Many Have Bowed Down And Fallen

/ JSB / 9 Comments

A WATERSHED HOUR
The Church America is in a “watershed” hour.

The spiritual atmosphere is shifting. Thought patterns, narratives and paradigms are being sealed into whole networks of Christians; where pastors, pundits, prophets and intercessors not only believe false storylines, but care little for cautionary scriptures, and heartily draw each other into the destructive spirits attached to the lies. There is no argument, no amount of reason, no logical presentation of the facts that can budge individuals from the realities that so many are clothing themselves with.

When a full web of deceit has been allowed to infiltrate the minds of any collection of humanity, (ie. married couple, family, small group, church fellowship, or denomination) the perverted world-view then determines the truth. The deceived bend the scriptures to reenforce the perverted truth, and scriptures that militate against the perverted truth are marginalized and ignored altogether.

This is where the household of God finds ourselves in 2025 – entranced by the myths of a gilded delusion.

False, collective mind-sets have overtaken the people of God throughout history. From the tower of Babel, the days of Noah, the Children of Israel, to the days of the prophets, to the church in Corinth, Sardis and Laodicea, to the crusades, to the civil war Southern Baptists in our own United States, and the Lutherans, and Catholics in 1930’s Germany, and Italy – whole elements of the people of God have repeatedly veered into degenerate beliefs about the ways of the Lord.

FALLING AWAY
The Bible often refers to this phenomenon as “falling away” from faith in God.

“These ones have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they fall away.” (Mark 4:17) (See also Luke 8:13)

“These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to FALL AWAY.” (John 16:1)

“Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never FALL AWAY.” (Matthew 26:33) (See also Mark 14:27)

“Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard that you do not get led astray by the error of these unprincipled men and FALL from your firm grasp on the truth.“ (2 Peter 3:17)

“Then many will FALL AWAY into sin, and they will betray one another, and hate one another.” (Matthew 24:10)

“Blessed is everyone who does not FALL AWAY on account of Me.” (Matthew 11:6)

“Let no one deceive you by any means; for (the Day of the Lord) will not come unless the FALLING AWAY comes first…” (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never FALL AWAY…” (2 Peter 1:10)

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” (1 Timothy 4:1)

“Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.” (Hebrews 4:11)

We can be easily deceived by our uncrucified mind. The ability to see when one is falling away is a supernatural work of the Spirit. Our flesh will distort our reality, and the nature of the faithlessness that’s truly in our hearts. “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12)

PSALM 20 • SOME TRUST IN HORSES
In Psalm 20, David notes that many in his day “put their boast in chariots, and horses” (v.7), and had “bowed down” (to another) and “fallen away” from “trusting in the Name of the Lord” v.8. This erosion of faith; whereby the covenant people of God are seduced by lies, and place their ultimate trust in another power of provision other than YHWH is routinely identified as “IDOLATRY” in both the Old, and New Testaments.

THE IMAGE OF GOLD
One of the most prominent pictures of idolatry is vividly detailed in the story of Nebuchadnezzar’s “image of gold”, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

After years of hearing of the Lord’s judgments upon the nation of Judah, the Jews had finally been deported to Babylon. There, the covenant people of God would spend the next generation, outside of the land of promise, under the unrighteous reign of a series of pagan kings. In Daniel chapter 3, we learn that the first king, Nebuchadnezzar, has erected a towering statue on an open plain near the city. Furthermore, the king is demanding that all of the inhabitants of his realm “bow down” to this image upon his command. Undoubtably, many Jews in Babylon heard this decree, and, in varying states of faith and unbelief, were faced with a choice: “In light of YHWH’s first commandment, how do we respond to this summons to extol the glory of Nebuchadnezzar?”

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image – any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.” (Exodus 30:4-6)

Apparently, many “bowed down” (Exodus 30:5; Psalm 20:7; Daniel 3:6) to the king’s demand to worship his image. Perhaps they rationalized that they were simply showing proper respect for their new ruling authority. Or maybe, many had already begun to embrace the Babylonian cult-legends, ultimately believed the lie that by submitting to the false glory of the king of Babylon, they would be sufficiently provided for, and protected… (who knows?) What they didn’t perceive was that they were actually taking the next step in their long process of “falling away” from their God; the One Who had been pleading with them, and their father’s fathers through the prophets. Undoubtably, many of these Jews had a correct belief in Who YHWH was, but in the heat of self-preservation their theology was exposed as a rhetorical construct and not a practical reality that shaped how they lived their day to day lives. With meager faith in YHWH, many children of Judah capitulated to Nebuchadnezzar’s orders, perhaps even donning fashionable golden-image jewelry, or chanting popular, emotional phrases, and prostrated themselves before a demonic entity.

Though many tragically bowed down to the image on the plain in those days, Daniel records that three would not. There were three who saw the moment for what it was. In spite of the pervasive cult beliefs, the peer pressure, the Facebook memes, and perhaps even arguments from their own teachers – these three saw Nebuchadnezzar’s executive order as an affront to the power and glory that belonged to their God.

Of the thousands who were on the plain in that day, only three passed the test in the courts of heaven.

FALLING AWAY HAS CONSEQUENCES
The story of the “golden image” is much more than a quaint Bible story about three noble young men who made a wise choice. It was a significant day of judgment upon the people of God. One that would lead to potential reward and blessing for some, and consequence and additional curse for others.

Over the last several weeks, as our authoritarian President has dictated that our nation honor the birthday of the flag, the army, and his own life, (a demand that would have sounded familiar to Nebuchadnezzar, and many other self-exalting supremacists throughout human history including Mao, PW Botha, Pinochet, Saddam Hussein, Gaddafi, Kim Jung Un, Stalin etc. – all who held military parades on their own birthday) the Lord has brought the American Church into an hour of judgment no less pointed than what Shadrach, Meschac and Abednego were faced with. The Lord is looking us in the eye, and confronting us with our own idolatry. In a very troubled, and tumultuous cultural context, He’s issuing the pointed question to our souls: “Who will you honor? Will you put your nimble, daily trust in Me? Or will you ‘bow down’ and hail another carnal king who promises to provide for you, protect you, and make you a great people?”

Simply put, the Lord is bringing us to a moment when He is testing the nature, and strength of our faith.

PROFESSED FAITH vs. CRUCIFIED FAITH
The faith we want, and need to have in this hour, must be more than a correct propositional statement. It needs to be more than orthodox dogma about Jesus. In Matthew 16, Peter declared what was true about Who Jesus was, truth that Jesus even affirmed as being “revealed by the Father” (Matthew 16:17). But in the minutes after this inspired assertion, as Jesus described what was about to happen to the Messiah, “doctrinally correct Peter”, is found rebuking Jesus! He openly opposed the way that Jesus was describing – the way of humility, crucifixion, death, and abject faith in the will of the Father. Peter let the prominent cultural legend about the mission of the Messiah to determine his belief, and even override the expressed Words of the Messiah, Himself! His narrative had the Messiah violently overthrowing pagan oppression. Jesus was indicating that both pagan oppression and religious orthodoxy were about to put Him on a cross. It was oil and water in Peter’s mind. He had no template for what Jesus was talking about. Death meant failure and loss. Victory looked like spiritual, moral, and governmental domination.

