Today there are all kinds of churches but in reality two types: Christ’s church and a church built by men. Christ’s true Church is not a church born out of the will of man but out the will of God. “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (Matthew 16:18). Therefore a true church is a church built by Christ and He alone is the head of the real church (Ephesians 1:22; 5:23).
As a pastor, I have come to realize how we pastor can easily think that we are doing great and mighty things for the Kingdom of God when in reality the Lord look and say “I don’t know you” Luke 13:27. I was shocked when one night in a face to face encounter with the Lord, He started talking to me about His views on today’s church condition! The Lord spoke about these things during the period of September 12th - 14th, 2013. When the Lord started speaking about the church and the pastors in general, His voice and countenance changed. He spoke with power, authority, holy anger and disapproval of what is going on in today’s church. I heard, I shook and trembled! His heart was broken into pieces over the condition of today church – the church He loves and died for! He told me to ask pastors “Who is your Jesus?” He said that many pastors were compromising, serving the devil whom they call Jesus!!! He said many pastors are not pleasing in His sight and that the majority of the pastors were not doing His will! The Lord’s expectations are higher than most think! So wherever you are, oh, children of God - Raise the bar in your prayers, worship & dedication to the Lord.
Characteristic of a True Church – Built by Jesus
It is a church that overcomes the gates of hell: It is not a church until it overcomes the gates of hell! When the Lord started appearing to our church, on the very first day He gave me a personal message in which He said 5 times “The gates of hell will not prevail.” Prior to the visitations, this was our church slogan and one of my favorite scripture that I shouted several times during prayer. Christ’s true church is vibrant with power and energy that demons shudder. But where does this power come from? It is granted through deep prayers and intercession; laying down your life and letting Christ live in you. Starting the year 2009, the Lord granted us such authority that demons started manifesting during our services even upon entering our building even at times when there was no prayer or music going on. We would then cast out these demons and teach people how to walk and keep the freedom. “But if I cast out demons by the spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matthew 12:28). From that moment on, deliverance is one of our ministry daily tasks.
It is a church that prays deeply: “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations?’ (Mark 11:17). Our church meet nightly and we all pray together in one accord. We carefully follow the hours of prayer that the Lord gave us. This year the Lord thanked us for making this a beautiful home for Him.
It is a church that preaches the full counsel of God: A true church will teach you both the kindness and severity of God (Romans 11:22). It is not a church that preaches only grace, the love of God, the kindness of God and completely ignore warning you of the wage of sin. Therefore, a true church will teach you to observe God’s laws and commands. It will teach you about heaven and show you how to follow the narrow path that leads there; at the same time it will warn you about hell and satan, the hater of God and all mankind. The moment you are born into this world you are placed in a war zone – learning warfare, knowing your Savior and your enemy is very important. A true church will rebuke sin, teaches and encourages you to pray and to live holy.
It is a church that evangelize and reach out to the lost: Reaching out to the lost is the most important thing that is on the heart of God. The Lord does not approve churches that are not going out in the streets and reach out to the lost. God desires for the pastor to be on the frontline in prayer and in the street outreaches.
It is a church that has power and authority from God: To the true church, God will grant authority: “so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 3:10)
Here we are on earth! A place that is so corrupted where there is not a single human who is perfect. When we get to heaven, we will be made perfect. The imperfect part of you does not exist in heaven. In the same way that there is no one who is perfect on this earth, so is the church. There is no perfect church on this planet if you look with human standards – However, the church that is seeking God diligently, leading souls to heaven and reaching out to the lost with action is a church that God is pleased with and He comes and make His abode in a such church.
It is God’s desire that each one of His children have a safe church where they can call home. During the time the Lord visited and spoke to me about the church however, He said that this was not the case because there are many churches that are corrupted to the point where the salvation of many of God’s children has been / could be jeopardized! This article is not written for you to leave the church nor to rebel against the church authority but to give guidance to many who are wondering like sheep without shepherds.
