I believe it’s important for me to give some context to this statement and to the main body of this article. These are from a book I published about the spiritual condition of the Church more than twenty years ago. It is more applicable today than then.
I wrote this after having spoken in countless pulpits of all kinds of churches large and small across the world, and for several years. I had led dozens of citywide, and even nationwide pastor/leadership seminars, and more. I had worked in the persecuted Church as well as among the free (none of the following applies to the persecuted Church, only the free). I had seen much and had learned much. The following are a few short illustrative summaries of what I saw through Spiritual eyes, and continue to see, and then some.
1. Dancing in Their Own Ballrooms
Much of the Church is all decked out with tux and gown in a great ballroom, happily waltzing under the natural light of its grand and glittering chandeliers. They’re hypnotized by the sound of the beautifully orchestrated music they’ve worked so hard to compose “for God.” They think they’re enjoying His glory and that He’s enjoying being with them too. But because they have so long forsaken a pure love relationship with Him, they haven’t even noticed that God is greatly grieved due to their unfaithfulness, and that the light they claim as His shining glory is not His at all, but their own.
The Church at Ephesus had left her first love too, and Jesus threatened to remove her altogether (Rev. 2:1-7).
God’s glory is in the other room. He’s knocking on their door but they’re not interested in opening it. They’re caught up in a love affair with themselves, all in His name, and are dancing the night away.
Revelation 3:17-20 (full passage context, verses 14-22) “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—“I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
2. Splashing in Their Own Spiritual Puddles
Much of the Church today is very happily splashing in, and drinking from shallow spiritual puddles all around.
They are afraid to enter into the river of God because it would involve risks they’re not willing to take, and besides, they don’t think they need to do so in order to satisfy Him. They’ve trained themselves to be content in a spiritual kindergarten their whole life. Why take risks in a free flowing river, they say, when they can satisfy themselves safely and completely while playing in puddles. Puddle water doesn’t last long, especially in the mid-day sun, so, they must spend loads of precious time and energy creating lots of little puddles – something they’ve learned to do quite well.
John 7:37-39 NKJV “37. On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. “38. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ “39.  But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”
Hebrews 6:1-2 NKJV “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, “of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits.”
3. They’re Satisfied with Only the Necessary Measure of His Stature
Much of the 21st century Church is frantically busy with doing “good works” and teaching “sound doctrine,” yet they’re lazy spiritually, fully satisfied with “doing what seems right in her own [religious] eyes.” They’re in no way concerning themselves with true spiritual maturity into the full measure of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:13). Spiritual development requires much more of one’s self than physical achievement, and they are not willing to go there.
The Bible shows His full measure in two distinct parts: His Character, and His Power
- One is Compulsory: Growing in His Character
- All who bear His name and belong to Him, He disciplines, so that His character is formed in us. None of His own are exempt from this. “If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? Â But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons” (Hebrews 12:7-8). Read verses 1-11 for the whole passage.
- One is Voluntary: Growing in Spiritual Knowledge and Power
- Total submission to the fullness of Holy Spirit is voluntary. The Apostle Paul said that we should “be continually filled with the Holy Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). He clearly shows that God’s people walk in various measures of the Holy Spirit, and can do so by choice.
The Holy Spirit is invisible, unpredictable, and He does strange things. Many in the Church do not want to yield completely to the Holy Spirit because they are prideful – they dare not shame themselves by appearing strange to the world (even though the Bible calls us “strangers in the earth” (I Peter 2:11).
Many who do claim to be “filled with the Spirit” have made a show of themselves while claiming to be showing Him. The latter problem is equal to the former. Both are grieving to God’s Spirit.
I Corinthians 12:1, 4, 7-11 NKJV “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”
4. They’re a Supernatural People Bound in a Super Normal House
Many of today’s Churches preach a true saving message about God supernaturally saving souls, but afterward, they teach that God is all but completely out of the supernatural-working business. Consequently, their religious forms are indeed all natural, without the power of God working beyond their salvation experience. How sad. How shameful!
They teach against God’s consistent desire to show Himself to the world through miracles, all while claiming to know, to serve, and to do the work of “the God of miracles.” They teach all about the indwelling Holy Spirit, but then painstakingly convince would-be disciples of Jesus Christ that with rare exceptions today, and throughout the last twenty centuries, God has not made Himself known in power through His people except when He has helped us with our own natural means. What a pitiful God they serve.
II Timothy 3:5 NKJV “…having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
 John 14:12 NKJV “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”
