The Vietnam experience has become a memorable one for us, and since the return from our mission there, we have not stopped referring to our experiences over there in our sessions. So, if you want to unlock a series of testimonies, be active for God. It is worth mentioning that I have never seen so many carved idols as much as I did in Vietnam. Man-made idols were everywhere. From the airports to the hotels, from the shops to parks, from the restaurants to the lavatory, you can continue on and on. You don't need to go so far to find a place to purchase an idol. I woke up every morning to the rising sun directly facing a gigantic idol on the mountain top towering above the eleven (11) floor hotel building we lodged. Any time I looked out of my room window, confronted by the sight of this idol, an instinct in me said, Eddy, mind your business. A louder and more propelling instinct in me said, make declarations and demobilise this idol's impact over the land, the people of Vung Tau, and the people of Vietnam at large. The instinct in me to demobilise always prevailed, and I took action to demobilise, understanding and knowing the enormous authority I have over the powers and influence of the enemy. By the way, why would I accept the devil's lies that the beautiful mounting on which the idol stood wasn't my business? God's business is my business. And if the earth is the Lord's and everything in it (Ps 24:1-2), then the entire land of Vietnam and its people are the Lord's. Luke 10:19 further says Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. I felt justified and empowered to exercise my authority. 

 

We will be mistaken to think that such environments riddled with carved idols are more impacted by the killing, stealing and destroying effects of the devil than environments with little or no physical idols. In the Spirit, those things that are seen are not as valuable as those that are unseen. II Corinthians 4:18 says while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. The devil and his demons understand this spiritual principle of the unseen over the seen to deny us of our mercies from God.

 

In the face of Jonah disobeying God's instructions to go to Nineveh and finding himself in the belly of fish down in the ocean, Jonah was able to identify certain unseen idols that could have denied him of the mercies of God to deliver him from the belly of the fish that swallowed him. After Jonah was released from the fish's stomach and the surrounding dangers of the bottom of the ocean, he made a declaration of truth, which informed the title of this message - Jonah 2:8 Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own mercy. Unfortunately for us, we don't easily identify the worthless idols in our everyday lives, observing their dictates in the worship of them, relegating God and His mercies over us.

 

In praying, we shall first ask the Holy Spirit to expose the unseen and worthless idols we worship in our lives. John 16:13 makes us understand that the Holy Spirit is able to guide us into all truths, including exposing the worthless idols we observe. No matter how stealth and hidden these worthless idols are, trust the Holy Spirit to unearth them to you, for they are the setbacks denying you of God's mercies over the situations you find yourself. Even in trials, God makes a way of escape, for no condition is permanent with God. We don't want to forsake God's mercies over us in the face of worthless idols. God's mercies are renewed and available for us every morning.

 

Secondly, we are going to pray and recondition our thoughts over the mistakes we make or perhaps our sins. Jonah disobeyed God by not going to Nineveh but he understood the father-son relationship between himself and God. Jonah refused to make his disobedience an overwhelming thought and idol while in the belly of the fish. From the fish's belly, Jonah still looked up to the mountains from whence comes his help (Ps 121:1-2). Let's take it easy on ourselves when we faulter, and not make our faults idols. God is not as hard on us as we think. God has asked us to approach His throne of grace with boldness to obtain mercy and find grace to help in times of need (Heb 4:16). Even while we were yet sinners, God sent His son to die for us. How much more that we are now His very own. Live every moment of your life on the basis of a father-son mentality. If you can't, check out this scripture in Romans 8:16 that says the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Remember, God's grace is always there, ready to forgive and love us, no matter our faults.

 

Jonah had every reason to be overwhelmed by fear. We shall conclude by reading Jonah 2 and asking God for help to overcome the unseen idol of fear. 

 

Jonah 2