State of The Church/State of The Nation

1 Chronicles 12:32
And of the children of Issachar, men that had understanding of the times, to know
what Israel ought to do, the heads of them were two hundred; and all their
brethren were at their commandment
Globally, the spiritual calendar of the heavens is shifting, and we are definitely in
a season of divine changes and upheavals that require more than a casual
explanation. There is an urgency in the spirit to paint a prophetic picture and
also highlight from a prophetic perspective, not only of the season that is now
upon us, but also the number of scenarios that are currently playing out around us
and how they are going to affect us. This is a phenomenon playing out in the
global church at various degrees of intensity.
The ultimate reality is that those in the body of Christ will have to make a choice
on how their lives will unfold in light of what is inevitable. At the very outset let
me say that at certain points in time, when majority of the church diverts from the
revealed mandate on the earth, God always sovereignly intervenes and the
upheavals that follow, results in all sorts of interpretations, the most extreme
being claims of the End Times with all sorts of diverse extra-biblical doctrines and
calculations.
Let us have a look from a prophetic perspective that is grounded in the revealed
word of God:
This is what the Lord Almighty says: In a little while I will once more shake the
heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and
the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says the
Lord Almighty. The silver is mine and the gold is mine, declares the Lord
Almighty. The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the
former house, says the Lord Almighty. And in this place I will grant peace,
declares the Lord Almighty. Hag 2:6-9 NIV
Global Context
Prophetically, the Church has for a long time declared the emerging of a new
season. As the new thing begins to manifest, many still look for it in the future
much like the Jews were still looking to the future for the messiah, even though He
was among them, simply because He did not fit into their expected version.
This new season has been generally ignored both by the people who have been
declaring it and those who have been hearing about it, and is now reshaping the
very structure of human activities; individually, nationally, and globally. In this
shaking, there will be two clear emerging realities in preparation for a greater
manifestation of the kingdom of heaven in the earth:
i.
Those who will genuinely seek refuge in, and function from the kingdom
of God
ii.
Impostors who have merely faked an interest in the things of God,

meanwhile pursuing their own self-interests.

These impostors, both preachers and members, will no longer be able to hide
behind the veils of tradition, materialism or religion because the entire earth is
being prepared for a greater manifestation of heavens realities.
Economic Context
The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. 1 Tim 6:10 NIV; compare Matt
6:24 NIV (about mammon).
At no time has this scripture been more accurately descriptive of the destructive
power of greed on a global scale. This nature endures because its origins are
firmly rooted in the Orphan Culture; a culture of self -sufficiency without
God that is obligated to seek its own provision and protection. The
shaking of the financial systems is producing multiplied changes among the
nations and people groups of the world. In the midst of this, we are observing
activities like terrorism from a very self-centered, ethnic, cultural and political
view, especially as Christians, instead of Gods perspective. Put on some spiritual
lenses for a moment and consider this:
The Arab world is being shaken to its core; there is great tension between the
governments, the people and the religion of Islam contrary to our biased
perception of the Muslims being in unity. This reality is becoming more and more
obvious, representing a step for the Arab nation toward its prophetic destiny. The
prophetic Scriptures plainly state where these changes will ultimately lead: All
Kedars flocks will be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth will serve you; they
will be accepted as offerings on my altar, and I will adorn my glorious temple. Isa
60:7 NIV.
Note: Nebaioth and Kedar were the first and second born sons of Ishmael, the
son of Abraham and the father of the Arab race. Gen 25:12-13 NIV.
Though it does not outwardly seem like there are any signs, nationals of the
Islamic states in the current chaos are moving away from the religion of Islam, the
kingdom of God is advancing among the Arabs. They are descendants of Abraham
and they have a prophetic destiny; to be accepted and become part of the
kingdom God. This current chaos will result ultimately in an irreversible enmity
between the sons of Ishmael and the religion that has repressed and enslaved
them by the hundreds of millions.
Even though for a while current and future leaders may attempt to continue to
wrap their policies and mask their intentions in this oppressive religion and
continue to violently oppose this outcome, Gods intent cannot be denied and the
outcome of this shaking is inevitable. Has this happened before in history, is it
possible?
Remember the Godless philosophy of communism that enslaved billions of the
human population, and produced an official state religion of atheism? Where is it

