                    [Times Square Church Pulpit Series]

                      The Stumbling Block of Iniquity!

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By David Wilkerson
February 24, 1997
__________

          Certain elders of Israel came to the prophet Ezekiel
          seeking direction and guidance from the Lord. These men
          were not like many of the Israelites, who openly bowed
          their knees to idols. No, you wouldn't find these
          elders in some idol temple, offering sacrifices to the
          false gods there. They were leaders of the people --
          and they wanted to appear before everyone as godly men.

          But inside, these elders were white as sepulchres!
          Outwardly, they had the appearance of men who had a
          heart for God and wanted to know his word for their
          lives. And that is the manner in which they approached
          Ezekiel.

          Yet God revealed to Ezekiel what was in their hearts.
          He said to the prophet, "Son of man, these men have set
          up idols in their heart..." (Ezekiel 14:3). The Lord
          was saying, "These men have come to you saying they
          want to hear a word from me -- that they want to walk
          in obedience to my commands. But they are lying. They
          have secret sins in their life!"

          These elders all had a hidden, secret idolatry. Their
          hearts were in bondage to sins they indulged behind
          closed doors. No one could tell this by their
          appearances. On the contrary, they came across not as
          pagans or idol worshipers, but as respected men of God
          going about their ministries.

          The idol of one elder might have been different from
          that of another. For some, it might have been a lust
          for recognition, a drive for power. For others, it
          might have been some secret pleasure of the flesh.
          Others might have clung to a compromising relationship
          -- an adulterous affair or homosexual sin. But with
          each of them, a war raged in their souls. They were
          caught in two powerful cross-currents: On one side they
          wanted to hear from God -- and on the other, their
          hidden idol rose up before their eyes.

                      -------------------------------

                            A Stumbling Block of
                            Iniquity Is Any Evil
                          Thing That Hinders Your
                           Spiritual Progress --
                            Anything That Stands
                           Between You and God!

                      -------------------------------

          Such a stumbling block is any evil enticement that robs
          you of a steadfast walk with God. It is any besetting
          sin that causes you to waver in your faith...any desire
          that brings shame to your heart and to the name of
          Christ...any secret thing that excites you, giving you
          false hope...any sin you cling to as you come to the
          Lord seeking guidance. You can come to God's house,
          raise your hands, worship him loudly -- and yet still
          have a stumbling block of iniquity in your heart!

          "(They) have set up their idols in their heart, and put
          the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their
          face..." (Ezekiel 14:3). God was telling Ezekiel,
          "These men have been captivated in their hearts by a
          secret sin. And their sin is before their very eyes. It
          is something known to them. They know clearly what has
          hold of their heart, because I have dealt with them
          about it. I have convicted them by my spirit -- and
          they know exactly what is hindering their fellowship
          with me.

          "These are my chosen people, elders of my church -- and
          they know better! They don't have to have a word from
          you to figure it all out. They know I hate idolatry.
          And they know of David's warning: 'If I regard iniquity
          in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.' But these men
          are not ready to forsake their sinful addiction. They
          are not ready to admit they are deceived, and to face
          correction. Yet, still, they expect me to speak to
          them!"

          The book of Malachi tells us that priests wept in God's
          house night and day, covering the altar with their
          tears. But those men had treachery in their hearts
          against their wives; they were divorcing their spouses
          left and right. And for that reason God did not hear
          their cries. Beloved, you can cry a river of tears --
          but if you hold onto an idol in your heart, the Lord
          will not hear you!

          God asked Ezekiel, "...should I be enquired of at all
          by them?" (same verse). In other words: "Do these
          elders really believe they can inquire of me, while
          holding fast to a secret idol? Do they expect me to
          ignore what is in their hearts, and answer their
          requests in truth and righteousness? These idolaters
          are not prepared to hear my word. They're not ready to
          do what I tell them. Why would I speak to them?"

                      -------------------------------

                        Any Believer Who Clings to a
                      Secret Sin, or Anything Contrary
                       to God's Word, Cannot Hear the
                            True Voice of God!

                      -------------------------------

          Anyone who holds fast to a sin will never accept truth
          when he hears it. Why? It is because every idol carries
          with it a lie that will be accepted as truth!

