After the power test was completed, the results show that the church has failed. The results as affirmed by scripture make it clear that there has been a massive power failure in the church that has not been corrected. Jeremiah 7:24 “But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.” Unfortunately, many will not go to scripture first and will be convinced that the church is how God intended it to be. There will be an effort based on the doctrines and theology of the church they belong to, to convince those asking questions that they are hearing truth. Many will go and ask questions of their minister or search online and see big names who will say the dimly lit church is how it is supposed to be and present them with enough information that would cease their questioning or quash it. Most have accepted the powerless church now for thousands of years so why would they expect anything different now when it comes to power? Yes, there have been people question the beliefs of the church like the Catholic church and the Reformation and then instead of returning to scripture go off in many tangents and still have no power and that continues today. You then had those who decided God’s power was no longer available (cessationists) and those who believed His power would continue like the charismatics. The first group rejected God’s word and the second group did not test the spirits and were also deceived. We will be looking at those more in detail later. Those they ask would explain their distinct doctrinal beliefs and the person may go, oh ok, everything is as it should be. But the church is not as scripture states it should be. The problem is most people do not seem to care that the church is not as scripture tells us it should be. What they think the church is, is something that meets their needs for the hour a week they go. It has great worship, and the speaker seems relevant, good programs and then when the appetite is not satisfied, they move on to somewhere else but still the power is missing, and they still do not take the time to find out what the beliefs actually are. When you take the power test seriously and start looking for the power the church was intended to have, you will no longer be satisfied with the empty and powerless church. I will be talking about the powerless resurrection on Sunday.

    The reality is that if you accept what most in the church are saying about power and the church being as it should, then you are probably not reading this. But if you are searching for the power of God and praying for power to return to the church, don’t give up your search and continue to call out to God to turn His face back to the church and restore the power. Psalm 80:19 “Restore us, Lord God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.” God said, Proverbs 8:17 “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” As I said, scripture makes it clear that the church failed the power test but there are those who just refuse to listen, even with all the clear warnings. When you read the Gospels and Acts, you see that the church looks nothing like them, especially when it comes to power. Scripture gives us clear warning about turning away. We were warned about savage wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing. We have been warned about following a different Jesus and other gospels and we have been warned about following those false teachers and prophets who teach them, which is why we were warned to test the spirits because of those false teachers and prophets. We were warned not to be deceived and told that many would fall away. We were warned about the abomination that causes desolation decimating the church. All this is laid out in scripture.

    We were also warned what would happen if we did not listen to the right voice. All through scripture there has been a choice whether to listen to satan or God, but the people said we will not listen. Jeremiah 6:17 “I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But you said, ‘We will not listen.’” Jeremiah 44:16 “We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord!” This started in the garden and continues to the present day. There was also a warning about those who proclaim the word of the Lord. Malachi 2:7 “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. 8 But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord Almighty.” Many have been lost to satan because they listened to those who violated the covenant and not to the true messengers. Lamentation 2:14 “The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity. The prophecies they gave you were false and misleading.” Jeremiah 5:11 “The people of Israel and the people of Judah have been utterly unfaithful to me,” declares the Lord. 12 They have lied about the Lord; they said, “He will do nothing! No harm will come to us; we will never see sword or famine. 13 The prophets are but wind and the word is not in them; so let what they say be done to them.” Israel and Judah were destroyed and now the church has been decimated because God’s people refused to listen to His word. Jeremiah 23:16 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. 17 They keep saying to those who despise me, ‘The Lord says: You will have peace.’ And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, ‘No harm will come to you.’ 20 In days to come you will understand it clearly. 21 I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied. 22 But if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds.” 2 Peter 2:1 “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.”

    Those false teachers / prophets are everywhere in the church, and many have very powerful voices. It is satan behind those voices because satan knows when the church returns to God’s word, God returns to the church, and then the church will once again go out with authority and power and do just as Jesus did; preach the good news, heal the sick and cast out demons. Though your search may cost you everything, don’t give up. If you want to see the power of God return to the church, commit your life to serving Him wholeheartedly. Let nothing come between you and God. Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 4:4 “Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live. 7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. 8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. 9 She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.” Luke 14:25 “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Matthew 10:39 “Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” Luke 9:57 “As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Jesus said to the man of wealth who asked what he should do to inherit eternal life, Mark 10:21 “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” What he did not understand was that Jesus was telling him to totally surrender his life, but he was unwilling to do that. Later in the chapter Jesus told them what would happen if they totally committed to Him. Mark 10:28 “Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!” 29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

    The church is presently powerless because of rebellion but when we totally surrender our lives to God, God will once again dwell among us and His kingdom will come near, and the church will once again go out in power. Psalm 68:32 “Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord, 33 to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens, who thunders with mighty voice. 34 Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the heavens. 35 You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!”