I asked the Lord, “Lord, what about those believers who love you but have not found a suitable church? Lord, do you want everyone to have a physical church?” The Lord replied, “I wish that was the case. I wish that there could be a church that is safe, holy and true like Blazing Holy Fire or like a real Word preaching church, a real Word loving church that was safe for all of my children. But no, there is not many! There could become but at the moment there is not. [I apologize if this offends anyone, I am just writing down what the Lord told me]. The Lord continued, “Just because someone is not in a church, it does not mean they cannot be in the presence of God. When they cannot find a church that is safe for their salvation, I become their church. I become the one who holds them accountable. I become the one who encourages, who fellowships with them and spend time with them but that is if they seek after me harder than they would in a normal church!” The Lord said that they must seek Him harder than those who are in a normal church, adding “What is not guarded can be easily stolen!”
If you are not going to church
(Make sure it is the Lord who led you out because the church was making you lukewarm or leading you astray. Make sure it is not because of rebellion or deceit you left. There are also those who live in high persecuted regions where going to church is not possible. New converts (been saved less than 3 years) should always have a home church.)
Have a daily prayer schedule you follow every day as if you were in God’s real church.
Make a room of prayer in your home that will be used as a meeting place with God.
Evangelize in the streets at least 3 times a week. If you do not know how, contact us.
Read the Bible, at least 10 chapters per day.
Have prayer, worship and Bible study in your home.
Send your tithes and offering to a ministry that feeds you spiritually and has helped you in your walk with Christ. Contact us, if you want to make this ministry your home church.
Observe the Lord’s law and commands (God’s Word).
Have a schedule for charity works outside your home. Suggestion: street outreaches, visiting the sick, elderly and orphans, widows, prisoners… It is easy to sit home and be comfortable. Make sure you have actions. Let nothing hinder you from following the schedule God gave you.
Beware of the false teachings on internet, there are so many lies and false teaching on selfdeliverance etc… The Lord took me on many websites and showed me how the enemy has infiltrated. There will be an article about this but in general, be careful to follow someone whose fruit you do not know or have lack of fruit of the spirit.
Seek the Lord diligently and harder, submit fully to Him and enjoy the ride!
What is the role of the pastor & God’s established authority?
It is all summed up in this “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-13
But people say 'I listen to God and obey the Lord alone, I do not need to be accountable to a pastor!” Can someone love God whom they do not see if they do not love their neighbor whom they see? Can someone obey God whom they do not see if they refuse to obey the authority He has established? Please be warned that if you are going to a church that is taking you to heaven, the enemy will do everything he can for you to leave the fellowship. The enemy will use lies, deception etc… be careful as not many are able to have victory over this! No matter what happens, if you have found such a church – that leads you to heaven, submit to the pastor and authority.
The same God who chose Moses is the same God who today chooses pastors, teachers, prophets. God is the one who appoints pastors and leaders in the church. Before departing to heaven, Jesus told Peter “Shepherd My sheep” John 21:15-17. Today, this has not changed! Jesus still calls. Jesus lives inside the pastor whom He has called and who is submitted fully to Him. Through this type of a pastor, Jesus the Great Teacher will teach you, His sheep – Blessed are you who will hear and obey God’s teachings!
Believing God’s Prophet Is Important
“For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” John 5:46-47. The Jews rejected Jesus because they had in the first place rejected what Moses wrote about Him. When one rejects the teachings of God’s sent prophets, they cannot either receive even if Jesus were to talk to them face to face.
“When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him” Luke 7:29-30. Pharisees did not believe in John and they refused to be baptized by Him, therefore refused to be prepared and because of this, they could not believe Jesus even when He came to them face to face!
What to do when a true prophet or pastor get corrupted and is deceived?
Unfortunately, we are in the days where even the elect are getting deceived. We are in the days where we see that sometimes the true prophet ceases to be and instead become a false prophet. The true man of God get deceived and still want to lead.
JESUS does not want you to follow a leader who is deceived or a leader who fell and has refused to repent genuinely. “… And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
It is good that you find a true church, when you pray God will lead you. When God places you there, be careful to serve God and to submit to your pastor! When we are born again into the family of God, we begin a journey – a very long journey to heaven. This journey is full of many pitfalls, testings, trials that many Christians end up not making it to heaven! The role of a pastor is to guide you on this journey so that you make it to heaven. A True shepherd is the one who takes care of the sheep, who points you to Jesus. A true shepherd is the one who stir you up to pray more, to obey, to repent, to obey God’s laws and commands. You should NEVER follow a pastor who is not taking you to heaven.