The Wake-Up Call - We Must Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Oral Roberts delivered a prophetic word on September 27, 2004, after a visitation by Jesus the Head of the Church.
Twenty years ago, Oral Roberts publicly shared details about a visitation he received from Jesus Christ, the head of the Church. Jesus said, "But the thing that is breaking my heart is that I commanded my people, my church, to preach the Gospel in all the world and to teach all nations . . . and although there are workers all over the world, it is just a drop in the bucket to what I commanded my disciples to do." He continued, "There has got to be preaching with fire in the belly, there has to be anointing of the Holy Ghost, My Church has to WAKE-UP!"—Jesus Christ.
Almost twenty years later, where are we? The state of our nation and the world is worse. It is undeniable that wickedness and lawlessness run rampant, while the church grows weaker and more "woke" without the power of the Spirit of God. As it is written in Matthew 16:18 (NKJV), "On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." This refers to the revelation that Jesus is the Christ—a revelation given by the Father. Jesus is the only one who can build the church, and the building process begins with a revelation that He is the Christ, the Son of God. The gates of hell will not prevail against those who have this revelation of Jesus. But where there is a Gospel deficiency and a lack of vision of who Jesus is, the gates of hell will prevail.
Our eyes must be focused on Him. Our church and ministry services must be led by Him. It is not even a church if He is not the head. Call it what it is: if it is a gathering without Him as the head, it is merely a social club. The body of Christ—a gathering of believers in His name—is not truly the body of Christ without Jesus as the head. Without Jesus leading, it is a dead and lifeless church. A dead and lifeless church will never change the world; instead, the world will change the church, making it look just like the world. We can only have a living church with Jesus at its head.
Where are the voices in the land who carry messages from Jesus with the delivering power of God and demonstrations of the Spirit? The Apostle Paul told the Corinthian church: "And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God" (1 Corinthians 2:1-5 NKJV).
Revival is a byproduct of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and calling for repentance. As Paul wrote, "But we preach Christ crucified . . . the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:23-24 NKJV). And, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16 NKJV). The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not just for the unsaved but also for the saved, for we "stand" in its power (1 Corinthians 15:1-2 NKJV).
Twenty years later, the message remains: "WAKE-UP!" Jesus rebuked the first-century churches, explicitly calling out the lukewarm church and the one that had fallen from its first love. Five of the seven churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 were rebuked with a call for repentance.
Revelation 2:4-5 (AMPC): "But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love]. Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God’s will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent."
Revelation 3:14-19 (AMPC): To the lukewarm church, He says, "So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude]."
What does this mean, and what must we do?
The mature sons of God are those—and only those—who are constantly led at every moment by the impulses of the Holy Spirit. Yield to the Holy Spirit; be quick to obey His leading; do not grieve or quench the Holy Spirit; put the Word of God first in your life; feed on the Word of God day and night; meditate on it day and night; be a doer of the Word, not a hearer only; and walk in love as Jesus commanded us.
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20 KJV).
"If any man will come after me [Jesus], let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Matthew 16:24 KJV).
"Now, the 'Lord' I’m referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom" (2 Corinthians 3:17, The Passion Translation).
We must return to preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ—His death, burial, and resurrection. We must return to repentance. Only the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus provide the delivering power of God to heal the land. Nothing else. All our preaching and teaching devoid of the power of God and the life of the Spirit will fail to bring deliverance. As stated in 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV), "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Note the first command: humble themselves.
