend any or invite division within the camp? No way.
And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” Matthew 11:6
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:34-39
Extreme Church?
When I called the church into the deep in Colorado several years ago, I knew that I would lose many people, a lot of money and even my reputation. Many would be angered that we were picking up the pace and raising the bar—beyond where they were willing to go. I fully understood there was a risk of killing Revolution Church when we did this—and it literally almost happened. Many truly thought I was a madman—and they were right! The remnant came alive to the call and ran with passion, but, sadly, those who were given to this costly, fiery, normal Christianity were very few and far between. I decided early on that I’d rather have a small church on fire with Christians who were ready to invest their very lives than a church of two or three hundred people who gathered around a space heater—and I knew I could have either. A church of 200 would provide a good salary and stability for my family. Good programs and honey-dipped messages would draw the socialites who would invest just enough to provide a cozy, Laodicean environment for all of us. I get sick even thinking of that option—and so does God.
So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:16
In a world where lukewarm is normal, the common response to an extreme church environment is that it’s not the appropriate church experience, that it’s not for a typical Christian, even though some would agree such a ministry has some value, for some people. An extreme church culture to many is more like a para-church ministry than a legitimate church. It doesn’t fit within their definition of what a church is suppose to be and do. The accusation is that such an extreme focus is only for a small minority of Christians—and then, most probably just for a short season.
I’ve spent years and tears attempting to address this fallacy. Normal church today is that of mildly committed followers of Jesus who put limits on their passion and devotion—it’s children splashing in the shallows. This is not the Christianity of the Bible.
“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ Matthew 11:16-17
Revival Church is not an extreme environment, not even close. However, compared to the user friendly, bread and breakfast version of the church that dominates the landscape of our nation, it does feel like a para-church, over the edge, specialized ministry for the minority instead of the majority. This grieves me—not because I want more people to stuff themselves into our church building, but because the thought of extreme passion feels specialized and uncommon, unwanted and unnecessary.
The church experience in our nation has become more about living a wonderful life instead of dying a remarkable death—and pastors know very well that a focus on surrender versus benefit will result in empty pews and offering plates.
While I would never presume to have a perfect understanding of the function of the church, I am confident on several points—and when I employed these critical elements into our ministry I fully believed that the result would be a sound, vibrant and biblical church. We are para-church in no way. I want to alleviate the fear pastors may have of being accused of not being a legitimate church—when you gather together to pray on fire and release the messages of the Lord, you are modeling the coming church. This is what the church will look like when the reformation is complete! That being said, the accusations will fly, but don’t relent. Stay the course, gather the people and pray.
Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep and say, “Spare your people, O LORD, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” Joel 2:15-17
The call is for every person who has made the radical and costly decision to follow the living God to dive into the fire together. No matter how long we’ve known Jesus, our pace should be the same—intense and fiery.
Have you ever met someone who was recently radically saved? They can’t run fast enough or burn hot enough! Yet, we’ve fallen for the deception that new Christians need to take baby steps! No way, no more!
Extreme church is the only option in today’s end-time climate. The formula is simple—too simple for most—pray with fervent passion together with others several times a week, read the Bible, believe it and respond to God’s mandates with faith and obedience. Pray continually. Live in the spirit. Die daily. Surrender all. Be holy.
This is normal church. It’s a culture of uncommon holiness and passion for intercession where we refuse to be amused by darkness and endeavor to slow the flow to Hell with prayer and action. This is why were are on the Earth.
I believe we would be much closer to the true, biblical model of the church if we did little more than pray nonstop in tongues for two hours on a Sunday morning than what we see today.
The Coming Church
Please understand this point. Consider it. Pray on it.
We live in a day where Christians are boldly, unapologetically defending their measured religious devotion and are denouncing calls to extreme commitment. I hear it all the time—fervency is shunned in favor of the status quo. Can you believe this? Being extreme for Jesus is an unwelcome negative attitude, an invasive intrusion into the well guarded lives of American Christians.
If the thought of the church experience being made up mostly of praying in the Spirit with infusions of apostolic messages and reading of scripture feels incomplete or uncomfortable to you, you will find yourself frustrated and resistant in the coming church.
