To bow, or not to bow (⁠•⁠‿⁠•⁠)

Needless to say, today occupies a very special place in my heart. It's World Sexual Purity Day 🤭. Of course, it's not as popular as all those other romantic days, Valentine's being top of the list. The world today perfectly mirrors the Word of God in Romans 1:18-32 (you might want to read that). Truth has been suppressed by wickedness. What ought not to be done is exactly what is being done not just in the media space, but in our day-to-day lives. The climax (verse 32) brings the point home:

Although they know God's righteous decree

that those who do such things deserve death,

they not only continue to do these very things 

but also approve of those who practise them.

(That introduction was quite sudden😬, but we move regardless. Main points tu 🙂)

Quite bold, huh? I believe that if we as believers were half as audacious in our stand against every form of sexual sin, the world wouldn't be as defiled as it is now. I think about the story of the image of gold and the blazing furnace in Daniel 3 and I think it, to some extent, mirrors the current state of affairs. Instead of the horn, flute, lyre, harp, pipe and zither, there's a different sound being released in our airwaves. That sound has polluted all our social media platforms and streaming media companies and has caused many to bow their knees to a god other than He that created them. Instead of the image of gold of King Nebuchadnezzar, the image of Jezebel is what's been erected and is standing tall, even in our churches today (figuratively speaking). 

Note that Jezebel is a pseudonym in the Bible that represents seduction, sexual immorality and defilement. It's why it was written to the angel of the church in Thyatira: Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. (Revelation 2:20). 

She's an epitome of the sin of sexual immorality and idolatry, for it was her who caused Ahab to introduce Baal worship in Israel. It was a slow seduction, but with time she had managed to lure away majority of Israel from the true worship of Yahweh. 

I feel like one of the greatest battles we'll have to fight and overcome in our stand against sexual purity is one that Elijah went through when he said:

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1 Kings 19:10/14 NIV

I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty.

The Israelites have rejected Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they're trying to kill me too.

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If we're honest, no one wants to be seen as the odd one out. No one wants to feel all alone, even if they know that what they're doing is right. When it feels like living by the principles of God's Word is getting us so much friction from the world at large, we tend to hold back in a bid to please others and be like them. It's why peer pressure easily causes even the strongest of God's soldiers to stumble and fall ~ not that they intended to sin against God, but that they quickly lost strength because of that same thought that troubled Elijah ~ "I am the only one left." 

Much as we may want to point fingers at him for growing so weary and discouraged after such a great victory, I'm sure we wouldn't have gotten that far if we were in his place. Of all the people in Israel, he was the only one who was bold about his stand concerning who was to be worshipped. He was a one-man army against Jezebel and her prophets of Baal. Although God honored him and granted him great victory at Mt. Carmel, he was wearied by that fact that he was alone. All this to the point that he prayed that he might die ~ I have had enough Lord. Take my life; for I am no better than my ancestors (v14). 

It's surprising how quick God was to relieve him of his duties after that. Even He knew that the burden He had laid on Elijah was a heavy one. In fact, it was passed on not to one person, but to three (Elisha, Jehu and Hazael). It was then that God tells Elijah: yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel - all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal, and whose mouths have not kissed him (v18). 

Much as that is, to some extent, very reassuring, I would get a bit mad if I were Elijah (that explains why I'm not him 🥲). Honestly though, why weren't they as vocal and upfront as he was? Why didn't they back him up and give him the much-needed strength? I'm sure he wouldn't be as exhausted and discouraged as he was, had he had their company. 

Remember the scripture that we like to paraphrase, "one can chase a thousand, but two can chase ten thousand"? This army of seven thousand could easily have won against those four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who led Israel astray. Of course, God might have wanted to display His power in a magnificent way, so it was probably all part of His plan. In any case, I believe that it's a more noble thing to be numbered among "the Elijahs" than among "the seven thousand." 

Both of them are actually very noble (don't get me wrong 😑) ...but I'm sure that God was immensely proud of Elijah for being such a valiant soldier. He did not hold back or shy away because he was the only one left. He stood his ground regardless and caused God's name to be glorified in all Israel. If he hadn't heeded to God's call and become God's faithful ambassador, the worship of Baal would probably have continued for a much longer period.

I know the illustrations used aren't directly referring to the topic at hand. I'm just using them to bring to your attention that this battle is best won together. If we all keep silent and try to figure it out alone, we'll quickly lose strength and give in to our fleshly desires which ultimately lead to sin. It's a commendable thing to be numbered among the seven thousand who, though hidden, remained true to God. However, it is much more commendable to have the boldness of Elijah and confront these things as they are. It was in Elijah's zeal and boldness that God had an opportunity to reveal Himself to the Israelites once again and turn their hearts back to Him.

Someone in your circle could be seconds away from giving in. Maybe they've looked around and concluded that because they're the only ones left, it's no use climbing up that hill anymore. Maybe they've seen even the most fervent of their peers giving in and have concluded that it's no use trying anymore. Making your stand known isn't a foolish thing to do. Your voice could be just what they need. Let them know that you too have not 'bowed to Baal'...that you too have not been 'seduced by Jezebel'. Let them know that it's okay to keep climbing up that rugged hill, lonely as it is. Let them know that they are not alone. 😊

If we can get these 'seven thousand' to speak up, there's so much good that's bound to come out of it. Think about all that resulted from Elijah's boldness. Scripture records:

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1 Kings 18:36-39 NIV

At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.

Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."

Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.

When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!"

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An entire nation was redeemed just by one man's boldness. They didn't even wait for Elijah to tell them to worship God ~ they did it themselves, almost spontaneously. One thing I know, God desires to turn the heart of this generation back to Himself. He desires to restore those who have digressed. He is more than willing to bring them back to the fold. All He needs us to do is to come out of hiding and make known our stand. It could be that we too have faltered before ~ that doesn't mean it's the end of the road. That in itself is a testament of God's redemptive love. He loves the broken, the wounded, the lost, the weak and the injured. He desires to redeem such as these to Himself. No one is ever too far gone. 😊

This is the point where I hand over the mantle to you, dear esteemed reader. Remember, your first and most important task is to be among the seven thousand. Only then can you stand out from among them and be an Elijah. Let no one in your space end up bowing their knees to Baal thinking, "I'm the only one left." Now is a good time to hold each other's hands. Let someone's heart be turned back to God today because of you. 😊

That right there is my two cents in honor of this special day. Remember:

🍂 Do not be quiet. 

🍂 Let your voice be heard. 

This then is our declaration: 😊

We will not bow our knees to Baal. We will not allow ourselves to be corrupted by the teaching of Jezebel. We will not mix our worship of Yahweh with the worship of Baal. We will no longer waver between two opinions. We will declare that He alone is God...that He alone is to be worshipped. We will not be quiet. We will make known our stand. We will live by His principles. We will obey His word. We will come out of hiding. We will raise our voices and let it be known that we are of God, and we will choose His will, His ways and His commands. We live to please only Him. To Him only will we bow our knees. Rest assured; we will stand BY HIS GRACE. He alone is able to keep us from stumbling, and to present us before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy. 

So today, we submit our appetites, our fleshly desires, our will, our thoughts, our hearts - even our bodies - to Him who is able to help us stand. Today and every day, we will lay at His feet and submit to Him wholly. All this we will do unceasingly...till Christ is formed in us.

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1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 NIV

Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.

For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

It is God's will that you should be sanctified: 

that you should avoid sexual immorality;

that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God;

and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you.

For God did not call us to be impure, 

but to live a holy life.

Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

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...The End.

PS. Kindly refer to the BARRED garden for a friendlier approach🙂.