Like millions around the world, we have been on self imposed and legal lock-downs for a while now.

A couple of things we have noticed — we have all noticed — are the huge changes in both the spiritual and physical environments around us. The LORD’s presence and the accompanying silence (no vehicles around) are palpable and almost tangible.

We mentioned these changes we all feel — internally and externally — to an overseas Christian brother with whom we were ministering via WhatsApp last night.

We also mentioned that if we ourselves, as individuals, are feeling these changes, what ought the Church and the whole country to be feeling, in the corporate?

And how will they react when it all goes back to normal?

If we are feeling so changed after so short a time, how ought the Church, the country and indeed the whole world be changed, and what are we going to do about it, as a Church, as The Body of Christ?

And how ought they to react when it all goes back to normal?

Just after midnight we ended the conversation, but then during the night The LORD kept pressing me to remind me that action was needed, yeah, expected!

When I woke this morning and started to prepare an article for HKP publication, The LORD gave me a clear follow up from the conversation of the night before.

For in the Word I was preparing, He said, “What were the apostles and disciples doing in the upper room? They weren’t just waiting, doing nothing. They were ministering unto ME!”**

What The LORD was ministering to us the night before, was that during this worldwide lock-down of His Church, we are not to sit idly by, but to prepare for the inflow of seekers who WILL come immediately they are free to do so.

The LORD was saying that is not good enough for the Church to sit and wait for the unchurched to find the Church, but that the Church must set aside all else and evangelize their communities, towns and cities. They MUST be pro-active!

He reminded us that in the days of the 9/11 NYC tragedy, American Churches across the land were full to capacity. Yet a couple of months later they were empty again.

For the Church leaders it had been business as usual… and no special emphasis was placed on saving these souls…. and no real repentance was offered.

The LORD said that this must NOT be repeated again this time!

This time, the Churches must ditch their prepared sermons and programs and focus on a harvest of souls — worldwide — the likes and opportunity of which has not been seen before on earth.

The Brother with whom we were talking, said his Church comprised only really old folk, with an average age of 80+, and that they had no pastor — the ministry being shared among the willing.

Then The LORD explained that in this Church there was no one who needed to be moved out of the way to allow The Holy Spirit free reign. The traditions could be changed by the willing and the active.

The LORD shared with us to do whatever was needed to minister to those lost souls — including, for example, opening the Church every day to serve free coffee and tea, so the traumatized can come in to talk and be ministered to, then be saved.

The Churches must provide services specifically for the lost. Provide daily services. If necessary, provide two services each day, seven days per week, if needed.

Simply, The LORD wants His Church to provide whatever is needed for the harvest of souls before they are lost.

Pastors and Church leaders, The LORD said this is a time of preparation and it must not be wasted.

Thousands of the Churches around the world have been closed, so pastors and Church leaders, you have time to prepare to evangelize your community as it has never been evangelized before.

As soon as it is safe go out again onto the streets corners and to old folks homes and prisons and offices and schools… then go!

The LORD also made it clear for the Church to use ALL of its people resources and not get stuck on only using licensed ministers. The Holy Spirit empowers His chosen.

Do not stand on ceremony. Please instead, just empower The Holy Spirit and let Him have free reign of His Church to use whomever He wishes, for whatever He wishes.

This in outline is what The LORD ministered to and through us. As always, please take it to The LORD for confirmation and personal guidance. Time is short and the harvest is great.

“…..whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31b.

“Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.” Romans 12:4-5.

“Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”
“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us,” Mark 9:38-40.

“Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance,”” Luke 5:31.

** See HKP post: “Steady Yourselves” by Priscilla Van Sutphin.

 

~ Angus MacKillop

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