Peter’s ideologies toppled all the more as Jesus underscored the way of true anointing: Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:24-26)

This was Jesus’ vision of robust, living faith: to lay down one’s life, without complaint, and to trust that the Father would receive the complete offering of self, along with all of one’s hopes for self-glory, self-sustenance, self-determination, self-justification, and self-gratification, and raise us up in the same Spirit of Christ, so that we share in the same glory; the same authority; and the same character as Jesus, Himself. Jesus was saying that He was about to offer His Father “obedience to the point of death” (Philippians 2:6-8) and by it, the Father would see to it that Jesus’ covenant love, mercy, and leadership would be extended to the whole world. Complete surrender of the impulse of self to the Father, even to the point of death, was the way Jesus was going to extend His Kingdom, from Jerusalem, to Galilee, to Syria, to Turkey, to Rome, to Europe, to the Americas, to all of Africa, China, the Islands – in person after person, and ekklesia after ekklesia.

It takes a lot of real faith to believe this – both, from a global / missions perspective, as well as from a daily, personal perspective. The way seems small, too slow, and too dangerous. It takes faith to believe that there is a Father in heaven Who sees and rewards every little extension of kindness, forgiveness and sacrifice with His favor, and His “dunamis” power.

It takes faith to believe that poverty of spirit, meekness, mourning, and asking for forgiveness is going to extend Jesus’ reign on the earth. In a dog-eat-dog (X, formerly TWITTER) world, it takes trust to display love when everyone around you is hating; to rejoice while everyone else is raging; to walk in peace while everyone is declaring war; to be patient while everyone is seizing the moment; to extend kindness after you’ve been vilified; to operate in goodness while those around you are compromising with holiness; to be gentle when everyone else is taking up the sword; and to surrender self, when everyone is urging you to take what’s rightfully yours.

But this is the real, moment-by-moment world the Lord calls us to manifest faith within… And what I’ve just outlined above, is what true faith looks like to Jesus. To not possess this type of faith is to either not have faith, or to have FALLEN AWAY from real faith.

“When the Son of Man comes, will He find real faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)

This is also the type of faith that Paul describes that many will fall away from in (2 Thessalonians 2:3); a faith that both believes the true things about Jesus, and willingly lays down our selfish lives down unto the increase of His glory within the context of a hostile world.

And this is where, in this crucible of faith-analysis, that we, as a people find ourselves. For ten years our family has been challenged by one man to assert self, rather than deny self. He has openly, and daily challenged the Body of Christ to cheer words and ways that are antithetical to Christ. He’s goaded us to “fight like hell!” Seize your rights Curse! Revile! Push! Shove! Demand your own way! Condemn! Never forgive! Never admit your mistakes! Murder! Abuse! Justify your fleshly impulses! Crave! Take! Lust some more! Rage! Deceive! Alienate! Divide! Conquer! Exalt self! And, especially, at every opportunity, “exalt me!”

The followers of Christ have been selectively targeted to compromise the integrity of their wholehearted allegiance to the Father. Their trust has been assailed with temptations that are as real as Jesus’ temptations in the desert. (See Luke 4) It’s been a decade-long barrage on the Church. Every day our collective group-speak about what is evil, and what isn’t moves a centimeter – until one day, the voice of murder, lust, pride and impatience can wait no longer and openly makes us an offer: “All this power and glory I will give You… if You will bow down before me.” (Luke 4:6-7)

This is the day that is upon us – a day when the devil’s barter is seen for what it is. “Worship me! Worship my power and might! Worship my authority to not only rule the nation, but rule the earth! Hail my way of hostility, pride, self-assertion and covetousness. Acknowledge that my way – the abusive way of might – the way of Peter in (Matthew 16) – is the right way – and even God’s way.”

You’ll notice that Jesus’ answer to the devil in (Luke 4) is the same as it was to Peter in (Matthew 16). “Get behind Me, Satan!”

Selah

Selah, some more…

Would that this had been our family’s response to our President’s latest appeal to “bow down” and honor him, and his display of might and power. Would that our family would learn that Jesus’ response in both of these instances is the “real faith” that the “Son of Man” (Luke 18:8) will be looking for at the end of the age. “No. I won’t bow down to you and your contra-Kingdom definition of power, your false promises of glory, and your hostile way of self-determination. Get thee behind me, satan!”

There was a day when many children of Israel, who had celebrated the first Passover, put their trust in the familiarity, pomp, and empty promises of a deity represented by a golden calf. (Exodus 32:28) Even after being threatened by Moses, 3000 would not repent, and instead laid down their lives for their idol.

There was a day when 10 children of Israel put their trust in their own ability to win the day, and would not go into the land because of the giants (Numbers 14). All ten of them, and their families died outside of the land promised to them by YHWH.

The Lord has been giving us such a choice in these days. Will we continue to extol and vaunt the way of one who is promising us greatness through carnal strength and self-determination? Or will we humble ourselves, put self in the grave, and walk in the noble, incorruptibility of our faith, daily being made into the image of the One we long for?

This is the ultimatum that the Lord has put before us.

Allow me to be straightforward.

It’s 2025. If you’re hailing Trump, defending his arguments of carnal selfism, casually offering him displays of adoration, you have taken the devil’s bait; you are bowing to Nebuchadnezzar’s image of gold; you have fallen away from faith in God.

It’s vital that you know what your approbation is communicating to the Son of Man:

A. Your “boast” in the Lord (Psalm 20:7) is more rhetoric, than daily, practical, Biblical reality.

B. You’ve compromised your allegiance to the way of Christ. In fact, you’re “bowing down” (Psalm 20:8) to a king who is contraChrist.

C. You’ve “fallen away” (Psalm 20:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:) from heaven’s definition of faith in God.

D. You need to return to pure, and sufficient faith in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20) The Lord knows there are grim consequences to “bowing down and falling away”…

“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief FALL AWAY from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3:12-13)

“They have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they FALL AWAY, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” (Hebrews 6:5-6)

1. Your adulation will cause you to side-step the faith-cultivating process that Holy Spirit is working in the Bride through the Sermon on the Mount. Consequently, you will not have a breathing, adroit faith that will be sufficient for the “troubled” day in which we’re living. You will lack the humble responsiveness to the Lord that will keep you safe from losing your obedient love for the Lord.

