Most of the historic denominations were at one time a godly remnant. Then they had the prayer, the fire, the holiness.

At one time the Protestant Reformers were a remnant. At one time the Methodists were a fiery group of young radicals. At one time the Baptists were a remnant and bitterly persecuted. At one time the Quakers were a remnant and their leader, George Fox, was a prophet of God.

At one time the Pentecostal people were a remnant, a small group of radicals who emerged from the evangelical churches. Pentecost had the fire, the prayer, the holiness. The Word of God spread in Pentecostal fire over the face of the earth.

None of these movements is a remnant now. They are large, active, well-financed denominations of Christian people who command respect from the world. Their colleges are filled with young people who are skilled in the arts and sciences of civilization, in the wisdom and knowledge of "Egypt."

Where are the persecuted reformers, the methodical advocates of love and holiness—those who recognized that buildings are secondary to the human temples of the Holy Spirit?

Where are the poor, storefront, tongues-speaking, devil-wrestling pioneers from the humbler section of the city who were scorned as "holy rollers"? Who were dynamited out of their churches? Who labored among the uneducated—among those who trusted in God, coming to church with their Bibles under their arms, returning home late Sunday evening after praying at the altar with a seeker after the baptism with the Holy Spirit?

Holy Spirit-empowered remnants change into animated corpses because of the self-will of Christian people. The believers follow their own desires instead of waiting on the Lord for His direction. They are not willing to be crucified to their adamic impulses.

But the Lord always has His remnant—the seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal. He has them today.

How can we recognize the remnant? How can a believer be sure he or she is one of the Lord's remnant? One of the Lord's conquerors?

The issue, at least in Sardis, is this: are we proceeding onwards with a program of human-oriented activity? Are we building the Kingdom of God by the wisdom and efforts of flesh and blood? Or are we watching faithfully in prayer, waiting on the Lord always for every detail of what we are and do?

If we do not watch and pray, looking to Jesus for His wisdom and power in every matter, great and small, the Lord Jesus will come upon us as a thief. One moment we shall be a fine show on the earth. The next moment we shall be spiritually naked and destitute. We shall be caught by surprise because we have not been watching carefully in prayer for the Presence and blessing of Christ.

To be continued.