Week 5: The Dead Church

Revelation 3:1–6 NKJV

1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

....OPEN IN PRAYER....

SIGNS YOU MIGHT BE IN A DEAD CHURCH.....

IF YOU THINK ABRAHAM, ISSAC, AND JACOB HAD A FEW HITS IN THE SEVENTIES

IF YOUR FAVORITE OLD TESTAMENT PATRIARCH IS…HERCULES

IF YOUR CHURCH SHOUTS BINGO MORE THAN IT DOES AMEN

IF YOUR PASTOR DOESN’T WANT TO BE THERE ANYMORE THAN YOU DO

THERE WAS A WOMAN WHO GOT UP EARLY ON SUNDAY TO GO TO CHURCH....

SHE WENT TO WAKE UP HER HUSBAND FOR CHURCH

AND HE STATED…NO I DON’T WANT TO GO THIS MORNING

SHE SAID..COME ON HONEY WE NEED TO GO TO CHURCH

HE SAID....NO!

I DON’T LIKE THEM AND THEY DON’T LIKE ME....

SHE SAID LISTEN…YOU ARE 45 YEARS OLD AND YOUR THE PASTOR

YOUR GOING TO CHURCH

THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO GATHERED AT THE LOCAL PIZZA PLACE AFTER CHURCH ON SUNDAYS....

AND ON THIS PARTICULAR EVENING....

THE LOCAL PENTECOSTAL CHURCH

AND A METHODIST CHURCH WERE DINING IN....

AND THE METHODIST PASTOR LEANED OVER TO THE PENTECOSTAL PASTOR AND SAID....

I HATE TO TELL YOU THIS BUT WE ARE GONNA BE THE FIRST TO GO IN THE RAPTURE...

AND THE PENTECOSTAL PASTOR SAID…HOW DO YOU FIGURE THAT?

AND HE SAID WELL…THE BIBLE SAYS....THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST......LOL

—————————————————————————-

THE DEAD CHURCH IS THE CHURCH THAT JESUS IS DEALING WITH HERE IN THIS PASSAGE.

IT’S THE CHURCH AT SARDIS

SARDIS IS APPROX. 30 MILES SOUTH OF THYATIRA

I HAVE HEARD THE CHURCH OF SARDIS REFERRED TO AS...

SAMSON’S CHURCH

IN THE OLD TESTAMENT GOD RAISED UP JUDGES DURING A PERIOD OF TIME...

THAT WOULD HELP BRING DELIVERANCE TO HIS PEOPLE

ONE OF THE JUDGES NAMES WAS.....SAMSON

SAMSON WAS A MIGHTY MAN....

WHEN YOU SEE IMAGES OF HIM DEPICTED

IT IS ALWAYS THIS BIG BURLY LOOKING GUY

BIGGER AND STRONGER THAN EVERYONE ELSE

IN FACT, THE BIBLE SAYS…HE COULD PULL THE GATES OF GAZA OF THEIR HINGES AND CARRY THEM ON HIS SHOULDERS

HE KILLED THOUSANDS OF MEN WITH A JAWBONE OF A DONKEY

SAMSON WAS A MAN’S MAN

SAMSON WAS JUST A NORMAL GUY LIKE YOU AND ME

AND HE DID SUPERNATURAL THINGS THROUGH THE SPIRIT OF MIGHT THAT WAS ON HIS LIFE

SAMSON WAS A JUDGE BUT.....

HE HAD FALLEN PREY TO THE SEDUCTION OF A WOMAN

HER NAME WAS DELILAH

ISN’T THE CORRELATION INTERESTING HOW THE JUDGES, PRIEST, AND PASTORS OF TODAY ARE BEING SEDUCED BY THE CALL OF THE WORLD

THE DELILAH’S OF THE WORLD

TO LAY THEIR HEAD IN COMFORT AND IN EASE IN THE LAP OF DELILAH

AND DELILAH SEDUCED HIM UNTIL SHE FOUND THE SOURCE OF HIS POWER

LONG STORY SHORT...