2. The spirit of delusion (2 Thessalonians 2:11) is a bonafide threat to your Christlikeness, and to your salvation. In apologizing for this man’s demonic spirit, you are being beguiled by greater and more self-satisfying lies. You will defend the indefensible. Truth-be-told, if you’re reading this with an argument in your spirit, you already are. And ultimately, you will encourage others deeply into these contra-Christ thoughts and behaviors. This is the sure, scriptural, mathematical pathway to destruction traversed by the envious, those filled with strife, deceit, malice, insolent, arrogant, unfeeling, and unmerciful.

“Just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do those things that are not proper, people having been filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil… without understanding, untrustworthy, unfeeling, and unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also approve, and encourage others to practice them.” (Romans 1:28-32)

“Consequently GOD SENDS ON THEM A DELUDING INFLUENCE so that they will believe what is false.” (2 Thessalonians 2:11)

“For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that THEY ARE THE ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST. Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about earthly things.” (Philippians 3:18-19)

“They are pure vanity, the work of delusion and error. When the day of their visitation comes, they will be destroyed.” (Jeremiah 51:18)

What does being given over to a spirit of delusion look like in a soul, a community, and/or a culture?

12 Signs and Consequences of a Christian Being Given Over to a sPirit of Delusion:

1. You cannot also be filled with the Holy Spirit

2. You will not crave the fruit of the Spirit – you will crave and justify the fruit of the flesh

3. You will (increasingly?) suffer (literally) the natural, compounding consequences of unrighteousness

4. You will not be able to rightly bear a cross; you will have no means of true discipleship in Christ, and will therefore have no means to cultivate increased living faith in Christ Jesus

5. You will be found testifying to things that actually harm the reputation of God, and harm others.

6. You will seek out greater and greater religious zeal to make up for the lack of Spirit power in your life

7. You will listen to the destructive and divisive arguments/doctrines of demons

8. You will increasingly NOT walk in the light of honestly, vulnerability, poverty of spirit, humility, meekness etc., but instead walk in darkness, shame, isolation, and evil suspicion

9. You will fill your self with more and more of a “curse” – that will actually often manifest itself as “cursing”

10. “Prophetic” words (charismatic), and Biblical teaching (dispensational) are more and more about “saving self”, and less and less about exalting Jesus, or even mentioning Jesus at all.

11. Daily intimate fellowship with Jesus and His Word, and prayer (watching and praying) becomes more and more burdensome, and the invitation to political, social, ethical, religious zealotry becomes more and more appealing.

12. Ultimately, the terms of your own covenant with Jesus are on the table, and you find yourself questioning key elements of the gospel for yourself, and others.

CONCLUSION
After ten years of this man’s vanity, deceit, lust and malicious words, the Lord is saying to our 21c blind, Laodicean spirit: “If you’re celebrating this man with no alarm about the (1 John 2:16) antiChrist spirit that’s in his soul, you’re giving him what he wants – ‘worship’; worship that only belongs to Me. This is idolatry in My eyes. The many in My household who continue to bow before this man, and his blasphemous pride and carnal hostility, ‘I am giving over’ (Romans 1:28) to a (2 Thessalonians 2:11) “strong delusion” – a spirit that has the power to cause all who elevate this man to “fall away” (2 Thessalonians 2:3) from the cross-bearing faith that will be necessary to stand with first-commandment love for Me at the end of the age.”

Today is a good day to weep. Truth be told, our tears over the compromised state of the church in America have far more glorious might than all the firepower in our military arsenal. 

Shame upon a people who have lost their vision to see this… 

There are a few across the land who are heralding this warning unto repentance with love, prayers, and the anticipation of redemption. And on the open plain where the false prophets bid the people of God to bow down to nationalist glory, there are a handful who dare to stand and boast in nothing but the Name of the Lord, our God. 

And this is the message of those who stand. This is the invitation that we cry on the slippery slope of our culture: “Come! Repent of our idolatry! The Lord is bidding us to get up from bowing down, and come to His threshing floor, together. The hour is late. Let’s put away our spots, wrinkles and blemishes! Let us engage the fire that Jesus first offered to our Laodicean sisters and brothers: “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.” (Revelation 3:17-18)

____________________
JSB • June, 2025

POSTSCRIPT: The only way to break the curse of the unrighteous delusion that clings to us is for believers, churches and ministries to come to the Lord’s threshing floor, and engage the Lord in brutal personal truth over His Word. It’s only as we dialogue with the Spirit about the destructive contra-Christ thought-patterns and narratives, and give ourselves to weeping, repentance and contrition that we will find power to extricate ourselves from their invasive affects on our hearts, ways and relationships.

This was the type of engagement that Ezra gave to the Lord when his people were found to infected with the virulent strain of rebellious adultery in their day:

“O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to you, my God! For our iniquities have climbed higher than our heads, and our guilt extends to the heavens. 7 From the days of our fathers until this very day our guilt has been great. Because of our iniquities we, along with our kings and priests, have been delivered over to captivity, plunder, and embarrassment—right up to the present time. 8 “But now briefly we have received mercy from the Lord our God, in that he has left us a remnant and has given us a secure position in his holy place. Thus our God has enlightened our eyes and has given us a little relief in our time of servitude. 9 Although we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our servitude. He has extended kindness to us… “And now what are we able to say after this, our God? For we have forsaken your commandments 11 which you commanded us through your servants the prophets with these words: ‘The land that you are entering to possess is a land defiled by the impurities of the local residents! With their abominations they have filled it from one end to the other with their filthiness. 12 Therefore do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, and do not take their daughters in marriage for your sons. Do not ever seek their peace or welfare, so that you may be strong and may eat the good of the land and may leave it as an inheritance for your children forever.’ 13 “Everything that has happened to us has come about because of our wicked actions and our great guilt. Even so, our God, you have exercised restraint toward our iniquities and have given us a remnant such as this. 14 Shall we once again break your commandments…? Would you not be so angered by us that you would wipe us out, with no survivor or remnant? 15 O Lord God of Israel, you are righteous, for we are left as a remnant this day. Indeed, we stand before you in our guilt. However, because of this guilt no one can really stand before you.”

While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself to the ground before the temple of God, a very large crowd of Israelites—men, women, and children alike—gathered around him. The people wept loudly. 2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, from the descendants of Elam, addressed Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God…” (Ezra 9:6-15 and 10:1-3)

Friends. This hasn’t been our way. We don’t value this kind of prayer in our evangelical circles. Nor have we “learned Christ” in this manner. Our prideful theology demands that it all be settled in a moment. Our hearts and minds are “dead set” on dominion, even if it means waving our paper swords in make-believe worlds to manifest it.

