Showing posts with label Bert Farias. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bert Farias. Show all posts

Friday, November 23, 2018

The Corruption of American Christianity: The Evil Agenda to Destroy America - BERT FARIAS CHARISMA NEWS

"Now the Spirit clearly says that in the last times some will depart from the faith and pay attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils" (1 Tim. 4:1).
"Preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine, but they will gather to themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, having itching ears" (2 Tim. 4:2-3).
A subversive effort by the leftist leaning liberals to infiltrate the Church and turn people away from the real gospel and true doctrine is gaining momentum in this hour. The purpose of this agenda is to sway the church toward a radical political movement and the spread of socialism in our nation.
its socialist agenda:
  • social justice.
  • environment.
  • racism.
  • white privilege.
  • feeding the poor.
They will use this terminology to persuade professing Christians into buying their bill of goods. Young people especially are being hoodwinked by these socialists. They will mention these buzzwords without ever mentioning moral biblical issues. Their language is always very nuanced and overt. They use leftist talking points dressed in Christian veneer. Why have they gone after the church?
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Because the church is the last bulwark preventing their socialist ideology from becoming a reality. But they are infiltrating the church in subtle ways. They operate through the peace movement, the black lives matter movement, the women's movement and the labor movement. They infiltrate our sacred institutions that people have considered safe. There are many examples of this.
For instance, World Vision, a once trusted Christian adopting agency for children, has been co-opted into the leftist movement. The progressive left used to hate World Vision because of its Christian conservative stance and charity. Now they love the organization and are becoming partnered with it.
The NAE (National Association of Evangelicals) is another example. This organization was led by a full-fledged apostate, who was funded by George Soros, as are many of these secret socialists.
The Roman Catholic Church is the most long-standing example of being connected to the socialist/communist movement. And if you'll do your research, you'll find that the current Pope Francis (real name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina) is himself a communist.
Along with the Roman Catholic Church, the mainstream Lutheran and Episcopalian Church have been infiltrated by socialist/communistic ideology since the 1920s and 1930s. It's been subtle but you can see the erosion of pure doctrine in these churches, which is a direct result of the penetration of a global socialist agenda.
What is presently shocking and very disturbing is the heavy penetration of socialism into the evangelical churches over the last few years, including, get this, the Baptist Church. Find that hard to believe?
Socialism has been hidden for decades in our nation but has secretly and quietly advanced until now when many people including Christians are being seduced by it. There are now elected Congressmen in our government who were taught socialism at a young age in schools and universities both here and abroad. These are the progressives who seek to destroy America's ideals, form of democracy, and way of life. They have dressed up their agenda with Christian rhetoric for many years, but now they are brasher and bolder than they've ever been. Trump's presidency is the biggest reason. He is a huge threat to their plans for a socialist nation.