today? Even communist nations are well aware that their economic experiments
have failed and are seeking answers in a new direction.
The sad fact is that, a closer scrutiny reveals that neither the leaders nor the
populations of these nations are seeking answers in a Western model, which
unfortunately, they mistakenly assume to be representative of
Christianity, as a solution for happiness and well-being. All former communist
nations and populations are seeking answers to the questions of purpose and
destiny that go well beyond changes in their material circumstances.
China, in particular, is aware that the answer lies in a spiritual rebirth, and
unfortunately, because of the misrepresentation of Christ by the secularized
church of the West, there is a resurgence of Confucianism. In its spiritual
resurgence, China is seeking the peace and stability that comes from knowing
Christ, but has mistakenly confused Western Christianity with the reality of Christ
and his kingdom.
Unfortunately, this is true globally, in the Kenyan context there is current interest
and resurgence in our traditional religions, which is reaching alarming levels due
to our negative ethnicity, an indication of the nation's search for the truth. This is
not a substitute for the truth that is only found in Christ. This journey will
culminate in a hunger for the person of Christ Himself.
The Crisis in the earth in whatever form has been caused by man and is allowed
by God, with divine intent to reveal the hidden wickedness that has been
incubated in historic denominations which has finally broken forth from the cover
of darkness, in which it was nurtured for centuries.
Kenyan Context
In the Kenyan context, which is no different from anywhere else in the world,
should be of interest to us because we live here and can observe the following:
1. Traditional Church Institutions
You just need to read the headlines of the daily newspapers or social media
articles to know that people no longer regard the Church and its institutions as
representative of Christ, not even by those whose understanding of Christ is
unclear.
The real influence that they still hold comes from the leftover traditions and
history of their ethnic, racial or national people groups. Historically, these
churches used their influence to intertwine themselves into the culture of people
groups so completely that the people could not view themselves apart from the
church traditions. This has resulted in the older generations, who are reluctant to
change, lending diminishing support to these churches influence.
2. The Youth:
The younger generations have detached themselves from active involvement in
the religion of their parents and grandparents. The young people are part of the

information age and possess all the skills required to distinguish truth from
tradition. They also have no loyalty to either the traditions of their parents or the
abusive church systems, viewing issues of spirituality pragmatically.
Their
community tends to be virtual, and their traditions are currently being formed
online, proving the traditional churches are not the only ones that have lost
meaningful influence over the people.
3. Non-Denominational institutions:
Many ministry leaders are self-destructing at an increasingly rapid pace, both
seen in the media and also by the mockery in the interviews they hold on TV.
Their appeal is primarily to an orphan culture and to the most immature of church
goers. By emphasizing a message of personal well-being, focused mostly on
health,
beauty,
and
the
acquisition
of
wealth
(prosperity
and
breakthrough)without matching principles, these preachers at most are no
different from secular motivational speakers in every way except that their
market is a church going audience and re-interpret biblical texts in support of
their seminars & sermons.
Their own lack of understanding in these matters together with their shameless
greed and self-promotion is increasingly revealed before the unblinking eye of
media cameras. (this is NOT a wholesale judgement of all ministers, God
always has a remnant, a 7,000 who have not bowed their knees to
Baal )
4. Church in Politics
The shaking of the Church system is perhaps most noticeable in politics. For quite
a while now sections of church leadership has made itself vulnerable to
politicians and government, having invested its influence and integrity in the
argument that the best way forward for its gospel is to possess a seat at that
table of political influence.
The trend towards this religious/political marriage is prominent with these leaders
in the completely misinformed and unbiblical notion that you can employ political
methodologies to gain influence in order to advance the social agendas of people
groupsa trend without precedent in the New Testament church.
This results in a church that abandons any real belief in the ability or willingness
of the Spirit of God to support and empower a way of life that brings the glory of
God among the people of God.
This kind of leadership use the language of the kingdom of God while permitting
the ethnic divisiveness within the followers of Christ to continue unchallenged
resulting in many atrocities that this nation has endured. The leadership is
gradually losing its influence with the people.
5. Leader-Shift
We should expect another aspect of change that God is making in the prophetic
administration within the church. He is exposing the inept and unresponsive