SAMSON TOLD HER.....IF YOU CUT MY HAIR

I WILL LOSE THE SOURCE OF MY POWER

HIS HAIR WAS A SYMBOL OF THE COVENANT AGREEMENT THAT HE HAD BETWEEN HIM AND GOD

YOU KNOW THE STORY....DELILAH WOULD TRY TO GET HIM TO GIVE UP HIS POWER OVER AND OVER AGAIN

BUT EACH TIME SHE CALLED IN THE SOLDIERS TO TELL THEM....

THEY WOULD BIND HIM AND HE WOULD STAND UP AND BREAK FREE OF THOSE BONDAGES EACH TIME

THEN....THE LAST TIME WHEN SAMSON GAVE IN TO DELILAH AND GAVE UP HIS SOURCE OF STRENGTH..

THE BIBLE SAYS THIS....

Judges 16:20 NKJV

20 And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.

CHURCH....

THOSE ARE FRIGHTENING WORDS

IT SAYS THAT “SAMSON DID NOT KNOW THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD HAD DEPARTED FROM HIM”

UNDERSTAND THIS...

YOU CAN BE A BELIEVER

YOU CAN BE A CHRISTIAN

YOU CAN LOVE GOD AND WORSHIP GOD

YOU CAN ATTEND CHURCH

AND DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN BE IN A PLACE IN YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE WHERE.....

YOU KNOW NOT THAT THE SPIRIT HAS DEPARTED FROM YOU

LISTEN TO ME.....

THE HEART IS DECEITFULLY WICKED ABOVE ALL THINGS

YOUR HEART WILL DECEIVE YOU

YOUR MIND WILL TRY TO MAKE EXCUSES FOR YOU

OH COME ON SOMEBODY.....YOU KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT

HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO FAST BEFORE?

YOUR MIND WILL COME UP WITH ALL KINDS OF REASON WHY YOU SHOULD GIVE IN

WHY IT’S OK

HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO BREAK AN ADDICTION?

YOU MIND GIVES YOU ALL KINDS OF REASONS AND EXCUSES WHY YOU SHOULD GIVE IN

WHY IT’S OK

WHEN YOU ENTER INTO CARNALITY IN YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE

YOU SETUP A FORTIFIED DEFFENSE AROUND YOU

WHY IT’S OK.....WHY THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH DOING THINGS THAT WAY

OH COME ON SOMEBODY.....THE HEART IS WICKED AND DECEITFUL

WHERE IS OUR LIFE…IN THE BODY OF CHRIST?

WHERE IS OUR VITALITY

I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT ENERGY

I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT INSPIRATION

WE TOO OFTEN CONFUSE INSPIRATION WITH REVELATION

I’M TALKING ABOUT LIFE THAT IS SO VIGOROUS AND BOLD

THAT IT WILL STAND AGAINST THE DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD

WITHOUT FEAR OF CENSORSHIP, WITHOUT FEAR OF HATRED

I’M TALKING ABOUT....YOU ARE SO ALIVE THAT....

YOU CAN’T HELP BUT MAKE SOME NOISE IN THE PRESENCE OF DARKNESS

IN THE LAST FEW YEARS SOCIAL MEDIA HAS GOTTEN WORSE AT .....

PULLING PEOPLES MESSAGES

AND PULLING PEOPLES PROFILES

I’VE HEARD CHRISTIANS TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN’T POST CERTAIN THINGS BECAUSE IT WILL GET DELETED

DON’T YOU LET THE WORLD DICTATE YOUR EFFORT TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL

YOU JUST KEEP FINDING LOOPHOLES

DON’T YOU LET THE WORLD PUSH YOU TO GIVE UP TRYING TO SHARE JESUS AND THE GOSPEL TRUTH WITH THE WORLD

JUST FIND ANOTHER WAY...

OH MY LORD....I WISH SOMEONE WOULD HELP ME THIS MORNING.

THE CHURCH AT SARDIS IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF....

A CHURCH THAT IS INOFFESIVE

A CHURCH THAT GETS ALONG WITH IT’S CULTURE

HERE IS THE STARTLING TRUTH ABOUT THE CHURCH AT SARDIS

THIS IS WHAT MAKES THEM DIFFERENT THAN ALL OTHER CHURCHES

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS....