Who Is George Soros?
Soros is a multi-billionaire hard core socialist who has had connections with Russia and Hungary for many decades, since World War II. In recent times, he has contributed over $18 billion into the socialist/communist movement in America. His motivation is to bring down our democratic system and godly constitution by flooding the church with socialist propaganda. For example, he and his minions use amnesty for illegal immigrants as a hot button issue to bring division in our nation. Soros is a globalist and wants a borderless socialist world where America is just one small province of a greater United Nations world super state. This man's evil agenda needs to be fully exposed and resisted.
Of course, any serious Christian would say that they want nothing to do with Soros, but what they don't understand is that he uses people that we know and trust to subvert and co-opt us into his socialist agenda and movement. For this reason, many of our largest Christian institutions have been infiltrated with leftist propaganda.
As another example, Tim Keller who formed the Gospel Coalition, has been co-opted by the left to alter doctrine and create new voters for the left. A majority of black Americans as well as a good number of Hispanics and whites have swallowed their agenda hook, line and sinker.
When socialism/communism began to infiltrate churches, they preached their ideology with a little Christian veneer, and many saw through their agenda and left. But now they preach 80-90 percent Christianity and add a little of the other. They push for social justice, promote the war against global warming, the ending of white privilege, the push for illegal immigration and catering to refugees from overseas. What many Christians don't realize is that these programs are all left wing socialist/communist programs. You are getting 80-90 percent Christian content with a little poisonous socialist/communist doctrine thrown in.
The most effective lie is the one with the most truth in it. There's an old Arab proverb that says, "Every liar tells the truth."
There was a famous Marxist school that was established in America in the 1930s by Communist Marxist refugees. It was these refugees who started the cultural and sexual revolution of the 1960s and 70s. What is happening now is that their movement has grown and their ideology has spread to universities and now in the churches.
Christians need great discernment in this day and hour. Many are falling for these Marxist programs that have nothing to do with the gospel and they are subtly being moved to the left. These voters will end up destroying the America we've always known and loved unless the church wakes up and rises up to an uncompromisingly righteous position of strength. Christians who actually apply their faith to politics are the great final barrier to this corrupt socialist/communist agenda. This is why they are now being targeted.
The video is an introduction to a documentary movie concerning this takeover of America. Its release is due sometime in 2019. I believe very strongly in this documentary movie. Please pray for it, support it financially and share it. The revelations and findings in this movie are going to shock the church and the world. I believe it could spark the radical, moral and cultural revolution we so desperately need in our day.
Bert M. Farias, revivalist and founder of Holy Fire Ministries, has authored several books with an emphasis on helping to restore the true spirit of Christianity in the Church today, including his latest book, Passing on The Move of God to The Next Generation. Follow him at Bert Farias and Holy Fire Ministries on Facebook and @Bertfarias1 on Twitter.
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Friday, September 14, 2018

