Originally published Feb 19, 2019

In this hour of crisis in the Church, the Ancient of Days, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the One who is Faithful and True, commands His leaders to surrender to the leadership of His Holy Spirit who is intent on waging war at an unprecedented level against the enemy. This seems a strange command given that the Holy Spirit was sent to lead the Church, and yet many Church leaders would rather stand in open rebellion against Him by doing what they feel they should do in the ministry, moving in the wisdom of man rather than following the Spirit of Christ.  This is an atrocity of the gravest magnitude against the Church.

Many have traded the power and authority He would have them wield, for degrees and the accolades of men. As a result, they stand powerless in the pulpit and offices, stripped and defenseless against the powers of Hell as the wicked one unleashes his fury against the flock Jesus died for. And yet, the Father now calls again with great love and mercy to those He called to take responsibility for His flock, to turn and repent of their love for the wisdom of this world.  He resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.  Let us humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God while there is still time.

But make no mistake. The Father does not play games as the Church does. He will do what He has said He will do. He is not a man that He should lie. For those who refuse to lift their heads, by raising their white flag of unconditional surrender allowing King of Glory to come in, agony awaits. The Holy Spirit proclaims, “Woe to those who stand against Me in the day of My wrath!” I speak by the Holy Spirit.  The time has come for leaders to change or perish.  Many will wail because of their folly.

The Holy Spirit is bent on war against the enemy and to conduct that mission AND prepare the Bride of Christ for the coming of our Lord, Church leadership must be brought into submission; they must yield to the One who called them or risk perishing under His mighty hand. The Lord is determined to bring His Church into alignment with His will.  Judgment begins in the House of the Lord (I Peter 4:17) and don’t be deceived, it is coming.

Let no leader, whatever their rank, lose sight of the fact that Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8b). He will not parlay nor will He negotiate terms with the wicked one, nor with leaders that refuse to listen or yield. Isaiah prophesied what Jesus proclaimed in Luke 4:18 (NASB95), “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED.” That is what He does by His Spirit and we dare not hinder Him by habitually doing what we think we should do in any situation rather than following His leading and His prompting. For the Lord to move in the scale He desires through His Church, He must have leaders that obey Him and will yield to His supernatural power.

To bring forth the powerful revival that He has promised, He must and will purge the foundation, His Church leaders, who refuse to follow the Spirit and now stand in open rebellion. He will bring forth five-fold ministries that are aligned, not with the world, but with His plan, His strategy and His purpose. They know His voice and they follow Him.

Departing from the truth, many leaders have unwittingly allowed the enemy through the front door while locking the same against the Spirit of Christ. Elders, staff and other volunteers have been ushered into the Lord’s holy work without being called and appointed by Him. Who are we to make room for those who were never called to leadership in the House of the Lord?! This grievous atrocity against the Lord and His flock will not stand, for the Lord will confront those who were never ushered in by His Spirit. Anyone in a position of leadership who was called by man and not by the Spirit of Jesus must resign or face a confrontation from the Holy One Himself. I speak by the Spirit as I have been commanded.

Who has ever fought against the Lord and won?  Who has ever thwarted His counsel?  Who has ever fared well by not obeying His voice?  Let no leader think that they will be the first.

The certain and living hope that we have is that the Holy Spirit will lead us forth into great and certain victory.  We will possess all that Jesus purchased for us on the Cross if we will align ourselves behind the Shield of Glory that the darkness cannot stand against.  If we stay in His glory, abiding under the shadow of the Almighty, He alone will protect us in the dangerous and perilous times that are coming. I speak by the Holy Spirit.  There is no protection outside of His glory.  We can choose to abide in His glory or suffer certain destruction abiding in the darkness that is so pervasive, not only in the world, but in the Church as well.

The prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah 60:1–3 (NASB95), ¹ “Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. ² “For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; But the Lord will rise upon you And His glory will appear upon you. ³ “Nations will come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.”  This is the revival we have all been praying and hoping for, but massive adjustments must be made by leaders to intentionally honor the Holy Spirit and to let Him into His temple.

But if we choose to spurn the Holy Spirit and not allow Him to arise upon us and lead us, if we choose not to listen to His voice, there is no protection. Let us turn while there is still time!

Mark Biteler