Awake Glorious Bride and Shake Off The Dust – Part Three

What Church Are You?

In Parts one and two of this series, I asked the question: What church are you? I am not asking you what denomination you may belong to. I am literally asking you about the person of You!

This is the same question I will ask throughout this series and by now, I hope you are asking yourself this question. We have identified The Dead Church and The Sleeping Church. If you have not seen those posts or listened to the podcasts, click on the links and you will be directed there. This post will identify The Sleep-walking Church.

I realize we may be sounding like a broken record at this point, but the purpose is intentional. As mentioned in the previous two parts, in over 20 years in ministry, it is a common theme among Christians to affiliate themselves with a Church building or a denomination, but rarely do we meet people that have taken the time to think about themselves as being “the church.” We hear, “You should come to my church.” or “At my church, we do this…” or “My church is best known for its worship music, drama” etc. Whatever the message may be, it’s rarely (if ever) about their person as being the church of Christ.

In this post series, we are sharing some scriptures about four specific types of churches and you may be surprised to find that none of them have anything to do with a building or denomination, but rather about the people themselves and where they are in their lives. As you read about these people groups (churches), you are encouraged to really take the time to do a self-examination about what church you believe you are.

In the Bible, Jesus addresses seven churches in the Book of Revelation and gives a very stern warning to them followed by a promise of salvation. Of the seven churches, the people He addresses fall into one of four categories.

1. The Dead Church

2. The Sleeping Church

3. The Sleep-walking Church

4. The Glorious Church

Scripture tells us that our loving Savior, Jesus Christ, is coming for His glorious church—a people clothed in the garments of righteousness. In His infinite grace, mankind has been given this soulish thing called ‘free will’. Along with this free will is an opportunity to do a self exam and make a decision as to what church we choose to become. If you find yourself as a partaker of the dead, sleeping, or sleep walking church, it’s a honest starting place. You get to make the decision to turn away (repent) from those mindsets and set your mind and heart on the goal of becoming the Glorious Church. God clearly states in His word that we can repent and reap the rewards. There is absolutely no condemnation for those who love Jesus and want to get on track with Him. It is only the lack of repentance that leads to the harsh reality that if we are not the Glorious Church, we will have missed it all together and we will fall into the category of “You called me Lord, Lord, but I never knew you.” and we will cry out all we want saying, “but Lord, we prophesied in your name, we cast out demons in your name” and He will say, “I never knew you.” Below is the scripture:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

However! Jesus did not stop there…He continued speaking:

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25)

Take note of Jesus’ words ‘whoever hears these sayings of Mine’ as we continue.

“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell and great was its fall.” (Matthew 7:26-27)

Jesus was making it known in the above scriptures that those who had been led astray by false teachings and false prophets would have a chance to repent and return to the sound doctrine. He warned the people to beware of the false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. As for the false prophets and teachers (Pharisees and scribes), as well as those who fell under their teachings/doctrines, if they did not repent, they would not be entering the kingdom of heaven.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” (Matthew 7:15-20)

The entire reason God (Yahweh) sent His Son, Jesus, to this earth when He did is because mankind had gotten to a point of total spiritual destruction as a result of not only their sins and idol worship, but the deception they were under from the scribes and pharisees who were responsible for teaching them the ways of Yahweh. God knew this would happen and in keeping a promise He made to Himself to not destroy the world again as in the days of Noah, He sent a deliverer, Jesus Christ, to restore Truth and reconcile us back to God from our fallen state. True repentance, however, was required. People had to make a decision to turn from the ways they had been taught under the bondage of deception and follow Jesus. It is the same exact for us today! Let’s now look at the third of four types of people groups (aka church):

THE SLEEP-WALKING CHURCH

To quickly recap the previous two people groups, we know from scripture that Jesus gives a stern warning to those of the Dead Church who have defiled their garments. These people still do outward works that make them feel as though they are alive and earning brownie points with Jesus but they have not remained faithful to Jesus Christ. In the eyes of Jesus, they are considered ones who have defiled their garments. In Revelation 3:1-6, the Word says that if they do not repent, they will get their name blotted out of the Book of Life (that is eternal life with Jesus). As I mentioned in part one of this study, I don’t believe there is anyone who professes to be a Christian that wants to get their name blotted out of the book of life. However, if they are under a doctrine of deception, it can happen. If they do repent, however, and turn back to Him, he will confess their name before the Father and the angels and they will be put in the Book of Life. It’s up to each individual to determine where you are at and where you want to be.

