“If any man preach any other gospel..Let him be accursed”. Galatians 1:9.2
Pet.2.1 – But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach their destructive heresies about God and even turn against their Master who bought them. Theirs will be a swift and terrible end.
2Pet.2.2 – Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of them, Christ and his true way will be slandered.
2Pet.2.3 – In their greed, they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction is coming.
2Pet.2.4 – For God did not spare even the angels when they sinned; he threw them into hell, in gloomy caves and darkness until the judgment day.
2Pet.2.6 – Later, he turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into heaps of ashes and swept them off the face of the earth. He made them an example of what will happen to ungodly people”.
The Bible is a revelation given by God to man to provide man with clear-cut guidance on how to live accurately in a world filled with inaccuracies. The Bible is a mystery on its own.
But by the Holy Spirit’s revelation, the written word gives life to those who read it for guidance, correction, and illumination.
The Bible was designed for man and given to the Church so that the Church would have clear direction and rise to perfection.
It is like a manual guide given to a child on how he ought to operate his newly purchased guitar. If the child refuses to heed the manual’s instructions, misuse of the guitar is inevitable.
The question is what would be our reply to the Giver of these holy words if we fail to walk in the directives of the divine scripture? Is the inevitable misuse of what is given to us not real, seen, and almost tangible?
The time is here, the world is coming to an end, and the Church is treading on the wrong path. We have been caught up by the wind of subterfuge and beguilement.
We have neglected the Faith that was once delivered unto the saints. We have simply taken a fraction of the Bible and twisted it into a brain-given revelation, thereby halting the revelation from the abode of Heaven.
What is Jesus thinking?
What could be going through Jesus’ mind concerning the Church in this generation? Now the difference is all clear, it’s cut down to our understandability, the drift is apparent, and no apologies are ringing out to God so that we don’t become like a desolate wilderness short of springs of crystal water.
No apologies, cause there are no convictions, our minds have been captured as captives for control by our inordinate desires that are being overfed. We are deaf to the cry of the lost world.
There is a pit down there oh! Church and it’s high time we reconsider so that we do not slip into it. There is a clarion call to the body of Christ to go back to the Bible for review and reconsideration because we have become so espoused by the futilities of this world.
God is sounding the alarm of urgency to the Church, especially the leaders of his people to review back the whole Bible for directions to avert sudden thump.
The early church, the present church
Now, let us review the difference between the early Church and the Church in our epoch.
Before Christ’s ascension, by his divine plan, He started an entity called the Church, a military body empowered to wage war against the forces of hell to enact God’s purposes on Earth.
He started it up with twelve unworthy but graced vessels who were empowered with the Holy Spirit’s power to war and prevail against the invisible forces of darkness.
From the little number of 12, 120 sprouted out, then 3000, then 5000, and continued up till our epoch. This growing crowd was called the early Church because they were the beginning of the divine agenda of God’s new divine plan. In Hebrews, “Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens…And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: “They were stoned, they sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented ( Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and dens and caves of the earth. “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:33-40).
They effectively worked out their salvation with fear and trembling. They were known for great persecution, prisons, and poverty. (Phi.2:12), making use of the power given unto them.
Our church today
What can we say of the Church in our generation? can we audaciously pen down the legacies of the Church of our era? history would be dissatisfied and disappointed in our storylines and headlines.
For it would be outrageous to plant our feet on their footprints for identification or others to copy. Yes, impossible to copy because of its negativities.
Can the Church in our epoch kindly review the difference between ours from theirs as codified in the Bible?
The early Church was known for preaching about repentance, remission of sin, and raising of disciples, God’s Judgment, hell, rapture, and the coming Kingdom.
But today’s Church is acquainted with the preaching of wealth, earthly gains, raising of millionaires, growth leadership noise, fame, and the deceptive beauty the world offers.
The early church was known for love, unity, and fellowship, they had all things in common. But today’s church is well known for greed, hatred, disunity, throat goals, jealousy, denominationalism, ethnicity, and racism.
The early church was known for righteousness, integrity, holiness, and accountability. But today’s church is known for unrighteousness, dishonesty, covetousness, and love for popularity.
