Last week I opened up the service with a message that I believe is so timely for the church today; especially as we consider how the church has moved from demonstrations of Holy Spirit power to just doing church programs. It seems we are more satisfied with catering to the people's comforts and desires rather than God's purposes. I am not saying that ministering to people's needs isn't to be the focus at some point within any given outreach; but I am seeing more worries and effort being placed on church leadership who are trying to come up with bigger and grander ways to attract people to their ministries. As a matter of fact, it is regularly viewed, that the bigger your church is the more successful you are. Therefore, I believe leadership takes on the unnecessary burden of trying to attract numbers through vast offers of special programs rather than just teach the Word without compromise and allow the Holy Spirit to do what He does after that Word is preached. Whatever happened to people coming to see what God has to say to them personally; rather than just coming to see if the church can supply enough quality things for their family to do on any given weekend?

 

I tell you I am a bit taken back by all of this trivia that people prop up as excuses used to explain why they don't want to commit to anything, or be faithful to their home church. I guess I am just a radical believer for Jesus; because I strongly believe a person commits to something all the way not just when it feels convenient or if there is nothing else to do. I believe in things like abiding in the Word and hanging out with other believers in Christ consistently. I believe it is imperative that a person lives by the Word daily, and not just quote it when they happen to be around others of like faith. To me its more than just shouting out an Amen when I'm in a church service appearing to be spiritual; but then turn right around and live no different than a non-believer when I'm outside the church. In addition, we come again to church to sing a few songs, drop some money in the plate and then hear another sermon that we don't act on once we leave. The Bible talks about being a doer of the Word, not just a hearer.

 

Obviously, we are in need of a move of God, and yet, while in these worship services everyone is thinking about this or that rather than focusing on what God has to say. How can God move when no one is in sync with His Holy Spirit? I believe God is wanting to do some mighty things in our churches, but we are not in agreement with anything except for what may not be going right within our lives at the moment. Seems everyone can chime in on the bad things of life. Things like: (1). What's not working for them in their relationships. (2). I don't like that person over there. (3). I'm so poor. (4). I'm feeling sick, and many things such as these. This is often what is on people's minds when they do come to church instead of waiting with great anticipation to see what God is about to do. Something doesn't seem right. I'm starting to smell something rotten in the house. Can you smell it too? It seems I remember reading in God's Word somewhere that things will drastically move in this direction. Oh yeah, I remember!

 

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NIV)
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

In this e-Letter I am proposing to teach about the need for the corporate anointing in our churches; and I chose to start it out in this seemingly negative way so as to show some possible reasons why we see so little happening along the supernatural within our church services. I was not climbing up on a soap box or using this privilege venue you which you allow me to have entrance into your busy schedule just to complain and gripe because I'm am mad about something. On the contrary, I am desirous to see God's anointing released in our churches around the globe, and our personal lives with powerful displays of miracles and gifts flowing within the entire church body. But in order for this to happen, people will have to quit coming to church disconnected from the unity of the Word and the Holy Spirit. We must learn to harness our emotions by keeping our minds on the things of God which afford us a position of unity in Him that has power when there is agreement.

 

Our church programs, conferences, prayer vigil's, bible schools, etc; do not bring about this unity that is so needed in our churches today. They just offer more things for us to do if we feel like participating. Check out the past attendance records of most of these programs and see for yourself just how much participation is really there. These give us only the feeling that we are accomplishing things because we have a program for everything imaginable to cover every possible need that may be out there. However, the problem with this is that when I read the Bible, the early church had none of these things that we pride ourselves to create in order that we can feel as though we are covering every possible need that might present itself. The early church came with anticipation that God was in the house; and because He was there and they were all in agreement with Him, they witnessed thousands being added daily to their congregations. There were regular miracles, signs and wonders being noted among them. Nobody was in those meetings checking out to see if that group had enough things for their family to do.

 

I think the western church has gotten very spoiled and very lazy that she will not lift one finger to act on what Christ has given her. God's people in America treat Him like the welfare system. Hands out-stretched ready to receive from Him, and yet unwilling to contribute. I believe this is why our churches are lying dormant, powerless, and simply not relevant to this age in which we live. Without the Anointing, man has to create a semblance that success is present. So he designs and fashions a form of spirituality which is not spirituality at all. The Anointing always works in unison with the Word of God preached. Signs and wonders follow the preaching of the Word. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Word of God. Faith is not faith, if it is not acted on. God's power and benefits flow from obedience to follow His lead and leave off from pursuing your own selfish ambitions.

 

In the book of Amos 3:3, it tells us clearly, "How can two walk together unless they be agreed?" Again over in Matthew 18:19, points out that, "If two shall agree on earth as touching anything that they ask, it shall be done for them of the Father." Then the Bible goes on to say, "Where two or three are gathered in the name of Jesus, than He is there among them." Another Scripture points out that, "one can put a thousand to flight, whereas, two can put ten thousand to flight." Can you imagine what could happen if an entire church came together walking in total unity with the Word of God and the Anointing? Imagine if the whole church body around the world rallied around God's Word and what He desires to accomplish. Can you envision the possibilities?

 

The Word of God supports the idea that if we walk together, we will have unlimited power and authority in the name of Jesus! As a member of the body of Christ we should learn to flow in cooperation with the Holy Spirit and with one another. Can you imagine how ridiculous it would look if a person's right leg decided to go one direction while the left leg went another way? Keep in mind, you are not your own according to the Word of God, nor am I. We all belong to Jesus Christ who is head over the church. We are His body being one of many members that make up His one body. Yet, much of the body is so out of sync with Him because it keeps ignoring the Holy Spirit and His unctions. Our assemblies often grieve the Holy Spirit because we all want things done our way instead of what the Anointing chooses. When this happens all that is left to do for church leaders is to create institutions of religion so we can feel that we belong to God's family. That is incredibly appalling and such a disgraceful action on our part. God's people must put their personal ambitions aside, especially when they put them above the corporate community and its present needs. Our churches need to be filled with God's anointing where miracles, signs and wonders are common place. This will only happen when we commit ourselves to one another and to the Word of God.

 

The church is loaded with many gifts, and yet these remain unused because God's people are noncommitted to His calling and directives for flowing in them. Could it be that we have possibly settled for having a form of godliness, while denying the power of the Anointing? There is a corporate Anointing that holds a divine power like no other in existence. However, it cannot manifest in all of its glory until God's people come into agreement with Him. Remember the Scriptures reveal to us that Jesus always ran the doubters out of the room before He could do the miracle. Next time you go to church, leave everything that would exalt itself above the knowledge of God's Word; and leave it outside of that place of worship, and come in ready to hear and act on what God has to say. If we will all come within these places of worship with one mind in Jesus Christ and His will and purposes to be the focus, there will be no end to the salvations, miracles and the needs of people being met. Then those same programs that we often create to try and get people to come to so our churches will grow; will be birthed by the Spirit due to the great influx of people coming into the church that need the training. Here then, our programs will assist to meet the needs of all of those who are coming into the church as the Spirit draws them. When this happens, I assure you the world will take note of that church above the many self-promoting organizations.