It was a dream/night vision from the Lord. I was in a prayer
meeting full of pastors. The meeting was held in a bedroom in a luxurious
cruise ship. All the pastors were standing around the bed. As we were
worshipping and praying in the spirit, some pastors started to have weird
expressions on their faces. When the presence of God descended heavily in that
room, those with distorted facial expressions started to 'manifest' the
'spirits of oppression' that had gained influence in their lives. One of them
even jumped out and threatened to kill anyone who would give their all to serve
God. Because of that many ran away to hide. I was caught with surprise so many
established pastors were easily threatened. My heart was burning with anger
that I jumped up on the bed and started praying fiercely in the spirit. The one
who was demon possessed fled a moment after that.
Message:
I woke up feeling overwhelmed. Rest assured that I did not
premeditate to have such a dream. The Lord is my witness. In fact, it took me a
few days seeking the Lord to be sure what He’s trying to convey before making
the decision to release this. I share this not to judge as I have no right
to judge my own brethren in Christ (see Matthew 7:1-2; Romans 14:10-12). As I
share this with you, I unexceptionally and humbly learn from the Lord myself.
Here it goes:
Many pastors have been influenced by the ways of the world in
establishing their churches. No doubt many started with pure visions and
passion to see souls saved, to feed their sheep with green pastures from
personal revelations in order to expand the kingdom of God. Somehow, when they
got established and recognized, ‘their churches’ and ‘their achievements’ have
become more important than what the Lord wants to accomplish through their
lives. There are mixtures of holy passion to see God’s kingdom expanded and
also yearning toward worldly recognitions. Many have the sense of insecurity
when being compared with. As a result, many have tried to expand their churches
with methods and approaches. There is nothing wrong with methods and
approaches. But throwing in systems and methods without the leading of His
Spirit is displeasing to the Lord. Consequently, many churches with pastors who
are oppressed with the spirit of competition and obsessed with church growth
have gone stagnant after a little while of expansion with human efforts.
Pastors have been praying for increase in their churches. And the Lord is very
eager to give increase. However, in order to give increase, the Lord has to
clean His house. The seriousness of the whole matter is that, when the Lord
spring cleans His house, everything that is not of Him and the work of the
flesh, though hidden will eventually be exposed.
1 Corinthians 3:6-23:
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the
increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters,
but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are
one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For
we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s
building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise
master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let
each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone
lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds
on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay,
straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because
it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what
sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures,
he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss;
but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. Do you not know that
you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in
you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the
temple of God is holy, which temple you are. Let no one deceive
himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a
fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness
with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own
craftiness”; and again, “The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise,
that they are futile.” Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things
are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or
death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. And
you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.”
The true increase that will stay comes only from the Lord. What
works for others may not work for your church. When the Lord is with you, any
method or system, modern or primitive, will work. The moment you learn to
cruise freely with the direction of the Holy Spirit in your daily ministry, you
are at the right track.
Will you spare the time on your knees seeking God’s way instead of
planning to enforce another method that had seemingly helped others to grow
into mega churches? Will you take the step of faith to follow the leading of
the Holy Spirit though it may risk losing half of your congregation? Will you
shrug off peer pressure and choose to hear God's voice amplified in your
ministry decisions? Will you come back to the tender moment during the initial
stage of your ministry when you promised the Lord you were willing to give your
all and that His will is more important than any of your achievements in life?
As ministers of God, let’s not try to out-stand each other with
self-righteousness but to cover each other with love and prayers. Let those who
have ears and teachable hearts before the Spirit of God take heed. May your
church and ministry always be led by the Holy Spirit and showered with the
increase from the Lord.