9 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods, which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.

Hebrews 13:9

Your heart needs to be established by grace so that you are not carried about by the strange doctrines that exist and are creeping into the church world today. Christians are being carried away because their hearts are not established by grace in their Christian walk.

Your heart becomes established by grace as you stay in your local church where the grace of God ministers the Word of God to you. If strange doctrines come and try to sway you from side to side, you would stand, because God’s provision in Christ does not include strange doctrines. Some of these strange practices include: the drinking of olive oil, pouring of oil on documents, vehicles, buildings, and the “soaking up the anointing” during a church service, by laying white handkerchiefs on the floor during the service. If you are told continually that the only way you can get a miracle is by doing such strange things, you should bluntly refuse to do these things because your heart is established by grace.

We need to guard our hearts against strange doctrines that sometimes come through popular ministers. From time to time, we see and hear strange things aired on Christian television programs. Not everything you see on a Christian program or network is beneficial. Many practices we see and hear are not inspired by the Spirit of God. When the Spirit of God does not inspire something, the flesh comes in. A while ago, what was in vogue was the prayer cloth. Then, they constantly cut up prayer cloths, soaked them in oil and gave to people. Sometimes a prayer cloth may be needed as a point of contact, but be established in the grace of God and not in prayer cloths.

Some Christians are trying to get themselves established in olive oil, popularly called “anointing oil.” They are always looking for someone to anoint them. Why do you always need somebody to anoint you when the grace of God has been poured into you? When it was poured into you, a spouse was poured in; all the babies you need were poured in; all the contracts you need were poured in; all the wisdom you need was poured in. They were all poured into you at the instance and the initiative of God solely by His grace.

Confession:

My heart is established by grace. I am not swayed by strange doctrines. I am built up through the Word of God ministered to me by the grace of God.