Can God Depend on You? - Bola Olu-Jordan
These past years witnessed many chaos and upheaval. The Church does not seem to have answer to many problems except to add more. Statistics has shown that there is no discernable difference between the church and the world. In America, divorce rate is highest amongst the ministers of God. Melt down of morals dominates the church as craze for fashion and sensual pleasure is replacing spiritual hunger, thirst and prayer in the Church.
The greatest shame for the Church now is the consideration and accommodation of clear demonic activities, which, in years past, was simply unimaginable, talkless of bringing it into the church. Unfortunately, It has not only become a norm, but object of welcome celebration, even among the clergies! Satan is continually using diversionary methods to divide the church. The debate is no longer whether women should be appointed as Bishops but whether homosexuals should. The level of degradation is appalling. It had never been this bad, even before the reformation. Satan is sapping the energies and causing productive time, which would have been used for evangelism, to debate on purely non-issues, whereas, millions of people die daily without Jesus and for that reason, they are called!
The more many turn to Jesus, the worse things seem to be. History has never witnessed several millions of people who, today, are quick to call themselves Born Again, yet their dressing, talk and actions betray them, even the fruits they bring out is morally and socially deficient. Churches have never been as ‘common’ as we see today (almost every street), yet truth has never been so scarce. The ratio of the Pastors to the congregation is closing in, as ambitious Pastors hide under God’s call to perpetuate their financial vision.
People know the Bible today but don’t know the Jesus in that Bible. It’s now a reference book to remind them of their rights and privileges as Born Again Christians without no obligation. They give every detail to all the promises in the Bible but care less about their responsibility. Wisdom, knowledge and common sense is a faster means to receiving blessings and miracles than to wait for the Holy Spirit. Church no longer walk in revelation but in intellect. The Bible has rightly said that in the last days, knowledge will increase, but this knowledge is a stumbling block to the seeming foolishness of the cross.
Compromise is the greatest asset the church has now, as ministers sacrifice their calling for fame, titles and wealth, calling it success in ministry. There are few Pastors in the body who would tell the people what they hear from God. Such are adjudged ministerial failures because they don’t command crowd and have no financial muscle for image laundering in the media. Everybody has become an overnight specialist of the gospel; specializing in miracles, prosperity, healing and the latest now is the distribution of fruits of the womb for the barren and such children usually, are a carbon copy of the ‘Man of God’! All these are but the signs of the end time. 2Th 2:3 says: “for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first…”. That is, the last becoming the first and the first becoming the last (Matt. 19:40). The great falling away has set in, however, it is not noticeable because the church call it promotion.
How sad it is to see ministers shifting ground to catch up with the rave of the moment as they adjust their messages to meet up with the demand of the people, who change Pastors like clothes till they find one who preaches what they want to hear. They heap up to themselves teachers with itching ears who would tell them fables and facts rather than the truth.
How are the mighty fallen? The Church should rather weep, seeing her fire brand ministers, who, just few years back, would preach the mind of God with great passion for the lost but now becoming entertainers with acrobatic display on the altar trying to warm themselves up into the hearts of the people for patronage and good financial return.
We are quick to condemn, not taking into cognizance the formidable power of the adversary who would stop at nothing to reduce the church to mere social centers as we see today, using ministers of God as a tool, so that her mission would not be fulfilled. We need to pray and stand in the gap for God to bring revival into the church, starting from us. He needs you and I as prayer warriors, to stand in the gap, resisting Satan and his strong man, ministering spirits and every spirit on assignment; stopping them all at the gate and tearing his kingdom down through warfare prayer. The reason why it is becoming bad by the day is that you and I are not doing enough. It was Daniel alone that changed the course of history of a whole nation, Israel (Dan. 9), how much more if you and I agree ‘as touching’ this. Mat 18:19: “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven”. 2Ch 7:14: “if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Can God depend on you for this? Then, start today!
The greatest shame for the Church now is the consideration and accommodation of clear demonic activities, which, in years past, was simply unimaginable, talkless of bringing it into the church. Unfortunately, It has not only become a norm, but object of welcome celebration, even among the clergies! Satan is continually using diversionary methods to divide the church. The debate is no longer whether women should be appointed as Bishops but whether homosexuals should. The level of degradation is appalling. It had never been this bad, even before the reformation. Satan is sapping the energies and causing productive time, which would have been used for evangelism, to debate on purely non-issues, whereas, millions of people die daily without Jesus and for that reason, they are called!
The more many turn to Jesus, the worse things seem to be. History has never witnessed several millions of people who, today, are quick to call themselves Born Again, yet their dressing, talk and actions betray them, even the fruits they bring out is morally and socially deficient. Churches have never been as ‘common’ as we see today (almost every street), yet truth has never been so scarce. The ratio of the Pastors to the congregation is closing in, as ambitious Pastors hide under God’s call to perpetuate their financial vision.
People know the Bible today but don’t know the Jesus in that Bible. It’s now a reference book to remind them of their rights and privileges as Born Again Christians without no obligation. They give every detail to all the promises in the Bible but care less about their responsibility. Wisdom, knowledge and common sense is a faster means to receiving blessings and miracles than to wait for the Holy Spirit. Church no longer walk in revelation but in intellect. The Bible has rightly said that in the last days, knowledge will increase, but this knowledge is a stumbling block to the seeming foolishness of the cross.
Compromise is the greatest asset the church has now, as ministers sacrifice their calling for fame, titles and wealth, calling it success in ministry. There are few Pastors in the body who would tell the people what they hear from God. Such are adjudged ministerial failures because they don’t command crowd and have no financial muscle for image laundering in the media. Everybody has become an overnight specialist of the gospel; specializing in miracles, prosperity, healing and the latest now is the distribution of fruits of the womb for the barren and such children usually, are a carbon copy of the ‘Man of God’! All these are but the signs of the end time. 2Th 2:3 says: “for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first…”. That is, the last becoming the first and the first becoming the last (Matt. 19:40). The great falling away has set in, however, it is not noticeable because the church call it promotion.
How sad it is to see ministers shifting ground to catch up with the rave of the moment as they adjust their messages to meet up with the demand of the people, who change Pastors like clothes till they find one who preaches what they want to hear. They heap up to themselves teachers with itching ears who would tell them fables and facts rather than the truth.
How are the mighty fallen? The Church should rather weep, seeing her fire brand ministers, who, just few years back, would preach the mind of God with great passion for the lost but now becoming entertainers with acrobatic display on the altar trying to warm themselves up into the hearts of the people for patronage and good financial return.
We are quick to condemn, not taking into cognizance the formidable power of the adversary who would stop at nothing to reduce the church to mere social centers as we see today, using ministers of God as a tool, so that her mission would not be fulfilled. We need to pray and stand in the gap for God to bring revival into the church, starting from us. He needs you and I as prayer warriors, to stand in the gap, resisting Satan and his strong man, ministering spirits and every spirit on assignment; stopping them all at the gate and tearing his kingdom down through warfare prayer. The reason why it is becoming bad by the day is that you and I are not doing enough. It was Daniel alone that changed the course of history of a whole nation, Israel (Dan. 9), how much more if you and I agree ‘as touching’ this. Mat 18:19: “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven”. 2Ch 7:14: “if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Can God depend on you for this? Then, start today!