The proper response to, "Oh my God you're so anointed!"
Friday, July 17, 2009
I won't let you make an idol out of me
It is a very awkward moment for some of us. You have just finished ministering when someone will inevitably track you down and declare these words, oh my God, you are SO anointed! And no, they just don't stop there, they keep hurling these accolades upon you and all the while you wish they would just stop. There are heart-felt thank yous from the people of God whose lives have been touched by your obedience. That's not what this blog is about. This blog is about the shift from thank you to all out worship.
The apostles Peter, Paul and Barnabus found themselves in similar situations. In the book of Acts, Cornelius went out to greet Peter and fell at his feet and worshiped him. (10:25-26) Peter corrected Cornelius by telling him to get up because he was a man just as he was.
Holy Spirit had just used Paul and Barnabus to heal a crippled man when pure mayhem ensued. The people so awestruck with the power of God using the two men, declared them gods and began to offer sacrifices to them. (14:8-19) What was their response? Paul and Barnabus tore their clothes and tried to disuade the people from idolizing them. Paul told them just as Peter told Cornelius, we are men just like you.
Herod while giving a speech in Acts 12:22-23, was struck down immediately because he did nothing when the people declared that his voice, was the voice of a god.
And practically unheard of today is the prophet Elijah refusing a lavish gift from Naaman after being healed of leprosy. (2 Kings 5:16)
What happens when we do not deflect these praises? We might actually believe our own hype. And the flesh only craves more attention, more praise; it is never satisfied. It is at this point the Gospel could be compromised and God's entire truth is neglected because men's praise become more important and we'll do whatever we must to get it.
Paul made it quite clear that he could have cared less about man's approval and was not out to please men. (Gal 1:10; 1 Thes 2:6) That would compromise the Gospel.
God help us as leaders not to be men pleasers but to bodly declare God's truths to His people no matter the cost.
So the proper response to, oh my God you are so anointed and mens worship is to deflect that worship back to the Father. Ask Holy Spirit for wisdom on how to stop it in the moment. Herod's refusal to act caused his demise. And scripture tells us that pride certainly comes before a fall. Refuse to become an idol because those same people who praised you will certainly stone you. It happened to Paul. They were sacrificing to him one minute and hurling rocks the next.
Refuse to become an idol so that the Gospel of Christ is not compromised.
Be encouraged beloved.
