THE CHALLENGES OF THE END-TIME CHRISTIAN CHURCH

The birth of the New Testament Church is for the furtherance or the Re-birth of God original intent for Man at creation. The Church is so equipped to be a replica of Christ Ministry and mandate that led Him to the Cross of Calvary. A mission that repositioned Man back to his lost glory at the Garden of Eden. To the intent that the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the Principalities and Powers in the Heavenly places (Eph 3:10). Let take a brief history of how it all started, the book of Acts gives a picture: They were called Christians for the first time at Antioch of Syria (ACTS 11:26NKJV), why? Their lives was a complete reflection of the Character of Christ .Again it is on record that ‘’through the hands of the Apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people, and they were all with one accord in Solomon Porch. Yet none of the rest dare join them, but the people esteemed them very highly’’ (Acts 5:12-13NKJV).If you are not in a hurry, let take these key reflections one after the other:

Mighty signs and wonders: The reason why some believers have become cheap meat for the devil is because of God departure from most gatherings called ‘’church’’; and even where we still find some reflections is nothing compare with the beginning. The Bible says the glory of the latter House shall be greater than that of the former.The Church has the mandate of greater works not in one local assembly but globally,this present ''porousity'' can't take us there. The kingdom can only come by power not by negotiation, the devil don’t respect theory, hear this,…’’and fear came upon every soul, and many signs and wonders were done through the Apostles’’(Acts 2:43NKJV).This is holy fear, that drives one far from sin; power that makes the enemy of righteousness submit at the Gates. May you not die in the midst of this battle; I will speak about this in my subsequent articles, please follow.

They were in one Accord: The Big question today is where is the Church?, please don’t point to any building, if not, patriarch of faith like John Wesley and some of his contemporaries will be deemed failures. Because most of the buildings that housed their fellowship in their days are either a club house or a haven for harlots at the moment. When you get to these sites you can’t help weeping. Is it the same place where sinners wept for salvation even before preaching? The enemy has succeeded in pulling the church apart ,a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand(Luk11:17).Believers now treat themselves with suspicion, erecting the wall of partition and the veil that was once torn at Calvary in the name of denominationalism. I heard a cry somewhere not quite long, and it says ‘’Return the Church back to the owner’’

Yet none of the rest dared join them: The presence of Holy Spirit was so strong, the atmosphere was so saturated that for a sinner to come in without a repentant heart is like embarking on a suicide mission .Off course it was immediately after the incidence of Ananias and Saphira .There are Christians Assemblies you enter today and you want to know whether you are mistaken, because one can hardly differentiate between it and a club house(Ichabod).
The People esteemed them very highly: If you can still recall, some years back most organisations come to the Church to seek for believers for employment because of the aroma that goes with a believer. The grace is so obvious, enough to turn things around, their testimonies were like that of Laban to Jacob. ‘’And Laban said unto him please Stay if I have find favour in your eyes for I have learnt by experience that the LORD has blessed me for your sake’’ (Gen 30:27NKJV).Can you meet a Christian today for the first time and at face value commit yourself, well thank God for the Spirit of discernment. The Church must go beyond gambling. ‘’Oh God, help your Church’’.

The Ach-Enemy of man did not bury ‘’the hatchet’’ haven been defeated publicly, and striped of his powers and authority that he took deceitfully from man (Col 2:15).The Church has transited to the fiercest of all battle through the ages. This is the period that the Bible pointed to: ‘’and because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold’’ (Matt24:12NKJV).Increased in the number of false prophets, false doctrines and by their activities the way of faith is blasphemed. The path is narrower; we are tempted to relax because it is the fulfilment of Biblical prophecies. The Psalmist cried ‘’your enemies roar in the midst of your meeting place. They set up their banners for signs’’ (Psalm74:5NKJV).If the enemy is the one that determines the sharpness of your sword, you are finished; learn from King Saul (1sam13:19-23)).Don’t be mistaken they are in the Church. It can also be the other way round, ‘’the children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, Turned back in the day of battle’’ (Psalm 78:9).

