COUNTERFEIT REQUIREMENTS

by | Jul 26, 2019 | Christianity Today | 21 comments

In this message I want to share with you the difference between true revival and the counterfeit that targets true revival. This counterfeit is a threat that reappears at the very moment of explosive breakthrough.

Again and again over the past centuries, revival has been delayed, distracted, and discouraged by teachings that add man-made conditions to revival that are not from God.

Trying to bring about revival by carnal means is as old as the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, in First Kings. They called out from morning until noon, leaping about the altar, calling with a loud voice and cutting themselves as they “prophesied madly”—and yet there never was any “sound, or answer, and no one who paid any attention.” Elijah prayed, 37 “Hear me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You O LORD are God, and have turned their hearts back to You.” 38 Then the fire of Jehovah fell…”

God’s conditions for revival have never changed, but human beings keep adding on carnal conditions.  Time and again, revival has appeared when the church has simply repented and surrendered.  The many false teaching we have amassed over the years have produced a list of false preconditions to revival that actually block revival.  Sadly, that list just keeps growing and growing.

 

Here are some of the counterfeit requirements for revival:

  • We must spiritually map our area—in order to gain revival, we need G.P.S. You cannot expect revival until the map is finished.  So-called ‘spiritual mapping’ replaces the Bible and the leading of the Holy Spirit as a guide for knowing what to do to reach a city.
  • We must identify the name of the ruling demon of our area. In Acts 8, Philip did not mention the name of a ‘boss devil’…he mentioned the Name of Jesus, the Name that makes devils flee…and they did!
  • Spirit travel. People leave their bodies to go and do advance work in different parts of the world for revival. Please don’t defend this by mentioning the story of Phillip in Acts 8—he never left his body.
  • The Fivefold Ministry must be set in place first. While the five office gifts do relate to building up the Body of Christ, they are never mentioned as a precondition of revival. Imagine how Satan laughs because you believe revival is impossible because only four out of the five gifts are in place.
  • Lay on the graves of past heroes. You are to seek out the gravesite of a famous ministry, lay on top of it, and absorb the anointing. No, I am not kidding! Here’s the thing…Jesus is the Anointed One, and any anointing you or I have comes from Him alone.   Knowing this saves us from having a grotesque experience in a graveyard…
  • Revival must come through the ‘gate keepers.’ Self-appointed leaders believe that revival will only come through them. They “protect” their city from revival.  They analyze and oppose outbreaks that do not earn their seal of approval. This is nothing more than a power grab. It is hilarious when ministers attack territorial spirits that bind a region not realizing they are that spirit.
  • Researching history to see who did what to whom. This includes studying Indian tribes, past wars and virtually any kind of injustice and grievance between people groups.   You must get representatives of the ancestors who were ‘done wrong,’ apologize, and get the descendants of the two sides reconciled.  In other words, we are never going to see revival because past injustice is a bottomless pit. Is cultural reconciliation a bad thing? No.  Is it a condition of revival?  Never. I am going to say more about this last one because I consider it the most distracting and damaging counterfeit.

In one large event, a golden opportunity degenerated into race baiting. A minister directed his message to the white people in the audience.  He said that while they did not participate in the injustices of the past—they are guilty by association because they are white.   He told them he believes that in order for this young audience (who had zero to do with slavery, lynching, Jim Crow laws, or any form of segregation) to see revival, they must sit there and endure the ensuing rant:  “I forgive you! I forgive you! I forgive you!”  He finished his outburst by shouting, “Black Lives Matter!” What was this?  Wasn’t this itself racial malice cloaked in sanctimonious hypocrisy—fleshly condemnation masquerading as a precondition of revival?  He thought his remarks honored Azusa Street but they were the opposite spirit of Azusa Street.

On February 22, 1906, William Seymour, a one-eyed man who was the son of a former slave, arrived in Los Angeles, California.  He had not yet spoken in tongues, but was determined to declare the truth of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.  He held a small gathering in the home of Richard and Ruth Asberry at 216 North Bonnie Brae Street in L.A.  On April 14, 1907 they moved the meetings to a small rented storefront at 312 Azusa Street in downtown Los Angeles.

What happened in that humble building exploded into a global force that remains the fastest growing arm of Christianity today, and is now nearly 600 million strong. But back in 1907, The Los Angeles Times newspaper rejected the revival because of what they considered an “inappropriate mixing of the races” and because women were in leadership.  But Seymour was following the direction of the Holy Spirit. He had not set out to fix institutional racism or sexism, and yet the true revival that ensued, broke down those barriers.

