How to Release Power from Altar of Worship

The altar of worship and prayer is a powerful place where individuals can encounter the presence and power of God. It is a means through which believers can seek the Lord and experience His power to change our lives and transform our nation.

However, we Christians have been struggling to release the power from the altar of worship and prayer to transform our nation for some time now. But it doesn’t seem to be working. In this article, we will consider what we need to do to release this supernatural power from the altar of worship and prayer so that we can experience the fullness of God’s presence and power in our lives and effect a transformation in our nation.

What is an Altar of worship?

The altar was central to the relationship between God and Israel throughout the Old Testament. It was a place of sacrifice and atonement, where the Israelites brought their offerings and sought forgiveness for their sins. In addition, it was a place of worship where they came to thank God and express their love and devotion to him.

An Altar in the Tabernacle was usually a structure or raised platform on which the priest placed sacrifices or offerings which they offered to God Almighty. It could be animal sacrifices being offered or incense being burned in the worship of God. At the altar, they lay the animal or bird to be sacrificed or the incense to be burnt.
There were two altars in the Tabernacles of Moses: the Brazen Altar and the Golden Altar of Incense.

The Brazen Altar:

This altar was located in the Outer Court and was used for burnt offerings and other sacrifices. It was made of acacia wood covered in bronze, and its purpose was to make atonement for sin and express the people’s worship and gratitude to God.

The Golden Altar of Incense:

This altar was in the Holy Place, located in front of the veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. It was constructed out of acacia wood covered with gold and used for burning incense to symbolize worship and prayer. Incense is placed in censers, a small vessel used to carry fire from the brazen altar in the Outer Court to the golden altar of incense, and burns continually in God’s presence. The sweet aroma of the incense represents the worship and prayers of God’s people ascending to Him.

The golden Altar of Incense is not for sin offerings but an Altar of Worship, Consecration, Dedication, and Prayer. (Read more at: “Why Worship is Important.”

In the New Testament worship, the altar is typically used to describe a physical or symbolic space where people gather to worship God and engage in prayer. This space can be in a hall, a private home, or even outdoors. And its purpose is to provide a place for people to, in one accord, connect with God. They offer praise and thanksgiving there, seek guidance, and intercede for others.

The Purpose of an Altar of Worship

Noah built the first altar unto God after the flood to show his gratitude and devotion ( Genesis 8:20). Abraham was the second person recorded in the Bible to have built altars to worship God. He built several altars at Bethel and Hebron and was an altar worshipper. No wonder God called him His friend. And Abraham’s descendants, Isaac and Jacob, also built altars to worship the God of Abraham.

1. The Meeting Place:

One of the primary purposes of the altar is to symbolize the meeting place between the holy God and mortal man. Jacob made an altar out of a stone and called the place the “house of God.” And therefore, it’s a symbol of where or how a worshipper can surely come and encounter the “Presence of God.”

Every house of worship has a place designated as the altar where people can come to pray, meditate, and offer their worship and devotion to God. Other fellowships have a room called the ‘Altar Counseling Room” where ministers gather people just deciding to accept Jesus Christ as Savior for prayer, edification, and baptism in the Holy Spirit.

2. Enable Worshippers to Offer Sacrifices and Offerings:

The Old Testament Tabernacle offered several different offerings: Burnt Offerings, Grain Offerings, Peace Offerings, Sin Offerings, Trespass Offerings, etc. Each of these offerings had a specific purpose.

Of all these, The Burnt Offering was the only one where fa ire on the altar completely consumed the entire sacrifice. It symbolizes a life wholly devoted and dedicated to God on the altar of sacrifice.

3. Provide an Avenue of Pleasing Him:

The purpose of the altar of worship is to facilitate a deeper relationship between God and His people. It is to promote spiritual growth and transformation and to encourage believers to live a life that is pleasing to God. The altar of worship and prayer is also where believers can unite to pray for one another. But even more critical, to burn incense unto God in intercession for mercy on their leaders and salvation for their country.

What Spiritual Sacrifices and Offerings Mean in the Bible

We are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God. The burnt offering was the only one where fa ire on the altar completely consumed the entire sacrifice. It is a symbol of a life wholly devoted and dedicated to God.

Lay Our Lives on the Altar: that is True Worship

Apostle Paul writes in Romans 12:1 that we believers should present our bodies as “a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God,” Hebrews 13:15 says that we should continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God. Spiritual sacrifices and offerings include prayer with fasting, intercession, giving to others, serving in the church or community, and encouraging others. These are the incense we burn on the altar of burnt offerings to God.

Let My Prayer Be as Incense

David’s prayer in Psalm 141; shows his understanding of prayers as incense and worship as the evening sacrifice. This statement agrees with John’s vision in Revelation 8:4.

“And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God out of the angel’s hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightning, and an earthquake” (Rev 8:4,5).

Prepare yourself for releasing power from the Altar

The Importance of Obedience:

It’s important to be obedient to God. Cultivate an attitude of obedience. “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” ( 1 Sam 15:22). God rejected Saul’s sacrifices and offerings because of his disobedience.

Understand Your Righteousness in Christ:

Your right standing with God is because you have Jesus’ righteousness. God has deposited Christ’s righteousness into your account. Therefore, You can minister to God at the altar as if you’ve never sinned. In other words, you have the righteousness of Jesus. Satan can no longer bring accusations against you before the Lord.

Follow Elijah’s Guideline on Mount Carmel:

Elijah showed us an example of how to prepare the altar for releasing the power of God when he confronted the prophet of Baal. Under the influence of Jezebel, Israel had fallen into idolatry. The nation was under God’s judgment for its abomination. We can learn from what he did to prepare for the manifestation of the power of God on mount Carmel.

