The Leprous

I had a dream. Hold on to something, here it is…

A Friend and I were talking about those in church leadership. I couldn't tell you who the Friend was, I just He they was a Friend. He said, “Let me take you on a walk and show you a few things.” I agreed and we started.

We walked to a neighborhood where we found the homeless and drunks and addicts all over. It reminded me of the time Randal Greene and I went to conference in Washington DC and saw the same thing. So, I asked the One I was with, who seemed to know where He was going, “Why isn't anybody doing anything to help these people.”

He looked at me straight in the eyes and said, “You can’t help people in need when you are in dire need yourself.”

We finally got to our destination: A non-descript building. With tears in his eyes, He said, "This used to be my church."

We opened the doors and walked into a dimly lit, smoke-filled room. I started looking around at the crowds of people there. Some I knew very well, others I had never seen before. Many were in church leadership, pastors, deacons and teachers, elders, and those on boards. Some had placards hanging around their necks with bold letters on them. APOSTLE, PROPHET, EVANGELIST, PASTOR, TEACHER, WORSHIP LEADER, ELDER, DEACON, BISHOP. They wore them like trophies. It seemed as if they were worshipping the title.

The longer we stayed the more the building began to take on the appearance of a brothel. I don't know how I knew this as I’ve never been in one, but that is what it appeared to be. Many of these leaders began to dance with each other and soon strange women began to walk into the room. The people began to dance and play around with these women and each other. I knew some were married so I tried to confront them. However, my voice would not come. My Friend looked at me and said, “I have more to show you, first.”

He led me to another room. This one seemed to be very important. Like it should have been guarded, but it wasn't. It was very dark, but I could see well enough to know the people that were in this room were extremely important. Like they were the MVPs and VIPs of the world.

As I watched I saw things coming in and out of their mouths. These “things” were like spirits. When they went into a body, the person would swell up and look alive and vibrant. But when they blew out, their bodies would droop like empty shriveled shells until they breathed the spirit back in again.

Suddenly light came from my Guide and began to illuminate the room. I could then that the people looked leprous. I looked at my Friend with all kinds of questions. He said, “I will answer the questions I know you have.

“These are leprous because they are the ones who oversaw it all. They allowed themselves to be lulled into a sense of comfort and arrogance until they became so obsessed with their own self satisfying worship that they lost all sensitivity to the move of the Spirit”, He explained. “They think they know the move of the Spirit because they have breathed in all types of sorcery and witchcraft. I sent them warning after warning and because I used the ones that they didn't think could be used, they rejected them. And because they rejected them, they rejected Me.”

Then my eyes were opened to who my Friend was. It was similar to what I imagined the two on the road to Emmaus experienced. They had walked and talked with Jesus. They were led and taught by Him. Then afterward their eyes were opened and they knew it was Him.

We turned and walked back into the first room and discovered that all sorts of boils and deformities had begun to appear on the people. Screams of agony and pain rang out. It was horrifying and made me sick. An awful stench began to rise out of the midst of the room. A smell that clung to everything. It was so thick you could actually feel the stink as well as smell it. My Friend turned to me and said, "This is what I have smelled coming from My House for a long time now. I have sent warning after warning. Some listened and repented, while others were so caught up, they think they are part of the remnant. So now they are lepers.

“They can no longer "feel" the move of my Spirit. Bound up in the sensual side, they no longer understand the spiritual side,” He continued. “It is all about feelings instead of faith. It has lulled them to sleep despite all the warnings I sent them. When they reject my alarm, they reject Me. I have turned them over to their own imaginations. My judgment starts now!"

I left the building. And even though I walked back into the place where I saw so much destitution, it was like taking a breath of fresh air. Despite it being a place of great deprivation, there was hope of life. This is where the heart of the ministry can grow, winning many, because we are seeking God in a place that He now has declared Ichabod! He said “My house will be a house of prayer, but you have turned it into a brothel and a place that allows every kind of witchcraft and soothsaying to take place. You have become leprous in the spirit and you don't even realize My judgment is upon you! Even now. You are scared to stand up and declare My Words. You have allowed others to take your pulpit and have failed to evict them from it. You have stopped seeking my face and have been seeking the hand of the man.”

“Return to me and I will return to you! Repent and become holy for I am holy. Take courage now and stand up. Shake off the things that have held you bound!”