 The revival was ‘politically incorrect’ in matters of race and gender, but totally correct biblically. How ironic that back when institutional racism did exist, Seymour did not even address it, yet today, when it is does not exist, the minister mentioned above, made it an artificial precondition for revival. For nearly two years, the church in America ignored Azusa Street, and was, instead, fixated on Evan Roberts and the revival in Wales.  In 1907, many prestigious pastors on the East Coast raised a fabulous sum of money to stage a national revival.  It was a spectacular failure.

I fear we are making the same hideous mistakes.  The conditions that bring revival have never changed.  All of the man-made counterfeit add-ons must go! Let’s not study prayer or honor prayer—let’s pray!   Let’s not reflect on the value of seeking revival—let’s seek it!  Let’s not dig up the past—let’s enter into the Glory!

 



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21 Comments

  1. Roland Ledoux

    Let’s enter into the process of telling others about our Lord and Savior empowered by the Holy Spirit, and with a penitent heart ourselves. All the Lord asks for is to COME. He DOESN’T put stipulations or restrictions, why do so many “religious” leaders feel they have too! Revival IS going to happen and it is already starting and all we have to do is get the message out that Jesus says COME! Come as you are, if He wants you changed, He IS after all the Son of God and the Holy Spirit will meet ANYONE who just comes! Great Message Brother and continually praying for the ministry and those involved!

    • Carolina

      Thank you Mario for exposing the spiritual witchcraft being used by some today which actually can block and retard real Revival.

  2. Suzanne Weagle

    Thank you Mario for speaking truth, because GOD confirms HIS WORD when it is spoken, with signs following…..

    Sent from my iPad

    >

  3. Darlene W

    Even the casual observer can surely see the evil in this world.There is so much going on .Many are awake and doing their own research independent of main stream media.They are praying for our nation and our world.Could the third great awakening be the sovereign Hand of God exposing the evil so that all will see His goodness and mercy? At some point the darkness gets so dense that all will see it and have an opportunity to make a choice for God?

  4. Mark James

    The many false teachings we have amassed over the years have produced a list of false preconditions to revival that actually block revival. Sadly, that list just keeps growing and growing. Now isn’t this the present Gospel Truth? I say a resounding “YES” until man gets off the throne of his Life where only the risen Christ is to be Enthroned the so-called Christian Church can play church and rant and rave even speak their own self centered deceptive tongues likened unto those Prophets who knew the word of the Law so well in Elijah’s day however, that One missing ingredient was the Truth of the Living God manifesting in and through their leaders which were Ahab and his queen Jezebel who raised up their own carnal fleshly and very RELIGIOUS spirits that Opposed All truth as with and in Elijah. False Prophets love to be admired and flattered and their followers pour it on them puffing them and themselves up with an extremely subtle pride, Here’s what Jesus had to say to His body:
    Revelation 2:19-21 The Passion Translation (TPT)
    19 I know all that you’ve done for me—your love and faith, your ministry and steadfast perseverance. In fact, you now excel in these virtues even more than at the first. 20 But I have this against you: you tolerate that woman Jezebel,(false teachings) who calls herself a prophetess and is seducing (silly Souls) my loving servants. She is teaching that it is permissible to indulge in sexual immorality (INWARDLY-In ones own soul) and to eat food sacrificed (false doctrines) to idols.[ 21 I have waited for her to REPENT REPENT from her vile immorality activity, but she REFUSES to do so. This is the present condition of the masses today that are following all the wrong shepherds In Jesus Name. BLASPHEMY!!

