Psalms 57:5 ( Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above the earth)

The most dangerous form of idolatry is self-worship. Most Christians claim to love God, but they don’t exalt him above themselves.

They take the lead, and God takes the second position in their decision; they end up choosing the word that pleases their flesh to follow in his word.

Wherever the flesh is sitting on the throne the word of God will be relegated to the background.

The day human beings removed the control of their life from God’s dominion, the flesh rules, and the devil has his way.

This is idolatry, which the Bible warns against in the book of Exodus, chapter twenty, not only things that move about the earth or sea, but also animate or inanimate objects, the self is also inclusive.

Our focus should be on God alone, and him we should worship, while all other things are submitted under the authority of Jesus Christ.

All other things that demand our attention to brush aside God’s Will are termed idolatry.

Self-worship is a sin that is difficult to acknowledge and repent of. If Satan is enthroned in the heart, his purpose is to demand that we worship ourselves, thereby worshipping the devil knowingly or unknowingly.

For man to be free from self, we must deny self’s desire for pleasure, crucify it daily at the Cross; this is the only way that makes us come against self-exaltation.

Most Christians might not have any idols in their house that they worship, but they don’t know that self is what takes the first place in their life while they put Christ and his Word in the second position.

It’s self-worship that makes us look for a church that will endorse our own way to worship God without repentance.

We worship the self when we discard the words that puncture our ego and embrace the ones that inflate it.

Instead of God to rule and dominate our lives, we put self at the center of control, and whatever in the Word doesn’t please us is not allowed.

We give advice based on the word to others, but it isn’t easy to give it to ourselves.

Self-worship has degenerated to the extent that we adore the body more than the soul, we prioritize the needs of the body more than the needs of the soul, to the extent of decorating the body with what is detestable before Go, and still enter the house of God to worship him.

Self-worship includes what we feed the body, we put junk into the body, and neglect the welfare of the soul. This is what makes the body expire when its time is yet to come.

Many ministers of God are well fed but their souls are famished, because they place priorities of self more than the Will of God: just a little breeze from a witch will collapse them and bring their ministry to an end.

Self-worship is what destroyed the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar; he didn’t give glory to God, thinking that it was his power that put him on the throne, and ended up eating grass for seven years in the forest.

Those who worship self always put self first, if not for me, if not my prayers, this is the character of the devil and the language of flesh, with the serpent transferred at the fall.

Human souls are wired for worship since the beginning of creation, if they don’t find things to worship, they will turn to self.

If you are flesh worshippers, you will neglect God’s word to satisfy your selfish desire, and you won’t be able to deny yourself to please God.

Most ministers of God in this generation do worship themselves; they have forgotten the law of God that says we shouldn’t serve anything or any image on the land, in the sea, or in the sky, we shouldn’t bow to them nor worship them.

If we think we obey this law to the letter, are humans not part of what is forbidden by God to be worshipped?

No wonder the Bible says, we should not call anyone Father or Master on earth, our Father and master is Christ only.

God commanded the Israelites not to bow to anyone on earth. This was the cause of the grudge that ensued between Mordecai and Haman. God honored their decision by bringing an end to the reign of Haman in the palace.

Those who claim to obey all the law but disobey one have become transgressors. When you obey all things and disobey only one, you have disobeyed everything written in the law of God.

This is what happened to that ruler in the synagogue, who thought that he followed God all day of his life, but couldn’t release his riches to God to control, thereby falling short of all that he was created to be.

Self-worship is rooted in pride, We started worshipping ourselves since we are sitting on a stolen throne, until we vacate it and allow the owner to take over. If you die in self-worship, you will miss heaven.

Self-idolatry is the worst of all idolatry, it’s what ruined the life of the king, who didn’t know when he started killing all the prophets and seers in Israel to protect himself and his throne.

If you’re castigating others to protect your position in the church, you’re not different from King Saul and you will end up like him.

You can’t love self and still have the love of God at heart, a servant can’t serve two masters.

All the entanglement on our body in the name of fashion is the evidence of self-love, even though it makes God angry, we want to do it because we love ourselves more than God, who is the God that will tell us not to do things that please us.

When you ask them why, they will tell you that it’s what will make them happy they’re doing, even if it displeases God.

If you truly put God first, you will think of his pleasure more than yourself, for he created all things for his pleasure, including yourself. Before you make a decision, think about God, not to talk of decorating yourself with what is abominable in his sight.

The Bible speaks about the lover of self more than the lover of God; this is the essence of all abominable things that is troubling humanity.

If we don’t put God first, it will be difficult to serve him perfectly. No wonder some people say that no one can be perfect, for they always think of themselves before thinking about God’s word. If you make God your priority, you will attain the perfection demanded by God.

If I give my last penny, won’t I suffer hunger, or if I donate this money to the poor, what will be my own gain? That is what caused the death of Ananaiah and Sapphira; they wanted to please themselves before pleasing God, and ended up dead at the feet of the apostle.

Those who are blessed and become a blessing in the Bible take God first. Joseph took the law of God first so that he wouldn’t fall into the temptation of Phortifar’s wife.

Likewise, the widow of Sarephath gave all to the servant of God and left the remaining for God to handle.

God tested Abraham to see if he loved the gift more than the giver; he was ready to relinquish the gift at the feet of the giver rather than disobey the giver, who is God.

If we want to win like our fathers in the faith, God must be first in every area, and His Word must take the lead, far above our own satisfaction or enjoyment. The way to perfection in the kingdom is to exalt God and His will above all things, including ourselves.

The Bible says, Be exalted, O LORD, above the heaven, let your glory be above the earth.

Until we exalt God above our careers, above our family or relationship, above our business, and above our pleasure, we will fall short of what he wants us to become on earth, we will fail to rise above self and be perpetually under the control of our enemy.

Relationship or business you chose above God can’t be profitable, it will only end up in calamity, this is a way that seems right but ends up in destruction.

The Bible says, until we bring all disobedience under the subjection of the holy Spirit, cast all imaginations and every high thing that exalt itself above the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, that is when we will have the right to challenge all disobedience if our obedience is complete.

Self that is not under the control of the spirit will come to ruin, be exalted above the heavens, let your glory be above the earth, this is let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, anything short of this will surely put someone under the authority and dominion of the devil.

Prayer: Father Lord, be exalted O LORD above everything in my life, in Jesus’ name, amen.