Scripture:

“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” – Jeremiah 2:13

Beloved,

A broken altar often develops gradually, and its effects may go unnoticed until the heart feels distant from God. One sign is prayerlessness or inconsistent prayer. Struggling to pray, feeling no desire to seek God, or seeing prayer as a burden rather than a delight is a warning that the altar has weakened. Alongside this, there may be a lack of hunger for God’s Word. Reading the Bible feels dry, the heart distracted, and meditation on Scripture seems like a chore instead of nourishment for the soul.

Another indicator is a loss of passion for God’s presence. Worship may feel empty or mechanical, and fellowship with God or other believers loses its excitement. This often leads to compromise and tolerance of sin, where things once clearly recognized as wrong begin to feel normal, and disobedience is lived out comfortably without conviction.

Spiritual coldness can set in, manifesting as lukewarmness in faith and a fading zeal for evangelism, service, and the pursuit of holiness, as warned in Revelation 3:15–16. The altar’s weakness can also allow bondage to fleshly desires, where anger, lust, gossip, bitterness, or pride begin to rule over the Spirit, echoing Galatians 5:17, which reminds us that the flesh and Spirit are at war, but the flesh wins when the altar is neglected.

Dryness in spiritual gifts is another sign; prophetic flow, discernment, and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit begin to fade. The believer becomes easily distracted by the world, prioritising entertainment, social media, or worldly pleasures over prayer, meditation, and communion with God. Lot’s wife’s story in Genesis 19:26 serves as a caution: looking back at the world can cost our spiritual focus.

A broken altar also results in the loss of spiritual authority. Words, prayers, and declarations carry little weight in the spirit, much like Samson after his altar was broken in Judges 16:20, when he did not realize that the Lord had departed from him. Finally, even amidst outward activity, church attendance, singing, or service, there can be inner emptiness and restlessness, reflecting Jeremiah 2:13’s warning about forsaking the living waters and hewing out broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

In summary, a broken altar manifests in coldness, compromise, and distance from God. It is not always sudden, but develops over time when prayer, the Word, and worship are neglected, leaving the soul dry and the spirit restless.

Prayer:

Lord, forgive me for neglecting Your altar in my heart. Restore my hunger for You and rekindle the fire of devotion within me.

Let my heart burn again with love, passion, and purity. May Your altar in me never go out in Jesus’, Amen.

Adeolu Bakare