And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down... and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed… And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word... Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God. The LORD, He is the God. [1Kings 18:30,32,36,38,39]


In our previous study, we saw how the altar is no more a physical building located somewhere called church where you go to meet with God. Rather, the altar is now YOUR HEART. We want to continue in this study as we examine the issue of A LIVING ALTAR.

The question for consideration today is: “Why is God so far away?”, “Why does God look so unreal many times?”, “Why is the devil having a free day into the lives of men, and it is like he cannot be stopped? - THE ANSWER TO THESE QUESTIONS IS "BECAUSE OF YOUR ALTARS THAT HAVE COMPLETELY BROKEN DOWN"

Many have failed to admit the true state of their inner life and their personal intimate relationship with God. The connection between them and God has completely broken down, and they have replaced and substituted a glorious walk with God with religious attachments and commitments. MAYBE because you have lots of commitments in church, you feel you are okay. Maybe because you have a name in the fellowship, you have titles and ecclesiastical positions, you assume all is well. Sometimes, because you pay your tithes dutifully and give offerings regularly in church, you have been confused to think that this is the yardstick for judging righteousness. You do good to all men, and you are religiously and morally sound… ALL THESE ARE ALTERNATIVES THAT YOU HAVE SUBSTITUTED FOR A CLOSER, RICHER WALK WITH GOD….. BUT GOD CANNOT BE MOCKED…

For any restoration and revival to begin with any life, there must first be A REALISATION, A RECOGNITION OF YOUR PRESENT STATE. There must be a correct, honest evaluation of your present condition. You must get TIRED of your unseriousness with God, and have a hunger to return back into His bosom as His dear child.

In our text, Israel had backslidden, and God departed from them. God withheld the RAIN from them. Maybe God has withheld the RAIN OF BLESSINGS FROM YOU. THE RAIN OF PROTECTION, THE RAIN OF HEALTH, GOODNESS, PEACE, MERCY AND FRUITFULNESS HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN, AND IT IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE DEPARTED FROM THE LORD. – I Pray you will retrace your steps back to Him today…


All revivals BEGIN at your altar, and it is SUSTAINED at THAT SAME altar. If revival stops or gets quenched at all, CHECK YOUR ALTAR - It has broken down already. The FIRE EXTINGUISHER IS YOUR DISMANTLED ALTAR. The fire of your altar is what fuels revival, HENCE, when the FIRE FINISHES, REVIVAL HAS TO STOP.

No man can outgrow his altar. Where you currently stand today, is a clear picture of the state of your altar. Are you hot, cold, indifferent, worldly, dirty, carnal or managing, this is the exact reflection of your altar. You may copy other people and mimic them, but that is not who you are.

Many times when you think your problem is sickness, bad luck, poverty, lack, or attacks, you pray earnestly for God to send the rain of solution and victory, yet nothing happens. THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT YOU HAVE NOT YET ATTACKED THE REAL PROBLEM... The real cause that brought those visible problems upon your life has not been addressed. YOUR BROKEN DOWN ALTAR, WHICH IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF YOUR PROBLEMS, MUST FIRST BE REPAIRED, BEFORE THE LORD CAN SEND THE RAIN OF BLESSINGS.


In Israel, it looked as if their real problem was LACK OF RAIN. Everybody was dying of hunger and thirst. Business activities had collapsed due to 3 and 1/2 years of drought and famine. Sicknesses prevailed, agriculture scattered, the economy went from bad to worse. People were dying…it was terrible… I THOUGHT THAT ONCE ELIJAH CAME TO RESTORE ALL THINGS, ALL HE WOULD DO WAS JUST TO CRY TO GOD… “LET THERE BE RAIN…” BUT NO!!! EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS DISASTER, BUT THE DISASTER CAME BECAUSE OF A REASON - ISRAEL HAD SINNED, THEIR ALTAR OF COMMUNION WITH GOD HAD BROKEN DOWN. THE CAUSE NEEDED TO BE DEALT WITH FIRST, BEFORE HELP CAN COME FROM ABOVE.

THE BAAL PROPHETS MUST BE KILLED AND THE RAIN MUST FALL, BUT THE ALTAR MUST FIRST BE REBUILT BEFORE THEY WOULD GET THESE RESULTS.

