Destroying the High Places

Solomon - 1 Kings 3:3, Jehoshaphat - 1 Kings 22:43, Joash - 2 Kings 12:2-3, Amaziah - 2 Kings 14:3-4,
Azariah - 2 Kings 15:3-4, Jotham - 2 Kings 15:34-35

Do you want that kind of asterisk next to your name? Mike served the Lord with all his heart. TV however,
couldn’t be removed; he still continued to watch it for hours each night.

Deuteronomy 12:2 - Destroy the high places completely!

Most Christians won’t remove the high places, they’ll serve God but they’ll also serve their own high places.

Forms of high places in a Christian life: - a source of satisfaction, worship, feelings, apart from God.

1. The feel good high places: Galatians 5:19, 21 - sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, orgies...

 Dressing a certain way - Tell cross dresser story - where does your confidence come from? A power
suit?
 Relationships - I need to be in one to feel normal; to feel loved
 Must-see movies - Tell DVDs story
 Certain websites - must check Facebook 20 times a day
Or we spiritualize it - Manasseh - 2 Chronicles 33:15-17 - does that make it right? That’s like saying, I’ll
still gamble but I’ll just give my winnings to the church! Tell Facebook story
If your hand causes you to sin cut it off
 Christian conferences - Amos 5:4-5 - Seek God! Not the conference high

2. The addicting high places: Galatians 5:20 - idolatry, witchcraft...

 Games - for kids, video, card, role playing, gambling

 Money - stock market, 4 jobs at a time to stay ahead
 Electronics - must have the newest and neatest gadgets
 Drugs - alcohol, pills, inhalants, injectables, pain pills, cold medicine, prescriptions

1 Peter 2:16 - this isn’t about restricting you; this is about living as a servant of God.

3. The ME high places: Galatians 5:20, 21 - hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,
dissensions, factions, envy...

 “I deserve to...” - be on the prayer team for this event, I’ve prayed for hundreds of people
- be treated with respect...to be recognized because of my education
- be called pastor, prophet, apostle, doctor - 2 Corinthians 10:18

 “I have the freedom to...” - get a piercing

- get a tattoo
- wear a wig
- whiten my teeth
- eat meat (1 Corinthians 8:9-13) (Romans 15:1)

When considering the great boundaries of grace, Paul discovered: 1 Corinthians 10:23-33 Yes! You do have
the freedom, but that doesn’t mean you should exercise it!

Hezekiah - 2 Kings 18:1-7a - Be a Hezekiah

Tell story of Adobe high place...do you truly love me more than these?
(Revelation 3:15-16, 1 Corinthians 11:31-32) - do you want an asterisk next to your name?