Change is coming. For example, many are looking for a church with an amazing worship experience where it’s easy to sit back and bask in the atmosphere. In the coming church, in place of polished worship teams, we will see an environment where groans of intercession are echoing in the room—with or without instruments. Everybody will be on their face burning, groaning and crying out as acts of worship in place of today’s Christian karaoke. Imagine gathering together multiple nights a week to hit our faces and groan in intercession together! Most everything else that we’ve come to know in today’s church will be done away with as we all serve as worshiping intercessors in the house of prayer for all nations. We will worship in spirit. In truth.
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. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23-24
This type of a church environment seems extreme, and demanding, and uncomfortable. Yes. Today it will feel like that, but when the reformation and revolution in the church is complete, it will feel normal, and God will call us to yet another level—a level today that we wouldn’t even think is possible. It’s a level, one beyond the level where we are going next, that will result in continual supernatural power. Keep that in mind. If the next level seems extreme, just compare it to what’s coming beyond that!
Again, the coming church, the next level, will be white hot and perfect for every Christian at every maturity level. The prayer room is the only room for the new Believer and the apostolic leaders who are investing into them! This is my heart for Revival Church. I see this model being perfect for people of all levels as it calls everybody into the same place—death and destiny. Everybody gathers, prays, grows and is intentional in their discipleship. It’s intense and life changing. And then, when the remnant does this together in unity, it will be world changing.
Our ministry school, theLab University, is an extreme experience of prayer and maturity—and my view is that the school is closer to a normal, biblical church than churches we see today.
The commitment level at theLab is high (by today’s standards)—we meet together four days and nights a week. We have homework to complete and turn in on a weekly basis. There are prayer events that are required for us to attend somewhere in Detroit every Friday night. We are held accountable for our attendance and participation. Holiness is commanded. We are a family. We are locked in and ready to grow at a rapid rate together. This, my friend, is church. However, in America, it’s para-church. It’s extreme. It’s not for the general Christian. This, again, deeply grieves me.
Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Romans 12:11
Zeal is not a personality trait! It’s a command!
And he said, “Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD.” So he had him ride in his chariot. 2 Kings 10:16
I challenge you—live so boldly that others take notice, and call them to experience your zeal for the Lord! Call them higher! Call them out of the dead and dying manmade American church system that is headed for judgment!
“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Revelation 3:1
…If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Revelation 3:3
The coming church is what the scoffers and mockers and seekers and disillusioned are waiting for. They want to see a people who are serious about their God, radical in their devotion and done with the imitation religion of our day.
They are waiting for a people who won’t renounce the sin of homosexuality one minute and enjoy an R rated movie the next.
They want to see a church that’s finally devoid of hypocrites—people that won’t be amused by unrighteousness in media that required the death of the one they say they love.
They are waiting for a church that will not only boldly expose the sins of the nation, but also pray night and day for it.
The world needs a church that burns with such love and anointing and holiness and that’s single minded in it’s purpose—to set the world ablaze.
No more programs, productions or promotions. It’s time to pray as the church again. America is waiting.
Tonight at Revival Church: A Very Important and Burning Message on the State of our Nation
Expect extreme visitation from the Burning One & a message that will rock us to our core TONIGHT.
I am absolutely on fire right now—burning with a message for the church and our nation.
I’m expecting the unexpected and a suddenly from Heaven tonight as we cry out for God to move in America.
PROPHETIC MESSENGERS
Much more than a night of prayer and intercession (though that would be sufficient!), I will be releasing a very important message that every one of you will be impacted by.
If you are within 100 miles of Detroit, I implore you to cancel your plans tonight and head on out to Revival Church. Come early if you can—we will be in the WAR ROOM at 6pm in fervent intercession.
If you can’t make it, you can LISTEN LIVE beginning at 7pm EDT here: www.detroitprayerfurnace.com/live.
You will discover your simple yet profound opportunity to shift the direction of our nation.
What better time to begin a new series on Prophetic Messengers than today—a time when an attack on Syria is impending, and the enemy is raging.
Revival Church is located at 26091 Sherwood, Warren, MI 48091.
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!