The tragic tragic truth of the matter is, MANY who believe that they are sons and daughters of the most High God will be lost under the power of the strong delusion simply because they refuse to let the Holy Spirit make them real through the fires of weeping, conviction of sin, lament and repentance. It’s so vital that we allow the Lord to begin to do this work within us today.

The Vital Need for Joy-Filled Prayer at the End of the Age

/ JSB / 1 Comment

INTRODUCTION:
There are ten heavenly, corporate declarations and anthems of praise in the book of Revelation. These corporate exaltations (Revelation 5, 7, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 21 and 22) are like oases of joyous exhilaration and supernatural strength in the midst of raging fires of apocalyptic trouble and temptation. This lesson is about how to draw on the power of these “pools of jubilation”. Their waters will give us strength to stand, and overcome (Revelation 3:21) through difficult seasons of our life, as well as the heat and pressure that come with the end of the age.

THE UNIQUE PRESSURES AND THE UNIQUE NEED FOR THE END OF THE AGE

A. The end of the age will be jammed with the greatest temptation, with the greatest deception, with the greatest social pressure that the world has ever collectively experienced.

For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:21-22)

B. It will require supernatural, Spirit-borne strength to walk through this intense hour of human history with our faith, and love for Jesus remaining vibrant and flourishing. This is the strength that Paul prays for the believers in the Church at Ephesus.

I pray… that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the with, and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16)

C. These intense pressures, or crises are meant to draw us into controversy. And these controversies are meant to draw the passageways of our hearts into deep, honest dialogue with the Lord about…
1. Who He is, and
2. His unique ability to purify, and bless us through these circumstances.

When (Revelation 8:10) hits, and a third of the world’s water resources are poisoned, and there isn’t enough to go around in your community, what will your heart attitude be? When politicians lie and want you to champion their lies, and their lies are helping you, but hurting other people, how will you operate? When millions die in a plague, and your unbelieving family members question the goodness of God in the midst of so much death, what will you say? What will your heart testimony be? Through the crises of the great troubles that are on the earth will you be able to grow in first-commandment love? Will you be a champion of Jesus’ beatitudes? Will the fruit of your life still be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? Will you increase in Christlikeness in this context?

D. Two questions that the Lord is most keen to confront us with through these afflictions are:
1. Are you growing in first-commandment love for Me?
2. Are you growing in vibrant Christlikeness? Are you coming forth, through the fires, looking like My Son? Are the beatitudes the attitudes of your heart? Is the fruit of your life, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control?

Later, in Ephesians 5, when Paul talks about Jesus removing every spot, wrinkle, and blemish in His Bride, (Ephesians 5:25-27), he’s talking about removing every impediment to first-commandment love, and brilliant Christlikeness.
Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

E. This purging, maturing process is what we see happening throughout the book of Revelation:
1. Jesus is confronting, and calling the seven churches to grow in love for God, and purified Christlikeness.
2. The pressures, (thlipsis = judgments of the Lord) crises, and troubles that are on the earth are forcing the issues re: the truth about God, and the worthiness of Jesus to reign on the earth. Who is God? Is He worthy of your love? Is Jesus worthy to rule the nations, AND rule your heart? Will your heart come into alignment with His will, emotions, plan, values, and priorities?
3. The Bride makes herself ready (Revelation 19:7). Through all the pressure she’s clothed in whole- hearted love, and she has taken on the heart and character of her Bridegroom King.

QUESTION: What are the great pressures and deceptions that we see mounting in our culture today? How are they tempting us away from Christlikeness, and first-commandment love for God? How are these great “troubles” able to help us cultivate Christlikeness, and first-commandment love for God?

F. The fact of the matter is, the great tribulation, (along with great sin, great temptation, great evil, and great delusion) will actually accelerate great first-commandment love, and great Christlikeness – unlike any other time/atmosphere in human history. Here’s the salient point: If we know this now, we can prepare ourselves (and others) for it now. The 100,000 question is, HOW DO WE DO THIS NOW? What is the Lord’s strategy for forging loyal, faithful love, and Christlikeness in the Bride?

II. WE NEED UNIQUE POWER IN ORDER FOR OUR LOVE AND CHRISTLIKENESS TO OVERCOME THE INTENSE AFFLICTIONS FLOURISH UNTO THE END OF THE AGE

A. This is what the Bible says about this overcoming power:

To him who OVERCOMES I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, AS I OVERCAME and sat down with My Father on His throne. (Revelation 3:21)

How did Jesus overcome?

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, LOOKING UNTO JESUS the Author and Finisher of our faith, Who for the JOY that was set before Him endured the cross… and sat down at the right had of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

The JOY of the LORD is your STRENGTH. (Nehemiah 8:10)

The kingdom of God is… RIGHTEOUSNESS (Christlikeness) and PEACE (SHALOM blessing) and (that comes through) JOY in the HOLY SPIRIT. (Romans 14:17)

B. What does this Christlike power look like in our lives?

Dallas Willard notes:  “The human will has little STRENGTH to OVERCOME when it has little JOY to draw upon.”

JOY is the real, tangible, dynamic that explodes in our hearts as we give ourselves to
1. REVELATIONS of the GOD/MAN, CHRIST JESUS
2. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES of GOD INTIMATELY BLESSING US WITH DIVINE LOVE

C. When we give ourselves to these experiences, JOY will be the result in our hearts. And when the human heart is filled with this type of kinetic joy, our wills are clothed with strength to love, and strength to say “yes” to His ways, even through great threat and persecution.

The good news is, we don’t have to wait for “great threat and persecution”. We can fill our bank account with experiences of exhilarating joy, today – right now!

D. Again, the book of Revelation is all about the redeemed engaging these dynamics. As we see the judgments, and the great calamity on earth, we are also presented with the pattern and the norm of heaven – with the high praises of God in the mouths of the redeemed, and the created order. These dynamics actually lean, build, and draw upon each other: 

The turbulence on earth stirs prayers in the saints. The prayers of the saints are received in heaven – mingled with the praise of the angels and the redeemed; the glory of God is released to earth;  and the saints on earth are filled with confidence, joy, and love; they overcome the threats of the enemy;  and Jesus is glorified on the earth; hailed as uniquely qualified to rule the nations and the human heart.

What happens on earth, moves heaven. And what happens in heaven spills onto the earth.

E. We absolutely want this heavenly strength. But, according to Jesus, it’s costly. The return-rate on our investment is out of this world, but the pursuit of wholehearted love, and vibrant Christlikeness does require faith, and intentionality. We won’t get it on the run.

I believe, cultivating love, Christlikeness and joy is what Jesus was exhorting the Laodiceans to do in Revelation 3:18 “I counsel you to BUY from ME, GOLD REFINED in the FIRE that you may be RICH.”

