Wake Up, Elders — The Time is Now

Expose of the Modern American Church — Article Three

Sound the trumpet. Call the watchmen. Stir the sleeping. This is not a drill.

Elders of the Church, if ever there was a moment to fall on your face, rend your garments, and cry out to King Jesus, it is now. You were not called to sit silent while the Bride of Christ is being ravaged by false prophets and religious charlatans. You were not saved to nod along while hirelings preach polished, lukewarm vomit from pulpits built on platforms of self-promotion and self-protection.

This is a cry from deep within the fortress of Heaven. A call from the Kingdom’s inner courts. A voice crying from the altar: Return to your first love! Come out of Babylon! Refuse Jezebel. Rebuke Ahab. Renounce the snake behind the pulPIT and the whispering voices who sold you comfort in exchange for your conviction.

The Spirit of the Living God is Calling to His Elders - Wake up. Stand up. Speak up. Come out.

Many of you have been anointed by God but appointed by men. Some of you were chosen by hirelings because you had money, business savvy, and social capital. You were the best tithers. You looked the part. But the hour has come to choose: Will you risk everything to obey King Jesus? Or will you cling to what you've built in Babylon and fall with it?

God has given you influence—but it is not yours. He gave it for His Bride. For His Name. For His Son and His Kingdom–ALL FOR HIS GLORY. I hope you know that. If you don’t, you are about to lose it all.

You fear man because you know what you will lose: your friends, your reputation, maybe your livelihood. But if you fear the Lord, you will gain everything: eternal power, purity, and purpose WITH HIM, your King. If you don’t have it, receive it now, receive the fire of the Holy Spirit.

The Lord is raising up a remnant of surrendered Elders—those who tremble at His Word, weep for the Church and live in the Secret Place. And through them, Jesus will rebuild what has been torn down.

So now, Elder, the trumpet has been blown. Will you answer the call? Or will you stay in the comfort of compromise?

Repent. Return. Rise.

You are needed. You are called. The King is coming.

Wake Up, and Wake Up the Sleeping

The entire point of being a Christian is not church attendance or ministry titles. It is to be conformed into the exact image of Jesus Christ. That’s it. Jesus is not only our Savior; He is our example. Our Rabbi. Our King. Our only answer. And He calls us to one thing: Follow Me.

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son.” Romans 8:29

“The one who says that he remains in Him ought, himself also, walk just as He walked.” 1 John 2:6

But like His disciples in Gethsemane, many today are still asleep. They walked with Jesus for three years, heard every teaching, witnessed every miracle—yet when it mattered most, they could not stay awake. They failed in the garden. They slept while Jesus wept. They had no power to watch, pray, or discern.

“And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, "So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep watching and praying, so that you do not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matthew 26:40-41

They knew Jesus intimately, but they had no power until Pentecost. Until the Holy Spirit came like fire, they were spiritually blind, deaf, and ineffective. So it is today. Without the baptism of the Holy Spirit, no Elder can shepherd the church of God with power. Without the Spirit, our churches are graveyards dressed like gardens.

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses... to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth…” John 16:13

In your silence, the snake is thriving behind the pulpit. Wake up, the false prophet wears a microphone on Sunday. They are not anointed. They are hired. But Elders are not hired by men. According to the Holy Scriptures, Elders are appointed by King Jesus through the Holy Spirit to establish His Kingdom. Snakes, on the other hand, deny the power of the Holy Spirit.

“...holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these.” 2 Timothy 3:5

“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” Acts 20:28

Jesus’ Disciples Knew Where the Power Was

What did the disciples ask Jesus to teach them? Not how to preach. Not how to grow a ministry. Not how to lead a board meeting. They asked Him:

One of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray..." Luke 11:1

They knew His power came from the secret place–in Prayer and Communion with God our Father. They saw the source of His strength, wisdom, and power—daily communion with the Father. And yet, even after this, they still failed in Gethsemane. Why? Because without the Spirit, knowledge is powerless. Proximity is not intimacy. Education is not transformation.

"Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the Lord of armies.” Zechariah 4:6

We cannot cast out demons, heal the sick, or raise the dead without the Holy Spirit. And if we’re honest, most Elders today don’t know the Secret place. Their knees are unbent. Their prayers are rehearsed. Their anointing is counterfeit. Their lives reveal it: dry, distracted, and dead. If this is you, then by all means, CONFESS, REPENT, and SURRENDER. Come out from among them and lead by Grace.

“Holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these.” 2 Timothy 3:5

Anthony and Sharon vs. Micah and Charity

A Kingdom Parable for Our Time

Let’s talk real life. The following example is not real, but you’ll recognize it–it’s the story playing out in your church. For those with eyes to see and ears to hear, it’s LEGION, the snake vs. the anointed ones.

Anthony and Sharon don’t have a ministry brand. They don’t have an Instagram strategy. They’ve never used the word “platform.” They’ve hosted more meals than meetings, and they’ve washed more feet than they’ve posted. You won’t find Anthony at a “men’s steak night” wearing a #Blessed hat and a Vineyard Vines polo. You’ll find him at 4 am, Bible open, tears flowing, standing in the gap for his city.

Sharon? She’s the kind of woman whose house smells like fresh bread from heaven. She disciples younger women with gentleness and fire. She’s not trying to out-preach anyone, but she’s corrected more false doctrine with a single whispered question than most seminary professors do in a lifetime. Together, they pour out their lives like a drink offering. Their living room is the church. Their dinner table is the pulpit. Their prayers are their bedstand.

Now contrast that with Micah and Charity.

Micah—bless his heart—is what you might call a professional Christian. He’s got the smile, the cologne, the bro-hug, and the gear. (Oh, the gear.) Nobody really knows what he does, but whatever it is, he’s “super excited about it.” He’s on every church committee and hasn’t read a full chapter of the Bible since 2012. But he did get a podcast going, so there's that.

He says things like “Let’s circle back” and “I’m just vibing with what God’s doing right now,” but when the Holy Spirit actually moves, Micah checks his watch.

His wife, Charity, is sweet as honey on the surface. But she’s a one-woman marketing department for Micah’s mini-empire. She compliments everyone publicly and critiques them mercilessly privately. Her spiritual gift is passive-aggressive prayer requests: “Please pray for Anthony and Sharon—they’re just not very aligned with our church vision right now.”

Micah and Charity don’t have disciples. They have brunch. They don’t carry crosses. They carry business cards. They don’t pray until something breaks. They pitch ideas until someone bites.

Meanwhile, Anthony and Sharon are on their knees asking Jesus to heal a suicidal teenager in their living room while Micah is at TopGolf “discipling” the guys over sliders and sarcasm. “Yo, Bro!”

One couple lives in the Secret Place. The other lives for the spotlight.

One is quiet but powerful. The other is smooth but hollow. One makes heaven rejoice. The other makes demons yawn.

And here’s the wild part: in most churches, both couples are called “Elders.”

But only one is appointed by Jesus.

From Wilderness to Reigning

Elders, your wilderness season is over. The Spirit led you there to be tested, refined, and broken. But now, the call is to reign with Christ. To rise from the Secret Place in the power of the Spirit and lead the Church out of Babylon.

“If indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” Romans 8:17

The one who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit with Me on My throne... Revelation 3:21

"But as for My servant Caleb... he has followed Me fully, I will bring him into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it." Numbers 14:24

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11

You are being given a new name, a new identity, a Kingdom purpose. But you must dwell with the Father. Don’t leave the secret place until you hear His voice. Don’t move unless He leads. Do nothing without Him.

"Apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:5

The Fear Factor - What’s Holding Elders Back?

Let’s be honest: many Elders have been hand-picked by hirelings not for their character or anointing, but for their wealth, influence, or tithing records. Many of you were invited into the leadership circle because of what you could contribute financially. But even if that’s how you got there, God can still use you.

