The Church needs to wake up and STAND for JESUS!!!!

The saddest reality is the Church is in a Spiritual slumber, not at all in the condition the Lord wants us. We don't seek for the true spiritual truth, its not preached from the pulpits and many are on the WIDE road leading to destruction- spiritual death!!! Some talk a good talk; even some are seeing miracles, casting out devils etc. BUT if we do not have a intimate relationship in Christ and are not abiding in His word--Obeying it, along with that, putting to death the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8:12,13)and walking in His Spirit... WE ARE DECIEVING OURSELVES!!! These are hard words, yes, but look around us, in our towns, where is the presence of GOD in our churches?? Where is 2 chronicles 7:14 being fulfilled?? Where are my people? Repenting? Turning away from gossip? Slander and murmuring?? Crying out to the Lord over there sins of the flesh?? Are they hungering for a fresh infilling for my Spirit?? For the majority of the body of Christ, a sad NO!Rev 3:14 "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. Rev 3:15 "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! Rev 3:16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. Rev 3:17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Rev 3:18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Rev 3:19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Rev 3:21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Rev 3:22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'" I do not speak with a heart of judgment but rather in a heart of sadness, with mercy for all of us. If we do not harken to the voice of GOD, and turn from our lukewarmness concerning sin in our lives and our church, we as a people of God will cave in to the coming darkness, that is yet to hit this world. Who will be able to stand against the darkness of hell?? Who is willing to lay his or her life down and surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, to be His witness for Truth in these last days?????? As for me and my house, We will serve the Lord and speak the word, where He will send us. To God be the Glory in Jesus Christ, AMEN.