THEY HAD NO PERSECUTION

I JUST WANT TO LET THAT SINK IN

AND THEY THOUGHT THAT THEIR FAVOR WITH THE GOVERNMENT...

WAS A SIGN OF GOD’S FAVOR

BUT GOD SAID.....NO!

IT’S BECAUSE YOUR....DEAD

AND THE WORLD ALWAYS GETS ALONG WITH A DEAD CHURCH

IT’S THAT INTERESTING

NO PERSECUTION

NO DOCTRINE OF BALAAM

NO BAAL WORSHIP

THERE IS NO JEZEBEL IN THIS CHURCH

LISTEN TO ME....

THE DEVIL HAS NO INTEREST IN ATTACKING

A DEAD CHURCH

A DEAD PASTOR

OR A DEAD CHRISTIAN

IF YOU HAVE RECENTLY BEEN ATTACKED BY THE ENEMY

THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH FOR YOU TO RAISE A HAND AND SAY...

HALLELUJAH

THIS MUST MEAN I AM A THREAT TO THE ADVERSARY

NO JEZEBEL

NO NICOLAITANS

NO FALSE DOCTRINE

ALL THEY HAD WAS THERE OWN LETHARGIC SELVES

IT’S INTERESTING WHEN WE GET TO THE CHURCH OF SARDIS

OUT OF ALL THE CHURCHES WE HAVE LOOKED AT

HE HAS HAD A COMMENDATION

AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR EVERY SINGLE CHURCH

HE EVEN HAD A COMMENDATION FOR JEZEBELS CHURCH

HE HAD A COMMENDATION FOR THE CHURCH AT PERGAMUM....WHERE SATAN’S THRONE IS

HE STILL HAD GOOD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THEM

THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS....THE LOVELESS CHURCH

THEY LEFT THEIR FIRST LOVE

THEY DIDN’T LOSE THEIR FIRST LOVE

THEY LEFT IT...

MEANING THEY WALKED AWAY FROM THEIR FIRST LOVE

AND HE STILL HAD A WORD OF COMMENDATION FOR THEM

WE GET TO THE CHURCH AT SARDIS

THEY HAVE NO BALAAM

THEY HAVE NO FALSE DOCTRINE

THEIR SERVING IN THE COMMUNITY

THEIR COMMUNITY LOVES THEM

THEY ARE DOING A GREAT JOB REACHING PEOPLE IN THE WORLD

AND HE HAS NOTHING GOOD TO SAY ABOUT THIS CHURCH

THIS IS THE FIRST CHURCH WHERE HE HAS NOTHING GOOD TO SAY TO THEM

IT’S THE PERFECT MODEL OF THE INOFFENSIVE CHURCH

THEY WERE LIKE SAMSON....

THEY DID NOT KNOW THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD DEPARTED FROM THEM

SARDIS SPEAKS OF THOSE IN MARK CHAPTER 4

Mark 4:16–17 NKJV

16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.

NOT FOR ANY OBVIOUS REASON

WHEN WE SEE SOMEONE WITH UNFORGIVENESS OR SOMEONE WHO COMMITS ADULTERY OR LIES…OR WHATEVER SIN

WE TEND TO SAY…”IF YOUR NOT CAREFUL YOU’LL BACKSLIDE

YOU COMMITTED ADULTERY, NOW YOUR BACKSLIDEN

LISTEN TO ME…ADULTERY IS NOT BACKSLIDING

IT’S THE FRUIT OF BACKSLIDING

ADULTERY STARTS SOMEWHERE ELSE

WHERE ALL BACKSLIDING STARTS

IT THE LACK OF PRAYER AND DEVOTION

IT’S THE LACK OF TIME IN YOUR WORD

THE SADDEST PEOPLE ON THE PLANET TODAY

ARE NOT THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR FAMILY

YES THAT IS A VERY SAD THING INDEED

BUT THE SADDEST PEOPLE TODAY ARE THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THE HOLY SPIRIT AND DON’T EVEN KNOW HE IS GONE.

WE’LL PASTOR CHRIST HOW DO I KNOW IF THIS IS ME?