Again, the good news is we can give ourselves to these experiences now, prior to, or apart from being touched by deep tribulation, hardship, temptation and great deception. There is enough tribulation in our lives in 2025 in order to let them forge Christian gold in our hearts and lives today.

F. How can we do this? How can we “buy gold refined in the fire”? How do we “buy ample oil” (Matthew 25:4)?

G. Both, the Father, and Jesus promise that the Lord’s House, will be called a HOUSE of PRAYER, and the atmosphere of that house will be JOY.

“I will bring the nations to My holy mountain, and EXHILARATE (ושׁמחתים – rejoice greatly, delight, be made glad, jubilate, exult) them in MY HOUSE of PRAYER. Their worship and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for MY HOUSE shall be called a HOUSE of PRAYER for ALL (peoples).” (Isaiah 56:7)

H. Because the Church has often starved herself on this vital, Kingdom oxygen, we find her gasping for breath, caught up in false forms of exhilaration that don’t cultivate either vibrant Christlikeness, nor first-commandment love. And when crises and trouble hit our world, or our lives, we don’t grown in love, and we don’t grow in His character – and sometimes, we even fall back into despair, or fall into false hopes for consolation.

The Lord your God is in your midst! He is warrior! Who can deliver? He takes great delight in you! He renews you by His love! He shouts for joy over you! (Zephaniah 3:17)

I. THIS is the primary dynamic that goes on in the House of Prayer. (In Matthew 21) Can you see why Jesus was SO put out when His Father’s House was turned into something else?) Let me say, IF THIS ISN’T HAPPENING in our lives, our fellowships, etc. THERE IS SOMETHING VITAL MISSING in the HOUSEHOLD of GOD. Something we need to be prepared for tribulation is absent! 

J. As we come to the Lord in our tired, broken, dim, and imperfect state, engaging Him in the place of worshipful prayer, the Holy Spirit fills us with supernatural joy, exhilaration, passion, inspiration, unction, contentment, brightness, pleasure, gladness, and delight that is unlike anything else we can experience, and this EXHILARATION is what gives us courage to operate in the beatitudes, and not squelch the fruit of the Spirit in the times of uber-hardship.

In the House of Prayer, we do engage in intercession for all types of needs and issues, but it ALL flows from the atmosphere of exaltation and joy – because that’s the atmosphere of heaven. Exaltation and joy is the power-source to our prayers. And so, I could say, this is the atmosphere we chiefly aim to maintain; but it’s more like, what we focus on entering into. 

Beloved, if we’re seated with Him in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6) we are in a realm of joy.  “In Your Presence is the fulness of joy…” (Psalm 16:11)

K. This exhilarating, unified strength is precisely what Jesus prayed for His followers to receive when He prayed to the Father in the garden, just before His crucifixion:

Now I come to You… that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. (John 17:13)

Jesus’ exhortation to the Church is not, “Sit at My feet and be joyful”. His extraordinary invitation is, “Let Me be your joy! Find joy in Who I Am!” In His presence Jesus delights to reveal that He, Himself is our joy!

Though you have not seen Him (with the naked eye) you love Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. (1 Peter 1:8)

L. As we respond to His Word, we are filled with supernatural exhilaration, so that have power to resist the carnal inclinations and temptations, and yield to the fruit of the Spirit, the crucifying work that produces Christ-like qualities, and make choices that cultivate first-commandment love. We have power to joyfully agree with God’s glorious purposes for our lives.And, as a result, we can’t help but sing His praise, and magnify Him with our lives.

____________________
JSB • June, 2025

A WORSHIP with the WORD PRAYER SET from May 22, 2017 with Laura Hackett Park
https://ihopkc.org/prayerroom#asset/170522_TPR_1400/auto/true
(Start at 32:00)

CHORUSES
A slave set free!
A sinner made clean!
A soul that’s healed!
How can we but sing?
We will worship You!

What shall I render to God,
For all His blessings?
How can keep from singing Your praise?
How can keep from singing Your praise?

When the heart is set free,
The song can’t help but be released.
I will rejoice! I will rejoice!

10 Rewards Reserved for Those Who Have Faithfully Responded to the Judgments of the Lord that Have Fallen Upon Houses of Prayer and Our Evangelical Family

/ JSB / 5 Comments

Over the last several months, the Lord has provided a gracious, and sure way for individuals, families, and fellowships to navigate His judgment upon Houses of Prayer, and His own evangelical household in the United States.

Those who have given themselves to
a.) the endless deprecation and devouring of others; or
b.) the gamesmanship of defensiveness and pretense, will only have an “expectation of punishment” (Hebrews 10:27) for their determination to avoid this way of the Lord’s mercy and purification.

At the same time, the judgments of the Lord are primarily about the Lord bringing rewards to the Church; rewards that will encourage radical, authentic Christlikeness. Those who have navigated these judgments in the soul-searching spirit of mutual humility, lament and repentance, allowing the Lord to purge their unrighteous ways, can expect to receive great rewards for their intensive labor of dethroning self, and appropriating the way of Christ.

Here are the 10 blessings for navigating the judgments of the Lord under the deep, purifying grace of the Lord:

1. The joy-filled blessing of beholding the Lord in the beauty of His holiness. With our sensors “cleansed”, we are able to behold Him with great perception, and tenderness of spirit.

2. The blessing of the fearless spirit that comes from having been clothed with the preeminent fear of the Lord. If our hearts are rooted in the fear of the Lord, we become confident, and emboldened in every other context. We know Who is holding all the cards. And we tremble at His perfect authority to bring those who are playing games with His righteousness, into alignment to the sovereign majesty of His Son.

3. The blessing of the unassailable conscience that comes from walking with Him in the light. Peace abounds within those who know they have been brought to lowest of lows – having let the Spirit illuminate and purge the deepest of their wicked ways.

4. The blessing of increased Christlikeness. As we submit to crucifixion of self, we become unhindered in our attainment of Christlikeness. We are fully liberated from impediments to the formation of His character and power within us.

5. The blessings that are attached to all 8 of the Beatitudes. (You couldn’t navigate the judgments of these last few months with the Lord without touching all 8 of the dynamics of Matthew 5:3-12)

6. The blessing of a clean conscience that comes from having built humble, loving relationships upon the redemptive grace of the Lord, and not upon law, pretense, or the fear of man.

7. The blessing (and honor) of increased authority in the place of intercessory partnership with the Lord.

8. The blessing of “witness”, knowing that the way you and your company navigated the judgments of the Lord is an example to others about the way to respond to future judgments of the Lord.

9. The blessing of “witness” (part 2), knowing that the way you and your company navigated the judgments of the Lord is a testimony to the perfect, good, and just leadership of the Lord.

