Last night, I saw a vision of the idol that I had been worshiping for quite some time. My devotion to this idol had been unknowingly increasing in recent years. In my vision I saw a circular stone altar built into the earth. In the center of this altar was a three-foot high replica of a kingdom. On top of that kingdom, in the center, was a chair/throne probably the size of my hand (it was huge compared to the rest of the replica). With my spiritual eyes opened in the vision, I realized that I had spent much time there on my hands and knees worshiping this idol. I had invested so much time and energy trying to figure out how to advance and build up this kingdom. What would make it better? What would it look like if I added this? How will it look 10 years from now? I had sacrificed so much of me to try to get this false dream to turn into something big, something others would look at and be proud of. But I didn't realize that building up this powerless kingdom only brought more destruction to me. Who was I becoming? Why did building up my little kingdom seem right to my mind, but, yet, I felt so empty inside?
In the past, when I worshiped this idol, the replica looked so big and grand—but now I saw it for what it truly was; my eyes were now open. “The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great Light, And those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, Upon them a Light dawned.” (Matthew 4:16 NASB) Here I was faced with an idol of death and it offered nothing, but a dead end path. But now comes the dawn of new worshipers arising, “All things become visible when they are exposed by the light…for this reason it says, 'Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you'…So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:13-18 NASB) It was now time to get up and embrace my true identity. I knew who God had called me to be and I knew what He has called me to do. I am a warrior who destroys the works of the flesh and the strongholds of the enemy—anywhere I go. I am a true worshiper that will not be held down by any lie. I am a son of the Most High and now is the time to really wake up, rise up, live life, and live it abundantly. (John 10:10) I am no longer a victim living in lack, rather, I am a victor who knows that my strength comes only from laying everything else down before my Loving Dad!
And so, in my vision, I saw the altar began to light up with a glow. The darkness dissipated and I looked over and noticed that in my right hand was a torch that broke through the darkness. I could see the false altar even more for what it really was. I understood that, first, the walls of my little kingdom had to come down. The pride, selfish ambition, and striving that I had clung onto, had to be destroyed. A true worshiper lives to exalt the Lord above everything else that tries to get in the way. “The Lord is great in Zion, and He is exalted above all the peoples. Let them praise Your great and awesome name; Holy is He.” (Psalms 99:2-3 NASB) I was not strong enough to destroy the altar—that I had sacrificed so much to build—by myself. But I felt His compassion and love urging me to destroy the very thing that was keeping me away from Him. It required my choice, and so I said, “Yes!.” I took the fiery torch and I burned that altar to Hell. I made sure that my little kingdom burned until nothing remained. Absolutely nothing can stand between a true worshiper and his delight in worshiping the Lord. No past habits, mindsets, reputations, thoughts, sins, mistakes, frustrations, rejections, shortcomings, sorrows, or impure ambitions can stop our pursuit of Him, when we truly say yes with our hearts. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV) Once the altar was gone, I repented to God and asked Him to forgive me for lifting up my little kingdom higher than my trust and dependence on Him. His peace washed over me, as I gave it all up to Him. And despite all of my wasted time, and the other things still going on in my head, He says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5 ESV)
Oh God, “For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.” (Psalm 18:28 ESV) I want to respond only to your voice! "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27 ESV) I don’t want any more of me. I just want all of You! “...to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24 ESV) Thank you, Dad, for always taking care of me during every moment in my life!
In the past, when I worshiped this idol, the replica looked so big and grand—but now I saw it for what it truly was; my eyes were now open. “The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great Light, And those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, Upon them a Light dawned.” (Matthew 4:16 NASB) Here I was faced with an idol of death and it offered nothing, but a dead end path. But now comes the dawn of new worshipers arising, “All things become visible when they are exposed by the light…for this reason it says, 'Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you'…So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:13-18 NASB) It was now time to get up and embrace my true identity. I knew who God had called me to be and I knew what He has called me to do. I am a warrior who destroys the works of the flesh and the strongholds of the enemy—anywhere I go. I am a true worshiper that will not be held down by any lie. I am a son of the Most High and now is the time to really wake up, rise up, live life, and live it abundantly. (John 10:10) I am no longer a victim living in lack, rather, I am a victor who knows that my strength comes only from laying everything else down before my Loving Dad!
And so, in my vision, I saw the altar began to light up with a glow. The darkness dissipated and I looked over and noticed that in my right hand was a torch that broke through the darkness. I could see the false altar even more for what it really was. I understood that, first, the walls of my little kingdom had to come down. The pride, selfish ambition, and striving that I had clung onto, had to be destroyed. A true worshiper lives to exalt the Lord above everything else that tries to get in the way. “The Lord is great in Zion, and He is exalted above all the peoples. Let them praise Your great and awesome name; Holy is He.” (Psalms 99:2-3 NASB) I was not strong enough to destroy the altar—that I had sacrificed so much to build—by myself. But I felt His compassion and love urging me to destroy the very thing that was keeping me away from Him. It required my choice, and so I said, “Yes!.” I took the fiery torch and I burned that altar to Hell. I made sure that my little kingdom burned until nothing remained. Absolutely nothing can stand between a true worshiper and his delight in worshiping the Lord. No past habits, mindsets, reputations, thoughts, sins, mistakes, frustrations, rejections, shortcomings, sorrows, or impure ambitions can stop our pursuit of Him, when we truly say yes with our hearts. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV) Once the altar was gone, I repented to God and asked Him to forgive me for lifting up my little kingdom higher than my trust and dependence on Him. His peace washed over me, as I gave it all up to Him. And despite all of my wasted time, and the other things still going on in my head, He says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5 ESV)
Oh God, “For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.” (Psalm 18:28 ESV) I want to respond only to your voice! "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27 ESV) I don’t want any more of me. I just want all of You! “...to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24 ESV) Thank you, Dad, for always taking care of me during every moment in my life!
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