SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES
(1 Corinthians 1:10-11) (10) “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” (11) “For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.”
(Ephesians 4:1-3) (1) “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,” (2) “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;” (3) “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (4) “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;”
PREFACE SUMMARY
The church was born in power, and we are each chosen by God to fill the right place in the body of Christ. No one can do what you have been called to do and purposed to do in the kingdom of God. You are not here by chance because God had a divine plan for you even before creation.
God desires you to be active in the body of Christ, fully embracing and fulfilling the unique calling He has placed upon your life. He desires that you appreciate and embrace this calling because it is essential to your identity and impact on the world.
One problem in today's society is that some have developed pride and fallen into the devil's deception that they can isolate themselves from the body and build their kingdom, going so far as to call themselves "God's man or woman of the hour."
What’s wrong with this dangerous mindset is that it isolates them from their covering and leads people to associate their gifts with the person rather than giving worship and praise where it belongs.
If there is one thing that I have learned in my Christian life, it is that people are essential to God, and he does not want us living in bondage but in the power and victory of the cross.
Through the pages of church history, we discover that God has allowed His Holy Spirit to empower men and women of God in mighty demonstrations of His power, causing medical science to reconsider the power of prayer.
These powerful men and women of God allowed the Lord to use them to leave His signature through them to future generations, including us today, and it's exciting to read the testimonies of eyewitnesses who lived through these mighty outpourings of God’s Spirit.
The lives lived by these Saints are treasured maps that lead to treasures buried in remote, hidden places, waiting for someone to find them and claim them.
Our prayer should be for God to send a mighty Earth-shaking revival, one where His holiness will unmask the pretense that we witness in some churches today of what people call worship when, in reality, it is nothing more than a show of worked-up flesh full of pride and deceit.
I ask that you prayerfully go with me through this message, with an open mind, as I share what God has been revealing to me about the need for revival and what the enemy is doing to hinder it.
“GOD HATES A PROUD LOOK”
The enemy wants us divided and living in bondage to sin, which means being under its control, unable to break free from its influence. We must never give the devil an inch in our lives, for if we do, he will become our ruler, luring us to take the bait dangling in front of us like an angler trying to catch a fish.
He knows how to make it look appealing, but remember, if we do take the bait, it will have consequences and place us in bondage not only to him but to ourselves, causing us to sink deeper and deeper into mental depression.
It is time to come clean before God and ourselves and realize we are in a colossal war between good and evil, which is attempting to snare us into its malicious web of lies, believing that man is good and if you change his environment, you can change the man but does, not the scriptures tell us that man's heart is desperately evil and did not one writer declare that in this flesh, there is no good thing?
Did you know that there are two dangerous sins of the flesh that can greatly obstruct the flow of God’s Spirit in our lives and ministries: Pride and Racism?
Pride often manifests as an inflated sense of self-importance, leading people to prioritize their desires and achievements above God and, yes, above others. This attitude can create barriers to humility, community, and genuine connection with those we serve.
Racism, on the other hand, creates division and encourages injustice by devaluing the worth of people based on their race or culture. It contradicts the essence of love and acceptance central to Christ's teachings.
Both Pride and Racism affect our relationship with God and undermine our ability to minister and reach out to others. Recognizing and addressing these sins is essential for a minister or ministry that should demonstrate the love and unity of the body of Christ. “Remember, we as His children are His hands and His feet on Earth.”
I want to take this moment to pose some vital questions concerning your Christian walk with God." These questions hold the answers that will greatly impact your life, both in the present and for eternity.
1. Did you have any control over the era in history in which you were born?
2. Did you have any say in determining your race, gender, or who your parents would be?
With these questions in mind, as Christians representing the body of Christ, we should refrain from seeing ourselves as better or superior to others, regardless of whether they are neighbors or come from different countries.
The Holy scriptures state that, “God hates a proud look,” and do they not also give us a solemn warning in Proverbs 16:18, that pride goeth before fall, and a haughty spirit before destruction?”
Pride can manifest in various ways, such as arrogance or an inflated sense of self-worth. These traits can lead us to prioritize our desires over others' and create barriers in our relationships.