10. The blessing and pleasure of living in vibrant righteousness; knowing your heart, mind, emotions, behavior and relationships are being aligned to the right order of the King, and are fully alive to the purposes of God in this hour.

The question remains: Why would any follower of Jesus Christ (much less any leader within the Body of Christ), see the judgments of Jesus Christ, and choose the route that Jesus Christ DIDN’T choose – namely to “save self” – and thus forfeit the glorious rewards that come from being purely, and wholeheartedly aligned with Jesus Christ?

____________________
JSB • May, 2024

10 Things that IHOPKC Got Wrong
10 Things that IHOPKC Got Right
10 Things I’ve Been Repenting of re: My Own Long History with IHOPKC
10 Things the Lord is Calling Our House of Prayer to Press Into
10 Places Where the Lord Has Been Bringing Judgment upon the House of Prayer, and His Household in America

10 Things the Lord is Calling Our House of Prayer to Press Into

/ JSB / 7 Comments

Here’s one more list of “Ten Things” surrounding the Lord’s current judgment of the House of Prayer. Each of these values has been established by the Lord, not only in the scriptures, but also via life-applied truth that has seen the marvelous Kingdom fruit of such emphases. Our House is asking the Spirit of the Lord to give us the grace to remain plumb-lined to these vital New Testament dynamics.

As a part of the orthodox, apostolic confessing, Bible-believing Church, we believe the Lord is calling our House of Prayer (All Nations House of Prayer Southwest) to press into these 10 realities without reservation, apology, or pretense:

1. In all that we are, and do, we exalt the God/Man, Christ Jesus as the priority of our duties. Above, and beyond all, it is the revelation of “Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2) that has power to pierce the heart of sinful men, and fulfill the mission of our Lord’s great commission. This is also known as the ministry of the forerunner; the friends of the Bridegroom. This priority entails living faithful lives that are established upon the “first commandment”: “You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your mind, and all of your strength.” (Luke 10:27)

2. Jesus calls us to bear our cross every day, unto His increase, and His return. “He must increase. And I must decrease.” (John 3:30) This means cultivating a tangible lifestyle of fulfilling Jesus’ most ubiquitous invitation into His Kingdom: “If anyone would be My disciple, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23) This requires a preeminent love for the Person of Jesus Christ, that requires then, the subjugation of self to the increase of His glory, and dominion in our lives, and secondly in our ministries.

3. The Lord is a judge. And He justly, compassionately, and with great redemptive power judges His household (1 Peter 4:17), for the sake of our good, and (most importantly) the purification of His Son’s Bride. The corporate judgments of the Lord, are invitations to corporate repentance. This is the plenary message of the book of the prophet Joel.

4. We are called to sacrificially love, and mutually edify other praying, Spirit-filled, cross-bearing believers and communities, unto His increase, and the fulfillment of His great commission.

5. We are to operate by the full, Biblical, powerful leadership of the Holy Spirit. This includes relying upon His grace for evangelism, prophetic words, signs, wonders, mutual accountability, forgiveness, living Sermon on the Mount lifestyles, and walking in the light with humility toward one another.

6. We are called to engage in worshipful, intercessory partnership with Jesus, the Great Intercessor, unto His righteousness being established on the earth. We are also called to encourage churches and New Testament fellowships into the priorities of perpetual corporate prayer, meditating on the Word, with singing, and making melody in our hearts together for His glory.

7. We believe the scriptures (both Old and New Testaments) tell us it is wise and vital for believers to pray for the salvation of Israel and the Arabic speaking peoples in the land.

8. All Nations House of Prayer Southwest is specifically commissioned to intercede first, for the Lord’s Intended noble destiny for the Native peoples of the Southwest, and then the destiny of other people groups in the Southwestern United States.

9. We are called to live fruitful lives that stem from the gospel, that express themselves in vibrant righteousness (Psalm 37:6, and Daniel 12:3). These lives include walking in open, humble integrity, living the Sermon on the Mount, compassionately caring for each other – especially the least, and the overlooked; operating in contrition toward others, testifying of the beauty of Jesus, and offering our sin-cursed world covenant hope re: all matters of personal, relational, and social morality.

10. We engage in these mandates under the glorious weight of the fear of the Lord. This lifestyle, and these values are privileges that the one, true and living, holy God grants us to live in by His Spirit, and by His daily grace.

____________________
JSB • May, 2024

10 Things that IHOPKC Got Right
10 Things that IHOPKC Got Wrong
10 Things I’ve Been Repenting of re: My Own Long History with IHOPKC
10 Places Where the Lord Has Been Bringing Judgment upon the House of Prayer, and His Household in America
10 Rewards Reserved for Those Who Have Faithfully Responded to the Judgments of the Lord that Have Fallen Upon Houses of Prayer and Our Evangelical Family

10 Things I’ve Been Repenting of re: My Own Long History with IHOPKC

/ JSB / 5 Comments

Over this long, last year of reflection, revelation and reverberation from the collapse of the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, the Lord has faithfully led me, my wife, and our All Nations household through months of intentional confession, weeping, listening, repentance, lament and contrition. It’s been our “in house” Joel Assembly.

While it is important to understand the dynamics of how the organization, and individual leaders sinned against God and others, it is ESSENTIAL that we bring our own selves into His cleansing light, to purge us of our own sins, and the strong, endemic inclination to “jump out of the number”. I share in IHOP’s sins. I share in her abuses. When I can say that, AND understand WHY I’m saying that, I am free to walk in the light, as He is in the light. His light doesn’t shame me. His light is able to be “true life” to me – all of me.

At the same time, if I am not willing to walk in the light and let Him illuminate my sinful ways, I have no business dialoguing about the sins of others within the organization… Jesus condemned this haughty, critical spirit as “the blind leading the blind”. (Matthew 15:14)

With this in mind, here are 10 places where the Lord has specifically humbled me into honest confession, and repentance, so that I can heal, engage the process of renewing my heart and mind, and (where God permits) help others to do the same.

1. I let the hope of elevating “self”, and cultivating relationship with prominent personalities dissuade me from embracing, living, and teaching the the crucified life.

2. On too many occasions, I did not listen to others; and didn’t make space for them to simply and purely share, emote, weep, etc. re: their cognitive dissonance re: IHOP – because it was IHOP.

3. Too often I attached more weight to the narratives of those who had “achieved platform status” than those that didn’t. (That’s called idolatry.)

4. Too often I was more interested in defending a beloved organization than simply, and faithfully championing God’s best for the individual souls being shaped by that organization.

5. Too often I accepted IHOP’s Prophetic History stories because either it was Mike who was telling it, and “Mike wouldn’t fudge the truth”, or I simply wanted the specific story to be true. I didn’t apply the same rigor to these stories that I do to many other notable prophetic words.

