The Tribune

By PASTOR MATTHEW ALLEN

THE church say amen. Not the building that is owned by a religious leader or a denomination, but rather the called-out saints, a community of disciplined believers, disciples.

When you say “Amen” in a service you are actually saying “so be it, or so let it be”. In other words you are coming into agreement with what has been said. I have sat in services where the speaker spoke a whole bunch of nonsense that by no stretch of the imagination lines up with God’s word and then asked the church, can you say amen?. Guess what the people said? That’s right, they said amen.

Ignorance is no excuse; it is imperative that we who name the name of Christ close the door on the spirit of ignorance and begin to do as the Apostle Paul admonished his spiritual son Timothy, so that when we do say amen we’re saying amen to that which lines up with God’s word.

Here’s what the Apostle Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2: 5. “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Andre Crouch wrote and composed the song “Let the church say amen” with Marvin Winans singing the lead. Here is the most important part of the song: “God has spoken, let the church say amen.”

If you are not one that studies the word of God, one that does not have a genuine relationship with him, you do not dialogue with him, how would you know his voice thereby enabling you to say amen?

Here is the sad truth that is within and among the church today: many persons do not study the word of God for themselves; they rely solely on whatever their religious leader tells them and wholeheartedly say amen. It is from this premise that Satan builds and launches a successful attack against many of today’s Christians. The failure and refusal to study the word of God will forever render a person powerless to rightly divide the word of truth.

One can have head knowledge and obtain theological training about the word of God, yet without the infilling and leading of the holy spirit, a genuine working relationship with God is void.

When and wherever a genuine working relationship with God is void, the spirit of manipulation and witchcraft is inevitable. There is no doubt that many church leaders have given into the spirit of manipulation, witchcraft and control, but nonetheless each and every sound thinking person has a personal responsibility to study the word of God for themselves. Take a hold of these words of encouragement as you work on your relationship with God.

Proverbs 3:5-6 states: “Trust in the lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

In most cases where many Christians find themselves consistently struggling and stressed out in various areas of their lives, this struggle and stress emanates from emotionally and physically acting upon the wrong information they have received. The misappropriation of God’s word is just as harmful to a believers walk, as is the right application of the word to the kingdom of darkness.

Gone are the days of trying to please everybody. You need to hear and receive the unadulterated, uncompromising word of God, the truth, if you want to be set free from the spirit of bondage that is holding you hostage, spiritually, financially, emotionally, or otherwise.

John 8:32 states: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Think about this. You believe God for a financial breakthrough, you have been sowing seeds of all kinds, you have attended conferences after conferences, and to this very day are being asked to purchase another religious leader’s book on kingdom blessings or prosperity. Don’t you think it is about time that you stop, and seriously ask God for wisdom and guidance as to your next move?

The financial seeds that you may have sown no doubt would be a blessing to the ministry or person that received it, on the other hand if you are sowing emotionally and ignorantly, like the person playing the lottery, taking a chance hopping and wishing that your seed produces an abundant harvest.

Here is a lying religious defence: “When I sow my seed, I don’t do so with the expectation of getting anything in return”. Such statement within itself further displays the ignorance of the person making it. And it is this level or kind of ignorance that the enemy and crafty, ulterior motives religious leader preys upon.

In nature, there is not a farmer who sows seeds and does not look for and expects a harvest in return. If he or she does, then it is only fair to say that such farmer is not wise.

It is time for the church to awake from the sleep and slumber. It is time that you begin to rightly divide the word of truth. It is of the utmost importance that you know what you are saying when you say amen.

Do not be afraid to test, try and prove the words that you are hearing, to see if it is actually God’s word or that of another.

1 John 4:1 states: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

Let the church, say amen.

For questions and comments contact pastormallen@yahoo.com or 242-441-2023.