“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives.”
Isaiah 61
The people in Thailand are bound up by worshiping false idols that provide them no satisfaction, comfort, or hope. They worship gods and temples that are beautiful man-made creations. However, that is all they are, man-made. God is so much more beautiful than these created temples.
Today, we did a prayer walk around Thailand. At a temple, God showed me a flock of birds clinging to the temple and revealed to me an analogy that was powerful. How often, like the birds I saw, do we cling to things that will offer us no comfort or satisfaction. These idols could be money, food, your job, your house, your marital status, etc.
The people here pray to golden statues and temples. They bring offerings to the temples. They are worshiping false idols as they do not know what they are doing. God told me to start praying for the people in Thailand (the birds) to be able to be free from clinging to their false Gods. As I prayed, the birds flew away from the temple but then returned. I saw that as people leaving their idols and returning to them.
I kept feeling God telling me to pray that the people of Thailand would stop turning to the things they put their comfort in and turn to God for comfort and to be set free. After praying, the birds literally flew off of the temple and all surrounded me staring straight at me.
Often people will fly away from one idol to another idol. God was telling me to pray that the people in Thailand not only flee from their idols but also from even Christian leaders. Christian leaders are not perfect, only God is. I was praying that as the people in Thailand flee from their idols, they solely go to God for their freedom.
The birds started flying away. Not only did the birds start flying away, but slowly other birds that were still on the temple joined them in flying. God told me this represents how a large group of Christians who are fully free in the Lord attract others. Slowly, others see the freedom they have and want to join in on that.
Last, I saw some birds flying back to the temple, back to their idol. God showed me this represents the people who experience freedom yet still turn back to their old ways of comfort. He told me to pray for people who do turn back to other sources of comfort not to feel shame, guilt, or condemnation. I started praying that people would immediately realize that those idols would offer them nothing and that they could immediately go back to the freedom they have in Christ.
Buddhists believe that they have to do good things to earn good Karma so they will have a good life in their next life. It is a very works based religion like many others. God told me to pray for these people to realize that Jesus Christ already paid for their sins and loves them no matter what they do or do not do.
My heart grieves for the people in Thailand as I know what it is like to have idols that offer no satisfaction. I have struggled with idolizing family, sports, my body, and relationships. I know what it is like to cling to those things. I know what it is like to fly back to those things for comfort. I also know what it is like to fly free from those things knowing Christ is the only person who can fully satisfy me as He is my father and creator.
I pray for all of you too. I pray that you realize whatever you are clinging to or idolizing, you realize that Christ is that much more powerful, loving, fulfilling, satisfying, and the only person worth living for. You don’t need to feel shamed for anything in the past that you have done as Christ already forgave you when He died on the cross for our sins. He sees you as a beautiful daughter or son and desires an intimate relationship with you.
I pray you put aside all idols and accept Christ’s love and live in His freedom today.
For those of you who are in that freedom, please pray for Thailand. Please pray that people can learn about who Christ is as so many have never heard of Him before. Please pray that they can flee from false idols and learn about His full freedom. Pray that they don’t feel like they have to earn Christ’s acceptance, they just have to believe in Him.