The early church was known for its fervent prayer lifestyle with one heart and soul for the perfection and completeness of the church. Today’s church is known for manipulative prayers, witchcraft prayer machinery, prayers for the death of perceived human enemies and persecutors, non-stop vanity prophecy, non-stop clamoring of breakthrough mantras and fundraising, elaborate church building, and music equipment.
The early church was known for neediness, but not without spiritual riches. Our church is well acquainted with richness while lacking spiritual riches.
The early Church was known for small group gatherings, and home and cell fellowship with radical evangelism and missions. Today’s church is known for empire buildings with filled-up dry bones, influence, affluence, and material possessions whilst lacking spiritual possessions.
The early church was known for the union of a man and a woman, Today’s church is known for homosexuality, gay, lesbianism ( LGBTQ), women’s liberation, and gay preachers.
The early church was known for rigid apostolic teachings, strong biblical messages, and fearful convicting sermons. Today’s church on the other hand is known for motivational quotes, spiritually cold, tasteless lukewarm sermons, one that makes the audience ring out provoking laughter of spiritual dryness and foolishness.
The early church leaders, Prophets, and preachers were known for speaking by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, utterances of the divine words of God, and laudable revelations.
But today’s church leaders and preachers are known for speaking out of their own envisioned and selfish-driven ambitions, false divinations, lies, and futile speech.
The early church leaders and preachers were known for humility, faithfulness, selfless service, and obedience to God. In contrast, today’s church leaders and preachers are known for self-glorification, pride, and provoking arrogance and disobedience to God’s words.
Soul winning
The early church leaders and preachers were known for winning souls for Christ and giving to the poor, and widows. But today’s church leaders and preachers are acquainted with winning souls for the devil, selfish motives, injustice, and activators of division among God’s people.
The early church leaders and preachers were known for righteousness, powerful convicting messages, hatred for fame and recognition, lowliness, and spiritual success while lacking earthly success.
Our present church leaders and preachers are known for using earthly success, musical equipment, false miracles, popularity, ostentatious birthday celebrations, elaborate church anniversaries, unnecessary titles, degrees, and prosperity to measure out or confirm their false righteousness or spiritual effectiveness and acquaintance with God.
They manipulate the people into believing them to be something they are not. They fraternize with politicians not to win their souls for Christ but for money and business expansion.
These are the differences between the present Church and the early Church. It is clearly seen in our time without the aid of glasses, no shying away from what is already in order.
Well, we can now fully comprehend why the earliest Church operated in the power of God. We can now understand why they effectively waged war against hell and prevailed, we can now understand why they were called the true Church Militant, why they were feared by the forces of hell, and why Heaven lavished accolades upon them.
The difference is clear
It’s clear there is a strong difference, no consolidation between our present Church and theirs. All we clamour out in our time is noise. Many of the so-called leaders of the people are but dry bones preaching to more dry bones. They are spiritual illiterates, ignorant of the doctrine of Christ.
You see another reason why Ezekiel could prophesy to the dry bones because he was alive and active. Many of the so-called preachers are dry bones.
Why are there no Ezekiels in our time to prophesy life unto them, we are simply not ready to pay the price he paid and so we remain the same. Ezekiel prophesied saying, “Thus saith the Lord, ” But our prophesies are motivated by our pockets and our spirit.
They paid the price
The outlined differences are the price and necessities the early church paid to activate the power of God, to win a multitude of souls for Christ, to fulfill Christ’s purpose, and to prevail against the hordes of hell.
We are more acquainted with the peace and comfort of the world, but less acquainted with the necessary sufferings for Christ (2Cor 6:3-10)
How can we share in his glory when we neglect the path of ruggedness, pain, suffering, and sanctity he once walked? All we want is the glory of the Cross, whilst neglecting the pain of the Cross.
We want the power of Christ but neglect the price for the power of Christ. Our desires are choking the reality of “walking in the Spirit”. The difference between the earliest Church and our epic Church is that the early Church walked all through their life in the Spirit. That is the reason they could emit such a godly and holy lifestyle.
The question is what way are we walking in the way of the Spirit or of the flesh? I think the Church should answer that.