Warning: Bittersweet Times Ahead - BERT FARIAS CHARISMA NEWS

(Photo by Artem Saranin from Pexels)
Joseph prepared for seven years of famine during the seven years of prosperity (Gen. 41:47-49, 53-57). And so there is a time of preparation we've been in now for some time. The disciplinary judgments of the Lord have been delayed and held back from on our nation as the praying remnant who are exercising their spiritual authority take their place.
I heard one minister call this the ministry of divine authority. In the times of Elijah, we see this ministry in manifestation in the spirit and power of Elijah as he stood on Mount Carmel and contested with the false prophets of Baal. The fire fell and consumed the sacrifice along with the wood, stones, dust and even the water. This mighty manifestation caused the people to fall on their faces and declare the Lord as God.
"Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, 'The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!" (1 Kings 18:39b)
We also see this divine authority exercised in the days of Moses as he stretched forth his rod and the Red Sea swallowed up and drowned the Egyptian armies. The results of this ministry are noted in Exodus 14:31:
"When Israel saw the great power which the Lord used upon the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses."
This type of authority administered in the spirit and power of Elijah will be seen again. Its purpose is always redemptive—to bring forth true repentance and cause the hearts of the people to turn to the Lord.
We are in the infantile stages of the release of the spirit and power of Elijah where true servants of God exercise this great authority. This will include a worldwide company of men and women who have been summoned by the Lord to be His messengers, and their ministry will be similar to that of John the Baptist.
"He will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:16-17).
In the times of Moses and Elijah, great severity was necessary to turn the hearts of the people back to the Lord. Often people quote the Scripture in Romans 2:4, properly stating that it is the goodness or kindness of the Lord that leads to repentance, but when the Lord's goodness does not lead to repentance then He is forced to move us into the realm of His severity.
"Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God—severity toward those who fell, but goodness toward you, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off" (Rom. 11:22).
If people would stop taking Romans 2:4 out of context, they would see that the passage is not just focusing on the goodness of God, but also on His severity. It's in contrast to understanding His severity that we come to greatly appreciate His goodness and not take it for granted. People love to quote this verse, but how often do you hear them quote the verses before and after it? Do people realize this verse is sandwiched between verses about the judgment and wrath of God?
Do you think, O man, who judges those who do such things, and who does the same thing, that you will escape the judgment of God? Do you despise the riches of His goodness, tolerance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
But because of your hardness and impenitent heart, you are storing up treasures of wrath against yourself on the day of wrath when the righteous judgment of God will be revealed. ...
But to those who are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath, will be tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man who does evil, to the Jew first, and then to the Gentile (Rom. 2:3-5, 8-9).
The danger of God's judgment and wrath needs to be made known, or people will never realize how good, kind and patient He is. God's goodness is truly manifested toward the disobedient when He graciously allows them more space and time to repent in spite of their rebellion against Him. Lovingly warning others about God's wrath and severity does not mean you are not focusing on the goodness and kindness of God. God's wrath is good, because it is just, and fair, for it reveals His holiness.
Too many people have taken the Lord's goodness to further their pleasurable, worldly and even sinful lifestyles. Therefore, for the sake of their salvation and perseverance of their souls the Lord has to administer His severity.
And so we will see both the manifestation of the goodness and severity of the Lord side by side in the days ahead. Bittersweet times are upon us. We will choose our own medicine. These things will come with great cost and great loss to many as well as great glory and victory to others.
Bert M. Farias, revivalist and founder of Holy Fire Ministries, has authored several books with an emphasis on helping to restore the true spirit of Christianity in the Church today, including his latest book, Passing on The Move of God to The Next Generation. Follow him at Bert Farias and Holy Fire Ministries on Facebook and @Bertfarias1 on Twitter.

