How is the Altar within?

“Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come near to me.’ So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.”

1 Kings 18:30

There is something deeply significant in the story of Elijah: before the fire fell, the altar had to be repaired.

Elijah stood before an altar of the Lord that had been broken down. Stones needed to be put back into place. Something visible and external needed restoration before the sacrifice was presented.

But today, I want us to take this picture deeper.

In the Old Testament, we see physical altars built with stones and places specifically dedicated to God. In the New Testament, however, we discover an extraordinary truth:

We have become the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Paul writes:

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”

1 Corinthians 6:19

If they once looked at an external altar to see what needed repairing, today we must also look within.

The question is no longer simply:

“How is the altar?”

It becomes personal: How is the temple? How is my heart? What needs to be put back in order within me?

The Altar Was Once External; Now God Wants Our Inner Life. In the Old Testament, sacrifices were placed upon an altar.

Now Romans 12:1 tells us:

“Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Now we present ourselves to God.

It is no longer simply about placing something upon an altar. It is about saying:

“Lord, here I am. My life belongs to You.”

My thoughts. My desires, my words, my decisions, my relationships, my priorities, my plans, my time.

My obedience.

Everything must be surrendered to Him.

Repairing the altar today also means allowing the Holy Spirit to put back into order whatever has become disordered within us.

Lord, Search Your Temple

It is easy to see what someone else needs to change. It is much more challenging to become still before God and allow Him to examine us.

David prayed: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Psalm 139:23–24

This should become a regular prayer in our spiritual lives:

“Lord, show me what I cannot see in myself.”

Is there hidden resentment?

Unforgiveness? Pride? Distraction? Unbelieve? Or others?

Is there an act of obedience we have continued to postpone?

Have work, worries, social media, ministry, or even good things begun occupying too much space?

This is not about living under condemnation or constantly searching for faults within ourselves.

It is about loving God so deeply that we desire nothing to interfere with our communion with Him.

Repairing the Altar Includes Obedience

Jesus said:

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

John 14:15

True obedience does not simply come from religious rules.

It flows from love.

When I love God, I desire to please Him. When I know Him, I learn to trust Him.

And when I trust Him, I can surrender even the areas that are difficult for me to release.

For you, repairing the altar may mean forgiving someone.

For another person, it may mean returning to a consistent prayer life.

For someone else, it may mean surrendering something they know is not pleasing to God.

And for others, it may simply mean saying again:

“Lord, You are my priority.” Return to Your First Love

Jesus spoke to a church that was doing many things right, yet something essential had been lost:

“Nevertheless I have something against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works.”

Revelation 2:4–5

We can become busy doing things for God while needing to return to simply being with God.

We can serve and still need intimacy. We can minister and still need His presence to minister to us.

We can speak about Him and still need to sit quietly and listen to Him again.

God does not only want our busy hands.

He wants our hearts.

What If My Altar Is Burning? Then Go Deeper

This message is not only for someone who has grown spiritually cold.

It is also for those who love God, pray, remain in His Word, and sincerely desire to please Him.

There comes a point in our relationship with God when our prayer begins to change.

We no longer say only:

“Lord, restore what is wrong.”

We begin to say:

“Lord, take me deeper.” I need more of you; less of me. Paul knew Christ. He had experienced His power and dedicated his life to the Gospel, yet he still declared:

“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection…”

Philippians 3:10

What a powerful desire.

He knew Christ, yet he wanted to know Him more.

May that become our desire as well.

I do not want to be satisfied with what I knew of God yesterday.

I do not want to live only on yesterday’s encounters.

I do not want merely to talk about His presence.

I want to remain in His presence.

Before the Fire, Repair the Altar

Let us return to Elijah. The altar was broken. Elijah repaired it.

He prepared the sacrifice. He called upon God.

And then: “Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice…”

1 Kings 18:38

Before the fire, the altar was repaired.

Then, the altar was visible and built with stones. Today, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. So perhaps before we pray:

“Lord, send the fire,” we should also pray:

“Lord, put Your temple in order.”

Order my priorities. Order my thoughts. Order my desires. Order my motives. Order my relationships.

Order my time. Order the things no one else can see.

And take Your rightful place again at the center of my life.

A Call to Look Within

Today, I do not want to invite you to examine someone else’s altar.

Let us examine our own.

Ask yourself before God:

How is the temple of the Holy Spirit that I have been called to be?

Is there something that needs restoration?

Is something out of place? Is there something I need to surrender? Is there an act of obedience I have postponed? Have I allowed something else to occupy the place that belongs to God?

Or perhaps I am walking closely with Him, but I can hear His invitation to go even deeper.

Then let us respond.

If something is out of order, let Him put it in order. If we have wandered, let us return.

If the fire has grown weak, let us seek His face again.

And if our hearts are already burning for His presence,

let us not become satisfied; let us go deeper.

Let this become our prayer:

“Lord, I am a temple of Your Holy Spirit. Search my heart and put into order everything within me that needs Your touch. Restore whatever has been neglected. Remove anything that has taken Your place. Teach me to obey You because I love You. Make my life a living sacrifice that is pleasing to You. And if I am already walking closely with Your heart, take me even deeper. I do not only want Your blessings; I want to know You. I do not only want to do things for You; I want to remain with You. Set my altar on fire again, and let my life belong completely to You. The altar was once external. Now we are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

So let us repair the altar, allow God to put our inner lives in order, and turn our hearts completely toward Him.

And may the fire begin within us first. Amen.