The saddest reality is the Church is in a Spiritual slumber, not at all in the condition the Lord wants us.Hi Joshua. I was going to begin a new thread this morning because I've been thinking of doing it for about a week, but this is a good place to say what's on my mind.About 3 years ago, God began to speak to me about revival. At that time, I read the book by Leonard Ravenhill, "Why Revival Tarries". That book initiated repentance in me. I've been repenting for about 3 years now. As I was searching the internet for more Leonard Ravenhill, I discovered this website and joined in August, 2004. I began to listen to the available sermons. This rocked my theology even more. God has undone me over the last year. In fact, I've been so undone, I've been really scared. My whole life has changed. I'm not who I used to be. I thought I was born again when I was 10 years old. I've been in church my whole life (now 47). I tell you, I can't even sleep anymore. There is such an urgency in my heart to know God and to proclaim him to a dying world.I have realized that I did not know God "as he, in fact, is" -Art Katz. I am coming to know the True and Living God and it has left me as Job, "My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:5.Here is what I have to share. God has spoken these things to my heart over the last 3 years:God has shown me that the Church in America has been under the dominion of a demonic spirit of religion for about 400 years. When I first realized this, I began to command it to release the church. Then, through a series of things, I realized it had permission from God to be in power, and that I, nor anyone else, could force it to release us. This was a shock to me.I then turned my attention to God in prayer. God showed me that this religious spirit is the spirit of pride which Satan was kicked out of heaven for. It is the spirit of the anti-christ. It was brought to this country by the original settlers. The first settlers came to America searching for religious freedom. They were fleeing persecution in Europe. In Europe, Catholocism had been legislated and was oppressing the "reformed church". The only problem was, they committed the same sins which were perpetrated against them in Europe. Native American Indians were forced to convert to Christianity. Some were even killed because they wouldn't convert. They said they wanted religious freedom, but because of the sin in their hearts, God gave them what they deserved, dead religion.When I first started getting all this, I freaked out. I tried to find out if there were others who knew this. That's when I began to just talk to God about it. I realized that what I must do was to intercede, to stand in the gap and to repent on behalf of the Church. The Church had come under a judgement from God because of it's sin. The only way that judgement could be removed is through repentance. God himself would have to deliver the people, just as he had done for the children of Israel out of Egypt. God would have to issue the decree to the religious pharoah to "let my people go".As I prayed concerning all these things, God spoke to my heart again. He told me, "I've already issued the orders--the reign of the spirit of religion over my Church in America has come to an end." The decree has gone forth to let God's people go that they may worship and serve him. In fact, I had a dream at that time. In the dream, I had just finished a meal in a nice restauant. I was walking out the front door of the restaurant when a waiter carrying a boom box stopped me. He said, "Maam, wait just a minute. I want you to listen to this song and see if you can tell me the title of it." He pushed the button on the boom box and the song began to play. I immediately screamed, "Winds of Change, it's Winds of Change!" It was an old rock and roll song I recognized by Jefferson Starship. The waiter said, "That's it! You're the winner!" and he proceeded to count out 135 dollars into my hand. When I awoke, I found the words to that song on the computer. It talks about the wind is starting to howl, the "beast" is on the prowl. God told me that the wind of his spirit was already beginning to blow to bring the "change", the deliverance. I posted a word which God gave me for the church somewhere on this website ( I can't find it right now cause that was some quite a while back). The word said that the wind was going to do 3 things, 1st- it was going to divide the true church from the false, 2nd- it was going to force the lukewarm to make a choice, and 3rd- it was going to ignite the true church into the Last Days revival.Since that time, God has show me that the True Church, as she arises, will be severely persucuted by the false church. Jesus said, "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." I've been seeing since all this has opened up to me how, church as we know it today, is a psuedo-church. We can say all the right things, we can even look correct, we smile, we hug, shake hands, occasionally eat together, but there isn't many real, true relationship happening. There's still these walls of protection that most of us keep up and so we don't really know one another. There isn't true community taking place among us. In our hearts, we are still judging and protecting our own self-interests, so we set up these invisible boundaries with invisible signs that say, "You can come this far, but no further." We say, "I love you", but in our hearts we aren't really willing to let people in. That's not love.I left a church which I had attended for five years about 3 years ago because I was lonely for real communion with people, but since leaving that one, I haven't found one where there isn't the invisible sign, "this far, but no further". The true Christian life is the Cross. Jesus said in Mark 8:34 & 35: "...If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your own pleasures and shoulder your cross, and follow me closely. If you insist on saving your life, you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel will ever know what it means to really live." To me, the key verse is, "if you insist on saving your life". I find that, thoughout the course of everyday, I am faced with the decision many times to save my life or lose it. It most often occurs in my relationships with other people. Will I hold back and defend my ground, or will I let go and give myself to this person for the sake of Jesus Christ? This is how we know God. Abandonment of our own self-interest. Jesus said the world will know the Last Days Church by our love for one another. This is love. Religion kills love and then goes forward with something fake. This is the anti-christ.Here's a quote by Art Katz--"The Spirit of God is brooding and wanting to abide with us, even The Spirit of Truth, which the world cannot receivce. And that same Spirit is also the Spirit of Power." The Spirit of Truth is what we must be careful to protect and not to compromise. There must be maintained a razor-edged obedience and awareness to the Spirit of Truth in the Church. If we do not take care, if we do not guard it with our lives, we immediately lose it and our lives become a lie. This is dead religion. This Spirit of Truth is the standard which God seeks to restore to the true Church.We cannot harbor sin in our hearts and remain in the truth. We cannot skirt the cemetary. When we do, we become separated from the Spirit of Truth. "God is looking for a people who will be true in their speaking, true in their faces, true in their voices, true in their gestures, free from all manipulative practices, whose motives are in keeping with his ends, that the Holy Spirit, even the Spirit of Truth might abide with us, that multitudes, both of men and women, might believe."--Art KatzWe must repent of our game playing, our manipulation, of holding onto our lives. We must plead with God for the grace to lay our lives down. He is the one who will raise these dead bones. Let's repent of desiring religion for our own ends and turn to God. The gates of hell will not prevail against the True Church. Respectfully submitted. Dian.