But if God did not anoint and appoint you as an Elder, leave immediately. Don’t wait. Don’t fake it. Don’t pretend. Because if you stay in that role while faking righteousness, your story may end like Ananias and Sapphira's.

And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard about these things.” Acts 5:11

Fear of man is the snare keeping many of you silent. But that fear will not protect you—it will devour you. Running from your calling is like running from a Grizzly Bear. You will lose. It is far better to fall into the hands of the living God.

“The fear of man brings a snare, but one who trusts in the Lord will be protected.” Proverbs 29:25

Don’t be like Moses and the ten loser spies who brought back fear. Be like Joshua and Caleb, who saw the giants but also saw the faithfulness of God. BE LIKE JOSHUA. BE LIKE CALEB!

The Church Cannot Survive Without Spirit-Filled Elders

America is not perishing because of bad politics. The Church is bleeding because her shepherds are sleeping. Her Elders are powerless. Her pulpits are full of content but void of communion.

“Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.” Revelation 3:2

“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel…” Ezekiel 34:2-4

“But at midnight there finally was a shout: "Behold, the groom! Come out to meet him." Matthew 25:6

We need Elders who confess their sins, repent daily, and stay rooted in the Presence of God. Elders who will not rise from prayer until heaven speaks. Elders who can raise the dead—literally and spiritually. Elders who can cast out demons, not because they took a class, but because they carry His Name.

“These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons…” Mark 16:17

When the Snake Slithers into the Sanctuary

Anthony and Sharon had seen it all before—the way it starts with a subtle smile, a handshake too slick, a new “vision” for the church wrapped in just enough Scripture to sound spiritual. Micah and Charity showed up just like that. All charm, no anointing. They came with charisma and spreadsheets, latte art and leadership lingo. But behind the smiles was something sinister.

Micah doesn’t have a problem with Jesus—he has a problem with the Holy Spirit. Like all snakes, he tolerates the Word but hates the power of the Holy Spirit. He acknowledges grace but He can’t stand fire of the Holy Ghost. Charity, with her honey-dripped compliments and her “burdens for the body,” whispers doubt quietly into the ears of the faithful. Jezebel in boutique denim.

Anthony knew the signs. He felt the air shift. The Spirit’s presence, once thick and weighty, grew faint and grieved. Prayer meetings were shortened. Fellowship became networking. Scripture was swapped for TED Talk quotes. Elders' meetings turned into strategy sessions—with zero time in the Word, zero prayer, and lots of talk about metrics. There is a snake amongst us he thought.

Anthony had prayed this moment wouldn’t come. But it always does when the snake slithers into the sanctuary. He knew Romans 7—how the flesh wages war against the Spirit. But he also knew Romans 8—where true freedom is found IN CHRIST. And so, Anthony did what true Elders do: he got on his knees.

In the Secret Place, Anthony pours out his heart. He cries out for clarity. And as he soaks in the Word and the presence of God, the Lord shows him exactly what to do:

Confront in love — not as a warrior of self, but as a shepherd of truth.
Pray in secret — asking for discernment, angelic backup, and divine timing.
Fast from fear — rejecting the fear of man, trusting God alone to protect and promote.
Rally the faithful — quietly gathering the other GOOD Elders to join him in prayer and obedience without gossip or slander. Let the Spirit reveal to others.
Wait for the Lord — moving only when the Holy Spirit leads, never out of fleshly reaction.

Micah, true to form, laughs it off. “Bro, don’t be so intense. We’re just trying to modernize things!” But the Holy Spirit didn’t laugh. The snake hissed louder. And that’s when the Anthony’s out there need to RISE UP—not in rage, but in righteousness–DO THE JOB OF AN ELDER!

