As you know, I’m in Gatlinburg, Tennessee attending a Word and Spirit seminar with Randall Grier. Randall says the Lord spoke to him in 2007 and told him that a split or division is coming in the body of Christ.
He said there are churches he calls Informational that have come to the forefront in the body of Christ and that will assert even greater influence in the next year and a half.These churches have abandoned the teaching of the Word and the moving of the Spirit and are following a plan devised by men and not God. I suppose we could call them seeker sensitive churches, catering to the likes and dislikes of the audience. People come and go unchanged.
Then Randall says that the Lord told him that there are what he calls Revelational churches, or churches that teach the Word strongly and are open to the moving of the Holy Spirit in their meetings. These churches cater to the presence of God and seek to make the atmosphere conducive to God’s power manifesting. People are changed by the power of God in these meetings.
Yesterday, he listed 16 characteristics of Revelational churches:
1. These churches are committed to the Word, to Jesus, and to the Holy Spirit (1 Timothy 4:13-16). 2. These churches teach the Word and refuse to compromise doctrine (Romans 16:7). 3. They refuse worldly influences through any person or source (1 John 2:15). 4. These churches treasure and seek the Word of God and manifestations of the Spirit(Acts 4: 29-31). 5. Pastors and church leaders spends lots of time studying the Word and praying (Acts 6: 3-4). 6. The messages preached in these churches are born in prayer and Study of the and not by group consensus (Galatians 1:12). 7. Pastors minister with an anointing and flow in spiritual gifts as the Spirit wills(Ephesians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10). 8. Pastors and church leaders walk closely with the Lord in thought, word, and deed (Ephesians 4:1; 1 Timothy 4:12). 9. These churches pray and seek God for everyone to be born again and Spirit filled (Acts 2:42; Acts 8:15). 10. Church services are prayed out in advance, and ministers implicitly follow the direction of the Holy Spirit for the meeting (Mark 16:20; John 5:19). 11. People are ministered to and refreshed by the Holy Spirit in these chuches Romans 15:13; 1 John 5:4). 12. The messages preached require a response and the people are urged to grow spiritually (Acts 20:32). 13. The Fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit operate along with ministry gifts(Galatians 5:22-24; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10). 14. The Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ are always welcome in these churches (Acts 4:29-31). 15. The Spirit of truth and the wisdom of God flow freely in these churches 1 Corinthians 2:12). 16. These churches are blessed by God and will eventually grow and flourish because teach the Word and follow the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit carefully (Matthew 16:18-19).
Randall declared that we need a new reformation in the church today, and he urged pastors to minister in an uncompromising way.
I’ll end here with a declaration he had everyone recite:
I will not compromise the Word of God or the Holy Ghost, and through the Lord Jesus Christ I exercise authority over the devil and over the influence of the world.
My personal take on all of this is that at Victory we are right in line with what I believe Jesus wants us to be doing, and we’re going to get stronger in it!