prophetic voices that have lost connection with Him in the accuracy of
hearing His Voice while they have increased in the skill of marketing
their reputations. God is replacing them with a new prophetic generation he
has been preparing that does not merchandise the prophetic gift.
Some prominent prophetic voices have been silenced by their fear of public
disapproval and media criticism. Some of these will no longer be useful to the
kingdom because even though they heard, they have ignored the word of the Lord
announcing a season of change, and have confined themselves to irrelevance.
Though all is not lost for some who will re-surge when the new prophets emerge
and lend great weight to the accuracy and witness of what God is doing
6. Point of Departure
How did we get here? How can spiritual leaders go so far astray? The Truth can
be found in the following scriptures:
The Temptation of Jesus
Luke 4:1-14
4 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the
Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate
nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.
3
The devil said to him, If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become
bread. 4 And Jesus answered him, It is written, Man shall not live by bread
alone.
5
And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a
moment of time, 6 and said to him, To you I will give all this authority and their
glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.
7
If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours. 8 And Jesus answered him, It is
written,
You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.
9
And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said
to him, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is
written,He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,
11
andOn their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a
stone.
12
And Jesus answered him, It is said, You shall not put the Lord your God to the
test.
13
And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an
opportune time.
Jesus Begins His Ministry
14
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him
went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their
synagogues, being glorified by all.
Based on the above scriptures, there are three areas of testing that everyone
called to Ministry must pass through and conquer so as to accurately fulfil
whatever they are called to.

1. LUST OF THE FLESH: Luke 4:1-4

Turn these stones unto bread: This deals with the realm of SelfSatisfaction
This is where one uses their anointing for selfish gain.
The Bible calls believers living stones (1 Peter 2:5) and Christ the Chief
cornerstone(Eph 2:20)
These are ministers who see the people they are sent to as their material
and financial resource instead of God as their Source and therefore end up
with a spirit of manipulation and control, turning the stones into bread.
The Accurate response that they should have experienced is found in Deut
8:3,..Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the
mouth of God This simply means that one who has not learnt how to live by the
proceeding word of God cannot teach anyone to do so and is not yet ready for the
Ministry.
2. LUST OF THE EYES: Luke 4:5-8
This deals with materialism and love of money (1Tim 6:10)
This is one who uses the anointing to make money and merchandise of
Gods people.
Any minister disconnected from the voice of God brings all sorts of worldly
business models into their congregations, in the name of empowering the
people, by borrowing the principles and models of business from the world
systems: 1Sam13:20 So whenever the Israelites needed to sharpen their plowshares, picks,
axes, or sickles, they had to take them to a Philistine blacksmith.

Meanwhile, the true order expressed in the scriptures, is that the world
should come to the church to be taught: Isa.2:3 and many peoples shall come,
and say: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that
he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go the law, and
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

This is proof of closed heavens over the church and the inability to access
the treasures of heaven that are superior to anything the world system
could offer.
Jesus refused the glitter of the world system and quoted Deut.6:13,10:20 ..You
shall worship the lord your God and Him Only shall you serve, letting us know that
serving & worshipping the devil is when we attempt to operate in the kingdom
using an economic model of the world, that is under the control of the devil.
3. PRIDE OF LIFE: Luke 4:9-13
This deals with the desire or indulgence of human worship
A minister who falls for this temptation, will do anything to be the most
famous and most popular.
Their terminology will always be greatest, biggest, largest, fastest usually
in reference to external appearances much like worldly celebrities.
This minister will mostly draw attention to themselves and not to Christ or
the Word who are usually mentioned in passing or as an afterthought.
These ministers only relate to those who look up to them and compete with

those that seem to be a threat to their status.