Wikipedia Pride is an inwardly directed emotion with two antithetical meanings.
(1) Pride refers to a foolish and irrationally corrupt sense of one's value, status, or accomplishments.
(2) Pride refers to a sense of attachment toward one's or another's choices and actions or a whole group of people and is a product of praise, independent self-reflection, and a fulfilled feeling of belonging.
In my studies, I found that pride is considered the root of all evil in Judaism. Similarly, in the word of God, pride is regarded as the first and most severe of the seven deadly sins in Christianity.
Pride manifests powerfully in people who view themselves as more important than those around them. This arrogance blinds them to the serious risks associated with their behavior, including the inevitable spiritual consequences.
Embracing a selfish viewpoint can lead people down a dangerous path, leaving them unaware of the reality of facing God's righteous judgment. Therefore, understanding that true strength lies in humility and compassion for others is crucial. This aligns with the royal law, which instructs us to love one another as Christ has loved us. (John 13:34)
“THE STRATEGY TO DIVIDE AND CONQUER.”
When some people in Los Angeles were praying for a move of God, did you know that the Lord heard their prayer and directed an African American man named William Seymour, who wore a patch over one eye, to their residence very late at night?
During that era, African Americans were under a curfew and forbidden to be out at that time of night. Can you imagine how the people in the home felt when there was a knock at their door?
When they opened it, they found a black man with a patch over one eye. Can you envision their response when they asked what he wanted, only to hear him answer, "You have been praying for revival, and God directed me to come here?"
William J. Seymour, an African American preacher, led the Azusa Street Revival. This movement began with a meeting on April 9, 1906, and continued until roughly 1915.
Did you know that this move of God is recognized as the origin of the Pentecostal movement? It made history with reports of spiritual experiences and testimonies of physical healing miracles, worship services, and speaking in tongues.
The participants faced criticism from the secular media and Christian theologians for outrageous and unorthodox behaviors, especially at that time in history. Even today, historians view the Azusa Street Revival as the primary catalyst for the spread of Pentecostalism in the 20th century.
Did you know that near the end of this incredible outpouring of God’s Spirit, white people began to complain about whites and blacks worshiping together?
The persecution against this mighty move of God's Spirit grew so intense that soon, the Azusa Street mission was deserted by whites, evolving into a predominantly black church. Tragically, the flames of revival that once swept the world began to dim as racism once again stifled the flow of God’s Spirit.
How can we, as people who had no choice in when we would be born, what gender we would be, or even what race we would be, think that we, as fragile human beings dependent on Him for our very next breath, could believe that we or our race are superior to another?
The Word of God tells us we are not ignorant of our enemy's devices. His most efficient strategy is to divide and conquer, affirming the old saying, “United we stand, divided we fall.”
The late A. A. Allen and my Apostle, Don Stewart, whom he mentored, faced protests and legal challenges for having mixed-race groups in their services. Still, let me close with an illustration that sheds light on why this strategy is employed today in our nations, creating fear and dividing people.
Did you know that a hungry lion stalks a herd for days, looking for a weak member? When the time is right, the lion charges the herd, going after the strong to confuse them, but he has his eye on the weak one all along. After scattering the herd, the lion leaves the strong and circles back to attack the weak, claiming an easy meal.
The truth is, “We are better together, and there is strength in numbers.” We who love Christ must unite in harmony, recognizing that we are brothers and sisters in Christ.
According to God’s Holy Word, when we stand united, we become ten times stronger than our enemy, speaking forth the Word in faith and declaring that we are more than conquerors through Christ.
"DO NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT."
Matthew 16:18 states that the Lord will build his church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. This means that Christ, the head of the church, will build his church on top of the false, the hurting, the broken dreams, and broken hearts, including divorce and worldly views. The true church of Jesus Christ is not and will not be a weak church.
How can people sit comfortably in some churches today and feel comfortable in their sins? Have church leaders and Christians forgotten why they were saved?"
(Ephesians 4:30) "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."
(Isaiah 63:10) "But they rebelled, and vexed His Holy Spirit: therefore He was turned to be their enemy, and He fought against them."