The Micah and Charity’s eventually get exposed because they are in sin and compromise. Jesus, in Revelation, rebukes the seduction. To the Anthony’s and Sharon’s you already have been given authority to rebuke, just stand on Revelation Chapters 2 and 3. Jesus will remind you Elders, you are not bound to a church board, but by the King of Heaven.

And that day, everything will change. The day the Elders stand up and rebuke the error, the snake. You will be surprised, everyone will cheer. They see the snake too, but you, Elder, you are appointed AND ANOINTED, they are not. They are waiting for you! Some will leave. Jezebel will leave enraged. Babylon will shake. But the remnant will remain—and the Spirit will return.

Elders, make no mistake: every snake is sent to kill the Spirit of God in your church. The snake has one purpose, so this should be easy. Face the fear, and remove the snake.

They may preach sound doctrine, like Satan did to Jesus in the wilderness. They may quote the Word, like demons do. But they will never lead your church by the Spirit of God to the cross. They will never weep over sin. They will never love the Bride as Jesus does. Snakes are snakes–don’t be surprised when they bite.

Do not be deceived. And no more delay.

Return to the Secret Place. Soak in His Word. Get your marching orders from the Spirit of God Himself. And then—stand. All of Heaven is watching you, cheering for you, knowing the Christ in you cannot fail.

The snake fears the Spirit. Jezebel fears the Secret Place. Babylon fears the broken-hearted intercessor. And hell fears the Elder who walks in obedience to King Jesus.

Get up, Elder. Take the land. The King is with you.

What Is the Secret Place?

The Secret Place is not a metaphor. It is not a vague spiritual concept. It is a real, sacred place of divine encounter between a surrendered heart and a holy God. It is where our soul meets the Spirit of the Living God. It is the place Jesus retreated to again and again to commune with the Father, and it is the place He now invites every true Elder to dwell permanently—not visit occasionally.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1

The Secret Place is the inner sanctuary where we speak with the Lord face-to-face, as Moses did. It is the Upper Room where fire falls. It is the Garden of Gethsemane where our will is surrendered for His. It is the holy ground where truth is revealed, power is received, and love is perfected. If you are not in the Secret Place, maybe that is your problem.

To enter the Secret Place is to step out of the performance-driven system and into His Presence-led Kingdom. And the key to the Secret Place is not effort—it is surrender.

The only way into permanent, unbroken communion with the living God is through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and Fire. Just as it happened at Pentecost, the infilling of the Spirit makes the Secret Place your dwelling place where Jesus meets with you. Not a retreat. Not a refuge. Your new address. And once you live in and from the Secret Place, with Jesus--in HIS PRESENCE, you never leave it. You won’t ever consider leaving. You are in constant communion with the Trinity, receiving your instructions directly from Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Why would anyone leave?

When Elders live in the Secret Place, they hear the same voice–the Holy Spirit, the voice of God our Father through the Son. Elders in the Secret Place receive the same fire as the original Apostles. We all walk in the same Spirit. And if every Elder is getting their instructions from Jesus, the Head, daily, then the Body will be united. The Bride will be adorned. The Church will move in power, purity, and love—as it is in Heaven. The way our Father designed it, and the way the snake hates it.

This is exactly why the Snake behind the pulPIT works so hard to keep the Baptism of the Holy Spirit out of the church. Because once the people of God receive fire, the schemes of darkness are exposed. Jezebel is thrown down. Babylon collapses. The false gospel is silenced. And the real Gospel—full of truth, grace, and power—goes forth.

So Elders, hear this call from Heaven:

Return to the Secret Place. Fall on your knees. Cry out for the Holy Spirit. Ask Jesus to baptize you with fire, to fill you with Himself, to awaken your soul, and to anchor your life in communion with the Father.

And once you have heard His voice, do not delay. Rise from the Secret Place and obey His instructions—most likely, they will include removing the Snake from the pulPIT. Who knows, they might repent too.

You were made to dwell in the fire. You were saved to abide in Him. Do not settle for visitation when Jesus died to give you habitation.