Their members refer to them in issues of miracles or breakthrough more
than to Christ or the word.
Usually
in
matters
of
what
the
Word
says
and
what
Pastor/Prophet/Bishop/Apostle/Man of God says, what they say prevails
over the Word!
The devil at this point misquoted scripture telling Jesus to Throw himself while
the actual scripture (Psalms 91) does not in any way talk about throwing yourself
or showing off, making a big show but instead talks about remaining within the
confines of the safety of the word of God. Jesus countered him by quoting Deut
6:16, letting us know that such rash action is putting God to the test or in other
words you are pushing the limits and it will not end well.
It is only after this that we see Jesus return to His town (Area of Calling) and
Synagogue or Church (Jurisdiction of Authority) In the Power of the Spirit with a
clear definition of what His Call and Mandate is: The Spirit of The Lord is Upon
Me.Luke 4:18 as a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 61:1
So even if you are called, have heard God clearly and have an anointing upon
your life, you still have to go through the 3 temptations in isolation away from the
eyes of the people just between you and God because God has no intention of
humiliating you but instead He wants to build you. Before you deal with these
3 areas in your life, going into ministry will only end up in sorrow both
for you and whoever follows you. If Jesus being the Son God had to go
through these tests, it is settled that this the path to and the secret of the power
of His ministry.
1 John 2:15-16
15
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the
love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the worldthe lust of the flesh,
the lust of the eyes, and the pride of lifeis not of the Father but is of the world.
If you do not pass this tests then your ministry will have the opposite effect of
what a Christ-Centered ministry should have which is found in Luke 4:18 and will
end up maintaining or increasing:
Poverty
Bondage
Blindness
Oppression
While these tests primarily affect pulpit ministry, they are applicable for every
dimension of Gods purpose for your life. Each one of us must overcome them the
only way possible, by the proceeding word. It is every believers responsibility
to find out where to receive the proceeding word and all you have to do is check
the state of your life, and if you have been genuinely been applying the word you
have been receiving, if any.

Unfortunately, due to the current state of the church in reaction to the current
crisis, there is slowly emerging three equally wrong patterns of ministry.
i. Due to the availability of revelation both online and in various conferences,
we have an emerging elitists online and offline preachers with
incredible revelations being churned out too fast for anyone to comprehend
or apply. Sometimes too complex to interpret, leaving people helpless.
Unfortunately, this kind of preachers and listeners will soon burn out
because every day they have to face realities in their life that they cannot
apply these revelations to, ending up with disillusionment and doubting the
existence of God and truth of His word.
ii.

Ministers are slowly evolving into motivational preachers and life

coaches, drawing inspiration from secular materials that selectively quote
the bible to legitimize their use in the church. There is a very vast
difference between motivational speaking (which appeals to the flesh) and
transformational teaching which brings change. {This is discussed
extensively in another article : Motivational Vs. Transformational].

iii.

The emergence of ministries birthed out of painful attacks by the enemy or

identification of human needs. The assumption is:1. Whatever the enemy intended for harm through a painful
experience, should not qualify an individual for ministry.
2. Observation and identification of societal needs should not lead an
individual to start a ministry to meet this needs.
Any ministries birthed out of the above, are no different from the worlds
solution to a dysfunctional society without dealing with the root causes. For
them to thrive, they require the root problem to continue e.g. Feed refugees
instead of stop wars, feed orphans instead of raising fathers, accommodate
the homeless instead of personal development et al. In contrast, true
ministry deals with the root causes which must be revealed by the Holy
Spirit, not by natural observation and deduction.
In actual truth only God knows why and for what purpose He created you
and the worst model for ministry is to use either or both of the criteria
above as some sort of qualification for ministry. The most dangerous and
yet vulnerable gathering, is the gathering of victims! If Joseph was
to use this model he would have been called to slaves or house-helps or
prisoners when in fact he was called to rule a nation! Do not allow the
attack of the enemy on you or on the society to rob you of your true calling
and destiny in God!

