Let me first say that I am fully aware of my shortcomings as a pastor. We are all struggling with something, but will we humble ourselves, repent, and turn back to the “power of the Spirit,” or will we quiet the Spirit and continue to grieve?
Offer candy when you need persuasion
Please consider sharing this with pastors and Christian leaders you know. Even as America’s spiritual cancer eats away at every aspect of life, it is not too late to call America to repentance.
Sadly, many spiritual surgeons, American pastors, are giving us the very thing we are asked to remove. Give me candy in lieu of a guilty verdict. Sugar instead of surrender.
I don’t know that the spirit is gone
The atmosphere of our gatherings often reflects the heart of our leadership. Are we filled with joy, repentance, and awe of God, or are we acting like rock stars focused on entertainment?
Do we speak loudly on stage, imitate the latest clothing trends, or use foolish preaching analogies out of a lack of the fullness of the Holy Spirit? If so, we might be like Samson, who “knew not that the Spirit had departed.”
fruit of spiritual barrenness
When we lack the fire of the Spirit and the roar of truth, we replace them with tricks and games. Indeed, I am all for analogies in sermons as long as they are truly inspired by God and are not used to compensate for a lack of anointing in the sermon.
We often spend our time filling our hearts with the world instead of spending time with God as wounded, humble messengers who need His touch. Kicking Bibles, swallowing swords, spitting in people’s faces, taking baths, and getting haircuts like sermon illustrations are simply byproducts of spiritual barrenness.
The problem is Monday, not Sunday
My heart was broken. I weep as I remember what we are currently witnessing from the pulpits of America. If we are not filled with the Spirit, we can easily become weak, wake up, fall into lust, or die like a grave.
In every case, we need the cry of Psalm 85:6. “Will you please resurrect us again so that your people may rejoice in you?” This should be our desire and our passion.
We are keepers, not rock stars who need a dressing room full of fun and 40-degree water. We must become part of the solution, not the problem.
darkness must not entertain us
AW Tozer reminds us that “who we are throughout the week is determined by who we become when we step into the pulpit.” The problem isn’t actually Sunday, but Monday and Tuesday, etc.
Ironically, as I was finishing writing this article, a prominent evangelical appeared to be endorsing Taylor Swift’s new lyrics for “X.” What we see and hear affects our minds. It is impossible to separate the two. What comes to mind will eventually be reflected in your actions.
The Bible is very clear on the issue of entertainment. There’s really no debate!
Philippians 4:8 tells us to fix our minds on what is true, honorable, and right, and to think on what is pure, lovely, and worthy of praise. When darkness entertains us, it also affects us.
Today’s urgent needs
The word “revival” is currently popular, but why hasn’t it become more widespread? In a book by Duncan Campbell, The cost and power of revivalhe made the following statement:
“One of the main secrets of the success of the early church lay in the fact that the early believers believed in ministry from above, not entertainment from men. Was it through propaganda projects…posters, parades, photos? No! People were arrested and drawn to a vital relationship with God, not by sounds from humans, but from heaven. Relief is a pressing and urgent need for missionary work today.”
quickly eliminate compromises
In Old Testament Israel, thousands of people still offered sacrifices to God on high. “At least we are making a sacrifice to God,” they thought. Whether for convenience or compromise, God’s people began to justify the use of pagan places and altars to offer to God. God’s heart must have broken every time the Bible recorded, “But the high places were not removed.”
Are there any areas in our lives where compromise pervades like Israel? As a famous poem reminds us,
all the water in the world,
No matter how hard you try,
You can never sink the smallest ship
As long as you don’t go inside.
And all the evil in the world
the blackest sin,
at least it won’t hurt you
Unless you let them in.
it is possible to reverse the trend
Just as physical cancer can be reversed by removing its fuel source or killing rogue cells: If we remove sin and kill its roots, spiritual cancer can also be cured.
What compromises do we need to repent of? What areas do we need to let go of ungodly influences? We must return to our prayer closet. Get back to the basics of prayer, fasting, and humility.
We wait for God, but maybe God is waiting for us?
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/George Muresan
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Shane Idleman He is the founder and senior pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship and the WCF Radio Network in Southern California. Visit ShaneIdleman.com to learn more, including free downloads of his e-books. Visit him on Facebook twitter. Subscribe to his new podcast idolman unplugged.You can also follow Pastor Shane on the Free Speech Platform parlor.