          When the Holy Spirit convicts a believer of a
          particular sin or habit, he comes again and again with
          loving warnings. God's Spirit is tender, patient,
          loving -- and he will wait for a believer to respond
          before he brings discipline. He will continually hammer
          that person's compromise with his convicting word.

          But when all the wooings and warnings of the Spirit are
          ignored and sin takes root, the penalty is chastising,
          and finally judgment. God will allow a blinding of the
          eyes and a hardness of the heart. And at that point, it
          becomes impossible for the habitual sinner to see his
          own depravity. Eventually, if these awful judgments are
          not received, the hardness of heart becomes
          impenetrable.

          Saul's heart was under the dominion of the idols of
          pride and jealousy. Pride continually rose up in this
          man, making him jealous of David and anyone else who
          walked in holiness. Saul's heart was overcome with his
          idolatry.

          The Bible tells us Saul went to the Lord time after
          time to inquire of him, but God refused to speak to
          him. The Lord might have said to Saul what he said to
          the elders who came to Ezekiel: "Shall I be inquired of
          by one whose heart is blinded by pride and overt
          rebellion?"

          Here is the sad testimony of this idolatrous king:
          "...And Saul answered, I am sore distressed...God is
          departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by
          prophets, nor by dreams..." (1 Samuel 28:15). Saul
          could weep, he could seek out prophets, he could pray
          for dreams -- but the Lord answered, "No, Saul. I'm not
          talking to you anymore -- because your heart is
          captivated by an idol!"

          God didn't speak to Saul again for the rest of his
          life. At one point, the distraught king consorted with
          a witch to try to find a clear word. In the end, he
          died in utter terror.

          The book of Jeremiah tells us that Ephraim fell under
          the Lord's severe chastisements because of sin. But
          Ephraim repented, turning away from his idols and
          smashing them. Here is that man's testimony: "Surely
          after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I
          was instructed..." (Jeremiah 31:19).

          Do you understand what Ephraim is saying here? In
          essence, it is this: "When I had idols in my heart, I
          went to the Lord for instructions. But I couldn't get a
          word from heaven. I didn't hear anything from God --
          until I repented and smashed my idols to bits. Then I
          got clear instructions!"

          Only by turning away from your idol in wholehearted
          repentance can you hear the true word of the Lord --
          receiving clear, divine guidance. You see, when you
          repent, the first thing that returns to you is your
          discernment, the very wisdom of God. And the farther
          behind you leave your sin, the clearer you will see and
          hear. God's voice will become distinct, sure, with the
          authority of truth.

          But Christians who seek God while clinging to an idol
          will never hear any voice -- except the voice of their
          own heart! Indeed, their own desire will take on a
          voice -- and eventually those believers will begin to
          believe it is the voice of God.

          Beloved, if you refuse to forsake a bosom sin, you need
          not try to fast. Your efforts will all be in vain. God
          says, "(Your) iniquities testify against (you)...When
          they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they
          offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept
          them..." (14:7, 12).

          Worse yet is this word: If you come to the Lord while
          coddling a stumbling block of iniquity, God will not
          refuse you. He will answer your prayer. But the word
          you receive will be alarming, fearful: "...I the Lord
          will answer him that cometh according to the multitude
          of his idols" (Ezekiel 14:4).

          For example: Israel came to God clamoring for a king.
          Their hearts were filled with a lust to be like other
          nations, and that became their idol. So, God answered
          them according to their lust: "I gave thee a king in
          mine anger, and took him away in my wrath" (Hosea
          13:11).

          God said, "Yes, I will answer your prayer. But I know
          the lust that has captivated your heart. I know you
          won't listen to any word I give you. So I'm going to
          answer you according to your heart's desire. I'm going
          to give you what you want -- until you are sick of it!"

          When the people crowned Saul king, they thought, "God
          has heard us. He has answered our prayers. Isn't it
          wonderful? The Lord is with us!" But God had answered
          them in his anger -- according to their idolatrous
          hearts!

                      -------------------------------

                           In the Wilderness, the
                        Children of Israel Inquired
                          of the Lord, Begging for
                               Flesh to Eat.

                      -------------------------------

          Again, the people's hearts were full of idolatry and
          unbelief. And again, God answered them according to
          their lust:

          "And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere
          it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled
          against the people, and the Lord smote the people with
          a very great plague" (Numbers 11:33).