Have you forgotten so soon ''The Dark Ages'', (please take a study of Church history) what happened and what brought us to the present. Jesus said, ‘’…Daughters of Jerusalem do not weep for me, but weep for yourself and for your children… For if they do this things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry’’ (Luke 23:28,31NKJV).Which ‘’Children’’? Isn’t this Generation? If the revival pioneered by patriarch like John Wesley, The praying Hyde, Charles Spurgion, Charles Finney and a couple of others cost them so much, some of them married, they never enjoy the pleasures of marriage; knees become callous like that of an animal (praying on their knees) refusing to give up until they made ‘’Jerusalem’’ a praise on the Earth. Some were brutally killed. The lost glory was recovered. Church, where are we?

Somebody said, if it is not happening somewhere else, it is happening in ‘’our church’’ (denomination).You are just self assuming, you are very far from the mark. Well, if really is your Church expect the gate of hell leveling because it is only against His Church that it can’t prevail. In the long run you find yourself back to the same spot. I have been to a quite a number of places in the World, I had earlier in my mentality nursed the same notion, my ‘’denomination’’, instead of looking for the Body of Christ, I was looking for denomination; disappointedly I did not find any. Not even any that is close to how we do it in ‘’my church’’. What should I do, start one? My experience was so amazing, read my article titled ‘’When You Preach Christ’’.

Do you know many will go to hell just in the name of denomination? I am not against Church name just for the sake of nomenclature; after all I also have a name for my organisation, but when it now becomes an idol, watch it! We end up orchestrating individual fame, is that how we receive it? Once again, watch it! That name will not take you to Heaven, but the kind of life you lived. We should go back to the old time religion, when a believer prays, sinners wept unto repentance beginning from the Pulpit to the Pew. We’ve suddenly become ‘’The Levite and The Priest’’ as recorded in (Luk10:30-37).For the sake of clarity, there is a denomination I identify with as an integral part of the Body of Christ, the church will continue to expand but not at the detriment of the unity of faith. This is not a belligerent preaching or an aggressive imposition of a doctrinal stance.

Just a couple of months back, it is too early to call it years, everyone talked about world economic ''meltdown'' including nations. As a student of economic history, I find it rather appalling for nations to be caught unprepared. It is all about greed and pretence of self sufficiency among individual nations. There is an economic string that runs through the entire globe, so long as we have agreed to co-exist, a care free attitude will not help. Any nation no matter how rich that fail to acknowledged this, should expect doom ahead. God Himself acknowledged: ‘‘And the LORD said the people are one and they have one language, and this is what they begin to do, now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them’’ (Gen 11:6). This is the same weapon ‘’The Beast’’ will employ to rule the entire universe.The Church should be swift enough!

In the same vein, the Church is the Body of Christ, One LORD, One Faith, One Hope or is your hope different?.We are long due for another Revival that will be Earth shaking, the type that will affect the entire globe. The Church is behind schedule relative to God prophetic calendar for this age, I will discuss this as a topic with facts and figures. We are sometimes caught in the world of generalisation; the Bible is specific with respect to timing and events. Check Daniel experience (Dan 9:1-27) when he understood by books the state of Israel, where they were and where they ought to be, what did he do?

HOW DO WE ACCESS THIS LONG AWAITED REVIVAL

The Church must go back to God in prayer taking the Prophecy of Joel as the basis, ‘’blow the Trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly….let the priest who minister to the LORD weep between the Porch and the Altar; let them say,spare your people O Lord and do not give Your heritage to reproach ,that nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the people where is their God’’ (Joel 2:15-17).He said ‘’render your heart not your garments,’’ return to the LORD with all your heart. Let get rid of the idol of race and colour, background, locations, denominational affiliation etc. However when the fire falls, walls of partition will fall, sinners in Zion (the Body of Christ) will submit, except for reprobates. We must pay the price. How long should we pray it, John Knox prayed saying ‘’Oh LORD give me Scotland or I die’’.It initially looks like madness, for nineteen months he never gave up. Check the result from the statement of Queen Mary ‘’…I fear the prayer of John Knox than all the armies of Scotland combined. I have no controversy as to the authenticity of this assertion because we have similar cases in our time.

