When I took my son to school, I could not help but notice 7 or 8 turkey buzzards staking out their territory along the roadside. What is dead? I asked. It must be something really big. When I returned home some 20 minutes later, they were still there. Also, across the street, several of them had lined the frame of a building. What a sight! I noticed that a man had pulled his car to the side, gotten out, and positioned himself to take a picture of this sight. I still could not see what had died.
Two hours later, I ran an errand, and although my destination did not take me past the site of the buzzards, I could still see from the end of the road that they were still there, not only lining the frame of the building, but scattered about the roof. Then it dawned on me — “buzzards on the church”! That building was a church!
I wonder if in the spiritual — if we could see — would we notice dark, brooding forces over our buildings, waiting to see what has died or is about to die in our congregations? Whose flesh are they waiting to devour? What territory are they staking out? Are they calling in their friends? They see us dying in envy — full of pride and idolatry and self-righteousness . . . so they stake out their claim! Photographers stop by gazing at the spectacle of our spiritual deaths and we pose for the camera, very much dead inside.
I just declare life over every congregation today that calls upon the name of Jesus/Yeshua! I pray for the swift exit flight of every spiritual buzzard as they see us rise to life and declare the works of the Lord! When we rise to life, they MUST flee! Let them hear us say…
- “I rid myself of all evil, all lying, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all evil speech” (1 Peter 2:1)
- “I put away all idols and I am the righteousness of God in Messiah!” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
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