          God did not disappoint them. He gave them the meat they
          desired. And while the people were gorging on it, they
          thought, "God has heard us. He is pleased with us!" No
          -- God had only responded to their idolatry! And while
          the meat was still in their mouths, the people began
          dying.

          Beloved, God answers us according to our idols! He
          warns: "Yes, you will get what you crave. Your have
          pampered your lust. But it will cost you everything!"

          Balaam was offered a great sum of money, along with
          great prestige and honor, by the Midianites -- if he
          would only curse the children of Israel. When Balaam
          sought God about the matter, the Lord gave him an
          emphatic "No."

          So the ambassadors of Midian came back with a better
          offer of even greater enticements. Again, Balaam went
          to the Lord, asking, "God, you heard the offer. Shall I
          go?" But this time Balaam inquired with a heart that
          was aflame with desire. He had a lust for power, for
          financial gain, for recognition. He would not lay down
          his idol of covetousness -- and it became a stumbling
          block of iniquity in his heart!

          What was God's answer to Balaam? "Rise up and go with
          them!" The Lord answered Balaam according to the desire
          that had captured his heart. You see, Balaam didn't
          want God's will; he didn't want to walk in purity. He
          wanted his own will -- which was personal gain. Yet as
          he rode along, he thought, "I have the mind of God on
          this."

          No! Balaam was tragically mistaken. He had become the
          object of God's anger, because he'd sold out to the
          power of lust. And it became a curse to him: Balaam was
          destroyed with the rest of God's enemies.

          Not long ago, a Christian husband came to me to inform
          me he was leaving his wife. He said, in essence, "Our
          marriage is hopeless. It has brought me only misery. So
          now I'm getting out.

          "I know you'll tell me I'm wrong -- that this is
          unscriptural. But I've really prayed about it. And the
          Lord has told me he doesn't expect me to live with that
          kind of hurt. He told me leaving is the right thing
          under the circumstances. So, I don't care what you say
          -- because I'm at peace about it."

          Did this man hear from God? Oh, yes -- God answered his
          prayer, all right. He answered him according to the
          idols in his heart. God allowed the desire in his heart
          to take on a voice!

          Years ago, a young minister came to me weeping. He
          confessed to me that he had been carrying on an affair
          for five years with a young woman in his church. He
          explained it this way: "My marriage was difficult,
          because my wife misunderstood me. But this other sister
          was very spiritual. We built each other up in the Lord.
          That's how it all started.

          "At first, I wept as I had never wept in my life. God
          really dealt with me. But then it began to feel all
          right. Suddenly, I was preaching better than ever. And
          the church began to grow. Whenever I prayed about my
          relationship with this woman, all I heard in response
          was, 'God understands. He knows how hurt you are. It's
          all right -- because one day she'll be your wife.'"

          God answered the man's prayer -- by answering his idol!
          That young preacher heard what he wanted to hear. But
          then God suddenly exposed the lie of it all -- and the
          cost was almost unbearable for him.

          Any idol that is harbored becomes a stumbling block of
          iniquity in the heart. You may say you're close to
          Jesus, that you have communion with him. But if you are
          clinging to an idol, there can be no such communion. As
          God told Ezekiel, "These elders are estranged,
          separated from me, because of their idolatry. Their
          idols have blocked all communion with me!"

          "Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the
          Lord God; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols;
          and turn away your faces from all your abominations"
          (Ezekiel 14:6). In Hebrew, the word for "abomination"
          means "your disgusting things" -- that is, all those
          things that disgust the Holy Spirit.

          God is saying, in short: "Do you want to inquire of me
          and receive a true word? I've had enough of your phony
          tears, your fake repentance. Turn away from your idols.
          Then I will answer you in truth!"

                      -------------------------------

                          Those Who Refuse to Cast
                         Down Their Stumbling Block
                         of Iniquity -- Who Refuse
                         to Acknowledge Their Idols
                          and Smash Them -- End Up
                            in Strong Delusion!

                      -------------------------------

          Idolaters are destined to live in deception --
          believing a lie to be the truth!

          "For every one of the house of Israel, or of the
          stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separated
          himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart,
          and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before
          his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him
          concerning me; I the Lord will answer him by himself.

