If you Want to See REVIVAL Leadership of the Holy Spirit  is NOT Optional!   She has shown wonderful tact and wisdom in the conduct of all the meetings by avoiding and prohibiting disputations, by discerning the mind of the Spirit, so that the meetings never got into a rut or followed a set program. No two services were alike. It has been a wonderful demonstration of the unlimited resources of the Holy Spirit when His leadership is recognized. The thrilling moments and climaxes of the services were not managed by human ingenuity but were directed by the Spirit Himself, as He burst forth with "divers operations" and "strange acts". This is a paragraph from "Water of Life", Englewood Gospel Tabernacle, W. 63rd St., Chicago, dated Oct. 10- Nov. 10 circa 1910-1915. The writer is commenting on meetings being conducted by Maria Woodworth-Etter during the early part of the last century. From what I have read of this well-known Sisters' ministry it would be fair to say that she had no confidence in herself that without him she was nothing.   This is in sharp contrast to the eager, Bible College grads that fill the pulpits from coast to coast. The difference in 'results' is also in sharp contrast! I think the fact that the Holy Spirit was the only One in control is what clearly marked her meetings. The fact that He is seldom in control is what marks most meetings in North America today. If signs and wonders are not manifest in your church, then the Holy Spirit is not free to be Himself. If your pastor spends much time explaining why power is not manifest in your church, then you have not got a true pastor...... you have a hireling.   Your church is either led by the Holy Spirit or the unholy spirit. There is no mistaking the differences!   The Church Belongs to the Holy Ghost! Someplace along the road the fact that the Church really does belong to the Holy Ghost and not man seems to have been lost. It is not the property of the Roman Catholics, The Baptists, The Lutherans, The Brethren, The Salvation Army, The Vineyard or any other denomination you would care to mention. The fact that He is generally unknown and unwelcome in our services is perhaps one of the biggest problems facing the church in this age, in my humble opinion. I am not really certain how many of us who occupy church pews are truly satisfied with our 'church experience’; but since it seems to be more or less the same wherever you go, there seems to be little choice. On the other hand many people seem to be quite content with the method of worship offered within their church home and are happy to maintain the status quo. This little writing examines the role of leadership and the general structure of the church both past and present to try to shed some light on the situation. The role of leadership is absolutely critical to the health of the church and people in that role who take their responsibility lightly may be in for quite a surprise one day! My personal observation is that a lot of what is passing for teaching these days is no more than ‘head knowledge’ being presented from the pulpits all across the land. These teachings consist of re-worked commentaries and information gleaned from other ministers writings and passed off as some kind of sound doctrine of the day. All in the interest of keeping the flock happy by appearing to be doing their job. Sadly, this is one of the problems I feel is at the root of the issue, the desire of men and women to listen to the man of God rather than listening to God for themselves. Consider the following scripture: A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love [to have it] so: and what will ye do in the end thereof? Jer. 5:30,31 Unfortunately, when we are content and indeed happy to let church be the way it is, it will remain the way it is, since everyone from the leaders on down seem to 'love to have it so’. In this little writing we will take a look at church services, past and present, church offices and officers and their qualifications, the obvious vacuum in leadership today and what happened in my church when the Holy Ghost did show up. Whether we care to admit it or not WE DO RESIST THE HOLY GHOST!  Church leaders and lay people everywhere will insist that they don't resist the Holy Ghost, they will assert that He is always welcome in their services. Is He REALLY? If He truly is welcome then Where is the POWER? Do the blind see? The deaf hear? The Lame leap? Demons flee? The dead raised? Or do you sing more or less the same songs week after week after week? Do you keep 'delivering' people from the same demons week after week? Do you pray for the sick, only to see them get sicker and even die? And when you don't see the POWER manifest, do you fill up the time with oft-repeated teachings that are only the product of man's vain intellect? When was the last time a Pastor told the flock that they can hear from the Lord every bit as clearly as He can? It is the same Holy Spirit who dwells in each and every one of us and is the only one who reveals the truth of God to us. It is the blood of Jesus, which has cleansed the temple of our body so that the Holy Spirit can dwell within and lead and guide us into all truth. Understand this, Jesus is the only High Priest, the Pastor is not the High Priest nor are the Elders. Nothing is meant to come between you and God, not our sin and certainly not those who would call themselves 'leaders'. It is my hope with this little writing to perhaps stir up those of us who seem to be slumbering. I hope those who fashion themselves as leaders will ask: "where exactly am I leading my little flock anyway?" It is really time for man to step back from the church and take his hands off of it, so that the rightful owner may once again take possession of His property. It is time to realize that we have gone as far as man can go and that we have obviously fallen far short of the mark. It is time to wait upon the Lord and allow Him to direct us where He would take us. I have the feeling we have been eating crumbs and calling it cake for far too long. There really is so much more the Lord would have us be, but we have to want it and quit doing things our way. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:  18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. Rev. 3:14-18