To understand what it means to grieve the Holy Spirit, we must first recognize that this indicates the Spirit possesses a personality. Since the Spirit of God is a person, we know that only a person can be grieved.
Can you reflect on your life and agree with me that there have been times when you have been grieved because of someone you trusted betraying your trust?
We grieve the Holy Spirit when we live like the world. Christians are to influence the world and culture, not allow the world to affect or influence us.
Did you know that grieving the Holy Spirit refers to responding to a situation in a sinful manner? This can occur in various ways, including harboring inappropriate thoughts or engaging in wrongful actions. When we allow our emotions or desires to lead us away from righteousness, we not only stray from Christ’s teachings but also create a barrier in our relationship with the Holy Spirit.
Quenching and grieving the Holy Spirit have similar effects.
(1) They both hinder a godly lifestyle
(2) They both happen when a believer follows their worldly desires.
"THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GOLDEN SCEPTER."
(Esther 5:2) "And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter in his hand. A scepter was an ornate staff carried by a king or queen, used on special occasions to symbolize their sovereignty. So Esther drew near and touched the top of the scepter."
The King extending the Golden Scepter to Esther gives us a view of God raising Jesus as that Golden Scepter welcomes us, the redeemed of the Lord, into his presence and fellowship.
Before we get into the meaning of the golden scepter and its spiritual significance to us, let me again point out the sin that God hates, but which He declares an abomination.
Proverbs 6:16 describes this sin as someone who sows discord among fellow believers, opening the door for the enemy to disrupt the harmony and unity of a church body.
Those who sow discord among other believers not only threaten the unity essential to a thriving faith community but also provoke a fierce response from God.
May I ask you some fundamental questions that can illuminate this entire message about just how dangerous sin is to the believer? What about the scripture found in Proverbs 6:27, "Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?"
(1) What happens when God turns his back on a person guilty of the seventh sin that Proverbs 6:19 declares to be an abomination in the eyes of God?
(2) What causes a person to burn up on the inside and never catch anything on fire, such as burning through a chair in their home without seeing the house on fire or walking down the street, and suddenly, something happens in their body, and they begin to burn on the inside?
Think about it: spontaneous combustion happens when something is so close together, like wooden poles stacked on top of one another or clothing so closely packed together that air cannot get between the clothes.
What about hay or straw in a closed place, and without warning, the heat is so hot that it starts to produce smoke, which can lead to a fire?
Just like the soldiers covering wicked Haman, who no longer was worthy of being in the presence of the king, there are and have been instances of people who, with no reason, catch on fire with their internal organs becoming the fuel that feeds the fire till they are consumed.
This should give us a wake-up call to reverence and respect almighty God as the standard for all things, because all creation, both seen and unseen, depends on Him to sustain it.
"THE JEZEBEL SPIRIT EXPOSED."
Is it not true that sometimes in life, we encounter some difficult times, causing us to get upset with those who caused our problems, or we may even get angry with ourselves, questioning if God truly loves us, especially if we witness or encounter those who love to sow discord among the brethren, but what about those leaders who do not have enough discernment to know when the enemy will come in operating in a Jezebel spirit which identified would be, "I will get it for you and you will not have to pay the price that others paid to get it?"
Asaph, one of the worship leaders for Israel, questioned God about why the ones who do evil seem to prosper. However, beloved, he changed his mind about the prosperity of the wicked after receiving a revelation from God that they would come to an unexpected end. (Psalms 73:1-20)
Did you not know that a person operating in a Jezebel spirit will come in and be faithful in the church, attempting to be known among the members, even going so far as to visit with them in their homes, but the entire time they have an agenda, and it will not take long for their true colors to be exposed?
After making friends and visiting with different families in the church, they will begin to spread gossip, such as telling a family that they are staying with that one of the other families had said some bad things about them,
which when the next time that they are in service together, they will be acting strange toward the family that was supposed to have said bad things about them. Still, that innocent family will not even know why they are starting to distance themselves from them.