Repent. Return. Remain. Rest. Reign.

The Irony of Jesus Christ

The Jonah Mandate — When the Call Costs Everything

Jonah had a calling. He had a word from God. He had a divine appointment to confront wickedness. But instead of obeying, Jonah ran. He boarded a ship to anywhere-but-where-God-was-calling. Not because he didn’t believe in God—but because he couldn’t stomach the confrontation–the snakes are mean, and they bite. He didn’t want to see repentance–he wanted them to pay for being so hurtful and hateful. He didn’t want to be right about them. He feared man.

Sound familiar?

Anthony and Sharon had a Jonah moment. The Spirit of God whispered, then shouted, then burned in their bones: “Go and speak the truth. Call the people to repentance. Confront what is false. Tear down what is corrupt.” And they wrestled with it. For weeks. For months. They cried. They prayed. But in the end, they obeyed. They went to Nineveh.

They confronted false teaching in love. They rebuked the Snake behind the pulPIT. They interceded for those lost in the fog of Babylon’s seduction. They called the people back to the Secret Place. And though some resisted, others repented. And just like in Jonah’s day, the fear of the Lord fell.

But Micah and Charity?

They heard the same whisper. They felt the same tug. But instead of answering the call, they reasoned themselves out of it. They said things like, “That’s not my role,” or “Let’s not rock the boat,” or “We just want to keep the peace.”

Micah, the bromancer, had too many relationships to protect. Too many lunches with influencers. Too many likes to lose. Charity, like a gentle rain cloud full of spin, said she was praying—but really, she was stalling. They chose comfort over confrontation. Like the rich young ruler, they went away grieving, knowing what they were being asked to give up—but not willing to lose it.

Anthony and Sharon entered the furnace and found Jesus standing with them. Micah and Charity sat under a withering vine, wondering why their relevance was fading.

Elders, this is your Jonah moment. Will you run to Nineveh? Or will you run from it?

The cost of obedience is great—but the cost of disobedience is greater. God doesn’t need polished leaders with podcasts. He needs surrendered ones. You don’t need a platform. You need a prayer life. You don’t need a title. You need a towel.

Get up, Elder. The whale is coming. Or the revival is.

Your move.

Final Charge to the Elders of This Hour

Come Out of Babylon — The Final Call to the Elders

This is the final charge, not to stir emotion, but to provoke decision. Elder, there is no middle ground. The time for excuses is over. The time for silent compliance is over. You are either openly choosing Babylon, or you are trusting Jesus to build his Kingdom in humility and resurrection power. You are either under Jezebel's spell or filled with the Spirit of Jesus. You are either hiding behind comfort, or standing in the fire of consecration.

There is a great separation happening—between the Snake behind the pulpit and the surrendered Elder in the Secret Place. One is a manipulator; the other is a messenger. One flatters to gain followers; the other weeps to make disciples. One is building a tower to himself; the other is carrying a cross.

You were never called to protect a system. You were never asked to help protect or polish a brand. You were called to shepherd the flock, to guard the truth, to cast out demons, to heal the sick, and to prepare the Bride.

Come out of Babylon. Refuse her luxury. Refuse her seduction. Refuse her compromise. Refuse her politics. Refuse her applause.

Reject Jezebel. Confront Ahab. Pull down the high places. Tear down the false altars. If you remain passive, you are complicit.

Return to your first love. Return to the Secret Place. Return to the voice that first called your name.

Do not leave that place until you’ve been broken. Do not rise until He sends you. Do not speak unless He fills your mouth.

The Bride is bleeding. The Church is fractured. The harvest is ready. Where will Jesus find you when He returns for His Bride?

And all of heaven is waiting for you to move.

So rise, Elder. Not in pride. Not in position. But in the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is your hour. This is your call. This is your commission.

Let the fear of man be crucified. Let the voice of God thunder. Let the true Elders of Jesus Christ arise.

The Bride needs you. The King is coming.

Amen.