          "And I will set my face against that man, and will make
          him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from
          the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the
          Lord. And if the prophet be deceived when he hath
          spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that prophet,
          and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will
          destroy him from the midst of my people Israel"
          (Ezekiel 14:7-9).

          God says in this passage that he deceives covetous
          prophets. Yet we know God cannot deceive any man.
          Rather, what this means is, "Because you are hardened
          in your sin, with no cry or desire to turn and repent,
          every word you hear from now on will confirm you in
          your sin. Even the preaching you hear will speak to
          your idols. Everything will confirm you in your
          deception!"

          We see a picture of this in 1 Kings 22, with King Ahab.
          This man was probably the most idolatrous king in the
          history of Israel. And at this time, he had aligned
          himself with King Jehoshaphat to go into battle against
          Ramoth-Gilead.

          Four hundred prophets stood before Ahab, encouraging
          him to move forward with the attack. Can you imagine
          the scene? There stood a horde of flattering men, all
          mouthing words that fed Ahab's idolatry. And every one
          of those four hundred voices was lying to him --
          confirming him in his sin, telling him it was okay to
          move ahead.

          But listen to what Scripture says:

          "And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he
          may go up and fall [be defeated] at Ramoth-gilead? And
          one said on this manner, and another said on that
          manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before
          the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. And the Lord
          said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth,
          and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his
          prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and
          prevail also: go forth, and do so" (1 Kings 22:20-22).

          Here was one of the worst idolaters of all time, a man
          whose heart was absolutely captivated by covetousness
          and lust. And now he was inquiring of the Lord. So,
          what did God give to Ahab? He provided him with four
          hundred prophets who would echo the desire in Ahab's
          heart: "Everything looks great. There is peace,
          prosperity ahead. Go into battle!"

          What a horrible tragedy! Ahab couldn't hear God's voice
          because of the idols rooted in his heart. And God
          answered him by sending him a strong delusion -- one
          that would destroy him!

          "...because they received not the love of the truth,
          that they might be saved...for this cause [reason] God
          shall send them strong delusion, that they should
          believe a lie: that they all might be damned who
          believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
          unrighteousness" (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).

          God not only allows deceptive voices, but he actually
          arranges them: "...God shall send them strong
          delusion..." (verse 11). I see this happen often in
          Christians' lives. For example, one man left Times
          Square Church recently because he said the sermons were
          too hard and legalistic. But this man had an idol - - a
          besetting sin that he wouldn't let go. He felt "led" to
          a church where he is comfortable in his sin. Now he can
          smoke and drink freely -- and not a word is ever said
          about it.

          I have often wondered how it is that fleshly Christians
          in the church seem to find others just like themselves.
          I see gossipers making friends with other gossipers;
          lust-filled women gravitating to men who are on the
          prowl; homosexuals finding other homosexuals. How are
          they "led" to each other? It is all ordained of God!

          No, God does not overpower anyone's free will. But his
          work of sending strong a delusion happens because
          people refuse to forsake their evil practices. He says,
          "The only hope I have of reaching you is to let you
          come to the end of your rope -- to let your sin make
          you sick!"

          We see this process at work in the book of Numbers,
          when Israel wept and pleaded for meat. God answered
          their prayers this way: "Ye shall not eat one day, nor
          two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty
          days; but even a whole month, until it come out at your
          nostrils: because that ye have despised the Lord which
          is among you..." (Numbers 11:19-20).

          God is saying, "So, you want to indulge your flesh? You
          want to hold onto your sin? Then I will let you wallow
          in it until it sickens you, until it gives you no more
          pleasure -- until you cry out, 'Enough!'"

                      -------------------------------

                          Many Christians Turn to
                        the Bible to Inquire of the
                        Lord While Still Clinging to
                        Stumbling Blocks of Iniquity
                         -- and Even the Scriptures
                           Speak to Their Idols!

                      -------------------------------

          When idolaters open the Bible, they often find what
          they want, right before their eyes. They read just what
          they needed to lift conviction, to put them at ease --
          to confirm them in their delusion!

          A number of years ago, a married man came to me
          convinced God had shown him a woman who would be his
          next wife. His present wife was disabled. This man told
          me, "I love my wife, and I have no plans to leave her.
          But a voice keeps telling me that this other sister is
          going to be my wife one day. I know it sounds hard to
          believe -- but whenever I open my Bible I receive
          confirmations, everywhere I turn. For example -- the
          other day I turned to Psalms, and the word I read was,
          'He will bring you into your desired haven.'"