The people who are in the Sleeping Church are warned that their trust in the wealth, pride and things of this world, aka lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life have dulled their spiritual senses that places them in a lukewarm slumber, thus causing Jesus to want to vomit them out of His mouth. In other words, He will expose them! In Revelation 3:14-22, the Word says that if they do not repent, He will vomit them out of His mouth because they are neither hot or cold. His promise, however for those who will repent is that He will come and dine with them and they will sit with Him on His throne, as He sits with the Father on His throne.

Who are of the Sleeping-walking church?

Jesus actually addressed two people groups that fall under the category of Sleep-walking with one that borders the Sleeping Church as well. Neither of which are the Glorious Church.

Let’s start with those addressed in the church of Ephesus:

To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, “These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands. I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you can not bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” (Revelation 2:1-7)

You’ll notice that Jesus begins His address to people in a specific region of that time period and then ends each address with “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” plural. He is addressing all future generations with the same practice and/or mindset. You will also notice that Jesus is giving a description of who He is in each of His addresses. This has led me to wonder if the seven churches aren’t but a type of building block for believers who have walked through one practice and/or mindset, overcame that obstacle, and have fallen into another practice and/or mindset that needs to be overcome. Something to pray about and ponder because I believe we all are on a journey and I know that the devil is very crafty and cunning and out to deceive the whole world.

So for this sleep-walking people group, Jesus begins by reminding them that He holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands. What are the seven stars and seven golden lampstands? In Revelation 1:20, Jesus says the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. The angels are spirit beings who minister to believers and perhaps even appear sometimes in human form as messengers. The churches are those who have the glorified Christ in their midst (all glory and honor unto Him); Jesus said, “where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20)

Not to digress at all, but I would add here that the pure oil that keeps the seven lampstands lit at all times reflect the seven spirits of Yahweh and the fullness of His Holy Spirit that rests upon Jesus. (Isaiah 11:2 refers to them as The Spirit of the Lord, The Spirit of Wisdom, the Spirit of Understanding, The Spirit of Counsel, The Spirit of Might, The Spirit of Knowledge, and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord) See the post on the Seven Spirits of God for more information on how these help the body of Christ.

Jesus then goes on to say He knows their works and patience and how they do not like evil. How they test those who say they are apostles (one’s who say they are sent) and have found them to be liars (their fruit does not match their talk nor the Word of God). He commends the patience of those who have labored for His name sake…and then comes the rebuke. “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”

So, what’s the problem, we ask? These sound like true believers in Christ Jesus.

The first commandment of God is to love the Lord our God with all our heart and have no other gods before Him. Beloved, we are called to be awake and sober at all times. The enemy is so crafty and cunning that he can, will, and does deceive even those who are doing a good work. What happens in this modern day society is that we can step off the path of righteousness without even realizing it by taking our eyes off of God and his purpose for us. John 3:16 says that God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son that whosoever shall believe in Him would not perish but will have everlasting life. Let us never forget that we are here because of His unfailing Love. Everything we do must strive to be for His glory and honor. If the slightest little bit of “me” enters the equation with the works we do, we have just taken a step off the path.

As parents, we teach our children to keep an eye on the ball when they are learning to play baseball, soccer, football etc. and to keep their eyes on the road when driving, because we see easily the effects of them being distracted by other things. We encourage them to stay focused in school and their studies and not get distracted. As followers of Christ, we too can get distracted by works or get so caught up in eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, that we lose sight of where Jesus is in the mix, and His unfailing love for us. When we lose sight of the One who loved us first, we are separated from Him. It is always man who leaves God, not God who leaves man.

If you find that your lifestyle, ministry, or leading of a congregation or organization has shifted from that which you had with your initial relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, then it’s time to make a change. Jesus is serious when He says He will remove His lampstand (His people and His spirit from the people) and we have personally witnessed it on several occasions. Return to your first love and love Him far more than your works for Him and far more than your title in the world! His promise to those who overcome is He will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God. See Come, Let’s Meet In The Garden post for more on the tree of life.

“Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, make mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,” (Ephesians 1:15-18)

The other people group that are the sleep-walking/sleepinging church are those with the below mindset:

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, These things say the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass: I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulations, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who will give to each one of you according to your works. Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps my works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations–’He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’– as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 2:18-29)

These people are borderline sleeping/sleep-walking and are the most common in Christianity today and yet are not the Glorious Church. As He does with the other churches, Jesus begins His address by announcing His sovereignty over mankind as the Son of God, as the One having eyes like a flame of fire and feet like fine brass (or bronze depending on translation). He is letting the people know that His eyes sees all things including things people think are unseen. His glaring eyes of fire are a form of penetrating judgment that can be both good and not good. Remember, Jesus desires to bring healing and reconciliation rather than condemnation. Feet of brass or bronze is judgment. So here we have Jesus letting the people know that He is watching, has been watching, and basically, there is no escape from what He sees and knows about them.