6. I lived, cultivated, and taught a casual, latte-sipping, attitude about serving as a “priest” before the supremely holy God of 300 trillion galaxies.

7. I succumbed to the lie that a ministry could routinely injure a few people and families, and still be achieving great good for the purposes of God.

8. I let the IHOP model of prayer crimp my prayer-life; pruning me from equally needed prayers of confession, lament, repentance, and contrition.

9. I let go of my circumspection, and stopped objecting to where I was experiencing the white, nationalist, male, 21c American cultural lens, because it was IHOP.

10. I’m letting the Holy Spirit show me whatever 10 is; and 11, and 12… as He graciously brings light to my own soul.

____________________
JSB • May, 2024

You may also want to view these related articles:

10 Things that IHOPKC Got Wrong
10 Things that IHOPKC Got Right
10 Things the Lord is Calling Our House of Prayer to Press Into
10 Places Where the Lord Has Been Bringing Judgment upon the House of Prayer, and His Household in America
10 Rewards Reserved for Those Who Have Faithfully Responded to the Judgments of the Lord that Have Fallen Upon Houses of Prayer and Our Evangelical Family

Waking Up to Jesus

/ JSB / 1 Comment

In 1983 Leonard Ravenhill wrote: “There’s going to come an awakening. God Almighty doesn’t care if He sends America bankrupt. He doesn’t care if we have to stand in bread lines. He doesn’t care if our automobiles rust because we have no gasoline… The greatest impediment to this (awakening) will be a Church who refuses to give themselves to prayer and repentance.”

Awakening is a God thing. In our carnal, disengaged state we believers will sleep (and sleep and sleep…) It requires a supernatural response to the Word of the Lord for a soul to be awakened and remain awakened in Christ.

Awakening is also a Church thing. The world can’t wake up. Only those alive in Christ can wake up. The world is dead in their sins and trespasses. The New Testament call to wake up is to the covenant people of God who have had their souls dulled and weighed down by the paradigms, narratives and thinking of the flesh; thoughts that don’t stimulate faith, first-commandment love and the fear of the Lord in our hearts. This happens naturally in a fallen world, and at different times happens to all of us.

Waking up for a believer entails the same response to the Lord as being raised from the dead does for the unbeliever.

• Being Stirred by the Word of the Lord

• Responding with Repentance

• Being Filled with the Spirit

• Taking Up Our Cross

As the Church is awakened, she finds her Spirit-empowered voice:

A. The intercessory voice we use to bring the lost before the throne of God’s grace in prayer.

B. The prophetic voice that arrests the slumbering and those endangered by the crossless spirit of this age.

C. The evangelistic voice that makes clear the powerful message of the gospel, and has the power to raise the dead.

The fact of the matter is, these “voices” all have as their singular, magnificent obsession, a Man; a crucified, resurrected, Jewish God/Man. The declaration and acclamation of this beautiful Man is the ruling passion and preoccupation of awakened voices. EVERY TIME! EVERYTHING ELSE is a shadow, and an expendable extra to the increase of His glory.

Here’s the trick: (And in today’s politically supercharged culture it IS a trick) Don’t let someone (no matter how prominent and/or popular) wake you up to a SHADOW rather than THE ONE WHO is casting the shadow. Our waking up is to HIM – and nothing else; not political power; not deep spiritual insight; not even justice for the poor.

The Holy Spirit is wholly invested in waking us up to HIM. The Bride belongs to the Bridegroom. He’s the One (and the only One) you want to wake up to. There’s more than enough of Him to wake up to to keep us engaged and enthralled – for eternity.

The truth of the matter is, none of us are as “awakened” as we can be. In Christ, there’s always more to be awakened to. He’s that big.

The book of Revelation shows us how the mature apostle John was “awakened” to a new dimension of awe and fear and love for His “friend”, Jesus. Although John had watched Him heal the sick, feed thousands and refute the wisest teachers of his day; although John himself performed miracles in Jesus’ Name; although John was an eye-witness to His crucifixion – felt the earth-quake under his feet – and even walked into his Friend’s empty grave; when Revelation 1 happened to him John still fell “as though dead” at His feet.

There’s no shame in waking up to more of Jesus. Ever. The only shame is for us to assume that we are fully awake to Him and Who He is.

Come. Let’s let the Holy Spirit awaken us, all the more, to the glory of Who He is.

11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let’s rid ourselves of the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let’s behave properly as in the day… 14 (Let’s) put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 13:11-12,13,14)

JSB • May 2, 2022

POST-SCRIPT
Living revelation of the beauty of Jesus is THE vital (Matthew 25:3) oil our hearts need in this age. More than a call to believe the right theological truths about Jesus, this is a call to a lifestyle that cultivates an adoring, faithful heart, that’s been awakened to His beauty.

Without being saturated with revelations of the truth and majesty of Jesus, our hearts will be vulnerable to…

the compromising lies of demons,

the rage of humanism,

hostile self-determination,

self-insulating pride,

phobic suspicion,

idolatrous worship,

shame-filled pretense,

and incessant (hellish) condemnation.

These are the true, toxic threats to our culture; dynamics that plague every human heart; liberal, conservative, apolitical, monk, wealthy and poor…

And there’s only one solution: the daily application of the revelation of the Person of Jesus that engenders first-commandment love, and self-crucifying fidelity.

Not a better argument, a more popular opinion, or a more detached and objective spirit…

ONLY life-activated exhilaration over the magnificence of Jesus will keep our hearts alive and loyal to Him through this turbulent hour.

It’s Time for An American Church “Barman Declaration”

/ JSB / 1 Comment

What is the nature of the nationalist fervor which has fallen upon our nation?
How do its tenets pollute the ethos of the ekklesia, and the pure proclamation of the gospel?
How does the nationalist fervor influence the body of Christ to walk out of step with the Spirit and ways of our Lord, Jesus Christ?
What are the real, and pragmatic faith issues that are at risk, because of this fervor?
What evangelical declarations need to be reenforced within the Church in this hour?

These were questions that stirred within Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and other pastors and theologians, who were watching a menacing political spirit overtake the people of God in 1930’s Germany.

In 1936, when Bonhoeffer did most of the writing of his book, “The Cost of Discipleship“, the Nazi rallies in Nuremberg were at their height of popularity. These rallies would run for a week, and include marches of various segments of the nation (ie. Labor workers, women and mothers, youth, religious etc.) who would participate in elaborate, festive parades that would snake through surrounding villages – all culminating in the large amphitheater in Nuremberg.

The Rally included speeches on the topics of The Power of the German Workforce, the Bolshevism in Theory and Practice, Homeland Security, The Youth Movement, The Task of the Judiciary, The Task of the German Press/Newspapers, The Financial Health of the German Government

On the seventh day of the rally, “the Fuerher” would address sometimes upward of 700,000 attendees.