  5. Roger Culwell

    Leave man in charge a little while and he will program God out of everything, which is what we have done, if the Holy Spirit is in charge, there’s no racism, transgender, Feminist, gay, or nationality or any age bearer, one message fits all, Salvation and meeting the needs, he has me pull down any strongholds against, Gods word, his will, against his work, against his ways, against his people doing the work, and there finances, and drive back T. Spirits, but that’s me here, we must follow the Holy Spirit is the whole key the rest is a man-made agenda and will destroy anything God is trying to do, thats what the church has done, until the Holy Spirit no longer is in charge or welcome, man whats everything planned out, the Holy Spirit moves when he wants not when you want, I went to a church not far from here some, and I have a shout, I have made more than a few leave the stage, I don’t even know when its coming, but it has sparked a many fire, but I would shout when a certian song stired the Spirit in me, and they didn’t know me, but it was on sunday night, and when I shouted several others would shout, and the preacher would get excited, but quickly put the fire out, I thought WHAT IN THE WORLD, and he would hurry through the service, and then quickly say all you who want to leave go ahead a few of us are ging to pray around the altar and he would call me and say let the lord lead you, and we would start really having church, but some just wanted a meeting, and wanted it to be over soon, the ones who ran the church, so we would have Church after church was over, we must get out of the way and let the Holy Spirit have Church and Revival, man just knows how to run a service, The Holy Spirit knows how to have Church and Revival, and the flesh must get out of the way, as the people did in the Church I spoke about, thats how Steve Hill did it at Brownville he just let the Holy Spirit lead, he got out of the way and The Holy Spirit done his thing, it’s not so hard people, just get in Gods presence, Lindel Cooley led them in to the Presence and the Holy Spirit to Control in Brother Steve Hill God rest his soul, we act like it’s something strange the Spirit of God should not be strage to Gods people, Get in the presence of God and allow the Spirit to take over, be obedent to him it’s not hard wait on him. Be Blessed

    • Mark James

      Yes truth Amen For such people do not serve · our Lord Christ but · their own appetites. · By their smooth Christian talk and flattery they deceive the hearts sadly to say of the guileless. Amen

      • Roger Culwell

        amen

    • Roger Culwell

      Some of this is old teaching I read books on spiritual warfare a few years ago, and they did send a team in a week or so before the Revivals and attacked certain T. spirits, the strongman they called him, over the area, but whether it be drugs, or drinking, or strip clubs, it just seems best to me to pray for the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to convict and save, and pray anything that stands in the way, be pulled down and driven back, so souls can be saved, how about pray let the convicting power of the Holy Spirit swoop through that place, like a tidal wave, like a rushing mighty wind, convict every lost soul there, and save heal deliver set free, and let miracles signs and wonders follow, prayer all ways works and if u wanted to send someone in praying that’s wonderful. but we just have a habit of formalizing things, best to let the Holy Spirit lead.

  6. Anthony Bovenzi

    Over all a very good read.

    > >

  7. kingskid48

    If we would just get back to basics, teaching the Word, and deeply worshiping, we could avoid getting into these things that are being picked up out of the world, and see a true revival.

  8. Noel

    I am expecting with you, brother, for that which is genuine. I have been stirred for a fresh annointing over the past three months and am ripe to believe God for things I would have struggled with in the past. I am excited that you mentioned Azusa Street as I was just researching the history of the most momentous event of the church in the 20th century a few weeks ago. No doubt it was genuine as its impact shook the world and ushered in the greatest evangelistic thrust of all time in scope of the number of people that came to faith and were filled with the Holy Spirit!

  9. free73735

    Reblogged this on free73735 and commented:
    It was good to see you & Lance Wallnau today on Fb!

  10. DAVID DOLVE

    Mario, to me it’s hard to see the Christians being so ignorant. I can only imagine what you go thru? I guess we can only pray the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation of the knowledge of Him, illuminate the eyes of their hearts, to bring that living word alive and active. I guess the day the church realizes its not an apologetic view, but one of power, signs, wonders and the full counsel of God, being released.

  11. janmarieeoff

    Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

  12. Wesley Buel

    WHAT DO I SAY TO THIS? ONE WORD! WOW!!!! MOST OF THESE SO CALLED PRECONDITIONS FOR REVIVAL I NEVER HEARD OF, AS OUR LORD TOLD ME ESPECIALLY IN AMERICA ,THE BODY OF CHRIST IS SICK,AND THE READERSHIP IS CORRUPT. AND IN THE MIDST OF THIS IS A GENERATION IS A JUDAS CROWED WHO LIKE WITH JESUS, BETRAYED HIM WITH A KISS,SO TODAY’S GENERATION A CHURCH WITHIN A CHURCH IS A CORE OF JUDAS BETRAYING JESUS WITH A KISS THROUGH WORSHIP,YOU KNOW,THIS PEOPLE HONOR ME WITH THEIR LIPS,BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME,THEY WORSHIP WORSHIP,NOT HIM.ANY WAY YOU WHO HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD HEAR WHAT JESUS IS SAYING TO HIS CHURCH TODAY,,I CAME ACROSS THIS SCRIPTURE WHICH AFTER I READ THIS MESSAGE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO SHARE/// James 4:3 Amplified Bible (AMP)
    3 You ask [God for something] and do not receive it, because you ask with wrong motives [out of selfishness or with an unrighteous agenda], so that [when you get what you want] you may spend it on your [hedonistic] desires.

