The nations will continue their drunken slaughter because they are helpless in the hands of the fallen cherub, Satan. But Satan's right to mankind was destroyed on the cross of Calvary. He no longer can claim any human being who looks to Jesus Christ for redemption.

However, Satan will not let his captives go, even though the price of redemption has been paid.

The only answer is war! And this war cannot be fought by the angels until God's judges, His saints, have themselves been delivered from sin. Both armies are required for the installing of the Kingdom of God on the earth—the army of holy angels and the army of righteous judges.

Until we have been fully reconciled to God we cannot judge mankind and the fallen angels with the two-edged sword of the Spirit, because that sword cuts both ways. We cannot judge spirits of lust if we ourselves are lustful. We cannot judge spirits of rage when we ourselves are full of anger.

The Kingdom of God is at hand. There no longer is time to play church. We must begin to press forward in practical ways in our assemblies. Sitting passively in our pews as the pastor faithfully gives his introduction, three points, and conclusion, while we are thinking about the latest football or baseball game, is not going to reconcile us to God or prepare us to descend with Jesus Christ and install the Kingdom of God on the earth.

Our services must be characterized by vigorous participation as the entire congregation calls on God for help and deliverance, and the pastor proclaims iron righteousness, fiery holiness, and stern obedience to God.

Will people enter the church and then turn away because of vigorous worship?

They may, if God has not sent them.

Absolutely not if God has sent them and they are true saints.

However, we must remember that the Holy Spirit is attractive to people. If we are worshiping in the Spirit and not in our self-centered flesh we may not repulse as many people as we might think.

If we are ever going to build the saints into the stature of the fullness of Christ we had better forget about the principles of church growth in numbers and begin to concentrate on the principles of church growth in spiritual maturity.

What about reaching the lost? The lost are more apt to be reached if the saints begin to come to maturity in Christ than they are if the believers sit passively in their pews wondering about the Super Bowl.

The "sheep gate" always is to be built before the "fish gate."

All that has gone before in Church history has brought us to the present hour. The saints have left bloody footprints in the snow. Some have been burned alive for no greater crime than that of reading the Bible in the language of the common people.

Now the base camps have been established. It is time for a crew to go to the summit.

To be continued.