Did you know that after starting trouble in the church, when the pastoral leadership wonders what is happening, those operating in the Jezebel spirit will attempt to convince the church that the pastor is the problem and that they need to ditch the pastor and put them in their place?
If the church leaders give in to them and decide to get rid of their pastor and vote them in, the demons controlling these evil people operating in a Jezebel spirit will cause problems for anyone who attempts to get them out of office; thus, a once thriving church will now be left to its demise.
It's so sad that many churches today will fall for anything, including witches who will come in and join their church, and the leadership does not have enough discernment to know the difference.
These evil people will go in as faithful members to gain the trust of pastors who are so overworked and who, without spending time in solitude with God, will vote them into church positions and do not know that they just voted demon-led people into office until it is too late.
I cannot help but think of the movie The Lion King, in which the uncle allows the Hyenas to come in and ravage their food supply, thus upsetting the balance of nature and causing hunger until the natural son of the Lion King defeats him and takes back leadership, gaining the trust of the kingdom.
God states in his word that the sinner cannot sit in the congregation of the righteous, and did He not say, if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and the ungodly appear?
"Those who preach the gospel of Jesus Christ must be sensitive to the timing of the Lord and have their spiritual ears tuned to what the Lord is saying by maintaining a disciplined prayer life, including a set time to be alone in solitude with God."
"THE DOVE IS A SYMBOL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT."
The Holy Spirit is often depicted as a dove, symbolizing purity. The dove is often depicted carrying an olive branch as a symbol of peace and purity.
The symbol of a dove appears in the book of Luke, which describes the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus during his baptism by the Apostle John. (Luke 3:22) "And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in whom I am well pleased."
I remember one time, as a young preacher, helping my mentor in a revival. When I walked behind the pulpit to bring forth the word, it felt like two big, strong hands pushed me back, and in my spirit, I could hear a loud voice saying, "Draw the Line."
I found out three years later from the pastor's daughter that during that revival, some of the people were slipping out of the service to engage in sexual acts in the cars that were parked in the parking lot of the church.
Back when I was a young boy, I heard some of the elders speak about it not being unusual for pastors to stop a revival to bury some deacons who were hindering God's move, who were mixing and dabbling in sin, declaring themselves to be in control of the affairs of the church.
We are living in dangerous times, and we cannot afford to take the chance of stepping into wanting the best of both worlds by getting mixed up in church quarrels or even being mixed up with church elders who would look down on another race as if they are superior to them.
Angels keep records of why we do what we do, including the motive behind our actions and decisions. God declares plainly throughout His word that you will become his enemy if you insult His Holy Spirit.
Who can hide from God? What about the time we read about in scripture where the people questioned the right for Moses to lead them, and the Lord God caused the Earth to open up and swallow over one hundred and twenty thousand people, which means that these people went to hell screaming until they ran out of oxygen to breathe.
The problem today is that people do not fear the Lord God, who declared in His word that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, who cannot only destroy the body but also cast the person's soul into hell, where the flame is not quenched, and the worm does not die or "dieth" not!
MY CONCLUSION
This world desperately needs a move of God's Spirit to bring correction and a reverential fear upon us. One so powerful that it will cause us to put aside our differences and come together in unity of the faith, for in (Psalms 133) God speaks volumes concerning the need for unity among believers.
(Psalms 133) "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments. As the dew of Herman, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. A-Men
Until we can see people the way God sees them and realize that if they miss Heaven, they will be part of God that he can never get back, we will miss the chance to experience the fires of a life-changing revival, where lives can be changed for eternity.
Let us take our lives seriously and treat all men with love, respect, and honor. I assure you, beloved, that this mindset will get God’s attention, causing him to send the dove into our lives and ministries.
As we follow God's promises, Heaven will intervene, sending angel armies to assist us in the final battle against the kingdom of darkness, uniting chosen vessels in alignment with His Holy Spirit to bring about a life-changing revival that will usher millions into the family of God.
Lord, we ask that you use this message to awaken our spirits and bring us together as a united body of believers working in unity and harmony to bring about a move of God that will deliver and heal nations worldwide. We pray for these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
International Evangelist
Jerry W. Hulse, Ph.D.
Miracle Life Church International
