By Apostle Lamont A. Hill
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.
Some years back when I was struggling with my relationship with God, I remember sitting in my apartment watching T.V., smoking a blunt and drinking some beer. I had just gotten in from work around 2am. Back then, I was working 2 jobs and doing somewhat okay for myself, but was having to work those two jobs, nonetheless.
This was a very peculiar night, as most evenings in those days, I would hang a few hours with a good friend of mine and we would frequent the bars until they closed. However, I began slowing down on many of my extra-curricular activities, to say the least, due to the fact I was getting very serious about a young lady, who I had met on the job. Yeah, I later married her, but that’s another testimony.
Long story short, I was very particular about chilling out when I was at home alone. I would prepare something to eat, pick out a good movie to watch, and while my food was cooking, I would split my cigar blunt carefully removing the tobacco leaves and replacing it with the marijuana leaves. I must have smoked every day. I truly thank God that I never became addicted to smoking, period. Deep down inside, I was depressed and was getting high in order to ignore some of the realities in my life I hadn’t dealt with. In the meanwhile, my usual nights alone resulted in this repeated routine. I look forward to it and had it already planned out in my head what I was going to do.
Once I got relaxed, I would sit down in front of the T.V. with my favorite beer and serve myself dinner. Mind you, it was very late, but I worked odd hours and my day didn’t begin until 10am or sometimes 11am the next day. After I finished eating I would finish my first beer and then get another one. I then would light up my blunt marijuana cigar and proceed to get high. Between the drinking and the smoking, I would allow it to relax me, while watching a movie, and then I would drift away from reality and into this imaginary world on television. It was indeed a rush!
Well this same night, while I’m getting high and doing my thing, the Lord spoke very clearly to me. Now, you have to understand something about me. I was very conscience of the Lord in those days. I would often pray and try my best to get it right with the Father, but I was struggling with my faith and hadn’t gone through any deliverance as of yet.
However, when the Lord spoke to me on this night, I tell you, I sobered up quickly! I put out the blunt and I sat the beer bottle down on the table. I was literally terrified and shaking in His presence. The Lord spoke to me in an audible voice. I could hear Him very clearly. Not only did he speak once, but He spoke twice. It was as if, you and I were having a conversation in my living room, sitting on the couch. As a matter of fact, I turned the T.V. down and sat up from my slump in the couch. His voice had my attention. I knew it was Him. I knew it was so, HIM, because I had heard His voice before. Yet, this time, He spoke with concern and compassion. He spoke with love and forgiveness. He spoke to me like a son.
He said to me, “Is This Your God”? When I heard it, I said, “What”? He said again, “Is This Your God”? Immediately I turned off the TV. My heart began to beat quickly and all of sudden, everything that I had been putting before Him begin to rush in front of me as if I was seeing it in a vision on the cut-off Television screen.
I then began to realize that I had put this lifestyle, and the things that I idolized, like the T.V., the ritual for getting high, and the eagerness to be alone just to continue this bad habit, before the Lord. It had become a form of worship for me. It had replaced my relationship with Christ and become my god.
Needless to say, I repented quickly. It still took me some time to get it together. As a matter of fact, it would be two years later before I was completely delivered. I thank God; He brought me through this and allowed me to see my ways.
Now here it is, 10 years later, the Father has touched my heart to share my testimony with you and ask many of you the same question. “Is This Your God”? I guess you say, what you mean apostle. Let’s take a look.
Before I decided to share my testimony, the Holy Spirit kept showing me a vision of both women and men holding electronic devices in their hands. I saw cell phones, iPads, laptops, kindles, and just about any hand-held game device known to man.
Now, before you get bent out of shape, there is nothing wrong with electronic devices, cell phones, iPads, i.e., etc..
What was interesting about this vision, the Lord showed me how there were love ones, co-workers, and church members, which had surrounded these individuals with their devices in their hands, and it was extremely difficult to get a physical conversation out of them. I saw in the vision many of these individuals holding their hand-held devices, smiling and ignoring everyone they came into contact with. This scene was rather creepy, as some of those I saw, were flirting with their devices and holding them, intimately, and seductively. On top of this, they had been holding these devices for hours. You would have thought these devices were glued to their hands.
