Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Article: Wells Without Water

Received via newsletter from Andrew Strom/revivalschool.com

WELLS Without WATER
-by Darren Smith.

Western Christianity has become a well with no water! What could be worse to someone dying of thirst, than to finally come upon a well and then discover that it has no water. I think this is a good example of what modern religion does. It puts up a front that looks like it has the answer to life's problems and even offers that to the people. Yet in reality, what they get is a show designed to entertain and get their money. The shame is that the world is thirsty and we are supposed to have Living Water, but when they come to drink they find only an empty well leaving them worse off than before.

2 Peter 2:15-18 addresses this very issue. By abandoning the straight path, they have gone the way of Balaam. Is not the same true today? The way of Balaam is the wide path. Not speaking the Word of God but rather speaking words that profit themselves, not giving the Living Water, but giving out something that tastes good to the carnal Adam.

On a recent preaching trip every church I ministered at people came forward confessing sexual sin, and not just a few but many. Some were even in leadership positions and were counseling people with the very same issues. The thing that brought this out was the Word of God preached without fear and the fact that I am very transparent about the struggles in my own life. This happens every time that I minister, even though I don't go out with the intent - it is just God opening up the chance for Living Water to come and fill the people once they confess their sins and repent.

We have a myth that's been put before the church for so long that people are numb to the Spirit. We have been told that we can make revival happen and that's not true. Revival only comes when the people are broken and they get clean before God. This means exposing the hidden sin in their life and being willing to suffer the consequences of that sin. You can pray for revival for years, but unless the people are willing to get clean it will not come.

So why is this such a problem? For one thing, many of the people in leadership are bound up in this very sin. It's estimated that 70% of pastors struggle with Pornography and the sad thing is they feel like they can never confess, therefore, they never come clean and Living Water cannot flow from the well that they tend. This must be exposed so people can get free. This sin is so easy to conceal that before long the person that is bound up in it can justify their bad behavior. I know I have been bound by this sin and only found freedom with deep repentance and confession.

It is the same in marriage. Many have sin in their marriage and will not come clean so grace can heal. Instead they move into coexistence that brings no glory to God and eventually they end up in affairs and broken marriages are the result. The divorce rate is the same in the church as it is in the world for this very reason. Trust me, sexual sin is just as bad in the church as it is in the
world. Everywhere I go, this is a huge problem and I get many emails dealing with the same thing from all over the world.

We must address this now and very publicly so people can get free and we can see God move in His Body. 2 Peter 2:17 says these people are springs without water. It's time we become a well of Living Water for a thirsty world to drink from to become whole. To do this we need to go through a purification process by the Holy Spirit!!

Can you think of anything worse than dying of thirst and coming upon a well and finding out that even though it looks like a well and has the bucket to draw with, there is no water there to drink.

If you are clean, start praying that a wave of repentance comes upon the church. If you are not clean, repent and confess and get clean. We need the Living Water to flow through this world and it is not God who is holding it back, it is us.