BUT if we do not have a intimate relationship in Christ and are not abiding in His word--Obeying it, along with that, putting to death the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8:12,13)and walking in His Spirit... WE ARE DECIEVING OURSELVES!!!Thank you for posting this and I understand your heart here but perhaps a better title for this thread may be wake up and WALK for Jesus! Here's a clip from an article I read recently that explains what I mean."Sometimes intimacy with God feels blanket-safe and comfortably clear. Other times, in order to draw near to God, we have to approach Him in the thick darkness of the utterly unknown...and risk going somewhere we've never gone. We have to enter the city limits of "Questionville." We have to lay it all on the line-and wonder if we'll ever live through it. In order to move on with Him, sometimes in our walk of faith, we have to climb a cliff with no earthly harness. God has to come through-or we're roadkill.The stand of faith is so much easier than the walk of faith. Those who stick to the stand rather than the move in a walk of faith may adhere to certain doctrines but never experience the adventure-or the vulnerability-of a vital relationship with God. Those who stand can afford to be smug. They never have to question their beliefs because they've never risked enough to test them. They believe God for little because they don't want to be disappointed or feel stupid. If they get too close to Him, they might have to ask painful questions like: "Why?" "When?" "Did I misunderstand?" "Can I hear You at all?"-from the article The Journey of Faith by Beth Moore published in Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's magazine Decision June 2005In Christ,Ron

Thank you all, for responding and the many who visited my post. I just read through what everyone has added with a inward smile rising :) I'm really glad a friend who is part of my Home group, share this website with me. I'm finding many here-like minded. So I took a chance to air out what I've known and have been burdened by the Lord to carry some 20 yrs.The truth is, many have not heard or been taught what true Christianity is--Complete surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, some of what Spitfire had stated. I'm in a so called Spirit-filled church now serving as a musician/worship leader. The elders and Pastor are afraid of teaching that we are talking about, to the point that they have been shunning me,more or less, just play the guitar and be happy! When I speak of "Take a Stand" I mean getting into the ofensive mode and move out in the Spirit. I am teaching and loving people to Christ in my community at our Home group. God has brought us to open up and trust Him to reach out and trust others, by sharing your heart, your struggles as well as your victories in Jesus! Now we are by the Grace of God entering into the meat of Character building, integrity, faithfulness. Abiding in Christ, knowing what this means, and what it looks like in real life has been our focus for the last few get togethers of about 18 adults and children. I have much confidence in the Lord, seeing the miracles that have already taken place. The Joy on the faces of His people, when they really behold the Glory of God , in the face of Jesus 2 Cor.4:6 All the suffering and pain I have experince at the hands of my brothers and sisters..was..is ALL WORTH IT FOR HIM TO SHINE!!!!! :-) I will write further on this, until then, Shalom.

Other times, in order to draw near to God, we have to approach Him in the thick darkness of the utterly unknown...and risk going somewhere we've never gone. We have to enter the city limits of "Questionville." We have to lay it all on the line-and wonder if we'll ever live through it. In order to move on with Him, sometimes in our walk of faith, we have to climb a cliff with no earthly harness. God has to come through-or we're roadkill.Ron. This is so good and it so aptly describes the journey I've been on. I have, indeed, wondered if I would live through it. I've felt, at times, like I am losing my mind, but deep inside I feel God's Spirit urging me on. There truly is something larger than myself in charge here. Oh! Praise be to God! Dian.

By request of Dorcas, I'm going to repost the Word For The Church which I received in'04. I believe I put it up on SI somewhere back then, but I can't find it now. I had saved it on my computer. Here it is:

A Word from God to the Church
given on May 18, 2004

I say, the Wind of my Spirit is about to blow across this continent, says the Lord. This is my warning and my decree and my promise.
The warning is to those who have been lukewarm in their seeking.
The decree is to my enemy, here, to let my people go!
The promise is to those who have submitted themselves to me and cried out to me that I will pour out my spirit in these Last Days.
I say to those recieving the warning, put on your sackcloth and ashes. Rend your garments. Weep and mourn and seek me with your whole heart and I will breathe on your dead bones. Don't kid yourself any longer. You have thought that you were rich, but the truth is, you are in abject spiritual poverty. You have thought that you were fully clothed, but the truth is, you are naked. Pray that I will have mercy upon you and open the eyes of your understanding. Humble yourselves before me until you feel the wind of my Spirit. If something inside you wiggles or jumps as a witness to this word, then lay yourself before me as an offering and I will consume the sacrifice, says the Lord.
Now, to my enemies, you Jezebel, who has intimidated and held my people, I say, "It's over! Your time is up! Release your position, now!" Blow, Wind, upon my enemies for destruction!
Blow, Wind, upon those lukewarm to bring division!
Blow, Wind upon my people to bring the Last Days promised revival!
To you who believe me, I will release a new wine and I will make you a new wineskin to contain it. You will be changed in this hour! There will be no more looking back. Look not, back! Flee to the spiritual mountains, the high places which you have dreamed about! Run! Run now, to me! Remember not the former days of thy spiritual youth. Run to me, now! We have a work to do. Fear not. Do not be dismayed, for I will take you there! I will not leave you. Don't look at the appearance of anything which opposes me. Look always to me and I will carry you over the top.

