Reflection for Today: Does a Church Appearing Fervent Mean That It Has the Work of the Holy Spirit?

Hello brothers and sisters of Spiritual Q&A,

    Several months ago, I witnessed the pastors in our church vying with each other for the sake of fame and gain and jockeying for position, so much so that they even verbally attacked and disparaged each other during sermons. Their sermons were not enjoyable to listen to, and our spirits went unnourished. Furthermore, there was widespread cooling of the faith of brothers and sisters; they pursued wealth, they coveted physical pleasures and they followed worldly trends, giving all their attention to eating, drinking and having fun. Most of the time, some brothers and sisters simply did not attend gatherings, but instead only came when a disaster occurred in their lives or when there was some important holiday … Faced with this situation in our church, I left to look for a church that had the work of the Holy Spirit. I searched in many places, however, and discovered that most churches were just the same, and I began to lose hope. I recently found a church, however, which often put on shows and held events, and it even had pastors coming from overseas to give sermons. The atmosphere in this church was very warm and enthusiastic, and many people attended each gathering. Looking at this church that was so ardent and at the brothers and sisters who attended gatherings so enthusiastically, I thought this must be a church that had the work of the Holy Spirit. It wasn’t long, however, before I discovered that, although the church appeared ardent, the sermons preached by the pastors were unable to provide benefits for the lives of brothers and sisters and were unable to satisfy our spirits. The singing and dancing that went on only had the effect of changing the atmosphere in the church—while it was going on, we all felt very energetic, but as soon as we sat down to listen to a pastor give a sermon, we would begin to doze off. Moreover, brothers and sisters were always trying to outdo each other with donations and prayers. Whoever donated a lot was considered to be someone who loved the Lord, and whoever prayed for a long time and said nice words in their prayers was considered to be a spiritual person…. In this kind of church, the brothers and sisters not only had no honesty or humility but, on the contrary, their vanity just got stronger and stronger and they became more and more hypocritical. They focused on expressing themselves and showing off in front of others and were exceedingly self-righteous and arrogant. Whenever they encountered an issue, they just dealt with it however they wanted, and they didn’t listen to anyone else—they were just not keeping to the Lord’s teachings at all. Faced with this kind of situation in the church, I couldn’t help but wonder: Could such a church that appears to be so fervent from the outside have the work of the Holy Spirit? This question has always perplexed me, so I’d like to ask if you could answer it for me.

Wenxi

Gospel Movie Clip "Caught the Last Train" - The Effects of the Work of God Incarnate

Gospel Movie Clip "Caught the Last Train" 

The Lord Jesus has become flesh again to carry out the work of judging and purifying man, and He has achieved various results. Do you know that? 

Chen Peng was a pastor in a house church. He had burden for the church work, and ministered to the believers year after year. But in recent years, the church became overwhelmingly desolate. More and more believers became passive, weak, and no long attended the church services. Meanwhile, Pastor Chen felt dry in spirit and had nothing to preach…. He tried many ways to revive the church, but all his efforts ended up in vain…. By chance, he heard Almighty God’s end-time gospel. After an intense debate, he finally found the cause why the church became desolate—God has been incarnated and does a new work. Almighty God is the returned Lord Jesus. Only those who follow the Lamb’s footsteps can get the watering and supply of the living water of life.

Biblical Prophecy

The Church of Almighty God | Biblical Prophecy

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

Recommended Reading: Bible Study Topics

2019 Christian Video "God's New Name" | When the Lord Returns, Will He Still Be Called Jesus? (Skit)

Best Christian Video "God's New Name"

Xu Xin is a house church worker who is always enthusiastically seeking and yearns for the Lord's return. One day, her niece testified to her that when the Lord returns He will take a new name and only those that accept God's new name will be caught up before God's throne. She based this testimony on the following prophecy from Revelation: "Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, … and I will write on him My new name" (Revelation 3:12). Xu Xin, however, believes that Jesus' name will never change and that when the Lord returns He will still be called Jesus. This led the two of them to enter into a debate. What was the outcome of their debate? Will the Lord really take a new name upon His return? Watch the skit God's New Name to find out.

Recommendation:

4 Principles on How to Get Closer to God

No Longer Passive and Guarded Against False Christs, I Welcomed the Lord’s Return

By Zhangjie

    One day, Sister Zhou told me that Sister Wang had invited a preacher to come and preach to us, and I was asked to attend our co-workers’ meeting. I hurried to the meeting place after receiving the message, where Sister Wang introduced us to the preacher, Sister Ma Yan. Once we’d exchanged greetings, Sister Ma spoke of the reasons behind the church’s desolation, integrating some Bible verses into her fellowship. We all thought that she’d fellowshiped very clearly, that her fellowship had come from the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment, and that it had resolved questions that had perplexed us for a long time.

2018 Comedy Skit "The Lord Is Knocking" | Welcome the Return of the Lord | Christian Variety Show

Thoughts after reading:

I used to be like the brother in the short sketch. I thought that the Lord will return coming with clouds. I also held the belief that believing in the Lord should base on the Bible. When I heard that the new work of the Lord was different from my imagination, I repeatedly refused to listen to the Lord's gospel of the last days. If the brothers and sisters who preached the gospel didn't shoulder the burden of God’s commission and tirelessly fellowship with me and the brother in the short sketch, neither the brother nor I would greet the Lord's return. Lord Jesus said, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." I understand the key to welcome the second coming of the Lord is to listen to God's voice through reading the scripture. Thanks be to God.

The skit The Lord Is Knocking explains how, in the last days, the Lord knocks at the door of our hearts with His words, and that wise virgins can hear God's voice and feast with the Lamb.

Pastor Chang Shoudao has always awaited the Lord's return, but when Brother Zhen testifies to him that the Lord has already returned, he stubbornly sticks to his own notions and imaginings, believing that the Lord will return on a cloud, and keeping the door of his heart closed to the true way. This time, however, Brother Zhen discusses passages of the Scripture relating to the Lord's return with him, and he discovers that the Bible contains prophecies that in the last days the Lord will return in secret, in incarnate flesh, to speak new words and purify man, and only afterward will appear publicly to reward good and punish evil. At the same time, he comes to understand the true meaning of the Lord knocking at our doors, and that the key to welcoming the Lord's return is being able to hear God's voice. When he finally hears the voice of God in Almighty God's word, he finally opens the door to his heart and welcomes the Lord's return.

“What a Beautiful Voice” (1) – How Do the Prophecies of the Second Coming of Jesus Come True

Harvest after watching:

“Behold, I come as a thief.” (Revelation 16:15) and “And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him.” (Matthew 25:6)"It is prophesied in Revelation, “Behold, he comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.” Do you know why this will happen?The scriptures recorded that the Lord  come like a thief. It should be coming quietly, but other scriptures says  that the Lord is coming in the clouds that everyone will see it. I finally understand that the way the Lord returns can’t just base on one prophecy, but we’d better integrate other prophecies to help us receive the coming of the Lord. This video has the truth of seeking the return of the Lord. Don’t miss out!

Many people in religious circles adhere to the prophecy that the Lord will descend riding on a cloud and they are waiting for Him to come that way to rapture them into the kingdom of heaven, but overlooking the Lord's prophecies of coming in secret: "Behold, I come as a thief" (Revelation 16:15). "And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him" (Matthew 25:6). So how are these prophecies of the Lord's return fulfilled? And how should we be the wise virgins who welcome the Lord's return?