Hear what king Joash said about Elisha, ‘’… Oh my father my father the chariots of Israel and the Horse men thereof’’(2king13:14NKJV). THE ENTIRE STRENGHT OF THE ARMY was confided in one man, this is the king speaking, the strength of the army(the strength and eyes of the nation) was about to depart. Presidents and Leaders of nations must come back to the church to seek answers. I am challenged, all the forces spiritual and physical that negates this Revival must be brought under divine compliance, in Jesus name, amen. Take it as a prayer point for a couple of days.

The Church must launch an invasion into the camp of the Arch- enemy of man(Satan).Why are we on the defensive, our fellow brethren are dying, we wait for this occurrence before we call for fasting. Isn’t it appalling that a great proportion of church members are under the influence of demons. Churches are invaded by physical attackers; I was told of an incidence where over fifty percent of women were raped right inside the Church by these invaders. Read this scripture (1 King 13:1-6) and perhaps you will discover the reason for this occurrences. ‘’The enemies roar in the midst of your meeting place’’; what a shame. He said ‘’their banners are lifted up as signs’’ (Psm74:5NKJV), how? Is possible that you have ordained them as Deacons, Elders or may be they are even your chorus leaders.

Criteria for appointment and integration Church Leadership and workers should be brought under scrutiny. I know we are in a haste to get so much accomplished, but the untold havoc wrecked is more devastitating than the gains. How do you explain a situation when unmarried workers impregnate themselves and sometimes no signs of remorse. In some cases Leaders are even culprits. However this is true as written: (Rom 9:6NKJV) ‘’Not as though the word of God has taken no effect, for they are not all Israel, which are of Israel.’’

God’s grace is universal, as a Leader, you should not be everything. Revival is a generational thing; it must not be built around a single individual. It is not for self or vain glory. When you are around your congregation is full to capacity. When you travel, majority of your membership go on vacation. Create a room for every member to express the grace of God in their lives. If in your Church you are the only one who has the anointing to heal the sick and cast out demons, then you have a question to answer. In fact we should suspect you; ‘’So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son’’ (1Sam 13:22NKJV).We see the implication then. It can also be the other way round, look at this: ‘’the children of Ephraim being armed and carrying bows, Turn back in the day of battle’’ (Psm78:9NKJV).

The kind of Evangelism that brought me to faith approximately three decades ago is not common place any more. The kind of witnessing when Brethren were so consumed with the Spirit of compassion which will not even allow them to sleep; they leave their comfort zone, risk their lives, risked been abandoned by parents and sponsors because most of them were students. Spend their meagre allowances and I was told then, that the Church was in a backslidden state .Their prayer life was so intense that you think Christ will return the next moment. Church where do we start, ’’you do by doing’’.Because if we don’t the havoc and attack from the pit of Hell on the Church is just a beginning. Political grammar will not solve it; peaceful negotiation will not solve it either, because the brain behind it is not Flesh and Blood.

For Heaven to bring this Revival, the Church should expect a wave of terrible shaken and of judgment. It will start right in the Church. We can’t mock God, what a man sow he will reap. This call for repentance starting from the Pulpit to the pew, the shakeable shall be shaken and the unshaken shall remain (Heb 12:27). May be God has been striving with you on a number of issues, why His patience tarries, make amend; remember, His Spirit will not strive with Man forever.(Gen6:3NKJV)

The LORD need your partnership, the cry, ‘’….this day is a day of trouble and rebuke and blasphemy, for the Children have come to the birth, but there is no strength to bring them forth’’ (Isaiah 37:3NKJV).This is a challenge for all. Let join our hands together and win this course. This singular mandate is why the Living gospel global network came to be (as an umbrella body) Join this chariot of Fire and Power; we shall get to the promise Land in Jesus name, Amen.
Check how the Network operate and make your commitment. You will see it right in this blog, God bless you.

NB: Please the Network is not a Denomination, but a channel for the conglomeration of our individual efforts as a group or units. Permit me to say it is inter-denominational, at least for the sake of emphasis until we all attain the unity of faith.
As a means of getting this vision realised we need prayer intersessors volunteers from every nation 0f the World, indicate your willingness by emailing us expect a complete transformation.