  13. Wesley Buel

    P.S I MEANT LEADERSHIP,NOT READERSHIP SORRY :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))lolwes

  14. Desertstream

    EIGHT BARREN, DESPERATE WOMEN

    “In scripture, eight barren women were specifically named who were healed from barrenness! They had several things in common. They were desperate. They cried out to the Lord. And each brought forth either a prophet or a deliverer of the nation. Let me list these eight women for you:

    1. Sarah, who brought forth Isaac (Genesis 11:30, 16:1, 18:1-15, 21:1-8)
    2. Rebekah, who brought forth Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25:21-26)
    3. Rachel, who brought forth Joseph and Benjamin (Genesis 29:31, 30:1,22-24, 35:16-18)
    4. Manoah’s wife, who brought forth Samson (Judges 13:2-24)
    5. Ruth, who brought forth Obed (Ruth 4:13)
    6. Hannah, who brought forth Samuel (1 Samuel 1:2-20)
    7. Elizabeth, who brought forth John the Baptist (Luke 1:7-13,57)

    I have listed only seven barren women thus far, while I told you I found eight examples. Who is the eighth? Isaiah 66:8 portrays her vividly:

    “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons.”

    Zion is the eighth barren woman. She will bring forth her precious fruit in the earth as soon as — when? As soon as Zion travails, she will bring forth sons. I have often heard it stated that if the Church would cry out like a barren woman longing for children, then we would have a breakthrough — a revival. I believe this!

    WHAT IS TRAVAIL? DEFINING OUR TERMS

    “What is travail?” These prayer approaches have been a “Lost Art” in the body of Christ, but in the current move of God, old ways are being made new. Let me try to explain it.

    As it is in the natural, so it is in the spiritual. Travail is a form of intense intercession given by the Holy Spirit whereby an individual or group is gripped by something that grips God’s heart. The individual or group labors with Him for an opening to be created so that the new life can come forth.

    The definition of travail from Webster’s New World Dictionary is simple: “n. 1. very hard work. 2. the pains of childbirth. 3. intense pain; agony. v. 1. to toil. 2. to suffer the pains of childbirth.” I have found this definition describing physical travail to be correct in the spiritual realm as well.

    Travail takes place after you have carried something in your heart for a period of time, but it comes on you suddenly. Travail can be associated with the prayer of tears, but does not require it. It is preceded by nurturing the promise; later the strategic time comes to push that promise forth through the prayer canal. Finally you realize that the promise has been born, and you are greatly relieved when the delivery is over!

    The prayer of travail is God desiring to create an “opening” to bring forth a measure of life or growth. If the “opening” was already in place, there would not be the need for travail. Just as the “opening” of the natural womb is enlarged to bring forth the baby, so travail creates an “opening” or “way,” whereas before the opening or way was closed. With travail, there is always a way opened for life, newness, change, or growth.

    ACCOUNTS OF AGONIZING AND WRESTLING IN PRAYER

    Different portions of the Body of Christ use different terminology to describe similar or overlapping experiences. Associated with the prayer of travail throughout church history have often been accounts of “agonizing and wrestling” in prayer. Where are these holy wrestlers for our generation?

    Perhaps one reason that few wrestle in prayer today is that few have the understanding needed and the perseverance required for its strenuous demands. By revelation, you recognize what is at stake: the eternal destiny of an unsaved loved one; the success of an urgent endeavor; the life of a sick one; the honor of the name of God; the welfare of the Kingdom of God.

    Wrestling in prayer enlists all the capacities of your soul, marshals your deepest holy desire, and by the grace of God uses all the perseverance of your holy determination. You push through a host of difficulties. You push back the heavy, threatening clouds of darkness. You reach beyond the visible and natural to the very throne of God. With all your strength and tenacity, you lay hold of God’s grace and power as it becomes a passion of your soul.
    Remember Jacob wrestling with the angel until he received the blessing? Let’s look at that passage again:

    “Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. And when he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. Then he said, ‘Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.’ But he said, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.'”
    Genesis 32:24-26

    As Jacob found out, tenacious, persevering prayer eventually pays off.

    ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURAL ACCOUNTS OF WRESTLING

    We do not know for certain what Paul meant, but ponder the following passage from Colossians:

    “Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.”
    Colossians 4:12-13 (NASB)

    The NIV says Epaphras was “always wrestling in prayer.” Wow! I wonder what his “deep concern,” which was expressed through laboring prayer, looked like. One thing we are assured of: it was intense!

    When Paul wrote that our struggle, or wrestling match, is against the forces of darkness, he had in mind the backdrop of the Olympic-style games in ancient Greece. Each wrestler sought to throw his opponent onto the ground and put his own foot on his opponent’s neck. The Amplified Version renders the passage like this:

    “Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier, which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.”
    Ephesians 6:11-12 (AMP)

    Clearly, we are given pictures here of pinning or wrestling with the enemy, as well as with our heavenly Father in the divine interplay of prayer. One common thread is for certain in both accounts: Don’t give up! Continue in your wrestling match. It’s not over till it’s over! Continue in persevering, prevailing intercession.

    THE EPITOME OF TRAVAIL

    The God of the universe is speaking, declaring that rain is coming to end the drought. Is anyone listening?

    Before a development ever appears in the natural, it must exist first in the heart of God. As recorded from the life of Elijah in 1 Kings 18, before the rain came to end the drought, Elijah heard the rain with his spiritual ears. Even today God speaks first. This creates a spark of faith within a man or woman. Remember, faith comes by “hearing . . . the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

    But Elijah did not just go out and declare all he had heard. He prayed the promise into being. He literally knelt on the promise. He crouched on Mount Carmel as he put his face between his knees. He birthed the end of one season and the beginning of another! The drought ended and the rain poured down!

    There are many lessons to grasp here — but let’s keep it simple. God speaks. Man hears. Faith is created. Man responds to the spark of faith and prays the promise into being. Tenacity and endurance are required when the desired result seems to be delayed. Even when breakthrough starts to come, it takes eyes of discernment to recognize the day of visitation. We are not to “[despise] the day of small things” (Zechariah 4:10), as a cloud the size of a man’s hand grows and consumes the sky in a downpour of mercy, and the drought comes to an end.

    Yes, as we see in the encounter with Elijah, travail brings birth. Travail is the posture of desperation. It expresses the urgent prayer of the heart. Could this be one of the missing keys to an authentic apostolic worldwide awakening?” — Jim Goll

    Before the Revival in Hebrides, a group of men gathered in a barn and prayed. The agony was great, and then a young man lifted up his voice declaring to the Lord that He must answer because His Covenant was at stake! God answered and another great Revival entered the history books.

    • Mark James

      So much truth here to Hear and take heed to brother. Especially when we realize these are “Spiritual” Truths and they can only be accomplished spiritually and NO other way Amen. The sheep today have been put to sleep by the many false prophets teachers book sellers and on and on only depending on the sensual flesh to excite the church so as to keep her in bondage to the principles of ones own bodily appetites never ever acceding above them in Christ (heavenly places) who is a Life giving Spirit to Indwell ones own soul raising her from the dead In Himself because He’s the ONE Spirit that must be at Home Within her indwelling her as is His Holy Place. Today we need to come clean INWARDLY as we wait of Elijah or many Elijah’s to Come exposing that which is false and a Lie as the sheep are to AWAKENED to a genuine REPENTANCE knowing they are and have been following the err of their own souls while sacrificing even their monies for that which is NOT food for ones own soul but only that which keeps ones own to be made precious soul in the grips of a false Christian materialism that can only keep ones soul in the leaven (teaching) until these false Apostles-Prophets-teachers-are REVEALED for what they are and taken down by God in Christ likened to Elijah in Spirit Himself. Then the Heavens will open and the Living Waters of true Life will come down in buckets bringing DELIVERANCE and a Salvation being readied to be revealed “Manifested” as we approach our own individually as well as corporately the End of time Amen

  15. Monica Rutledge

    I totally think the church needs to hear this. We have tried to manipulate God into appearing out of our desire to have a move. Where is If He be lifted up I will draw all.men unto me? We have to lay down all our hooks. It’s about Him not us. Because we want Him period.

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