Yesterday morning, as I drove to work, I was admiring the clear skies and the distant mountains that surround the Los Angeles area where I live. Suddenly, I felt like I heard the Lord say, “I want to fill the LA Basin with my glory.” It was so specific. He then showed me a birds-eye-view of the whole region. In the picture, the topography of the land looked like a literal giant bowl—or basin—that was filled with His liquid glory along with the prayers of the believers for revival.
Revelation 5:8 NLT
And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.
My heart became overwhelmed by this imagery as I could feel the desire of the Father’s heart for it to become reality on the earth. Then, in the same moment, came this deep knowing that we must not let “any flies in the bowl.”
Ecclesiastics 10:1 NLT
As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink, so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor.
Flies are small, but annoying. They have a reputation of being dirty because they often feed on dead things. No one wants a fly to land on their food! Flies don’t belong in glory. They cannot be allowed to compromise what God wants to do. Another way to say it would be that we must catch the little foxes that spoil the vine (Song of Solomon 2:15).
The Lord is looking for a pure place to pour out His glory. But it has to be pure. Either it’s pure or it isn’t. There’s no in between. In Scripture, there was a bronze basin filled with water in the tabernacle. The priests would use the basin to purify themselves as they ministered before the Lord (Exodus 30:17-18).
Now, we are His royal priesthood. On the night before Jesus died, as He established His New Covenant with us, He “poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet,” demonstrating how we are cleansed by Him (John 13:15).
God, by His grace, has made a way for us to be pure. However, with our free will, we have a responsibility to live in purity. And it’s not just a one time thing. It’s a daily choice. And a choice that only you can make for you. Only I can make for me.
So, what are the flies? Where are the foxes? Those little things that don’t belong. Those little things we’ve accepted as a normal part of life. But they’re not. They are compromising your purity. They are infecting the basin of His glory.
Gossip. Pride. Jealousy. Anger. Perversion. Religion. Idols. Fill in the blank.
Someone told me once: “You have to sheriff your own life.” Meaning, I’m the only one that can swat down the flies in my mind. I’m the only one that can catch the foxes in my heart. Thankfully, Holy Spirit will partner with me in doing this, but I have to actively and daily keep the flies out of the bowl.
I want my region to be a basin filled to overflowing with His glory. I want Jesus to get His full reward. We are His royal priesthood. He picked us for such a time as this to know Him and make Him known. Ask Holy Spirt to search you and reveal what doesn’t belong. Get the flies out of the bowl. Let’s be the pure Bride that dwell in the basin of His glory! Let the fragrance of pure worship fill the earth! It’s what our Bridegroom’s heart longs for!