The Roots of Rebellion and Self-Idolatry

Opening: Tracing the Root of the Problem

Bro. Thompson opened by taking the congregation deeper into what previous speakers had shared, but with a focus on identifying the origin of Saul's problems. "Saul was the person who the people chose to be king, and it was not God's choice," he declared, referencing 1 Samuel 8:7-9.

This foundational truth set the stage for understanding how human preference, when elevated above God's will, becomes the breeding ground for rebellion and eventual spiritual disaster.

Core Teaching: The Progressive Nature of Rebellion

The Foundation: Rejecting God's Voice

"The people were the ones who rejected God by choosing Saul as king," Bro. Thompson explained. He revealed that because Saul did not have a direct encounter with God, but only encountered Samuel, "the word of God came to Samuel for Saul, so because of Samuel, whatever the people wanted on Saul approval."

This exposed how indirect relationships with God create vulnerability to human influence rather than divine direction.

The Progression: From Rejection to Witchcraft

Drawing from Micah 5:12 - "And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers" - Bro. Thompson traced Saul's spiritual deterioration: "He visited a witch to seek guidance, which was a direct violation of God's commands. And you can see how it ended."

He identified the crucial connection: "The foundation of this was that he rejected the Word of God. The word of God comes to you like a counselor. He is a wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. But Saul rejected this counsel and chose to follow his own path."

The Modern Application: Position and Pride as Barriers

Academic and Positional Pride

"Many of us feel like because of our position or our academics or others, we seem to ignore the voice of God, which is witchcraft," Bro. Thompson declared. This powerful statement exposed how achievements and positions can become spiritual barriers.

"We think we can do things our own way, but God is calling us to obedience. He desires our hearts to be aligned with His will, not just our actions."

The Spiritual Reality

He emphasized a crucial principle: "You will never understand the realm of the spirit outside the word of God." This warns against attempting to operate spiritually while disconnected from God's revealed Word.

Biblical Insights: Jesus' Teachings on Hidden Pride

The Log and the Speck

Referencing Matthew 7:3-7, Bro. Thompson highlighted Jesus' teaching about removing the plank from our own eye before helping others with their speck. "This is a call to self-examination and humility before God."

He connected this to spiritual deception: "Jesus revealed few things about witches. They will never admit that they are witches; they will always find a way to justify their actions. They will always point fingers at others while ignoring their own faults."

The Children's Bread Principle

From Matthew 15:26, where Jesus spoke about not giving children's bread to dogs, Bro. Thompson extracted a powerful truth: "This is a reminder that we must be in right standing with God before we can receive His blessings. How can they receive the bread of life if they are not in alignment with God's will?"

The Light of God's Word

Illumination and Clarity

Referencing Isaiah 9:8 - "I sent a word to Jacob and it lighted upon Israel" - he emphasized: "The word of God is light, and it brings clarity to our lives. When we reject God's word, we walk in darkness and confusion."

This principle shows how God's Word serves as both guidance and illumination for those who receive it with humility.

The Heart of the Matter: Self-Idolatry

The Warning from John

Quoting 1 John 5:21 - "Little children, keep yourselves from idols" - Bro. Thompson called for deep heart examination: "This is a call to examine our hearts and ensure that we are not placing anything above our relationship with God."

He defined the scope of potential idols: "John told us to keep ourselves from idols, which can be anything that takes the place of God in our lives. This includes our desires, ambitions, and even our relationships."

The Penetrating Question

The message culminated in a heart-searching question: "What is it that is being exalted above God in your life?"

The Role of the Holy Spirit and the Word

Divine Partnership

"How can the Holy Ghost help us live this life when Christ Jesus who is the Word of God is not being exalted in our hearts?" Bro. Thompson asked. "The Holy Spirit works in conjunction with the Word to bring about transformation and empowerment in our lives."

This revealed the essential partnership between the Spirit and the Word in producing genuine spiritual transformation.

The Issue of Discipline and Desire

Resistance to God's Training

"Many of us do not love discipline," he observed. "It is good that we do not pray for our desires above the will and purpose of God. God's desires should be our desires."

This addressed the common tendency to use prayer as a means of advancing personal agendas rather than aligning with God's purposes.

The Call to Liberation

Prayer for Deliverance

Bro. Thompson concluded with a powerful prayer focus: "We pray that God should deliver us from self-idolatry, where we place our own desires and ambitions above His will for our lives."

He led the team in specific declarations:

- "God deliver me from self-idolatry"

- "Lord whatever that is representing a stronghold in my life, I surrender it to you in Jesus name"

Key Takeaways for Application

1. Examine Your Foundation: Ensure your spiritual authority comes from God, not human appointment or approval

2. Identify Hidden Idols: Regularly ask yourself what might be exalted above God in your life

3. Resist Positional Pride: Don't let achievements, education, or position become barriers to hearing God's voice

4. Embrace Divine Discipline: Welcome God's correction rather than pursuing your own desires through prayer

5. Align with God's Word: Ensure the Holy Spirit and God's Word work together in your transformation

6. Practice Self-Examination: Remove the log from your own eye before attempting to help others

7. Surrender Strongholds: Identify and surrender anything that competes with Christ for supremacy in your heart

Prayer Focus

- Ask God to reveal any areas where you've exalted position or achievement above His voice

- Pray for deliverance from self-idolatry in all its forms

- Surrender any strongholds that compete with Christ for supremacy in your heart

- Ask for humility to receive God's discipline and correction

- Pray for the Holy Spirit and God's Word to work together in your transformation

- Seek God's help to align your desires with His will and purposes

- Ask for discernment to recognize and resist spiritual pride

Fishers of Men

The Roots of Rebellion and Self-Idolatry

Bro. Thompson Hailsm Chukwuhenry

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