WELL…DO YOU DESIRE TO HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOUR LIFE?

IF YOU HAVE THE DESIRE

IT’S PROBABLY THE HOLY SPIRIT DRAWING YOU

ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS...

WE HAVE ELIMINATED CONVICTION FROM THE BODY OF CHRIST

YOU SHOULDN’T FEEL BAD OR GUILTY OR SHAME

FEELING GUILTY OR SHAMEFUL FOR LIVING A LIFE OF SIN

IS CONVICTION

IT’S THE HOLY SPIRIT DRAWING YOU TO GOD

NOW.....IF YOU GIVE YOUR LIFE TO GOD AND CONFESS AND REPENT OF YOUR SINS

AND YOU STILL FEEL LESS THAN OR SHAMEFUL BECAUSE OF THE LIFE YOU USE TO LIVE

THAT IS WHERE GOD SAYS....

Romans 5:5 NIV

5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

THE SHAME WE CONTINUE TO FEEL IS THE WORK OF THE ENEMY

TRYING TO GET YOU TO THINK THAT YOU’LL NEVER BE GOOD ENOUGH

THE DEVIL WANTS YOU BACK

OH COME ON SOMEBODY....

I READ THIS, THIS PAST WEEK...

THE LANGUAGE OF REVIVAL IS NOT ENCOURAGEMENT

HISTORICALLY THE LANGUAGE OF REVIVAL HAS BEEN REBUKE

DESPERATION

DESTITUTION

THE LANGUAGE OF REVIVAL IS REPENTANCE

THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF BEING DEAD

THE CHURCH AT SARDIS NEEDS...

REVIVAL

OTHER CHURCHES NEEDED SOME ENCOURAGEMENT

SARDIS NEEDED REVIVAL

THEY WERE DEAD

HOW DO WE KNOW IF A CHURCH IS ALIVE OR DEAD???

WORSHIP?

NO! MUSIC SPEAKS TO THE SOUL

YOU CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT A WORSHIP SERVICE AND IT NOT BE ANOINTED AT ALL

IT CAN MIMIC SPIRITUAL THINGS

SOULICAL THINGS ARE SO CLOSELY ATTACHED TO SPIRITUAL THINGS

THEY CAN MIMIC SPIRITUAL THINGS

LET ME GIVE YOU A FEW TRAITS OF SOMETHING THAT IS ALIVE....

ANYTHING THAT IS ALIVE, HAS APPETITE

FIRST THING THAT BABY WANTS WHEN IT’S BORN IS WHAT???

SOMETHING TO EAT

ARE YOU SPIRITUALLY ALIVE?

DO YOU HAVE A SPIRITUAL HUNGER

A SPIRITUAL DESIRE

THE MORE YOU LOSE THAT APPETITE THE CLOSER AND CLOSER YOU GET TO DEATH

2. ANYTHING ALIVE HAS GROWTH

ARE YOU THE SAME CHRISTIAN YOU WERE 3 WEEKS AGO?

1 YEAR AGO?

OR HAVE YOU GROWN

IF NOT, MAYBE YOUR ENTERING INTO LETHARGY

3. ANYTHING ALIVE HAS REPRODUCTION

ANYTHING ALIVE HAS A DESIRE TO REPRODUCE

ARE YOU MULTIPLYING YOURSELF

ARE YOU IMPARTING WHAT YOU HAVE RECIEVED INTO SOMEONE ELSES LIFE?

IF NOT, YOU ARE TEETERING ON THE EDGE OF DEATH

LOOK AT THIS SCRIPTURE....

Matthew 23:27 NKJV

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

THIS IS THE PICTURE OF THE CHURCH AT SARDIS....