True Kingdom Resource (Wealth Transfer)

We spoke above about how money has distorted many peoples view of the
kingdom, It would be important to note at this point that a counterfeit is the
greatest proof of the existence of the original and many times in spiritual matters
appears before the original. Ishmael usually is a picture of mans attempt to fulfill
Gods promises using natural and fleshly means and always ends up in
confrontation with the original (Isaac) when it arrives.
God has always been a God of abundant wealth and resources, and the Kingdom
of God is not a place of poverty and lack, if anything, it is supposed to be the
wealthiest administration on earth because everything in existence, was created
by the Word of God, both visible and invisible. The problem is not wealth or
acquisition of wealth but the means by which the present church has applied by
borrowing completely from the world system to access it.
Let us settle the fact that God has NO PROBLEM with prosperity and resources, in
fact, He gives us all things richly to enjoy. The church is about to experience
how God supernaturally provides in abundance for the advance of His Kingdom [1
Tim 6:17]. Therefore, no one should advocate poverty, lack or poor living
standards for those called by God. We need to define things from a kingdom
perspective and not from our own view, speaking not about the ends but about
the means.
The House of God is becoming a reality and the Holy Spirit is inviting all those
who are seriously seeking to walk in the light and glory of God to operate from a
dimension known as the mountain of the Lords house. Isa 2:2, Mic 4:1 NIV.
God has an outcome that He intends for the current shaking and it is 2fold:
The first outcome is to expose completely and reveal the difference between
Light and Darkness by showing the contrast between righteousness and evil so
that everyone has a clear choice. The righteous will be righteous still and the
wicked, wicked still.
Rev 22:11 KJV (He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let
him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is
holy, let him be holy still.).
His second outcome that He has purposed is to supply Divine resource to all
those who will make the choice to flee from the depravity of the world systems
and intends to reveal His kingdom that cannot be shaken to them.
He has
already begun to manifest the glory of his kingdom, and everywhere men and
women are turning to God. They are rejecting religious systems of any kind and
are seeking the understanding of Gods ways.
In doing so, in some cases they may be misunderstood as if they despise order. In
fact they are not rejecting divine order but actually what they are rejecting is
all illegitimate manmade religious order. As they seek the heavenly order of

relationships, God is responding by revealing the true design of His Kingdom.

Unfortunately, some of those who have experienced the abuse of these
traditional and religious systems are responding to this shaking wrongly by
rejecting all forms of order. Their response is influenced by both their experience
and their desire to correct the abuses that they have suffered.
Having said that, their views are not informed by Gods revelation of His own
Kingdom. Rather, their rejection of all forms of order is driven by little more than
their own objective reasoning.
Although this may have a temporary appeal,
people earnestly seeking God understand intuitively that there is kingdom way
which is the true alternative to this way which is no different to the chaos that
inevitably results when every man [does] what is right in his own eyes. Judg
17:6 KJV.
The present church system is undergoing a violent shaking with intent to uproot
the religious worldly system that has presented a man-made alternative to the
true kingdom of heaven and this shaking will continue to expose this systems
corruption with its life cycle being brought to an end. It will be exposed as to
where it really is from: The World. In this time, one should expect that
everything out of line with a heavenly mandate will experience a divine
challenge, both personally and universally.
God will permit the shaking in order to disclose the roots of peoples beliefs, and
where they put their trust. The choices are becoming clearly between the eternal
order of the kingdom of heaven or the systems that constitute the kingdoms of
the world. At the end of this process, each person will have chosen to belong to
one kingdom or the other. Those who choose to continue in the kingdoms of this
world, which they have always desired even though pretending to be part of the
Kingdom of God, will harden their hearts and reject the Truth. Those who choose
the kingdom of heaven will be part of that Holy Nation now emerging upon the
earth to display the fullness of the glory of God.
For now, before we continue to decode the unfolding move of God that is upon us,
let me leave you with this scripture:
See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they
refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away
from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but
now he has promised, Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the
heavens. The words once more indicate the removing of what can be shaken
that is, created thingsso that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore,
since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be
thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is
a consuming fire. Heb 12:25-29 NIV
God is revealing and activating His Sons, representatives of a Kingdom that
cannot be shaken and His greatest desire is for you to be a part of it. Are you
ready to be a part of this company of people?

