No Power But Holy Spirit!

“Tell us, you idols, what is going to happen. Tell us what the former things were, so that we may consider them and know their final outcome. Or declare to us the things to come, tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods. Do something, whether good or bad, so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear. But you are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless; whoever chooses you is detestable.” (Isaiah 41:22-24 NIV)

Symbols, images, statues–all carved from wood or crystals or stones–which of them has the power to do anything on their own–without the manipulation of hands attached to man/woman/child? Do they speak to remind of the past? Do they foretell the future? Do they heal the sick? Do they move mountains or other obstacles?

Since neither stone, wood, or crystals have no power of their own, why do we give them credit for having any? What makes us fear images created by the hands of man in paints or sculptures? Whatever is made or contrived by manipulation “any substance” is powerless and those who think they have any power have been deceived. Things can not do anything without the help of hands attached to a person. Even with mass production, someone has to control the machinery, turn on the power or at least set the controls so the power is turned on or off.

With all of the stupidity–totally foolish machinations being erected by those who are only interested in mocking God and stirring strife within the minds of people–why are we in such an uproar? What power does a satanic temple have over those who know God and are empowered by Holy Spirit? Do we really need to fear wood, stones, or paint, or crystals? There is no power in those things, but there resides in the heart of every Believer–the power of Holy Spirit to combat the works of evil. Instead of sounding alarms of fear, it’s time to place our faith on the altar of the One who can and will do all things well because of His love for us.

Very simply put–we ignore stupidity and pray for repentance for those who act out of ignorance--and we know they are ignorant or they would not involve themselves in such foolishness. We ignore the media reports and not give them any place in our hearts or thoughts. If we truly believe that God is yet in control–we have nothing to fear from the enemy, but they have everything to fear from the wrath of an angry God–who created all things.

Don’t allow the symbols or symbolism to ignite fear or trepidation into your hearts! Remember how God used symbols and symbolism as a means to warn people who were guilty of sin. The snake–the cursed reptile who used to stand upright, now crawls on his belly on the ground–prey to all mankind who fear him. The horns attached to a head–which keep the one to whom they are attached from thinking clearly or they would know the horns torn from another animal gives them no power and puts them on the same level as the animal from which they took the horns. Red–though meant to instill fear–should ignite gratitude in the heart of the Believer since it is a reminder of the blood shed on the cross for us. Shapes and images are merely marks made by those who are bored and have nothing better to do–than to be used by the enemy as a trick to create fearfulness. NONE OF THESE THINGS HAVE ANY POWER OF THEMSELVES!

However, in the spirit realm–there are two reigning spirits–Satan–the prince of the air and god of this world–who influences weak minds of those who rebel against God and Holy Spirit–the living spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ–who resides in us and keeps us focused on doing what is right–abhorring evil, and turning away from it.

I don’t know about you, but I have the mind of Christ, desire only to please God, and know that Holy Spirit reminds me of those things that occurred in the past that I might learn from them and reveals future events that I might prepare for them. What do the stones, wood, crystals and paint do? Absolutely nothing!

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Of All the gods, You Alone Are God!

“Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.” (Psalm 86:8-10 NIV)

Up in the hills, deep into the trees,

On the altars of ignorance were burned,

Wood, animals, children, as stomachs turned,

Making idol sacrifices instead of bending knees,

Praying to the One True God, who does marvelous deeds.

From the beginning and still now, people exercise the inherent desire to worship something and when they find something they think works, that thing they will worship, forgetting that there is One God who created all things and without Him, nothing was created.

Before we had the means to explore and examine our environment, we attributed events to certain other “circumstances” giving credit to the sun god, the rain god, the fertility god, the garden god, the angry god, the happy god, the moon god, the good luck god, the bad luck god, the pretty god, the ugly god, the god of hair, the god of baldness, the god of the fat people, the god of the skinny people, the water gods, the fire gods–and I’m sure there are many more like “the lottery god” (dream books), but all of these gods are manifested into carved, shaped, molded things that are made by the hands of man. Every symbol and image that people use to worship and give some magical attribute– (by way of explaining events) was made by man or machines in our times. Now, if we made the things, what makes us think the things we made are greater than we who made them?

The Psalmist understood that with all the carved statues of trees or monuments of stones and worshipped as gods that among all those gods, there was but One, who was the greatest–the One who did marvelous deeds–the One all nations would worship. And then–as now–they had a name for all the gods. When Paul was speaking before “the learned men” he referenced all the gods who were represented and the “unknown god.” He explained to them who the unknown God was and why He was unknown to them.

Now, if the statues and monuments could have created themselves without the benefit of man’s involvement–I’d say worship them. If they could create themselves there is a great likelihood they could actually help somebody. But there’s the rub–they were made by people and then the people decided–what they made, had power.

Think about the things children make out of paper, Popsicle sticks and other materials and then allow their imaginations to soar–giving the things they made power. The things empowered their imagination, but they had no power of themselves.

Our God–our awesome God–who no one created since He has no beginning and definitely no end. He created the universe without any help from man–the sun shines during the day without man’s help, the moon makes it’s way to shine at night without man’s help, the earth turns on its axis, without man’s help, so why would we continue to believe that any “thing” made by the hands of man has any power?

Among the gods that people worship–their jobs, their spouses, their money, and some even their children, there is only one God who does great things and even though we are ridiculed about our belief in the “invisible God” it makes more sense to worship Him, than anything we make or manufacture to worship. Our God is the only self-existing God who needs no thing to prove His existence; He is the only wise God–the One who was wise enough to do all He has done without consulting any of us. He alone is worthy of our praise.

You alone are worthy, O God, of all our praise and adoration!