The Significance and Power of an Altar
"...And he built an altar there and called the place El-Bethel..."
WHAT IS AN ALTAR?
An altar is a sacred place where sacrifices and offerings are made to God.
Hebrew word:
Mizbeach (place of sacrifice)
Represents:
A meeting point between the spiritual and physical realms
BIBLICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ALTARS
Altars were central in worship throughout the Bible:
Noah (Genesis 8:20)
Abraham (Genesis 12:7)
Isaac
Jacob
Moses
Elijah
David
Solomon
They were used for:
Sacrifice
Worship
Thanksgiving
Atonement
IMPORTANCE OF ALTARS
A place to meet and worship God
A place of divine encounter
Represents relationship with God
Reminds us of God's grace
Teaches the importance of sacrifice
THE POWER OF AN ALTAR
A well-maintained altar can:
Break evil altars (Judges 6:25)
Bring healing and strength
Release supernatural empowerment
Establish covenants and blessings
Provide divine protection (Psalm 91)
Serve as a spiritual memorial
Speak on your behalf
Open spiritual doors
KEY PRINCIPLES ABOUT ALTARS
Sacrifice activates an altar
Without sacrifice, an altar remains dormant
Prayer sustains it
Continuous prayer keeps the altar alive
Holiness preserves it
Righteous living maintains altar power
Without these, an altar becomes powerless.
FINAL MESSAGE
In the New Covenant, altars are spiritual. When we build altars in our hearts, we:
Commit to God
Seek His guidance
Surrender our lives to Him
Presented by:
Bishop Dr. Simon L. Sanare
Victory Cathedral – The Church of All Nations, Nairobi, Kenya