The Bible rightly divided must be
our standard for all things. We need revelation, right
interpretation and right application of the truth that
is in the Bible. We must resist revelations,
interpretations, and applications that are beyond the
Bible and/or not in line with it. This includes
revivals!
There is a difference in a revival
started by God and attacked by the devil, and a revival
that does works of the devil and says they are of God.
In godly revivals, people will be
set free and will be in their right mind.
In fleshly and devilish revivals,
people will mix things of God with things of the devil
and try to justify them.
True revivals that do not
biblically deal with the devil and his attacks will die
out and be written about in books.
True revival that follows the Holy
Spirit and stays true to the Word of God will build
momentum until Jesus comes.
Who will have faith for this to
happen, and who will fight it and make excuses for
things of the past and of the present? Many have faith
for great signs and wonders! Do you have faith for a
Church that is described in Ephesians 4:13-16 and 5:
26-27?
The Lord is looking for a Church
that is without spot and wrinkle. He has given us His
Spirit and His Word to guide us. He has also given true
and mature ministry gifts to equip His Church. You'd
better find them and find them fast!
Christians must totally surrender
their lives to the Holy Spirit. They must study all of
the Word to show themselves approved, and they must
work with true and mature called ministry gifts. If
there is any breach in any of these, the devil will
gain a foothold.
True disciples are to make no
room, no place, and no opportunity for the devil.
Please understand my next point. Many Christians, from
the beginning of their walk, are members in churches
that have made room, place, and opportunity for the
devil. Please do not react, but understand that the
overall Church is in dire need of restoration!
How many really see and understand
the critical need for restoration? If we do not have a
remnant Church that is restored to Jesus Christ and His
biblical pattern, there are going to be devilish storms
beyond imagination. Even now, please take a look at
what is happening all over this world; Americans, look
at what is happening in the United States! We need
restoration, revival, and awakening, but we need
restoration, revival, and awakening that is totally in
line with the biblical pattern.
Once and for all, please
understand that there is a difference in a revival
started by God and that is operating within His
pattern, and a revival that is not operating in line
with His pattern. Do not change the meaning of
Scripture to justify ungodly things, and when ungodly
things come forth, deal with them. Godly revivals will
be attacked by the devil, but that is quite different
from a revival that is using devilish tactics. There is
a difference in someone falling to the ground when
screaming demons are being cast out and someone
screaming like a demon and saying it is of God.
Learn once and for all that leaven
of any degree does great harm. Paul could not allow
what Peter was doing to continue without bringing
correction. Paul knew that correction had to take place
for God's sake, for Peter's sake, for the Church's
sake, for the sake of the lost, and for our sake. For
us, it is a lesson.
Ministers must be corrected. Those
moving in the flesh must be corrected, and those moving
with devilish means must be immediately stopped and
then corrected. If they won't receive correction, doors
of ministry opportunities must be closed for the
protection of God's people and the lost.
How many people have been deceived
at a church meeting where things were done in fleshly
strength rather than spiritual anointing, and the
person it happened to, as well as other discerning
disciples, and even ministers, said nothing. When these
things are allowed, our friends, families, other
professing Christians, and even the lost are greatly
hindered and set up for further deception in the future
because no clear line of right and wrong or good and
evil has been set.
People with right spirits must in
love and boldness learn to speak up for the glory of
God and for the sake of the church and the lost. It
will not be popular. You might lose friends and
subscribers, but the real will eventually come forth,
and you will have been a part of it.
Let's no longer do anything that
helps support the non-real or the false. Let's only
build up what is of God; let's tear down any and
everything that is not of God.
There is a place to pull someone
aside and take care of things in private, but
leadership in the body of Christ must make sure that
the public, Christians and non-Christians, never get
the idea that something that is wrong is right. So,
therefore, private correction should take place, but
the public, in the right way, must know that something
was not what it should be. How else will they be
equipped, which includes having their senses trained to
know both good and evil.
It grieves me to read articles and
to hear sermons that contain much truth and then see
leaven, or openings for the devil. It grieves me to see
written and spoken responses based on feelings,
experiences, and misuse of Scripture. Leave no room for
the devil in articles. Never try to please man; live
only to please God. Leave no room for the devil in your
responses. Study the whole Word until you can rightly
divide it and have your senses trained to discern both
good and evil. If you leave one small opening, the
devil will exploit it.
How do you know that someone is
really healed by God? These issues must be addressed.
If you permanently took away all catchers for those who
fall out in church services, what would eventually take
place? Some have addressed pushing and slapping for the
laying on of hands, but the big ones that need to be
addressed are emotion, power of suggestion, crowd
pressure, and especially demonic influence. Oh, I could
have left the last one off, couldn't I?
Give us disciples who fall before
Jesus Christ like John did in the book of Revelation.
Give us disciples like that, and the Church will again
be known as those who are turning the world upside
down. I hope the positive examples you give are in line
with the true biblical pattern.
You may leave comments at our blogspot. Click on
the article of the same name.
Pastor Wayne Wilson
New Covenant Church of Jesus
Christ
3147 Klondike Road, SW, Conyers,
GA 30094 USA
770-760-1101
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© 2007 New Covenant Church of
Jesus Christ, Conyers, GA USA
www.JesusAndHisWord.org