Friday, August 10, 2018

It's Time for Wimpy Christians to Become Courageous - BERT FARIAS CHARISMA NEWS

(Sponchia/Pixabay)
No Christian in this country is under the threat of death or imprisonment for preaching the gospel. No one's life is in danger. No one is being beaten, flogged or hardly even threatened. No one is suffering for the sake of the name of Jesus in the same way the early disciples did. Why then is there such a passive posture and a cowardice in the church when it comes to standing for truth, righteousness and morality in our culture? Why are there so few who are rocking the boat of our sinful, wicked, immoral culture?
Jeremiah said it this way:
"If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?" (Jer. 12:5).
America is still virtually a land of peace, but Christians are slumbering and weary with the weights and cares of the world and such indifference. What would happen if overnight we were raided by radical terrorists who demanded we deny Jesus and join their religion and cause or be executed? What if there was a foreign invasion or military coup from insiders, and our government was suddenly taken over, and a new antichrist government was established—and all our freedoms were taken away? It's unlikely at this point, but what if?
C'mon folks, let's be real. Our brand of Christianity here in the West is soft, weak, anemic and nearly good for nothing.
We resemble the church of Laodicea who boasted in its supposed blessedness and wealth when Jesus called it wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
"For you say, 'I am rich, and have stored up goods, and have need of nothing,' yet do not realize that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked" (Rev. 3:17).
Many Christians are terrified to stand against the sins of our culture and just tell others it is wrong. In fact, some professing Christians will actually celebrate those sins with the world. They will march in gay pride parades because they say God is love. They will rally for women's rights to abortion because after all, their bodies are their own. They will say that fornication, adultery and every form of sexual immorality are none of our business, and that we shouldn't judge and yada, yada, yada ... .
Adding to their moral cowardice and complete ignorance of biblical standards, these passive Christians will defend their personal Jesus and tell others He loves them and understands them. How despicably immoral that is in itself. How grossly deceived they are! How spineless and yellow-bellied these professing Christians have become! They've been conformed to the culture and a Jesus they've created in their own image (The Real Jesus) instead of being conformed to the biblical Christ. This makes them twice as much a child of hell as the sinners who commit such sins.
I am not saying our primary responsibility as Christians is to attack the sins of our culture, but where in our society are Christians standing against sin and immorality? The world holds up its poster child of sin, and we applaud or remain silent. Antichrist laws are legislated, but where is the outrage and the opposition? Where is the resistance and defense of the truth? Where is the stand for righteousness and morality?
I am also not saying that our refusal to denounce sin is our greatest problem, but how long will morality and truth continue to give way to an ungodly and evil agenda in our nation? Our faith is either being kicked to the curb, placed in the corners and fringes of society or just being denied by so many who remain passive and neutral. We've allowed our faith to be cut off from normal life and relegated to our church sanctuaries. In a word, we've been silenced in the public arena. We are a large consensus of Christians who are actually helping our culture build an atheistic society. And we use the secularism in our culture to be secular ourselves. They have influenced us far more than we have influenced them.
There is very little evidence of Christianity in our American culture, and it's our fault. It is time to heed the Lord's admonition to Joshua.
"Be strong and courageous" (Josh. 1:6a) ... "Be strong and very courageous" (v. 7a). This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go (v. 9)"
Because of our lack of backbone and courage American Christianity is falling off the cliff. We are going the way of the dinosaur if Christians do not become stronger and more courageous in their faith and convictions. We are living in a very pagan culture right now in our nation. Things are so much worse than they seem. The vices, the bondages and vile filth are expanding at an overwhelming pace. The church is to be the conscience of the nation, but our conscience is seared right now.
Our brand of Christianity is lame. It is seen as a nice religion of nice people. A wholesome fanaticism is missing. A life and a vibrancy is lacking. We are too passive and too wimpy. If we want to change our culture, we must come out of our closet of fear and intimidation. Many need to understand that we can be loving and fearless and courageous at the same time.
Honestly, we have no need to be fearful and intimidated. As I said, no one is being threatened with their life. No one is being killed for their faith. So what are we afraid of? The rejection of men? Who cares? Is that really going to matter in the end? There are plenty of others who will applaud you and wax courageous because of your example to stand for truth, righteousness and morality, and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. And God will give you wisdom and grace to love even your enemies.
Let the change begin with you. A little courage will go a long way. And if enough of us wax strong in the Lord and stand tall and courageous, we will, in time, see the change our hearts are longing for. 
Written under a strong anointing of the Spirit, this tetralogy of books addresses some of the critical issues facing Western Christianity in this hour, such as this article. It's time for some real honesty and authenticity. The Real SalvationThe Real GospelThe Real Jesus, and The Real Spirit Of Revival.
Bert M. Farias, revivalist and founder of Holy Fire Ministries, has authored several books with an emphasis on helping to restore the true spirit of Christianity in the Church today, including his latest book, Passing on The Move of God to The Next Generation. Follow him at Bert Farias and Holy Fire Ministries on Facebook and @Bertfarias1 on Twitter.