Many preachers are quick to focus on the visible problem, but there is a ROOT HIDDEN cause - the BROKEN DOWN ALTAR. Unless the cause is addressed, YOU MAY KEEP FIGHTING AND SHOUTING, NOTHING SERIOUS WILL HAPPEN.

THE PRIORITY IS YOUR PERSONAL ALTAR. Is there anything hanging between you and God?

All the calamities that befell Israel (whether Captivity, pestilence or killings...) were ONLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THEIR BROKEN ALTAR.


Whenever the devil wanted to attack anyone, the very first thing he targets, is his altar of relationship with God. He wants to first of all separate two best friends – yourself and God – because he knows that it is impossible to attack, destroy or dismantle any man with whom God tabernacles. If there is a problem with your life, and it looks as if the devil is ravaging you, your first point of call, is not to be binding the devil and calling down fire, there can be no smoke if there was never fire. The real issue is that you gave space to the devil to penetrate your life with an instance of your broken down altar. For solution therefore, amend your broken down altar first…. If there is going to be RESTORATION, it will begin AT THE ALTAR. AND ONCE THE ALTAR IS PUT BACK IN SHAPE, EVERY OTHER THING WILL FALL IN SHAPE.

The devil knows that if he wants to attack anyone and succeed, the real issue to attack is the LINK BETWEEN YOU AND GOD - YOUR ALTAR, YOUR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD, YOUR COMMUNION AND LOVE FOR GOD…

CAN CHECK YOUR LIFE TODAY… IS THERE ANYTHING BETWEEN YOU AND THE LORD JESUS? IS THERE ANY SIN YOU ARE BATTLING WITH AND YOU HAVE REFUSED TO CONFESS AND GIVE UP? WHAT SECRET HAVE YOU COVERED UP THAT EVEN YOUR CLOSEST CONFIDANT DOES NOT KNOW ABOUT? ARE YOU THINKING THAT TIME WILL ERASE THAT TERRIBLE THING YOU DID WHICH YOU BURIED AWAY QUIETLY FROM SIGHT?

The breakdown of the altar of a man, IS THE BREAKDOWN OF ALL SECURITY, GRACE, PROVISION and POWER IN HIS LIFE


If you are experiencing decays and disasters in your life, Check very well, there is a place of communion and relationship with the Father that you have neglected. The coldness and rottenness you are experiencing is because you have neglected the PRESENCE OF GOD – Your altar of prayer and sweet fellowship with Jesus has broken down. SIN, COVETOUSNESS AND WORLDLINESS HAS KICKED YOU OUT OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

Every decay you experience, IS NOT FIRST EXTERNAL, ALL DECAYS begin in the closet. Whenever there is any problem, STOP BLAMING DEMONS AND WITCHES AND WIZARDS, STOP DIRECTING THE CAUSE OF YOUR BARRENNESS TO SOME EXTERNAL PEOPLE IN YOUR FAMILY. The external could NEVER have affected you, if your walk with God was INTACT. Whatever problem you are experiencing, it is not FIRST EXTERNAL, check your PERSONAL ALTAR with the Lord. MANY CHRISTIANS TODAY ARE QUICK TO TALK ABOUT ATTACK! ATTACK!! ATTACK!!!. Friend, check your closet!!! Because the problem is from the closet, Solutions also must issue forth FIRST from the closet.


Brother, how is your relationship with the Lord today? We are not talking about history. We are NOT talking about how you used to be great for God in times past. We are NOT talking about how you served the Lord many years ago. Neither are we talking about your position in church OR your commitment in church or how buoyantly you can give for the needs of your church PROJECT. RATHER, WE ARE TALKING about HOW IS IT WITH YOUR SOUL NOW. IS IT WELL WITH YOUR SOUL? ARE YOU DAILY VICTORIOUS OVER SIN, SATAN, THE FLESH AND THE WORLD? Do you have a vibrant, deep, functional, intimate COMMUNION with the Lord, where affection is shared between the two of you? OR your soul has departed from Jesus, even though you are managing with some church activities.

The place of total victory is the place of constant, continuous personal communion with Jesus. IF YOU HAVE DEPARTED FROM THE LORD, AND HAVE GONE INTO THE WORLD LIKE DEMAS, COME BACK TO JESUS TODAY, AND MEND THE ALTAR OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD THAT HAS BROKEN DOWN.