Confronting High Altars and Pride - Spiritual Warfare Prayer
Avinu Malkeinu, my Heavenly Father, Hashem, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
I come before You in humility, reverence, and awe. I bow my heart before Your holy presence and acknowledge that You alone are God.
You are Hashem, the One who created the heavens and the earth, the One who formed me, sustained me, and gave me breath.
There is none beside You, none equal to You, and none worthy to receive the glory that belongs to Your name.
I declare with my mouth and believe within my heart:
“Hear, O Israel: Hashem our God, Hashem is one.” — Deuteronomy 6:4
Hashem, I place myself before You today without pretending to be righteous in myself.
I bring You my heart, my thoughts, my desires, my ambitions, my fears, my disappointments, my wounds, my successes, and everything within me that I have allowed to rise higher than Your rightful place.
Search me, O God, and expose whatever does not belong in me.
As David prayed:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” — Psalm 139:23–24
Father, I ask You to search the deepest places of my heart.
If pride has established an altar within me, expose it.
If arrogance has established an altar within me, expose it.
If self-exaltation has established an altar within me, expose it.
If fear has become an altar, expose it.
If greed has become an altar, expose it.
If bitterness has become an altar, expose it.
If unforgiveness has become an altar, expose it.
If the desire for recognition has become an altar, expose it.
If the approval of people has become an altar, expose it.
If my own understanding has become an altar, expose it.
If ambition has become an altar above obedience, expose it.
If anything created has taken the place that belongs exclusively to You, reveal it to me and give me grace to tear it down.
Father, I do not want to build my life upon a high place that competes with Your throne.
I do not want my heart to become a sanctuary for pride.
I do not want my thoughts to become a platform for self-exaltation.
I do not want my desires to become idols.
I do not want anything in my life to receive the worship, trust, devotion, fear, or dependence that belongs to You alone.
HASHEM, TEAR DOWN EVERY HIGH PLACE
Avinu Malkeinu, I ask You to confront every high place that has been established against Your righteous rule in my life.
Your Word says:
“You shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and hew down their Asherim.” — Exodus 34:13
Therefore, Father, I ask You to establish Your righteous order within me.
Where pride has erected an altar, bring humility.
Where rebellion has erected an altar, bring obedience.
Where deception has erected an altar, bring truth.
Where fear has erected an altar, bring faith.
Where hatred has erected an altar, bring forgiveness.
Where lust has erected an altar, bring holiness.
Where greed has erected an altar, bring contentment.
Where self-worship has erected an altar, establish worship of You.
Where human approval has become an altar, teach me to seek Your approval.
Where success has become an altar, remind me that everything I possess ultimately comes from Your hand.
Where failure has become an altar of shame, remind me that my identity must be surrendered to You.
Father, tear down every spiritual high place that exalts itself above Your authority.
Let nothing within me compete with Your throne.
Let nothing within me receive the worship that belongs to You.
Let nothing within me become greater than my devotion to You.
I declare:
Hashem is my God.
Hashem alone is worthy of my worship.
Hashem alone is worthy of my trust.
Hashem alone is worthy of my obedience.
Hashem alone is worthy of my highest allegiance.
I RENOUNCE PRIDE
Father, I specifically confront pride within myself.
I confess that pride can deceive the human heart.
Your Word declares:
“Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” — Proverbs 16:18
Therefore, I refuse to make peace with pride.
I refuse to glorify myself.
I refuse to elevate myself above others.
I refuse to despise correction.
I refuse to believe that I am beyond instruction.
I refuse to place my wisdom above Your wisdom.
I refuse to place my plans above Your purposes.
I refuse to make my desires the ultimate authority over my life.
I refuse to build an identity around accomplishments, possessions, reputation, status, influence, appearance, intelligence, or human recognition.
Father, humble me without destroying me.
Correct me without abandoning me.
Discipline me without allowing me to become bitter.
Teach me without allowing shame to consume me.
Show me my weaknesses so that I will depend upon Your strength.
Show me my limitations so that I will trust Your sovereignty.
Show me where I have been wrong so that I may repent.
