Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Idolatry of False Comfort



And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, John 14:16

The greatest gift Jesus gave to humanity besides salvation, was leaving us the unfailing friend we have in the Holy Spirit. He is essentially the loving arms of the Godhead. In our darkest moments, he lovingly embraces our hearts and whispers the promise of a better tomorrow. When we lift up our eyes to the One from which our help comes from; He immediately comes to help. He is our helper. No matter what the situation or circumstance he navigates our course if we willfully, and humbly ask. A moment in His presence is more than a lifetime of church services, counseling appointments or well-meaning advice. One word from God can bring light to darkness and is able to change our lives. Even now He hovers over the dark waters of the deep waiting for us to speak. The Holy Spirit is the healing oil of heaven, and no matter how broken we are, He is able to restore our souls. 

When Jacob wrestled with God after stealing the birthright from Esau his brother, he was visited by God. He named that place Bethel. Bethel became a place of visitation. "And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. 3 Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone." Genesis 35:2 Here is what God spoke to my heart this morning. "If you want to truly be comforted you must put away the idols of false comfort." Eating isn't a sin but if you do it for comfort then it becomes an idol in which you replace the Holy Spirit with something else. This is true of drinking, gaming, sex, drugs, entertainment, pornography, relationships, and etc. Drugs are chemical substances that affect the processes of the mind or body. Drugs alter our minds but God wants to be the one who alters our hearts and minds. I purposely spelled it "altar" because he wants to be on the throne of our hearts. He doesn't want other things to cloud our judgment. He wants to be the one who makes the modifications to our thought processes. He can't do that if there are chemicals in our bodies that are affecting how we think or feel. The question is, what are we running to when we are hurting? What are we consoling ourselves with? Who do we go to in our day of trouble? Let's face it we will all fail at some point but if we fall; let us fall forward into the arms of God. If you do that He will always catch you, just don't run from the only person who is able to help you. Let us struggle no longer. No more running. No more false comfort. No more turning to empty things. We must learn to fast and pray in our times of desperation. 

Can you imagine how we make the true Comforter feel when we get our comfort from other sources? This essentially is breaking the first commandment. We cannot have any other gods before Him. Jacob knew that he could not visit Bethel with idols. That's why so many of us can't seem to get a breakthrough or have the kind of relationship we want with God. Our days are spent void of His presence. We must purify ourselves, and take off the garments of old patterns and mindsets that are keeping us stuck in old behaviors. We can fill our shelves with self-help books or allow the helper to pull us up to our rightful place in Christ. We always fight from a place of victory. We are seated in heavenly places. The lie that it will take a lifetime to correct our course isn't biblical. We all think that but it did not take long after Jacob fled that God visited him. We are under a better covenant. 
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the Lord has said,
Among the remnant whom the Lord calls. Joel 2:32

I would like to personally ask my kind friend the Holy Spirit to forgive me for all the times I have gone to other things including people, for help, comfort, and guidance. I ask you Holy Spirit to be my comforter, guide, friend and lead me into all truth. Strengthen me and break off all the idols of false comfort in Jesus name. If this ministered to your heart let me know. Remember, you are loved.    
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Jaziz Gutierrez