“I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” Revelation 3:1b (NIV)
We are in a season where the true Church will be handed back to Jesus. For quite a while now, much of the Church has been “controlled” by man, influenced by the world, or worse, imprisoned by the devil. This is starting to change, and will accelerate in the near future. Jesus will have His Church back, and she will be alive and vibrant!
Those churches where Jesus is allowed to lead, and where the Holy Spirit is allowed to operate, will see dramatic shifting taking place. As well as dynamic growth! The Holy Spirit will no longer be relegated to the back room, to the hidden prayer closet or a minute in our services! For too long men have ignorantly thought they knew what was best for their congregations. Rather than trusting God, they created environments that are safe, user friendly, entertainment focused, where the people simply got a sanitized version of singing and a polished “helpful” message. Nope, Jesus is coming back to His Church, and some tables will be turned upside down! And the religious are not going to like it, or let go so easily! It is time for the Lion of the tribe of Judah to be given His rightful place. Sadly, not all churches will open their doors and relinquish control to the rightful King!
Cry out for the Lord Jesus Christ to come and completely take back His Church that meets in your church building. Pray for grace to surrender absolutely everything to Jesus, in every area of your church, so that this surrender would permeate from your pastor, your church leadership throughout your entire congregation. Pray that your church would not lock Jesus outside, or keep the Holy Spirit in a hidden place anymore. Pray that your church would wholeheartedly invite Him in! Ask God to speak to your pastor about the fear of the Lord, holiness, repentance and absolute surrender to Christ, and that a new anointing would fall on the pulpit. Pray for a grace over all the churches across our city to respond by opening their doors and their hearts to Jesus when He comes knocking! Yes, pray that the Church in Athens would hand back control to Jesus!
