I have full assurance in my spirit to encourage all the Lord's children to pray and even to shout in the meetings. I do believe that this is the Lord's reaction today. The Lord Jesus is reacting today against religion and culture. He is reacting to the uttermost. We all must hate the doctrine of Balaam and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.

In the church at Ephesus the practice of the Nicolaitans appeared only as a kind of deed—that was the start. But eventually, in the church at Pergamos, it was developed from a deed into a doctrine. When a deed has been developed into a doctrine, it means that the practice has been commonly justified. The people not only practice it, but hold it as a teaching. What a grievous situation! Today we must put, this detestable practice and teaching of the clergy-laity system under our feet. We must not only cast out the teaching, but chase away every Nicolaitan deed. If you come to the meeting and just sit there waiting for others to function, you are still under the influence of the Nicolaitans. You must be delivered, you must escape, you must break through, even if you have to shout. Today in the local church there must be neither "nico-," nor "-laitans," neither clergy nor laymen. All the brothers and sisters must be functioning, praying, testifying, shouting and praising brothers and sisters. Do not think that to shout in a meeting is a small thing. I tell you, this is the reaction of the Lord. Down with the Nicolaitans and up with Christ! The age has changed. The Lord will tolerate no longer the Nicolaitan, clergy-laity system. If you come to the meeting as a layman, waiting for others to function, you put the Lord Jesus to an open shame.

You may say that for anyone to shout, "Jesus is Lord" or "O Lord Jesus" in the meetings is extremely wild. But, I tell you, when the Lord has reacted throughout history, He has always done it in a "wild," or fierce way. We have seen how John the Baptist acted. The Lord Jesus was ushered in, not in a mild way, but in a "wild" way. Now the Lord Jesus in the Book of Revelation is such a fierce Christ. He is fierce against religion, against unreality, against anything that would distract His people from Himself.

If we are much involved in laboring for the Lord without an adequate personal love for Him, we will surely take the way of Balaam and eventually fall into the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.