“I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.“

Let’s think about the city of Thyatira for a minute and what the culture was like. The city was located about 30-35 miles southeast of Pergamon and was known for its wool and dye industries that Lydia, the seller of purple cloth, was a part of, according to the apostle Paul (Acts 16:14). In addition, the industries of potters, tanners, weavers, and robe makers were big and the city was known for having trade guilds, or what we might call today ‘unions’. If you were not a part of a trade guild, (most likely) you were not successful. The city was also located along a trade route, and it had a small military garrison to protect the well-known city of Pergamon. Apollo, the Sun god, was primarily worshipped in Thyatira.

Jesus, in John’s letter to the people, commends the believers for their works and acts of love along with their service and perseverance of faith. Many believers were becoming more involved in acts of love and faith than they had originally started out, however, Jesus saw that not everyone was holding firm in the Gospel that they had been taught. Some were being led astray spiritually by strange doctrine and had began to embrace a compromising lifestyle. The teachings they were receiving were convincing enough that they were tolerating what was being taught and embraced the sin and immorality. Afterall, Satan comes as an angel of light and is very crafty. Not only were the people embracing a false and twisted doctrine they were promoting it as being spiritually acceptable.

These people had great love for one another and persevered in their faith, which was commended to a point, but in this case, their love for others, works, and service had became a downfall for some because they didn’t understand the balance between love, discernment, and sound doctrine. As Christians, we are required to test the spirits of all who come and especially those who come preaching a doctrine about Jesus. Very few Christians understand how to test the spirits. It is referenced in some sermons (although too few) but the senses are not exercised in the body of Christ to learn how to discern good and evil. Many people hear someone say, “Don’t take my word for it, but seek the Father”, but how many will actually take the time to seek the Father about the matter?

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14)

How do you test the spirit?

The first and foremost way to test the spirit is to cross check their theology and doctrine with the word of God and to seek and search out the matter for yourself. Understand the first principles of Christ in Hebrews 6:1-8. The Holy Spirit will also give you confirmations and sometimes this may come as just a weird feeling in your gut, a dream, or perhaps a vision. Either way, it is up to each individual to know that what you are being fed is good food and not tainted. It is very easy to be deceived in following someone’s teaching that uses the name of Jesus and speaks truths to a point. Then they will twist or add to that truth just enough to make the people believe what they are saying must be the truth because there is certainly an element of truth to what they preach. False, False, False! This happens to those who are not seasoned in the Word of God, not filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, and are relying on others to teach them, just as a baby relies on it’s mother for milk. But even a baby will not nurse if his mother’s milk is sour or tainted.

When Jesus gives his rebuke about tolerating that woman Jezebel, he is referring the the same type of spirit that operated through the woman Jezebel who married King Ahab. Ahab had at one time a reverence for Yahweh, but like so many kings before and since him, he began to depend on other people more than Yahweh for direction and discernment. He ended up making a covenant with Ethbaal, the king over Tyre and Sidon and Jezebel’s father so that Sidon would not attack Israel. Ethbaal was a baal (idol) worshipper as was his entire household. To seal the deal with King Ahab, King Ethbaal gave his daughter, Jezebel, to Ahab as his wife and then the trouble begins. To keep the peace with Ethbaal, Ahab soon allows Jezebel to set up her idols in the house of Yahweh and was given the free reign to worship them, bring food dedicated to them, and literally invited the devil into the house of Yah…all because Ahab compromised in his faith. What’s worse is Ahab still attempted to worship Yahweh in the same temple but the glory of God had already departed the temple because of the defilement. In other words, the lampstand had been removed. Because of the ungodly marriage covenant, it ultimately provoked God to such anger that He deemed Ahab the most wicked of all men because he allowed that woman Jezebel in all her witchcraft ways as a seductress to lead many astray with her false prophets. He let her rule the kingdom as queen. He was a leader of a nation and yet a spiritual coward. (Read 1 Kings 16:29 through chapter 22 and 2 Kings 9)

While God had Ahab and Jezebel killed in their day, the same spirit they came in agreement with is in full operation within the nations’ leaders, governments, organizations, Christian churches, families, and marriages. The 501(c)3 religious organizations are all under the covenant with the spirit of Jezebel and it has come back to haunt them in recent years and will ultimately take them out. There is so much more I could share about this wicked and evil spirit but I am here to focus on the Sleep-walking people church.

What does tolerating the spirit of Jezebel look like in the sleep-walking believers today?

