Do You Have a Harlot on the Side?

There is an abundance and maybe even an overabundance of information and revelation available to children of God especially in the western world. We have 24 hour Christian TV, 24 hour Christian radio stations, seminars, conferences, retreats and book stores. It seems that almost everyone has a book, a CD or a DVD to sell – with their guarantee to make the participant grow spiritually. Yet the children of God are stifling. There is a lack of power and a sense of frustration. Why is this?

Scripture tells us that God’s people perish because of lack of knowledge.
That word “knowledge” comes from the same root word that means intimate union, as in Abraham knowing Sarah and producing the promised Isaac.

When God speaks through the prophet Hosea (Chapter 4) and says that His people perish because of lack of knowledge He is actually indicating that, without intimate spiritual intercourse with Him we suffer separation from Him and we die. Later on in that same chapter the Lord accuses His people of committing harlotry. In other words, instead of seeking intimacy with our Husband-God many have become attached to other people – even though they may be legitimately spiritual.

Hosea 4:12 says, “My people ask counsel from their wooden idols, and their staff informs them. For the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray, and they have played the harlot against their God. They offer sacrifices on the mountaintops, and burn incense on the hills, under oaks, poplars and terebinths, because their shade is good.”

Here’s Audrey’s 21st century translation of that – My people seek counsel and direction from men who are just like them (wood represents humanity). They have played the whore against God by focusing on these men and women and the information they have to offer. They don’t seek after God Himself for personal revelation and impartation. My people give these men and women pledges of money, making financial sacrifices in hopes of receiving a blessing.

If you, the believer, don’t go after God for yourself, if you don’t seek after Him to have intimate union with Him, all the tapes, CD’s, books, seminars, workshops and financial pledges are seen by God as harlotry. Don’t get me wrong – as a writer and teacher I know first-hand that those resources are valuable. However, used as a substitute for the real thing (knowingly or unknowingly) they become your whore – a quickie to tide you over, with a momentary feeling of euphoria. Could this be the reason why so many in the Body of Christ are frustrated and unfulfilled?

In a bad marriage relationship the adulterous partner may get involved with a harlot – engaging in intimate union with one to whom they are not in covenant. The harlot has the same ‘equipment’ if you will, as the spouse, but not the same anointing. And that adulterous partner has to pay for what he/she can get at home for free; all because he/she is unwilling to invest the necessary time to develop the right level of intimacy in the marriage. The harlot, then, becomes the 3rd party in the relationship – the kept woman or man – the woman or man on the side!

God wants us to come after Him for ourselves. It‘s time to stop depending on someone else’s revelation. This is not a time for 3rd party Christianity. Let go of your “harlots” and go after your Husband with all you’ve got!!