Heaven is waiting to act on the behalf of this generation who are willing to
represent it. The Truth is that in spite of all the shakings, this is the greatest hour
for the manifestation of the Kingdom of God in the earth, and my prayer is that
you get spiritual sight so that you can begin to see things from a heavenly and
not an earthly perspective.
If you believe you are a part of this emerging company I invite you to pray with us
the prayer of the 7,000 who have not bowed their knee to Baal below:
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, you have a remnant of 7000 in the land who have not bowed their knee to the spirit of
Baal. I stand with the 7000 as a seed of a new generation in the earth. A generation full of the Grace of
the Lord, a people whose delight is in the ways of God, a remnant that walk by faith and not by sight, lifting
up our holy hands in awe of You.

Father, as we partake of your divine protection & provision, we choose to walk in a way that pleases you,
not in carnality, not in mortality or limitations but in the spirit knowing that there is much more in you that
you want to release into our being, may your spirit rest upon us to energize and stabilize us in this walk;
release the spirit of wisdom, understanding, wise counsel, strength, knowledge and of the awe of
the Lord, that we will not be guided in our judgment by what we see, or make decisions by the hearing of
our ears, but with righteousness we shall judge.

Father we are not of the fold that is foolish and ignorant of what you are doing in the earth today, but we live
by the proceeding word from Your mouth, your word that blinds us to the natural and opens us up to your
vast realm, may we delight ourselves in Your statutes and never forget Your word, hiding your word in our
hearts that we may not sin against you and loving your word that is full of promises that we should be
manifesting in the earth today.

Father, erase from us any prophetic word declared upon our lives that was not from You, may your word
uproot every other word of the enemy that has taken a stronghold on our mind and thoughts, turn away our
eyes from seeing vanity and our ears from hearing the noises of the enemy, delete meaningless memories
in our minds that will prevent us from entering into your rest and let your word become our stronghold.

As your remnant in the earth, we will not be bound by the spirit of procrastination, stagnation & slothfulness
but we shall be strengthened and thrust forward by Your word to fulfill what you are revealing to us in this
season, may creation groan no more for the sons of God are here to save creation from the effects of
decay and corruption and to restore the life of God in the earth.

We chose to walk with an open heart to the things of God, being ten times wiser than our peers in this
generation, we are for signs and wonders in our jurisdiction and will release an accurate sound that is
synchronized with the heavens. The cry of our hearts is Your Kingdom Come and Your Will Be Done of
the Earth and our food "is to do the will of He who sent me and to finish His work as we march
triumphantly in a journey towards You Father. No matter how You win the battles for us Lord, may our eyes
never shift from You, and we will always acknowledge that the battle is not ours but the Lords. May we
mature in this journey, increase in our internal growth and never quit the walk with You Jesus.

Lord, reach out and touch every one who is committed to this journey IN your word, teach us principles that
will keep us, that we may not depart from your ways, but as your heritage teach us to anchor ourselves
in your word. Teach us not to see ourselves with the eyes of men but with your eyes oh Lord. Teach us to
daily decree that which is in your heart and to declare what Your word has promised. Teach us to see who
we really are in You and not what we have become. May we learn the fear of the Lord for that is the
beginning of wisdom.

Dear Father, we thank you for this far you have brought us, thank you Lord for the joy set before us, thank
you Lord for we are that generation that did not miss the day of our visitation. Thank You Lord for keeping
us in perfect peace regardless of our environment and circumstances. Thank You, thank You oh Lord for
your priceless work on the cross. We are forever grateful for it is in the name of Jesus we worship, praise
and pray, Amen.

Charles & Susan Opiyo

The Cyrus Community