Friday, March 16, 2018

Have You Succumbed to the False Spirit Sweeping the Nation? - BERT FARIAS CHARISMA NEWS

Doves are sensitive birds. At the slightest movement they fly away. They are symbolic of the Holy Spirit. Although similar, pigeons are distinctly different.
Doves are sensitive birds. At the slightest movement they fly away. They are symbolic of the Holy Spirit. Although similar, pigeons are distinctly different. (focusonpc/Pixabay/Public Domain)
Doves are sensitive birds. At the slightest movement they fly away. They are symbolic of the Holy Spirit. Although similar, pigeons are distinctly different. While a dove is more sensitive and easier to shoo away, a pigeon walks in places with lots of people and lots of noise and is not as easily spooked.
Pigeon religion is a counterfeit spirit to the anointing of the Holy Spirit, which again is symbolic of the dove.
Looking briefly at some recent statistics, the two most unchurched areas in America are San Francisco at 60 percent and the Boston area, where we presently live, at 57 percent. The most dechurched areas are San Francisco (Bay Area) and Boston as well, at 47 percent and 46 percent respectively.
The difference between unchurched and dechurched is the difference between a sinner (unchurched) and a believer who is uncommitted to a local body (dechurched).
In comparing the entire East Coast with the West Coast, the East coast is only 5 percent more unchurched than the West Coast. However, the dechurched on the East Coast is significantly higher than the dechurched on the West Coast by a significant margin – nearly 80 percent more. This would imply that on the West Coast, believers are generally more committed to a local body and living in community. That was surprising to me.
EXAMPLES OF PIGEON RELIGION
Many of the Pentecostal/Charismatic churches on the East Coast are involved in the prophetic movement, but it's failing to add growth and stability. On the West Coast the Pentecostal/Charismatic church is caught up in a conglomeration of movements that are also failing to add long-term stability to this generation. Additionally, the seeker-sensitive movement is failing to make a significant spiritual impact in these regions.
I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that there are thousands of false prophets roaming our land. Aren't you growing a little tired of hearing about new mantles, double portions, debt cancellation anointings and breaker anointings? Not to mention the gross overemphasis on personal prophecy and prophetic ministry, the inordinate attention given to deliverance and demonic warfare, angelic activation, gold dust, heavenly portals, and atmosphere changes.
One ministry advertised itself by the blowing of the shofar, calling it a unique and distinct anointing that causes breakthroughs in cities and regions. Really? So all this ministry needs to do is blow the shofar and it will cause breakthroughs in entire regions? As one old minister of God used to say, I'd rather hear a donkey bray at midnight in a tin barn than to hear such foolishness. It's painful, actually, because so many young and even older untrained believers fall for this wacko version of Christianity. How do we expect to win the world with this nonsense? And have you ever noticed that most of the Christians who are enamored with such things live dysfunctional lives? The bane of every shepherd and ministry gift is when your preaching and teaching breeds such imbalanced and unstable people.
You cannot teach people to receive a revelation and personally prophecy to every individual. I remember going to a minister's breakfast one time and a young so-called prophet prophesying to me for about five minutes. None of what he said bore witness with my spirit. He was seeing "this" and seeing "that" and it wasn't accurate revelation he was receiving from the Spirit of God, but what I call visualization. He was just imagining things in his soul and speaking them out. If a person does that long enough, he'll give over to a familiar spirit, which is common in our day. You see, just because a revelation is true does not necessarily mean it is of God. Some prophets will receive a revelation by the Spirit on one occasion and then the next time they will be yielding to familiar spirits, which are demons that are familiar with the person being ministered to. These things happen as the Spirit wills, not as we will. The entire prophetic landscape has been contaminated with such and many people have been hurt and disillusioned.
Beware of pigeon religion. A casual observer will not be able to discern the difference. Some things are better caught than taught. One key is to associate with those who flow in the genuine move of the Holy Spirit. Years ago, in some old Pentecostal circles, when someone got up to prophesy in a congregation and he was clearly in the flesh, the people would "sit down" on him. In other words, they wouldn't respond to his fleshly prophecy. Would to God we had as much sense today.
True believers have an anointing that teaches them all things. Depend on Him to lead you and guide you and teach you.
"But the anointing which you have received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. For as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and just as it has taught you, remain in Him" (1 Jn. 2:27).
Learn to follow the dove, the Holy Spirit, who is the real Spirit of truth and not a pigeon.
It is time for those who have been trained in the real to pass on the move of God to the next generation. If we don't, it will be lost in the next generation.
Watch this short video and prayerfully consider hosting a Holy Ghost Forum in your city or region. Here is another fairly short teaching on how to structure a Holy Ghost meeting for spiritual leaders who are interested. Samples of past forums are available at the bottom of our forum page on our website. Help us pass these things on to the next generation. 
Bert M. Farias, revivalist and founder of Holy Fire Ministries, has authored several books with an emphasis on helping to restore the true spirit of Christianity in the Church today, including the newly released, Passing on The Move of God to The Next Generation and the highly sacred book, The Journal Of A Journey To His Holiness. An anointing of fire marks his ministry with frequent demonstrations of the Spirit and power of God. He ministers interdenominationally and cross-culturally in nations, churches, conferences, on the streets and in homes. He and his wife Carolyn also host The Holy Ghost Forum – a school of the Spirit. Follow him at Bert Farias and Holy Fire Ministries on Facebook and @Bertfarias1 on Twitter.