ARE YOU ALIVE OR ARE YOU A PHARISEE

A PHARISEE IS SOMEONE WHO CANNOT RECEIVE INSTRUCTION

THEY CANNOT RECEIVE REBUKE

A PHARISEE IS SOMEONE WHO LOOKS GOOD ON SUNDAY BUT ACTS DIFFERENT ON MONDAY

THEY WANT TO PRAY SO THAT EVERYONE CAN HEAR THEM

BUT WON’T PRAY WHEN NO ONE CAN HEAR THEM

LOOKING GOOD ON THE OUTSIDE

BUT YOUR DEAD ON THE INSIDE

HERE ARE 5 WAYS TO GET ESCAPE DEATH (LETHARGY)

WAKE UP

JESUS SAID “WAKE UP AND BE WATCHFUL”

700 YEARS BEFORE SARDIS RECEIVED THIS LETTER

SIRIS WAS CONQUERING ALL OVER THE LAND

AND THE KING OF SARDIS WANTED TO GO OUT AFTER SIRIS AND OVERCOME THE PERSIAN ARMY

THE CITY OF SARDIS WAS THE MOST FORTIFIED IMPENETRABLE CITY IN THE WORLD

THE CITY SAT ON A MOUNTAIN TOP 1500 FEET IN THE AIR

3 SIDES OF IT WAS 1500 FEET STRAIGHT DOWN

NO MAN COULD GO OVER THE WALLS

IT HAD ONE ENTRANCE COMING IN TO IT

THIS ENTRANCE WAS SO NARROW THAT A FEW MEN COULD DEFEND THOUSANDS

THEY WERE SO PROUD OF HOW DEFENDABLE THEIR CITY WAS THAT

THEY WENT OUT TO ATTACK THE PERSIAN ARMY

AND THEY GOT THEIR REAR ENDS WHIPPED

AND THEY LEFT AND RAN TO THE SECLUSION OF THEIR CITY

THINKING... “THERE IS NO WAY ANYONE CAN EVER GET TO US HERE”

SO…SIRIS SAYS “I GOT A REWARD FOR ANYONE WHO FIGURES OUT A WAY INTO THAT CITY

SO HE POSTED WATCHERS ALL OVER THE PLACE

AND AS THEY WERE WATCHING....

THEY SAW, THE HELMET OF ONE OF THE SARDIAN SOLDIERS FELL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM

AND TO THEIR SURPRISE, THEY WATCHED THAT SOLDIER CLIMB DOWN A CRACK IN THE FOUNDATION ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM

GOT HIS HELMET AND CLIMBED BACK UP

SO THAT NIGHT A COUPLE OF THE ENEMY SOLDIERS TRIED IT

AND THEY WERE SHOCKED THAT 3 SIDES OF THE CITY HAD NO WATCHMEN

3 SIDES OF THE CITY WERE UNGUARDED

THEY WERE SO CONFIDENT THAT THERE WAS NO WAY ANYONE WOULD EVER BE ABLE TO SCALE THOSE WALLS

AND THE STORY GOES THAT…THE ENEMY GOT IN WITH NO GUARDS, NOBODY TO SEE THEM

OPENED THE DOORS AND THE PERSIAN ARMY TOOK OVER THE CITY WITHOUT A BATTLE AT ALL

THIS IS THE CITY JESUS IT TALKING TO

CENTURIES LATER…HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF

THE SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED AGAIN

AT LEAST 3 TIMES WAS THIS CITY OVERCAME AND CONQUERED

THEY WOULDN’T PUT A WATCH ON THE WALL

THEY WERE SO CONFIDENT IN THE PAST HISTORY OF SUCCESS

THAT THE ENEMY WAS ALWAYS LEFT WITH A WAY IN

SOME OF YOU HAVE A SPIRITUAL CRACK IN YOUR FOUNDATION

AND THE FACT THAT YOUR DEAD

AND UNAWARE IS DEFEAT OF THE ENEMY WAITING TO HAPPEN

HE IS SAYING…WAKE UP CHURCH

YOUR DYING AND YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW IT

HE SAID WATCH OR I WILL COME ON YOU LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT

THE BIBLE SAYS

1 Corinthians 10:12 NKJV

12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

2. STRENGTHEN WHAT REMAINS

DON’T GO AFTER WHATS DEAD AND GONE

STRENGTHEN WHAT REMAINS

3. REMEMBER WHAT YOU RECEIVED AND WHAT YOU HEARD

REMEMBER THE PROMISES

HOLD FAST AND REPENT

SOUNDS SIMILAR TO THE EDIFICATION HE GAVE AT EPHESUS

GO BACK AND DO THE FIRST WORKS

4. OBEY

BUT PASTOR WHAT IF I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO

DO WHAT YOU KNOW TO DO

WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO

DO WHAT YOU KNOW TO DO

GO BACK TO THE FOUNDATIONS AND DO THOSE THINGS

5. REPENT

Revelation 3:5 NKJV

5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

JUST AS THE HUMAN BODY WITHOUT THE SPIRIT IS DEAD

THE CHURCH WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS DEAD ALSO

CHURCHES TODAY ARE SO AFRAID OF THE MANIFESTATIONS, AND THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

BUT I’M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT IF A CHURCH DOES NOT HAVE THE GIFTS AND WORKINGS OR MANIFESTATIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVEN IN SCRIPTURES

I WOULD PRESUME THEM A DEAD CHURCH

LISTEN TO ME CHURCH...

IF THE MANIFESTATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A THREAT TO YOUR SUCCESS

THEN YOU ARE ALREADY A FAILURE

WE NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES EVERYDAY

JUST AS MUCH AS WE NEED IT IN THE BODY OF CHRIST

THE HOLY SPIRIT KEEPS US ALIVE

............WORSHIP TEAM COME............

WHAT IS THE ANTIDOTE TO A DEAD CHURCH??

Revelation 3:1 (NKJV)

1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,

‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

THIS IS NOT THE ONLY PLACE THIS IS MENTIONED

THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD

SEVEN IS THE NUMBER OF FULLNESS

DIVINE COMPLETION

IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION WE HAVE...

7 CHURCHES

7 SEALS

7 THUNDERS

7 VIALS

7 PLAGUES

7 TRUMPETS

AND 7 SPIRITS OF GOD

BLESSING COMES FROM THE FATHER

THROUGH THE SON

BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

FOUND IN THE BOOK ISAIAH IS THE 7 WORKINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD

The Spirit of the Lord

Wisdom

Understanding

Counsel

Might

Knowledge

The Fear of the Lord

THESE ARE 7 MANIFESTATIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

SARDIS CARRIED ON AS A CHURCH...

WITHOUT THE AID OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

THE WORLD AND COMMUNITY LOVED THEM FOR IT

THE ENEMY LEFT THEM ALONE BECAUSE OF IT

BUT JESUS WOULD HAVE NONE OF IT

LORD HELP US......

HELP US TO NOT BECOME LAZY AND COMFORTABLE

LORD WAKE US UP FROM OUR SLUMBER

I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU CHURCH

BUT I FEAR THAT WE BECOME SO ENGAGED WITH THE BUSYNESS OF LIFE

THAT WE OFTEN SPEND DAYS DISENGAGED SPIRITUALLY

I DON’T WANT TO BE A CHURCH THAT PEOPLE ENJOY COMING TO JUST BECAUSE OF THE EVENTS WE HAVE

I DON’T PEOPLE TO JUST COME TO OUR CHURCH BECAUSE OF OUR GOOD MUSIC

OR THE SONGS THAT WE SING

I DON’T WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO THIS CHURCH JUST BECAUSE WE TICKLE THEIR EARS WITH SERMONS THEY WANT TO HEAR

I WANT TO BE A CHURCH PEOPLE COME TO BECAUSE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ALIVE AND ACTIVE

I WANT PEOPLE TO COME BECAUSE THE PRESENCE OF GOD IS HERE

I WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO CHURCH HERE BECAUSE THE ARE HUNGRY FOR REVIVAL

AND THEY COME BECAUSE THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS ALIVE AND IS MANIFESTING ACCORDING TO HIS WORD

CHURCH.....WE GOTTA WAKE UP

WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY BE STIRRING OURSELVES

CONSTANTLY CHECKING OUR SPIRITUAL BAROMETER

CONSTANTLY BE CHALLENGING OURSELVES TO GROW IN HIS WORD

TO GROW IN OUR WORSHIP TOWARD HIM

TO GROW IN OUR WITNESS TO OTHERS

THAT IS THE KIND OF CHURCH I WANNA BE

....STAND TO YOUR FEET.....