"Hosea"

God's Heart For His Beloved in Spiritual Prostitution
by Ramone Romero - August 20, 2012



For seven years God sent me to visit a red light district in Japan. I prayed as I walked past brothels where women sat on display, and then at a cafe I quietly painted the cries and love from God's heart that He shared with me for them. I would gladly spend my life there if I could just help the women there know how much He loves them, how much they are worth, and that they don't have to do this anymore.

In that particular red light district, the women do not prostitute themselves because of a forced oppression. Instead they sell their bodies in order to gain possessions, more ‘freedom,’ and to pursue their dreams. The only way they are able to do this to themselves is because deep inside they don’t know how much they are worth! The society around them teaches that happiness is material, that women are valuable for how good they look, that what they’re doing there is ‘cultural,’ and some defend it as an acceptable way to earn money. The greatest tragedy there is not that prostitution is merely 'wrong,' but that these precious spirits are abusing and perhaps permanently wounding their hearts—they are killing themselves.

After seven years of praying at the red light district,
God told me that this is how He sees many, many of His people!

Most Christians are not being forced to give up their faith in the gospel
and are not being forced to disobey Christ’s commands.
Instead, just like the women at that red light district, many Christians
are freely turning away from the gospel and Christ’s commands,
prostituting themselves for political power, for economic prosperity,
for divine favor and for miraculous powers.



SPIRITUAL PROSTITUTION

Many are turning away from the gospel of Christ’s kingdom
to American nationalism instead, trying to gain political ground,
trying to maintain their economic prosperity and increase it.

Instead of finding favor in the Cross of Christ alone,
many are looking to “standing with Israel” to find favor with God.
Instead of preaching the gospel, they are preaching “prophecy” according
to dispensationalism. Instead of preaching that salvation in the end times
comes through the Cross alone, many teach salvation will come through
the people of the circumcision, and through favoring them.

Instead of obeying Christ’s command to love neighbors and enemies
just as He loved us while we were His enemies,
many are forsaking His law to fight to destroy their enemies
(and are telling the nation of Israel to do likewise).

Instead of beholding the riches of Christ given to us in the new covenant,
many are seeking signs and wonders, “revelations” and “prophecies”
spoken in spiritual-sounding language taken from the Old Testament.
Instead of being pointed to the Cross and Christ’s agape love,
many are running in circles from conference to conference,
searching for more “anointing” and trying to reach “a higher level.”



CROSSING THE LINE

The young women at the red light district did not intentionally jump straight into prostitution. Most began at jobs in bars. But then, older women working as brokers or managers at the brothels lured them by showing them how much more they could earn. When girls take the step into prostitution, they have moments where they question the line they’re about to cross. But then they rationalize it and choose to continue on, silencing the cry in their heart in order to attain their goal of prosperity.

In the same way, many Christians rejoice when they first hear of the simplicity of Christ and His command of love. But “elders” among them—older Christians, leaders, “prophets” and teachers—lure them away from their simple devotion to Christ and obedience to His commands. In return they promise more favor, more blessings from God, more prosperity on earth, greater “anointing” and miracle-working power, greater security in their nation, and greater certainty in the end times. Just as the elder women advise prostitutes on how to get more customers in the red light district, in the same way “elders” in the church stretch Bible verses and apply them out of context to lead “younger” Christians into spiritual prostitution.

They teach that a little greed is okay. A little pride is okay. Nationalism is okay as long as it’s for the “right” nations. Wanting more ‘power’ is okay. Hating enemies and trying to destroy them is okay. Ignoring Christ’s commands and direct teachings is okay if it’s for the sake of “taking back America” or helping Israel in order to fulfill prophecy. Keeping a little evil is okay if it’s for the sake of good ends.

They believe they are attaining “more”
but don’t know they are killing themselves inside.



HE IS FOR THEIR HEARTS!

When I prayed for the women in the red light district, I was not led there to overthrow the institution of prostitution. Instead God sent me there to pray for people. As wrong as the transgression of “prostitution” is, the greatest sorrow He shared with me is that His beloved daughters are subjecting their hearts to abuse and wounding.
He sent me there to pray for hearts rather than to change the legal status of the area.

In the same way, the greatest tragedy of the spiritual prostitution in the church is not the mere legal offense. Instead it is the abuse, the wounding of hearts, the killing of conscience and simple faith in Christ, and His people not knowing their worth in the new covenant. Instead they sell themselves to seek more “stuff”— earthly blessings, political power and prosperity, ‘anointing’ and ‘knowledge of prophecy’ in order to get on God’s good side in the end.

None of these things will satisfy God’s children or bring them fulfillment!
Neither “taking back America” nor “standing with Israel” will bring them the peace that comes only in Christ. No “higher level” or “greater anointing” will bring them rest. Chasing these illusions breaks, bruises, batters and numbs hearts on all sides.

God wants to heal the hearts of His people—
He wants set His people free from spiritual prostitution!



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Art and Words About Spiritual Prostitution