1) You listen to men and women who teach on prosperity and riches of the world and actually believe their sermons. Find me where in the Word of God it says to focus on riches of the world versus what it says about repentance. These men and women have become prosperous beyond imagination and rather than giving their riches to help the orphans, widows, hungry, and poor, they get richer because they have seduced you into feeding their pockets. They may throw a few crumbs out, but their ministries are much more about personal gain. Their false doctrines are tricking many into submission to Jezebel. You are eating food sacrificed to the idol of mammon.

2) You are being preached to about who you should vote for, the importance of the Seven Mountain Philosophy false teaching (which includes the prosperity gospel), the courts of heaven doctrine, or any other teaching from the government or pulpit that is contrary to the Word of God. God’s house is to be a house of prayer and worship. If you don’t know and recognize the heresies of these teachings, you have been seduced by the spirit of Jezebel and are tolerating it. Return to the sound doctrine of Jesus Christ.

3) You are paying a 501(c)3 organization a weekly or monthly tithe because they have seduced you with taking scripture out of context reciting Malachi 3:10 to make you feel guilty vs who God is addressing through His true prophet Malachi, which are the “Corrupt Priests” because they are stealing from the people thus robbing God. Read the book of Malachi and study it in depth. Examine the scriptures on tithing and polluted offerings. Where is your honor to God?

4) You been made to think it’s okay to compromise the Word of God pertaining to modern culture versus He who is the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and Omega, the great I AM, the same yesterday, today, and forever. This is now where one really has to do a self exam and rather than get offended be honest with yourself. How many of you are having a sexual relationship with someone you are not married to? How many of you struggle with pornography or adultery or even thoughts of adultery? How many of you still fall for the Easter Sunday/Resurrection Sunday and Santa Claus/Jesus’ Birthday lie knowing full well they have nothing to do with Jesus Christ? Do you see the comparison to what happened with Jezebel bringing idols into the temple. Today, we try to bring Jesus into our idol worship thinking He will somehow be pleased. How many of you still think it’s okay for you to do recreational drugs because it’s legal and like to drink alcohol and/or entertain others with same? Have you ever stopped to consider that you may be causing your brother or sister to stumble who has a serious problem with alcohol or addiction? You may never know this because you don’t live with them to see their struggles. How many of you love to go to church on either Saturday, Sunday, and/or Wednesday and then are quick to gossip, backbite, slander, make false accusations, or are jealous of other people’s lives? Remember, Jesus is the One with the eyes of flaming fire.

5) Are you a prophet junky? Meaning, are you always looking for a word from a prophetic person that will tell you what you want to hear? Did you know that this can actually become divination. Or, how about the so called “angel cards” that some churches are allowing in their congregations, trunk or treating at Halloween, so-called harvest festivals at church with “pretend fortune tellers”? Nothing more than Jezebel and her witchcraft.

6) You are convinced you have to submit to a pastor for covering. Men, your submittal is to Jesus Christ as your husband and women, your submittal is to Jesus Christ and to your husband if you are married. Jesus Christ is your covering, head over the church (aka people, and husbands head over their wife—all spiritually speaking). Pastors are suppose to have an authoritative understanding of covenant and if they did, they would be teaching you this…but, let’s face it, it doesn’t fit a business model. In addition, many attempt to oppress the women from the things that God has placed in them. (See the Marriage Covenant posts)

Very few people in this day call sin out for what it is: lawlessness, rebellion, treason, spiritual adultery, breaking God’s laws and commands, works of the flesh and might I share Jezebel’s main stronghold over the people is jealousy and covetousness. If you have a spirit of jealousy and/or covetousness, you tolerate that woman Jezebel. Heed the warning and repent.

The church tolerating Jezebel doesn’t want to offend or sound offensive. In lieu of sin, people will say “struggle,” or “disease,” or “disorder,” or “tolerance.” How about we get real as a body and start addressing sin in the camp and generational sin that plagues so many. There is much healing and deliverance needed for sleep-walkers and sleepers. You need to wake up and repent before you pay the price. The redeeming promise of Jesus Christ says,

“And he who overcomes, and keeps my works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations–’He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’– as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 2:26-29)

There is a whole other teaching on Ahab and Jezebel that is for another time, but for now, we beseech you brothers and sisters to really take a look at where you or people you know have been deceived by the cunning and crafty works of Jezebel in your family, yourself, your community. If you have come in agreement with this spirit in any area of your life, pray to God, in Jesus name, and ask Him to forgive you. The only way to come out from under Jezebel’s rule is to fully submit to Jesus Christ. Many won’t do it because they like her wicked ways in their lives. But you can make a decision today. Who are you allowing to mold your way of thinking?

In part four of this series, we will identify the Glorious Church, a bride without spot or wrinkle and why she is the one Jesus Christ will be returning for. Until then, be blessed and encouraged and know how much you are loved.

Garry and Norma