Coming to Jordan

" ... and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him." Mark 3:7,8

I went to a local church on Sunday that has about 3,000 members to see what it was like. Obviously, there must be something there that attracts so many people, and I wanted to see what it was. I was told that the pastor was a very good preacher, but there was also a pause when I was told that which hinted at something that was missing. Well, there are always issues no matter where you go, so I decided to see for myself.

While I would admit that the pastor was a very good and impassioned speaker, I cannot say that he delivered an anointed message. Maybe it was an "off" day. But after several weeks of coming to his church, I was left with little more than a series of interesting messages, but no demonstration of the Spirit and power that Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians chapter 2. Nice, interesting, some great points ... but not anointed.

Do we not understand the difference anymore? Has it been so long since we have had the anointing of the Holy Spirit take control of our pulpits that we no longer recognize what we are missing? Yes, this pastor was very passionate, but that does not constitute the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Yes, it was very interesting, but that does not transform a human soul. Yes, I am sure he meant well, but that and 50 cents won't buy you a cup of coffee. Whatever happened to the outpouring of the power of God during services when whole congregations were so immersed in the Spirit that they were not only transformed by the message but overwhelmed with the presence of God? Has it been so long that we have forgotten what that was like?

The thundering echoes of our men of God from the past have been reduced to the distant murmurs of a faded memory. Where have these great men and women of God gone? Where is the manifestation of the miracles of the Holy Spirit, the transforming power of anointed preaching of the Word of God, and the downpour of Holy Ghost conviction that sent a flood of repentant sinners to the altar? Where did God go? Has He left our churches to find fertile ground elsewhere?

I was told by a woman who attends this church that she loves her pastor because "he doesn't have a single judgmental bone in his body". Maybe that's what the problem is -- we have become "nice". Certainly you can attract 3,000 people if you tell them what they want to hear, but are we so in tune with being "nice" that we have forsaken the commission God has given us to stand for the Truth? Have we become so focused on being "People That Love" that we no longer fear God? Make no mistake, when you leave the fear of God, you abandon not only the depths of wisdom and understanding, but the strength and authority in God that goes with them. In our efforts to please people we have lost our place in God. And with it, our anointing.

What caused so many people in Judea to drop everything they were doing and walk all the way to hear Jesus? It was because he spoke with authority under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. That is what feeds a hungry soul, not theologically correct sermons and complacent messages that are designed to entertain rather than convict. It takes Living Waters to quench a thirsty soul.
We are missing this today. I understand that many pastors and evangelists are trying their hardest to convey the Gospel as best they can,
... But that is the problem, not the solution.

Brother Dale, dale@revivalfire.org