Friday, January 26, 2018

The Coming Judgment and the Coming Glory - BERT FARIAS CHARISMA NEWS

Everything that can be shaken will be shaken.
Everything that can be shaken will be shaken. (TheDigitalArtist/Pixabay./Public Domain)
One genuine prophet of God said he couldn't see the condition of America past September of this year. I took it to mean that something terrible may happen.
November is the time of midterm elections here in America. Could there be a vicious backlash from the angry leftists who have such hatred toward our bold bully president? Could there be an assassination attempt against him? The fight between good and evil in our nation has just begun. The liberal leftists are coming with a vengeance. They are already plotting and planning now for the overturn of Trump's agenda that they hope will start with mid-term elections. One righteous preacher predicted that barring a miracle in November, Nancy Pelosi may be back as the Speaker of the House again. How loathsome and nauseating that would be! He also predicted that it will be the greatest internal fight and leftist backlash in the history of our government. I submit all this to the reader for prayerful consideration. Some things can still be further delayed or stopped altogether through prayer and repentance. One thing is for sure: The time of shaking is here.
And this statement, "Yet once more," signifies the removal of those things that can be shaken, things that are created, so that only those things that cannot be shaken will remain.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be moved, let us be gracious, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear (Heb. 12:27-28).
I want to apply this shaking to what is presently happening in America. Donald Trump's presidency was the beginning of the greater shaking in our nation. Thank God, we who follow Christ belong to a higher kingdom not of this world. To be honest, I was not pro-Trump during the early part of the election season, even reproving those who were. I don't know the man's heart now, but he's never been a godly man. You may disagree with me, but since then, I've seen the hand of God on him, and how in God's sovereignty, he was elected and is actually being used to help restore God's purposes for America.
Yes, he is rude and crude, but he was the only one with enough clout who could stop Barack Obama's antichrist agenda of a terrible remaking of America and a big step toward further socialism and possibly a future one-world government. He was the only one who could drain the dirty swamp in Washington. He was the only one who could have come against international corruption. He was the only one who loves all the things that made America great and could push back to restore her greatness. No other candidate matched the demeanor this man has for what God needed done in holding back evil forces intent on destroying our nation in this hour, and extend mercy and opportunity for the real church. Again, you may disagree, but that is how I see it.
Instrument of Judgment
But I believe Trump is also an instrument of judgment, not only on the world's system, but upon the false church. What do I mean?
The false church tipped the scales to elect Barrack Obama, an enemy of God, the true church and Israel. The false church and professors of Christianity voted for an agenda to infiltrate America with more foreign religions, and many immigrants who would receive government aid to further deepen our national debt. The false church voted for an agenda that would reduce our liberties and increase the hatred for true Christianity. The false church lacked any sort of godly discernment and was too weak and anemic to save marriage, free speech and the lives of the unborn.
The awful escalation of violence, hatred and division in America and her present condition right now is due in great part to Barrack Obama's presidency. What a disaster! No presidency has done more harm to America's constitution, morals and liberties than Obama's. Members of the true church were the only ones who saw through his chameleon colors and smooth lips. They were the remnant who saw war in his heart and a treasonous man who hates America.
Mario Murillo, in a recent article, said this about the false compromising church:
God has waited and been patient. He gave you time to play church. He let you have your blessing toys. He looked away in hopes we would come to ourselves. His blessing and his goodness did not bring you to repentance. No, it became a license to go deeper into counterfeit Christianity. The American church is guilty of great crimes against the Holy Spirit. We told Him to leave and let us grow Christianity incorporated—the worst thing we could have done. It was a mistake—a terrible, incalculable, ongoing mistake—derailing more truth in less time than any moral plague in history.
Wow! What a piercing word.
A Greater Distinction Between the True and False church
God is a God of both unity and division. It seems contradictory that Jesus prayed for believers to be united as one (John 17:20-22) while also stating that He came to bring division.
Do you suppose that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For there will be from now on five divided in one house, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, and mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law" (Luke 12:51-53).
