The biggest idol of all?

One of the biggest idols throughout the world is big because it is worshiped by Christians and lifted up for worship by some church leaders.

It’s the idol of prayer.

There’s nothing idolistic or wrong with the biblical concept of prayer. But often there is something quite wrong with what we church leaders and Christ followers make of prayer. The chief problem? We teach people to pray in order to activate the “power of prayer,” and use prayer as a power source rather than a means of communicating with our Lord and Savior. We teach people to believe in the power of prayer, rather than the One we pray to.

We don’t really need communication leading to relationship if we can activate power from prayer itself. And often it’s the power we’re after, not the communion or the relationship.

Such is the case of Simon in Acts 8. Not Simon Peter, but Simon the sorcerer, a man who had been somewhat empowered by the enemy with some magic, enough to astound people who referred to him as “the great one – the power of God” (Acts 8:10).

But then comes along Philip who preaches the Gospel, which draws away the people’s attention from Simon’s magic. Simon supposedly embraces the Good News Philip is preaching, is baptized, and follows Philip around as he ministers. When Peter and John come to town and Simon sees the power of God displayed by people receiving the Holy Spirit, Simon’s real motives are laid bare when he sees a way back to prestige: buy some of this “power” from Peter and John.

“When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power. ‘Let me have this power, too,’ he exclaimed, ‘so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!’” Acts 8:18-19.

It wasn’t relationship with God that Simon was after, it was the power, which he reckoned could be bought.

Peter didn’t hold back in his response to Simon’s grab for power:

“But Peter replied, ‘May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought! You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God. Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts, for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin’,” Acts 8:20-23.

God encourages us to bring our troubles to Him and to ask for His help. But He desires that we do so because of who He is, not just because of what He can do for us.

When we use prayer as an avenue to draw close to God, to worship, praise and adore Him, and for bringing ourselves into communion with Him, we often find ourselves not caring about whether God uses His power the way we prefer; for as we lose sight of ourselves and place our sights on Him, the desire of our heart becomes His will, not ours, for His glory, not ours.

That’s very different from what we often hear today. Many speak of prayer more as a way of siphoning power from God than anything having to do with applauding Him for who He is. To desire His power without offering our praise is more an attempt to plunder God for our gain than it is anything else.

Does praise precede your seeking His power, or are you just seeking a means to power itself?

Scotty