Understanding the Assignment

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?“ - Matt. 16:26 The soul of a man is comprised of his mind will and emotions. In the scripture above, Jesus warned us that worldly comforts, acclaim, treasures can lead to the inability to wisely govern one’s thoughts, decisions, and feelings—which ultimately results in self-destruction. Still somehow our own experience with human frailty in the face of sin’s allure is not enough to prevent us from idolizing people in positions of power and influence. Too many believers are idolizing people that we ought to be praying for. Fame, wealth, noteriety, power, public adoration, and talent are not necessarily indicators of God’s approval. When a person’s life (public & private) is not aligned with God’s word and not secured by submission to the Spirit of Christ, these highly coveted things can amount to nothing more than the luxurious coffins in which Satan buries their true purpose and, in some cases, even prematurely ends their lives.

We’ve seen this proven countless times. And yet we drink the kool-aid again and again, blinded like Adam was with Eve by the illusion of disobedient success, following naively behind celebrity personalities in search of a hero to rescue us from the grief of our own unmet potential. Drawn away by the lust of our hearts, we fall in love with them, dozing off in the lap of Delilah, foolishly expecting to awake with the power we ought to have as Christians for the salvation of nations. In a stupor of admiration for their status, we become complicit in their delusion instead of becoming a part of their solution.

It is no surprise then that we are repeatedly left jilted at the altar of idolatry. We were made for more. Masterfully formed by One whose love when truly received is truly enough to satisfy every need. The world, on the other hand, does not love you for it has not the capacity in its fallen state to do so. It merely loves what you can do for it. Thus, all else regarding the value of our humanity is secondary to its craving for excitement, pleasure, and control. The world will celebrate your pride, cheer you on in your rebellion against God, and make excuses for your transgressions all the way to your grave. Then they will sing a sad song, share your RIP picture, and even curse your “haters” before moving on to the next oppressed public idol who feeds their addiction to carnality. Followers of Christ cannot do the same.

We perhaps more than any others ought to recognize that there is a God-sized void in every human heart that only Jesus can fill. Celebrity status does not shield individuals from the internal battles caused by the mind games, demonic attacks, and takeover attempts Satan wages against people. On the contrary, it often invites attacks. Even the most sincere and well-meaning among them find themselves engaged in battles they find overwhelming. Hence the outlandish displays of indiscretion, lewdness, and immorality that celebrities often fall into as they strive to maintain their popularity in this world. Well-known clergymen and women are not exempt from this pitfall either. And yet, to whom can these people turn when they are so well-known and often placed on a pedestal due to their status? This is why believers must also be careful not to fall into a different trap—one of apathy toward them.

Jesus loves and desires to deliver souls in Beverly Hills just as much as those in ghettos, a well-known influencer as much as an average teen playing Fortnite, and rockstars as much as choir boys. Thus, while we should be careful not to idolize celebrities, we also ought not just sit back in smug religious pride, watching famous sinners and wandering sheep flail in the stormy waters of life as they gasp their last breaths—only to then say, “Told ya so.” Far be it from followers of the Most High God that they would in any way be accomplices in the demonic sabotage of a soul rather than an accessory to the miracle of their deliverance through informed intercession. By “informed intercession,” I mean prayers rendered out of an understanding of our Kingdom assignment within this culture—which is to bring heaven to earth (Matt. 6:10), to teach people to observe all of Christ’s commands (Matt. 28:2), and to bring all nations into the obedience to the faith which exalts Jesus Christ as Lord (Romans 1:5). So don’t condemn them, but rather resist them where they run afoul of God’s word while remaining focused on declaring the truth of scripture through your word and actions. Then pray consistently for them as if their lives depend on it—for in more cases than we realize, they do.

May the Lord give us His heart and vision for the souls of celebrities. And may He use our prayers to touch, save, heal, deliver, restore, and utilize more celebrity figures for His glory, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Jason Weathers

Prophet & Mentor

Kingdom Heritage Ministries USA