ALTARS

What is an Altar?

An altar is a place of spiritual contact: Altar is a portal that connects the earth to the spiritual realm. At the altar, we offer worship to God and heaven opens up and responds to our sacrifice. In Genesis Abel and Cain built an altar and each offered a sacrifice before God. God did not accept Cain’s sacrifice, but He accepted Abel’s sacrifice. Abel was killed by Cain, and this shows how altars influences what happens on earth. We can build altars that can birth life or death in our physical and spiritual atmospheres. Altars are powerful and it is really important that we learn how to build altars that will positively and divinely influence our day-to-day life. In Genesis 28, Jacob came to Bethel and as he was asleep, he had a dream of open heavens and he saw angles ascending and descending on a ladder to the throne room. this dream brought a revelation that God is present on earth through a portal. Jacob called this place Bethel, since the presence of God was there.

Altar is a place of personal encounter with God: As Jacob encountered God in Bethel, it is really important that we seek a personal encounter with God. Personal encounter with heaven changes our value system. We are able to live a life of holiness after we encounter God in our personal spiritual walk. In Genesis 32:22-32 Jacob wrestled with God at Bethel and after the wrestling, Jacob name was changed to Israel. Altar is that secret place where we encounter God in an authentic manner and brings a change to our true identity. At the altar we allow God to deal with our innermost feelings and struggles. Personal altars are important in our lives since they bring true change to our daily walk. Personal spiritual altars bring a spiritual insight by revelation knowledge of God. We receive a deep revelation of God in a personal way that we cannot be able to express. Paul states that he was caught-up to the third heaven and it is not lawful to utter this divine encounter (2 Corinthians 12:2-4)

Altar is a place of authority and influence: An altar is a system that has an authority over your life. It is a legal platform where spiritual things enter your earthly realm. This is a spiritual elevated place which determines your earthly outcomes. Altars are powerful and have a voice of authority over your life. It is really important that we watch our altars since they are established to influence your life. Altars speak on your behalf. when Cain killed Abel, the altar of Abel still cried out to the Lord. In Gen 4:10, The voice of the blood of Abel cried to the Lord. We have to allow Jesus' sacrifice (Altar) to speak better things in our lives. ( Hebrews 12:24). Allow the Calvary altar of Jesus to have power and authority over your life. The altar has power to influence our day-to-day outcomes. we need to learn to depend on the altar of Jesus that has power over every other altar that is set against us. Altar has power to influence the activity of people in certain families, churches or geographical locations. Altars influence activities of territories.

Altar activates and strengthens covenants: At the altar, covenants are established and strengthened. When Jacob was at Bethel after the dream, the altar was activated and there was renewal of covenant. Jacob made a vow with God after the divine personal encounter and he set-up a pillar in Bethel (Genesis 28:20-22). Altars reminds us of the covenants that we have with God. Altars are meeting place with God where He gives us an assurance of His words and reminds us about the covenant that He has already established with us. Altar of Christ still speaks and as we seek the Lord, He reminds us of the sacrifice was offered once and for all. We have to depend fully on the new covenant that was established through Christ Jesus. In Hebrews 9:12, Jesus is our mediator, and He has entered into the holy place with His own blood once and for all. Jesus has given us an eternal covenant that gives us full access to the heavenly eternal inheritance. Now we can enter with boldness into the holiest place through blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19)

Altars are maintained through consistency: we have to learn to be consistent in seeking the Lord through prayers, fasting and building ourselves in the word. An Altar demands sacrifice. We have to invest time in God’s presence. We have to learn to keep the altar burning with the fire of God. How? There are 5 keys to maintain the fire of God in our personal altars. The 5 keys are Repentance, Thanksgiving, Worship, Waiting on God and the Word of God. Consistent Repentance in our lives open our gates/hearts to heavenly wonders. Repentance opens our hearts to receive from the throne room. Thanksgiving transforms our thinking to focus on what God has already established through Jesus. Worship transitions us to a position of humility allowing God’s ways to be implemented in our lives. Waiting on God allows our hearts to be refreshed in His presence.

May the Lord help us to seek Him at our personal lives in a consistent manner. May we become portals of His presence here on earth. As we allow the altar of Christ in our lives, we become portals of His presence and the Lord will work His will on earth through us. We are gateways for the kingdom of God here on earth. We are called to change the spiritual atmospheres in our families and geographical locations. we are legal entities set here on earth to birth the will of our God.

Shalom