Here is where the vision got more interesting. Some of these people were believers. Christians! Many of them use to have a strong prayer life and now they are so distracted by their devices, they pray less and acknowledge the Father much more the less. He showed me how, the cell phone had taken a priority over the lives of many believers and some was waking up with the cell phone in their hand and going to sleep late at night the same way. I saw in the vision how this distraction was drawing a wedge in many marriages and it had even replaced the intimacy between spouses. I saw so many individuals struggling on their jobs, trying to meet deadlines and honor commitments, but they couldn’t do so, due to this modern day distraction.
Soon after the Holy Spirit showed me this vision, He spoke clearly to me the same words I heard over 12 years ago in my apartment. He said, “Is This Your God”? I said, “What?” again. He said, go and ask My people, “Is This Your God?”
21st Century Idol Worship
In our modern day of instant quick service, and advanced technology, we have become a society surrounded by touch screen electronics and push-button service with immediate results. We’re a culture of people who have become solely dependent on digital technology. Everything from the Smart T.V. Smart Houses, Smart Cars, internet, HD Radio, social media, the iPhone, the iPad, and many other countless hand-held devices, and games, just to name a few. This modern day technology has spoiled us and even crippled an entire generation, quietly.
By now, many of you are aware, the only way you can apply for employment with most companies, you have to go on-line. Farewell to the days of paper applications and being hired on the spot. Modern day technology has placed another level of accountability on future applicants.
I have always wondered with all the doom and gloom prophecies coming about lately from many of the dispensationalist, what will the next generation do, if they do not have any training or any knowledge of agriculture and the formal engineering industry? How will they survive if the world ever enter into a time where there is little to know electricity? Not to mention the internet. This would create such a devastating impact on our young people. It would perhaps create havoc in our education system as well.
In the meanwhile, our culture has lost balance and sense of reality. I believe God allowed me to endure a season in my life just to address this issue.
We have created gods out of our electronic devices. We’ve become so postured with these cell phones and hand-held devices that we’ve neglected our relationship with Christ just to worship at the mercies of an app or New iOs feature on our iPhone.
Anytime you pick up your cell phone to check Facebook or Twitter, when rising first thing in the morning, that’s a problem and you are asking for trouble. In actuality, the word “idol” in Hebrew is translated “aven” which means, trouble, wickedness, and vanity.
Interesting enough; it’s amazing how each time the new iPhone comes out, people stand in line for hours and days, even, to purchase the newest device. This is surely vanity. Believers are not exempt. There are people spending hundreds of dollars on these new phones each time they come out with an upgrade. This goes the same for any electronic. They have the Watch now and there is a wrist band which will illuminate the iPhone screen onto your arm.
We are living in a time where it’s not unusual to see someone texting, or scrolling through their phone, or talking on it all day long. With the apps and different features these devices have to offer, it causes a distinct distraction in many of our lives more than 90% of the day.
These phones have broken up more marriages and have torn apart many good God-ordained relationships by way of slander and gossip, more than any other time in history. Some spouses spend more time holding their phone or hand-held device more than they spend time holding their husband/wife. Again, these devices have interrupted the prayer life of many of our believers as well. These devices have caused wickedness and trouble in our families, churches, and workplaces.
Perhaps you valued friends and their opinions, more, versus trusting in God. You put your career first. Or, you may have focused more on your children and/or spouse and put them before the Lord. You found things and places other than our Lord and Savior to help numb the pain and keep you from dealing with your realities. Did they become your god’s and idols? Ask yourself this question, “Is This Your God?”
What shall we say then? “Is This Your God?” Have you been so overwhelmed with stuff and things, that it has hindered your relationship with Christ?
Father, in the name of Jesus! Please forgive me, if I have placed any other god or gods before you. Please forgive me for idol worship; spending time with things that have created a wedge between my relationship with you. Forgive me for my lack of worship and prayer time.
Father, I ask that you would have mercy on me and help me to restore my relationship with you and many of the others I have neglected due to putting these devices, things, and opinions of people who are not God-ordained in my life, before you. Restore me Lord! Renew in me a clean heart and a right spirit.
I also ask that you deliver me from any addiction and compulsive behavior connected to my ongoing desire to interact with these devices and any other thing I have put before you. Deliver me from any and all wickedness connected to these things and every electronic device that has distracted me from Your purpose.
I declare, I’m free right now, in the name of Jesus and I will walk in the liberty and power of the Holy Ghost from this day forward.
Apostle Lamont A. Hill, Overseer & Teacher
Kingdom Exousia Ministries, Int’l, San Antonio, TX
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