Our Daniel in the tradition’s den – Part 2

One thing that is surely lost in this unholy step is that things of the flesh cannot function, where the Holy Spirit is present. Therefore, where any spirit descends, whenever we make use of things not biblically approved, then we have only succeeded in inviting evil spirit/fetish spirit.
The healing of the lame man at the Temple Gate

This was the miracle that God did through Peter and John, two of the Lord Jesus’ twelve disciples. According to Acts of the Apostle 3:1-10, this frustrated man no longer had anything good to do with his life than resort to begging. He was lame right from his mother’s womb, hence, he was destined to forever be a dependant through begging, but when the two disciples met him, his story changed.

Disciples Peter and John knew nothing, but the name of Jesus Christ. Whilst the lame man expected earthly things (money, food, etc.), from them, they were only prepared to tell him about Jesus Christ. Not only that, they did not ask the man to go and look for anointing oil, seven candles, honey or any of the things that this generation of Christians have subtly taken as key to our faith. But they healed him purely through mentioning the name of Jesus Christ.

Peter led this healing, as reported in verses 6-7 that “…silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and anklebones received strength”. But the practices nowadays, have made people to think that with those materials, their prayers will be quickly answered. The truth of the matter is that anything that struggles with the name of Jesus Christ in our worshipping Him is nothing but idolatry.
Anointing Oil

The Bible made mention in James 5:14 that “Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord”. The truth of the matter is that the way many among us use anointing oil portrays people who cannot rely on the name of Christ alone. This is evident in various church programmes that, the very day the church leader wants to perform anointing is the day many people will troop to the church. You will hear things like, “I cannot afford to miss church service on the first Sunday or the first day of the month, because of anointing.

Also, according to Akinadewo (2015), anointing in the real sense of it is the pouring of oil on someone’s head, mostly for spiritual reasons. Therefore, we Christians need to come back truly to our Saviour, to know that anointing oil is never a replacement for the name of Jesus Christ and it can never be an addition to the name of Jesus Christ. Whatsoever we need and that we expect the name of Jesus Christ should come first and last, without any thought of material thing anywhere.

The usage of anointing oil could be for sanctification, for restoration post confession period, for spiritual elevation of individuals and priests, for general ordination into priesthood, in the enthronement of church leadership, among others (Akinadewo, 2015, pg18), but not to place it above the name of Jesus Christ. When we do that, we are only undermining the importance of Jesus Christ in our life.
Candles

According to the word of God, candle is a symbol of light, of which David made mention that “for thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness (Psalm 18:28). Also, Revelation 1:20 made reference to seven candle sticks in reference to the seven churches, where John revealed their various practices in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

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To Be Continued