[i][size=small][color=993300][font=Arial]Acts 2:16-21
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:

21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Quoted from the end of Joel 2
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As I prayed concerning all these things, God spoke to my heart again. He told me, "I've already issued the orders--the reign of the spirit of religion over my Church in America has come to an end." The decree has gone forth to let God's people go that they may worship and serve him....'

I wonder whether the gathering number of saints here, who are being or have been released from their previous religious thinking, are proof that this word is from God?

I cannot say if its proof that this word is from God or not, but I can tell you that I was in that number. I was very recently broken free from this very spirit of religion. As a matter of fact, if you check my past posts, you will see that I walked through it right here for everyone to witness.

Now, there's a sense of urgency in my spirit that God is gathering His children unto Himself. Those who will, as the title of this thread states, wake up and put aside everything of themselves and the things of this world. Now is the time of preparation and those who are not grounded in the Word, abiding in His presence, or able to hear His voice whispering in the midst of a storm, are going to have a very difficult times in what lies ahead.

I am just curious, can you give me a scripture that says something about this "Last Days promised revival"?

Why are you so insistent that there is no revival to come? Can you tell me that? And what is revival? It seems to me that most people are in agreement that the church here in America is lukewarm...compromised. Isn't there a standing promise from God that he will 'revive' us if we turn to him with all of our hearts? And in Amos 3:7 it says, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." Many have prophesied that there will be a revival of God's people here in America. Not just me. Do you not believe there are 'prophets' today who are revealing to the people 'God's secret'? People who are called as prophets for just that task? Or is God finished talking?

I have shared in this thread about an entire unfolding of a revelation which I believe I received from God concerning a spirit of religion that has held America in a stronghold for 400 years. I went into to detail about it. If that, so called, revelation is hogwash, then somebody needs to lock me up or shoot me. If all of that is some concocted, random, delusional bs, then what the heck am I doing here? Certainly, you need to finger me out and mark me as someone sent from the devil to distract God's people from that which is true. Don't be wishy washy about lying, so-called 'prophets'. If this site here doesn't believe in prophets and prophecy then maybe us folks who think we are prophets just need to leave. Would that make you happy? Is that what you want? You don't need us, you got your Bible, right?

I seriously want to know, Brother. I have said there is a coming revival. Do you want me to define revival? I will. Am I full of...junk? In your opinion? Thanks, Dian.

Hi Bryan,

Thank you so much for posting this! I needed this. I work at a school that is owned by a church. Many of the people who work in the school attend the church. I run in to opposition all the time. Just the day someone told me that I was rebelious and I'm not part of the Body of Christ because I do not attened a traditional church. He told me that God could not possibly use me because I'm not part of the Body. Then I made the mistake of referring to the Pastor of the Church by not calling him "Pastor so and so" and he almost hit the roof! He said that I should show the Pastor the highest respect and that the Pastor should be escorted to and fro in a limo. Then he went on to say how some parts of the body and more important than others and should be held in a higher light than the other non-important parts! I was alittle shoked by his statments, but I did leave the converstation feeling alittle bruised!

In HIS love,

Tina

Not being an American, I am delighted from your later post (June 2005 above), that God says He has already given the word to let His people go from their bondage.

This is problematic and while it was mentioned elsewhere, again that this is without question accepted as so ... It is not so. He has said no such thing.

[url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=21919&forum=35]Testing all things on SermonIndex[/url]

The statements are the issue and they will not go unchallenged.