Let’s get back
The charge is to get back to the faith that was once delivered unto the saints (the early church). Paul through the Spirit said his preaching was not based on human wisdom ( desires, pursuit, ambitions, cravings) but in the demonstration of the Spirit and power, so that his audience’s faith would not stand in
Human wisdom but in the power of God. 2 Corinthians 2:1-5,
The missing link in our time is clear. The charge is to get back to the path of our fathers, the patriarchs, the old experienced soldiers, and the old-time religion.
Let us plant our feet where they once trod. Let us also begin to say like Paul “Our gospel came not in words only but in power and much assurance”.
Yes, the world is closing gradually, it’s never too late to do the right thing. Let us crosscheck our pattern with the early church, let’s review and get back to the Bible, let’s get back to preaching in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power and not in the demonstration of our pursuit and ambitions.
The time is now, let us begin our journey first in haste because the gates are about to be shut.
Judgment imminent
Finally, God’s sword of Judgment is imminent, and his first target and adversaries are the so-called leaders. It is advisable to activate the action of REPENTANCE, to be spared or else the thump might be too fatal.
An old adage says “if a tree begins to dry up suddenly, the problem starts from the root”. The early Church walked in the spirit because of one certain thing, the leaders walked in the spirit hence, their followers walked in their footsteps.
Paul said “and ye became followers of us and of the Lord.” God would not blame the leaves, branches or the fruits for sudden decay, he would blame the root, the supporter of the tree.
And so the present state of the Church is spiritually appalling because the Shepherds of his people are sick in their head. In the words of Jesus Christ they outwardly appear righteous unto men but within, they are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
They are going the way of the Laodicean Church. So the plan of God is to halt this spreading virus before the whole body is spoiled, and He is about to do it with one rod, the mighty rod of Judgment.
Ezekiel chapter 13 addressed the fate of the false prophets. The Lord specified His Judgments on false and foolish Prophets who prophesy through demonic inspirations and out of their own heart, their desires, their hopes, their wisdom, their need for acceptance, prosperity, personality, and popularity.
Prophet Ezekiel revealed God’s inevitable coming wrath, Judgment, and doom on the false prophets, preachers, and the apostate church.
He explained vividly the coming calamities that await the unrepentant false prophets, counterfeit pastors, and the sinful glamorous, molten mesmerized, idolatrous, materialistic so-called churches that deny the people from hearing the true messages of the kingdom.
This judgment would walk in two prevailing prowess, the Thump of sudden jerk from slumber unto repentance or the thump of destruction.
God is about to smite the false prophets and shepherds, his sword is about to hack their necks because the time to rescue his people from their subterfuge and deceptions is now.
God says again “I would deliver my people out of your hand” and to the false prophets “Behold I am against you ” and again “Mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity and that divine lies”.
Now is the time for the exploiters of his people to repent or be ready for God’s judgment, now is the time for the killers of revival, the false preachers, the soul cagers who are less interested in the liberation of the souls of men but are much interested in destroying them to justify their insatiable desires and ambitions.
Some have no anointing, and so they anoint themselves, with an oath to deceive. Some have, but because of the love of material possession of this world turned the Bible upside-down and seared their conscience with hot iron.
They are the ones who want to gain the world and care less about their soul, like their gains would not be left behind when the time for departure is come.
Blind guides, they who shut up the kingdom of heaven against many and neither go in themselves, preventing others from entering into it. They are truly the ones who strain at a gnat and swallow a camel.
Permit me to cry out once more, “Judgement is coming, and it’s coming in torrential downpour against the false prophets, shepherds, pastors, priests, evangelists, apostles or teachers who are after their belly, their ambitions”
And so in the prophecy of Ezekiel “And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die and save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies” (Ezek 13:19).
Ezek.13.3 – This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Destruction is certain for the false prophets who are following their own imaginations and have seen nothing at all!
Ezek.13.4 – “O people…, these prophets of yours are like jackals digging around in the ruins.Ezek.13.5 – They have done nothing to strengthen the breaks in the walls around the nation. They have not helped it to stand firm in battle on the day of the LORD.
Ezek.13.6 – Instead, they have lied and said, `My message is from the LORD,’ even though the LORD never sent them. And yet they expect him to fulfill their prophecies!
Ezek.13.7 – Can your visions be anything but false if you claim, `This message is from the LORD,’ when I have not even spoken to you?