“I see before me endless columns of the flags of our new Reich. I make this prophecy to you: This Reich will grow in the coming centuries, becoming strong and powerful! These flags will be borne by ever new generations of our people. Germany is healthy once more! Our people is reborn! I greet you as the hope of the present and the guarantee of our future. Fight! and Be upright and determined, fear no one and do your duty! If you do so, the Lord God will never leave our people. Heil Germany!” Adolph Hitler • September 14, 1936

The following Sunday, hundreds of thousands of these same people would go to church. (In 1936, 95% of the German population identified as Christian – 65% Protestant, and 30% Catholic.)

The pro-Nazi “German Christian” movement became a force in the church in 1933, primarily preaching that Bolshevism was using race as a way to pollute and divide the German people. The majority of Protestant churches, Lutheran, Methodist and Baptist fell in league with the Nazi Party by 1936, forming the “Protestant Reich Church”, and glorified Adolf Hitler as a “German prophet”.

Early on, some Catholic bishops prohibited Catholics in their dioceses from joining the Nazi Party. This ban was dropped after Hitler’s March 23, 1933, speech to the Reichstag in which he described Christianity as “the foundation for German values”.

The Reich Ministry of Church Affairs was established in July of 1936, creating for the first time in Germany an independent, centralized government ministry with responsibility for the Reich’s religious life.

The German Churches and the Nazi State https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/the-german-churches-and-the-nazi-state

Two years earlier, (1934) Bonhoeffer, along with a handful of other leading Protestant theologians, seeing the growing contraChrist spirit overtaking much of the German Church, formed “The Confessing Church”, centered around “The Barman Confession” (originally titled, “Theological Declaration Concerning the Present Situation of the German Evangelical Church”)
http://postbarthian.com/2018/05/21/karl-barth-and-the-barmen-declaration-1934/

“The Barman Declaration” (chiefly written by the Swiss theologian, Karl Barth) contained six propositions, each rooted squarely in Scripture, stating its implications for the present day, and rejecting the false doctrine of Nationalism. The declaration asserted the church’s fidelity to Jesus Christ alone, Who stands as Lord in every sphere of life – and Who’s ways are to govern the manner of His Body’s witness within each of these spheres as well.

THE BARMAN DECLARATION
In view of the errors of the “German Christians” and of the present Reich Church Administration, which are ravaging the Church and at the same time also shattering the unity of the German Evangelical Church, we confess the following evangelical truths:

1. “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved.” John 10:1,9

Jesus Christ, as he is attested to us in Holy Scripture, is the one Word of God whom we have to hear, and whom we have to trust and obey in life and in death.

We reject the false doctrine that the Church could and should recognize as a source of its proclamation, beyond and besides this one Word of God, yet other events, powers, historic figures and truths as God’s revelation.

2. “Jesus Christ has been made wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption for us by God.” 1 Corinthians 1:30

As Jesus Christ is God’s comforting pronouncement of the forgiveness of all our sins, so, with equal seriousness, he is also God’s vigorous announcement of his claim upon our whole life. Through him there comes to us joyful liberation from the godless ties of this world for free, grateful service to his creatures.

We reject the false doctrine that there could be areas of our life in which we would not belong to Jesus Christ but to other lords, areas in which we would not need justification and sanctification through him.

3. “Let us, however, speak the truth in love, and in every respect grow into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body is joined together.” Ephesians 4:15-16

The Christian Church is the community of brethren in which, in Word and Sacrament, through the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ acts in the present as Lord. With both its faith and its obedience, with both its message and its order, it has to testify in the midst of the sinful world, as the Church of pardoned sinners, that it belongs to him alone and lives and may live by his comfort and under his direction alone, in expectation of his appearing.

We reject the false doctrine that the Church could have permission to hand over the form of its message and of its order to whatever it itself might wish or to the vicissitudes of the prevailing ideological and political convictions of the day.

4. “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to have authority over you must be your servant.” Matthew 20:25-26

The various offices in the Church do not provide a basis for some to exercise authority over others but for the ministry [lit., “service”] with which the whole community has been entrusted and charged to be carried out.

We reject the false doctrine that, apart from this ministry, the Church could, and could have permission to, give itself or allow itself to be given special leaders [Führer] vested with ruling authority.

5. “Fear God. Honor the Emperor.” 1 Peter 2:17

Scripture tells us that by divine appointment the State, in this still unredeemed world in which also the Church is situated, has the task of maintaining justice and peace, so far as human discernment and human ability make this possible, by means of the threat and use of force. The Church acknowledges with gratitude and reverence toward God the benefit of this, his appointment. It draws attention to God’s Dominion [Reich], God’s commandment and justice, and with these the responsibility of those who rule and those who are ruled. It trusts and obeys the power of the Word, by which God upholds all things.

We reject the false doctrine that beyond its special commission the State should and could become the sole and total order of human life and so fulfill the vocation of the Church as well.

We reject the false doctrine that beyond its special commission the Church should and could take on the nature, tasks and dignity which belong to the State and thus become itself an organ of the State.

6. “See, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matt. 28:20 “God’s Word is not fettered.” 2 Timothy 2:9

The Church’s commission, which is the foundation of its freedom, consists in this: in Christ’s stead, and so in the service of his own Word and work, to deliver all people, through preaching and sacrament, the message of the free grace of God.

We reject the false doctrine that with human vainglory the Church could place the Word and work of the Lord in the service of self-chosen desires, purposes and plans.

The Confessing Synod of the German Evangelical Church declares that it sees in the acknowledgment of these truths and in the rejection of these errors the indispensable theological basis of the German Evangelical Church as a confederation of Confessing Churches. It calls upon all who can stand in solidarity with its Declaration to be mindful of these theological findings in all their decisions concerning Church and State. It appeals to all concerned to return to unity in faith, hope and love.

Verbum Dei manet in aeternum.
(The Word of God endures forever.)

Is it time for the American Church to establish her own Barman Declaration? Is it past time?

What is the nature of the nationalist fervor which has fallen upon our nation?
How do its tenets pollute the ethos of the ekklesia, and the pure proclamation of the gospel?
How does the nationalist fervor influence the body of Christ to walk out of step with the Spirit and ways of our Lord, Jesus Christ?
What are the real, and pragmatic faith issues that are at risk, because of this fervor?
What evangelical declarations need to be reenforced within the Church in this hour?

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JSB • March 22, 2025

Party Rally of Honor by Dr. Walther Schmitt http://research.calvin.edu/german-propaganda-archive/pt36int.htm

The 1936 Nazi Rally Order of Ceremony
https://research.calvin.edu/german-propaganda-archive/pt36.htm