Truth and light separate and divide but also creates unity. One day all that's false will be separated from all that's true. The weeds will be separated from the wheat (Matt. 13:38-43). The bad fish will be separated from the good fish (Matt. 13:47-50). The goats will be separated from the sheep (Matt. 13:31-46). And the foolish virgins will be distinguished from the wise virgins (Matt. 25:1-13). But this separation is not all relegated to the future, but it is a principle of judgment that has happened throughout the ages and will intensify as the coming of the Lord draws near. God shakes everything that can be shaken and removes it, so only that which cannot be shaken remains (Heb. 12:27). He does this even within the church.
Yes, included in this principle of judgment is our own Christian maturity and sanctification. God reveals what is false in us and removes it or prunes us from it (John 15:2), so that only the true and the holy remain. As an analogy, during the wheat harvest time in Israel, the farmers would collect the harvest and first lay it out on a threshing floor where it was stomped on and crushed in order to begin to separate the inner grain from the outer husk or shell. Then they would take the grain/wheat up on the side of a hill when the night winds were blowing and throw the harvested wheat into the air. The wind would then blow away the residue of the chaff that remained, so that the pure wheat could then be harvested and collected. God does that with us.
He is preparing a bride for Himself who is free of all spots and blemishes. He removes those things that defile us in order to sanctify us and cleanse us with the washing of water by the Word (Eph. 5:26-27).
I see a great process of this divine separation taking place right in our day. There will be more intense times now in our personal lives, the church and the nation that will appear violent as God uses circumstances and situations to sort of crush us with godly pressure, and then He will toss us again and again into the wind of the Holy Spirit to separate us from what must be revealed and removed. Our repeated impacts against the pure truth of God's Word will cause a breaking. It will appear as judgment, but we must remember that His purpose is not vindictive or punitive but redemptive. He is preparing us for Himself and to be a more effective vehicle of power and mercy to the world. It is when the world witnesses the glory of God in the true Church that they will have a greater opportunity to repent and believe the gospel. But judgment must come before the glory, so that God's people can stand in the glory. It will work for our good as we continually yield to Him in the process and genuinely worship and obey Him. Let us receive grace so that we can serve God whole-heartedly in these days of shaking.
" Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be moved, let us be gracious, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:28-29).
Some Reasons for the Judgment
  1. A righteous remnant is praying and contending for a holy church and the power of God, and He is compelled to respond.
  2. God wants true repentance, holiness and revival.
  3. The false church must be judged so that power and mercy can be extended to the masses through a holy and consecrated church.
  4. America has done much good in the world, sown precious seeds of the gospel for many generations and still remains a beacon of light and hope for many people throughout the nations, and for those reasons, God wants to preserve her.
I believe we will see wrath and mercy, kindness and severity, revival and judgment poured out simultaneously side by side. This process has already started and is meant to further distinguish the true church from the false church as the Lord gets the attention of His people and the world. It is time to judge ourselves so we can be on the glory side.
What We Can Expect on the Glory Side
  1. As the true church shines with increasing glory, persecution will also increase, true believers will be further marginalized and godly preachers hated.
  2. The true church may be driven underground, but will become an epicenter of glory, power and mass conversions.
  3. The nameless and faceless generation and those who have labored in obscurity and been faithful in the little will arise in strength, and their voices will echo the true word of the Lord in this hour, and many young people shall see the evil and corruption in our nation as well as the unrighteous persecution of Christians and will favor Christianity and be open to the gospel.
  4. Every church and ministry that is fueled by the wisdom of man will continue to diminish in effectiveness and power, and those who move according to God's heart and plan will grow increasingly stronger and flourish.
Everything that can be shaken will be shaken. The days of playing church are over as we enter into a season of greater seriousness in the Spirit and in the body of Christ. The increased persecution will bring more churches together as the people of God put aside their petty differences and rally around the lordship of Jesus and His true cause and commission. I don't know about you, but I'm glad I'm on the Lord's side. How glorious these days will be for those who truly love and fear the Lord.
Bert M. Farias, revivalist and founder of Holy Fire Ministries, has authored several books with an emphasis on helping to restore the true spirit of Christianity in the Church today, including the newly released, Passing on The Move of God to The Next Generation and the highly sacred book, The Journal Of A Journey To His Holiness. An anointing of fire marks his ministry with frequent demonstrations of the Spirit and power of God. He ministers interdenominationally and cross-culturally in nations, churches, conferences, on the streets and in homes. He and his wife Carolyn also host The Holy Ghost Forum – a school of the Spirit. Follow him at Bert Farias and Holy Fire Ministries on Facebook and @Bertfarias1 on Twitter.
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