To Preach Repentance

*From Revival School/Andrew Strom via email:


WHO IS the GREATEST PROPHET?
-by S. Hill.

Would that be Ezekiel due to the intensity of his visions? Would that be Isaiah due to the accuracy of his revelation of Jesus? Would that be Daniel due to his wisdom and ability to interpret dreams that kept him at the power centers of two world empires? Would that be Enoch who had such a powerful encounter with God that he literally was not here anymore?

According to Jesus the greatest prophet was John the Baptist who came preaching "repentance for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand". So far as we know John never had a vision, dream or angelic encounter. Yet Jesus called him the greatest prophet!

How many prophets do you know who are preaching repentance?

It is difficult for them to preach repentance from the practice of casual divorce and remarriage since such would close "ministry doors" to them and offend folks who pay for their conferences and buy their books. But Jesus did so in Matthew 19:9!

It is difficult for them to preach repentance from selling the gospel and making merchandise of the people of God since most have embraced the same values. But in Matthew 10:8 Jesus commanded us to freely give as we have freely received. In II Corinthians 11:5- 21 Paul said that the difference between the true and the false was not in message, anointing or gifting but in how they related to the people and money!

It is difficult to for them to preach repentance from self promotion, the love of position and title since most have embraced celebrity status but Jesus did so in Matthew 23:1- 12.

It is difficult for them to preach repentance from seeking special experiences and angelic encounters since those experiences are their tickets to "prophetic" status in a world that values experiences above obedience. But Paul did so in Colossians 2:18- 19.

You cannot preach repentance from inside the camp! You support the camp. You can only preach repentance from outside. The court prophets support the court. The prophets from the wilderness are free to preach repentance. That is why Hebrew 13:13 calls us to follow Jesus outside the camp.

Jesus said that "the pure in heart shall see God". The result of true repentance should be a pure heart to see God.

Once you see God the claims for revelation from the prophets will literally be seen in a different light. Once you see God all dreams, visions and words will take their proper place. That some talk about third heaven experiences as casually as a trip to Pizza Hut and claim to be able to teach others how to have them, shows that they have never been farther than their own imaginations.

Maybe the fascination of the general church world with the supernatural experiences, dreams, revelations is simply because few of them have ever seen God? Maybe we put prophets in a wrong place because we do not have God in the right place?

Maybe we would be less fascinated with "supernatural experiences" if we understood the vision of God that Jesus presented to us? Yes, He came to show us the Father but He also said that if we served the least, we served Him.

He placed the face of God on every suffering child.

The pure in heart will see God and when they do the whole religious game of status, money, recognition, book sales and numbers will fade away. They will see God and they will see His face as the face of human need and they will serve.

Jesus is the greatest Prophet!
Hear Him!

-SOURCE: www.harvest-now.org