First, Elijah repaired the Altar of God that was broken down(1 Samuel 16:7). Likewise, where you start is: “repair the altar of your heart.” God looks at the heart. He’s looking for those who will worship in spirit and truth. But if you’re not yet born-again, you need a new heart, as God promised in Ezekiel 36:26, saying, “A new heart will I give you.” Receive this through the Gospel of Christ.

Second, water was poured on the altar. It was soaked with water. The water here speaks of the word. It’s the water of cleansing and sanctification( Ephesians 5:26). Wash yourself with and in the word. Renew your mind with it. And set yourself apart unto the Lord.

Third, Elijah prepared the burnt offering and laid it on the altar soaked with water. In the same manner, present your body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. Surrender to Him and lay your life on the altar.

Fourth, Elijah called upon the name of the Lord. After you’ve repaired your altar, washed and soaked in the water, and laid your life ‘wholly’ on the altar’; then begin to worship and bless the Lord in His sanctuary. Then the ‘power from the Altar of worship’ will be released.

Finally, Elijah destroyed Jezebel’s idols and the prophets of Baal.

Remember, God’s fire will not fall from heaven until you have laid all your living sacrifice and offering on the altar.

How to Release Power from the Altar of Worship

Here are some steps that we need to take to release power from the Altar of worship and prayer:

1. Lay all hay, wood, and other rubbish down to be burnt:

Before approaching the altar of worship, it is important to strip off and lay self, worldliness, filthy lucre, human vices, devices, and every rubbish down to burn. We do this at the brazen altar before entering the Holy Place.

2. Approach the Altar with faith, reverence, and Jesus’ righteousness:

Enter the presence of God with reverence, fully prepared to worship Him with all your heart, soul, and strength. Approach the altar with faith and worshipful reverence, yet with the confidence of Jesus’s right standing.

3. Offer your living sacrifice of praise and worship:

“I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Rom 12:1). Worship Him with songs, hymns, spiritual songs, and psalms of adoration and thanksgiving. Above all, surrender all and lay your life down on the golden altar before the Lord to do whatever He desires with you. Surrender willingly like Isaac. Let your life become a living incense offering, the smoke continually rising before God as a “sweet-smelling savor.”

4. Bring your requests concerning your nation before God:

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Timothy 2:1,2). Engage in intercessory prayers for the nation’s leaders and people in your domain of influence who are in need and for those yet to know Christ as their savior.As the smoke of the incense from our living sacrifice goes up, the power of God will descend to effect a supernatural transformation in our nation (Rev 8)..

5. Pray for needs, yours, family, friends, etc.:

Bring your personal needs and concerns before God. Ask, and you shall receive. Be specific. Your request may be regarding healing, guidance, provision, protection, or other specific requests for your families, friends, brethren, and acquaintances. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, proclaim peace within her walls and prosperity within her palaces.

6. Be Still and listen for God’s voice. Obey Him:

As you spend time in worship and prayer, listening to God’s voice and leading is important. It may involve listening for promptings, impressions, or thoughts that come to mind or paying attention to significant circumstances or events.

7. Conclude with worship and words of adoration to Him:

Worship and adore Him. Declare and affirm that all the Almighty has said, He will accomplish. Sing songs of worship and praise, exalting and extolling Him and affirming with the KING of kings that all He has purposed will come to pass. Follow the pattern our Master taught us for concluding our worship and prayer, which aligns with— “..for Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, both now and forever”. And another one that follows the same pattern is found in Jude 1:24-25.

Conclusion

If we, ‘God’s people,’ would obey the call to repentance and consecration and lay our lives on the altar, the events in John’s vision(Rev8) would become our experience. The following supernatural events will happen in our day:

First, the incense from our lives laid on the altar will ascend before God as a sweet aroma pleasing Him.

As the sweet aroma goes up, supernatural forces will come down from God and produce eruptions and disruptions, resulting in transformations that will produce the purpose of God in our nation.

And as the fire from the altar of our worship and prayers is cast down into the earth, the Holy Spirit will release the power of God. This will shake the earth to its core. Voices will be heard as the Word of the Lord is released. Thunders will shake the land to its foundation as the power of God is manifested. His lightning will lighten the world as the illumination of God flashes within the consciousness of men.

And a great earthquake will erupt as the kingdoms of men are overthrown, and the kingdoms of this world become the Kingdom of our God and of His Christ” (Dan 7:28).

Call To Action

The Call to Action today is for us to

Repair our altars (remove whatever the spirit tells you to remove, restore intimacy)
Wash and soak in the word, consecrate and set ourselves apart from God
Lay our lives ‘wholly’ on the altar of worship and prayer in total submission to God.
- Lay our strengths and abilities down on the altar
- Lay our weaknesses and liabilities on the altar
- Cast all our cares, fears, and concerns on Him
- Submit to Him in everything, And
- Rely on the Holy Spirit, for it is “not by power, nor by might, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.”

If we do this in spirit and truth, our lives will become a living sacrifice, pleasing to God and releasing transformative power that will bring deliverance to our nation. My dear sisters and brothers, I plead with you, let’s start today.

READ this Next–Why Worship is Important

Article CONTINUES in Part II:

It will include three instances of the Power from the Altar, bringing revival, restoration, victory in battle, and national deliverance from an ongoing deadly plague. These are 1. Elijah’s Altar on Mt Carmel; 2. Jehoshaphat’s battle; and 3. The Priesthood stopping an ongoing plague standing by offering incense to God.

| If My people, who are called by My Name……….