          That word should have been proof enough to this man
          that in his heart this other woman was a "desired
          haven." The words he was receiving weren't prophetic at
          all; they were his own lustful desire being given a
          voice! This man was being "led" to scriptures that were
          misapplied -- and they confirmed him in his strong
          delusion.

          It is one thing to have a struggle with sin and refuse
          to make peace with it. Such a person says, "I hate this
          bondage -- and I will not put up with it! I want
          deliverance. God, I will stay true to you!"

          But when you make peace with your sin -- when it is in
          your face every day, yet you refuse to see it -- you
          will begin to hear one confirmation after another. And
          it will not be God's word to you -- but God allowing
          your own sinful heart to speak!

          When Christians learn to live with their sin -- whether
          that sin is unforgiveness, gossip, sensuality -- the
          sin eventually becomes a part of their life. And no
          matter how often they are seen in church -- with hands
          upraised, worshiping the Lord -- they remain idolaters
          in God's eyes. And eventually God will remove his
          anointing from them completely.

          Are you clinging to an idol in your heart? Be warned --
          all you will ever receive from God's word is
          confirmation in deception. The word meant to heal you
          will only bring you ruin. You will be led by the spirit
          of your idol -- perverting everything you read or hear!

                      -------------------------------

                          God's Word Shows Us Why
                        He Has to Take Such Drastic
                        Action -- Why He Must Answer
                           Idolaters So Harshly!

                      -------------------------------

          "And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity:
          the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the
          punishment of him that seeketh unto him; that the house
          of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be
          polluted any more with all their transgressions; but
          that they may be my people, and I may be their God,
          saith the Lord God" (Ezekiel 14:10-11).

          God is telling us in tender terms: "Whatever it takes
          to get you away from your polluted idol, I'm going to
          do it. I will not let you fall into deception and
          destruction. I am going to woo you back to myself!

          "If that doesn't work, I will bring punishment if I
          have to. I will bring the hammer of my word down upon
          you. I will chasten you and judge you. And I will do it
          all because I love you and don't want to lose you! I
          have come to give you life more abundantly. But you
          can't have that abundance as long as you hold onto that
          idol in your heart!"

          "...when ye see their ways and their doings...ye shall
          know that I have not done without cause all that I have
          done in it, saith the Lord God" (verse 23). The Lord is
          saying, in other words: "You'll know that my strong
          dealings with you are for a reason. I simply will not
          let you go!"

          I ask you: Do you have a stumbling block of iniquity in
          your heart? Are you under the dominion of a besetting
          sin? Are you deceived by a bondage that could destroy
          you? If so, and you find yourself under conviction from
          this message, there is hope for you.

          It doesn't matter what your idol is -- covetousness,
          sexual sin, pornography, alcohol, drugs, bitterness or
          unforgiveness. God says it is before your face right
          now -- and you know what it is. Ask him to open your
          eyes to it; seek him for a revelation about your sin.
          Ask the Holy Spirit to instill the fear of God in you
          -- to soften your heart to his convicting word and
          voice. You have to hate your sin -- to determine to
          make no peace with it!

          Cry out to him now: "Lord, don't leave me blind! If
          there is any delusion or deception in me, expose it.
          Bring the sledgehammer of your word to smash down all
          my walls of deception. Get through to me. I don't want
          to believe any more lies. I only want to hear your
          voice now. I want your power and authority to rule my
          life!"

          There is deliverance for you, if you truly want it. But
          God will wait for you to turn away from your idols. He
          will empower you by his Spirit the moment you are ready
          to surrender them.

          Dear saint, hear me well: If you will lay down your
          idols today, God will begin to reveal himself to you in
          a special way. And one day soon you will look at your
          feet and see those lifeless idols lying beneath you in
          ashes and powder. Then you will realize you've been
          walking in Jesus' wonderful presence -- no longer a
          slave to a bondage, but a child of God set free by
          truth!

          ---
          Used with permission granted by World Challenge, P. O.
          Box 260, Lindale, TX 75771, USA.

          This material is solely for personal use and is not to
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          on its web page. You are free to download, copy, print
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          post it on a different Internet site. You may, however,
          link this site to reference these messages.

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