Ezek.13.8 – “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because what you say is false and your visions are a lie, I will stand against you, says the Sovereign LORD.
Ezek.13.9 – I will raise my fist against all the lying prophets, and they will be banished… Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD!
Ezek.13.10 – “These evil prophets deceive my people by saying, `All is peaceful!’ when there is no peace at all! It’s as if the people have built a flimsy wall, and these prophets are trying to hold it together by covering it with whitewash!
Ezek.13.11 – Tell these whitewashers that their wall will soon fall. A heavy rainstorm will undermine it; great hailstones and mighty winds will knock it down.Ezek.13.12 – And when the wall falls, the people will cry out, `Where is the whitewash you applied?
‘Ezek.13.13 – “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will sweep away your whitewashed wall with a storm of indignation, with a great flood of anger, and with hailstones of fury.
Ezek.13.14 – I will break down your wall right to the foundation, and when it falls, it will crush you. Then you will know that I am the LORD!
Ezek.13.15 – At last my anger against the wall and those who covered it with whitewash will be satisfied. Then I will say to you: `The wall and those who whitewashed it are both gone.
Ezek.13.16 – They were lying prophets who claimed peace would come…. when there was no peace. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!’
Ezek.13.17 – “Now, son of man, also speak out against the women who prophesy from their own imaginations.
Ezek.13.18 – This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Destruction is certain for you women who are ensnaring the souls of my people, both young and old alike. You tie magic charms on their wrists and furnish them with magic veils. Do you think you can trap others without bringing destruction on yourselves?
Ezek.13.19 – You turn my people away from me for a few handfuls of barley or a piece of bread. By lying to my people who love to listen to lies, you kill those who should not die, and you promise life to those who should not live.
Ezek.13.20 – “And so the Sovereign LORD says: I am against all your magic charms, which you use to ensnare my people like birds. I will tear them from your arms, setting my people free like birds set free from a cage.
Ezek.13.21 – I will tear off the magic veils and save my people from your grasp. They will no longer be your victims. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
Ezek.13.22 – You have discouraged the righteous with your lies when I didn’t want them to suffer grief. And you have encouraged the wicked by promising them life, even though they continue in their sins.
Ezek.13.23 – But you will no longer talk of seeing visions that you never saw, nor will you practice your magic. For I will rescue my people from your grasp. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”
The fate of the false prophets and preachers:
According to the words of Jesus Christ, he who kills by the sword would die by the sword. The false prophets who have turned the flocks of God into meat, surely have a deadly fabulous fate, the fate of the false prophets is inevitable except they repent. The thump is at hand, ready to translocate them into the darkness that God himself crafted for their works. For God would not fail to deliver his people from their hands.
:Matt.7.22 – On judgment day many will tell me, ‘Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’
Matt.7.23 – But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized. ‘
Read also: http://dangers-false-pr…Dangers of false prophets, how to know genuine ones https://churchtimesnigeria.net/dangers-false-prophets-john-abiola.
Repentance and revival prayers:
“Thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” Revelation 2:4-5.
Please pray and share for Christ’s sake, don’t keep it to yourself. Do everything within your power to ensure Christians are involved. Many souls would be saved, many churches revived and many closed doors to the Gospel would be opened.
(1) Read out Gal 19-21; Rom 1:18-31;2 Tim 3:1-9; 1 John 1:5-10; 2:1-2- Lift up your voice to God for mercy and forgiveness for the sins and many others that have defiled us and the body of Christ and our leaders This is more of a confessional Intercession for personal sins, the body of Christ and the heads of the churches Kindly, confess all other known sins happening in your church and the whole body of Christ.
(2)Read out Luke 11:9-13; Acts 2:17-21; 1Cor12:1-11- Ask God for a fresh move of the Holy Spirit and revival power upon you, your church, and the body of Christ and also for the manifestations of God’s spiritual gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit in our lives, churches and among the church leaders.
(3) Give thanks to God for answer to your prayers.
You can also pray additional prayers as you are led by the Spirit. You can continue in these prayers persistently until the manifestations of our prayers.
John Abiola. Revive Us Again series 95.gmail:nigeriaglobalintercessorsngi@gmail.com
