IS the CHURCH coming ALIVE?



I shot this photo on Crow Mt.

This morning I listened to a portion of Perry Stone's weekly Manna-fest Online, The Spirit of Confusion and the Curse of Madness.

Click on this link to watch:  http://www.voe.org/component/youtube/?v=aaNni1kL8bQ

Leading into the program Stone related:
About every 4 years in the United States we go through a major transition of some kind with Washington, D.C. and our leadership.  It seems like there is an additional spirit of heaviness, and almost a confusion, that blankets the entire nation...almost during the entire year.  Based on Daniel 10, when there are transitions in nations, there is also a release of what is called a principalities of spirits.

Stone named three spirits (demonic warfare) that exist in the process of the spiritual warfare that we go through.  And these spirits create a general confusion.

1.  Lying spirit - 2 Chronicles 18:21
2.  Jealous spirit - Numbers 5:14
3.  Seducing spirit - I Timothy 4:1

I agree with his next statement, even though it is hard to swallow:   "Where is America and what is our problem?  Can I tell you?  Our problem is with the church.  Our problem is not with politics.  The politics are simply the fruit.  It's the church that's the root....because in the old days of the 1700-1800's the ministers were so involved with the nation and what was happening in the nation, that the pulpits were used to speak forth, and now the enemy is either trying to silence the voices or dull the voices of the people of God in America."

Due to the recent attack by Chicago politicians on Chick-fil-A because the owner stood for marriage according to biblical principles, we now see ministers taking a stand against demonic spirits that have silenced the churches far too long.   

FOX NEWS ONLINE ARTICLE:
Days after the big city boss blasted the chicken chain over its president's stance on same-sex marriage, an influential Baptist minister and Cardinal Francis George of the Archdiocese of Chicago struck back. The religious leaders, who support the traditional view of marriage, were incensed at Emanuel's claim that "Chick-fil-A's values are not Chicago's values."

"Do not disrespect us...We, too, are Chicago," the Rev. Charles Lyons of the Armitage Baptist Church thundered from the pulpit Sunday.

Lyons also had a warning for anyone trying to impose their values on his congregation.  "...if the thought police come to Armitage Baptist church, we will meet them at the door respectfully, unflinchingly, willing to die on this hill, holding a copy of the Sacred Scriptures in one hand and a copy of the U.S. Constitution in the other. (Lyons said in a sermon)

Three major events are happening.

1.  There is an open and blatant attack on anyone speaking up for Christian values.
2.  Demonic spirits are active in our country - especially this year.  (The lying spirit is evident:  Remember Reid's comments about Romney and his failure to pay taxes for 10 years:  The word is out...)
3.  Churches are coming alive!

The third point is obvious.  Read  Pastor Lyons remarks once more:
 "if the thought police come to Armitage Baptist church, we will meet them at the door respectfully, unflinchingly, willing to die on this hill, holding a copy of the Sacred Scriptures in one hand and a copy of the U.S. Constitution in the other.

Thank God for a pastor with backbone! 

Romans 13:11  And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

 One pastor wrote:  It’s time to wake up! I don’t think that I need to take too much time to convince you that the Church, the Body of Christ, is sleepwalking through this present time. I see lots of activity, but is it the work that we have been given to do? I see tons of church buildings, but is what takes place in church buildings any different than the buildings of the Masonic Lodge, Kiwanis’ Club, or Country Club?

The apostle Paul said it is time to wake up because the clock is running out...we have less time to reach our world with the gospel  - - actually, you and I have less time now, than when we first clicked on this blog. 

"Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has ticked off the flocks by criticizing Chick-fil-A."  Emanuel did more than tick off the church.  He and others are shaking us and causing us to wake up from our slumbering state of ease. 

An article found on churchleaders.com lists 11 ways to wake up a church. I especially like #2: Eliminate committees and multiply the ministries.

I think the church is coming alive.  We must come alive.  Wake up. Suit up.  Our nation, our world, our children...all depend on the church to make a difference.
...