The Congregation of Believers is the body of Messiah; the temple of Holy Spirit on earth. It is described by Yeshua, “The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” (Revelation 1:20) Each of the seven is described and addressed by the Lord Himself in the following two chapters of Revelations. Some churches are nearly apostate, others are sound, but all are struggling against selfish distraction, persecution and heresy, (teaching unrestrained sin is acceptable) and all have people who have believed heresy and/or lost their faith and must repent. Each church is given the admonition, “…let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 2:7,11,17, 29; 3:6,13,22) This is the imperative for both individual believers and the whole Congregation today. 

The world has infiltrated the church, obviously, as some entire denominations have embraced worldly heresy, such as, sanctioning sexual immortality, abortion, denied the deity of Yeshua Messiah, rejected the Holy Spirit, and rejected the Bible as the inspired and authoritative Word of God. When the Holy Spirit is silenced and quenched there is no power to resist or overcome the Enemy. Paul told Timothy, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Many Churches have chosen men to lead, rather than the Holy Spirit. Elders and five-fold ministers are to watch over and serve each Congregation, but not usurp the Holy Spirit’s lead. There is a clear difference between the leadership of the Spirit and that of men, even men who are Believers. I have seen this firsthand, the Spirit leads where men fear to go. Human rationale opposes the Spirit. Scripture gives clear guidance to the workings of the Spirit within the gathered Congregation, but without His power, presence, and authority it cannot happen and men with weak unbelieving faith will not risk or submit their preeminence, control, source of funds, and social reputation to the leading of the Holy Spirit, as described in Scripture. Entire chapters of scripture are deemed defunct and/or relegated to the First Century. Is the Word of God alive and active, today? Is it merely the words of men which lose their meaning and relevance over time, or the enduring, inerrant, inspired Word of God Almighty?

Lord, many good, well-meaning men are leading congregations, rather than or contrary to Holy Spirit. Lord, open every Believers ears and heart; let us hear what the Spirit says to the Churches, in the name above all names, Yeshua, Messiah.

(Scriptural references available upon request.)