Show me where I have exalted myself so that I may bow before You.
Your Word says:
“The fear of Hashem is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.” — Proverbs 8:13
Father, teach me to hate pride because You hate pride.
Teach me to love humility because You love humility.
Teach me to love truth because You are true.
Teach me to love obedience because Your commandments are righteous.
Teach me to love holiness because You are holy.
I SUBMIT MYSELF TO HASHEM
Father, I surrender myself to You.
I surrender my mind.
I surrender my emotions.
I surrender my imagination.
I surrender my plans.
I surrender my ambitions.
I surrender my relationships.
I surrender my possessions.
I surrender my finances.
I surrender my future.
I surrender my reputation.
I surrender my gifts.
I surrender my talents.
I surrender my time.
I surrender my desires.
I surrender my expectations.
I surrender my need to control everything.
I surrender the outcome of my circumstances.
I surrender my right to be praised.
I surrender my desire to always be understood.
I surrender my desire to always be right.
I surrender my desire to have the last word.
Father, make my heart low before You.
Your Word says:
“Humble yourselves in the sight of Hashem, and he shall lift you up.” — James 4:10
Because I am keeping my Scripture selections to the Old Testament and the Gospels, I will instead anchor this surrender in the words of Yeshua:
“For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” — Matthew 23:12
Yeshua, teach me the way of humility.
Teach me not to seek greatness for the sake of being seen.
Teach me to serve rather than demand to be served.
Teach me to decrease so that the will of the Father may increase in my life.
Yeshua, SHIELD ME
Father, I thank You for Yeshua, Your Messiah.
I place myself under the protection and authority of the Messiah whom You have sent.
I ask that the shield of Yeshua's blood cover me, my household, my mind, my thoughts, my decisions, my relationships, and every area of my life that I surrender to You.
Let the blood of Yeshua remind me that salvation does not come through my own righteousness, strength, achievements, or religious performance.
I cannot save myself.
I cannot sanctify myself through pride.
I cannot establish my own kingdom and call it Yours.
I cannot make myself worthy by boasting.
I come humbly before You, trusting in Your mercy and in the Messiah You have provided.
Yeshua said:
“For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” — Matthew 26:28
Father, let the reality of Your mercy through Yeshua destroy every foundation of spiritual pride within me.
Let the blood of Yeshua remind me that I am dependent upon Your mercy.
Let it silence condemnation.
Let it expose accusation.
Let it remind me that forgiveness is a gift and not something I can boast about.
Let the shield of Yeshua's blood stand as a testimony that my hope is in You.
FATHER, SEND YOUR FIRE
Hashem, I ask for Your holy fire to consume every altar that does not belong to You.
As Elijah declared:
“The God that answereth by fire, let him be God.” — 1 Kings 18:24
Father, let Your holy fire expose what is false.
Let Your fire consume idolatry.
Let Your fire consume pride.
Let Your fire consume rebellion.
Let Your fire consume deception.
Let Your fire consume arrogance.
Let Your fire consume every work that contradicts Your holy purposes.
Let Your fire purify rather than merely destroy.
Your prophet Malachi wrote:
“For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap.” — Malachi 3:2
Father, refine me.
Burn away what is impure.
Burn away the desire to be exalted.
Burn away the need for human applause.
Burn away every counterfeit identity.
Burn away every false confidence.
Burn away every thought that says I can live independently from You.
Burn away every hidden idol.
Burn away every attachment that competes with Your kingdom.
Burn away everything that prevents me from walking faithfully before You.
Let Your fire leave behind what is genuine.
Let Your fire leave behind obedience.
Let Your fire leave behind humility.
Let Your fire leave behind love.
Let Your fire leave behind truth.
Let Your fire leave behind righteousness.
Let Your fire leave behind wholehearted devotion to Hashem.
I CONFRONT THE SPIRIT OF SELF-EXALTATION
Father, I refuse to enthrone myself.
I refuse to become the center of my own universe.
I refuse to treat my desires as commandments.
I refuse to treat my opinions as absolute truth.
I refuse to treat my emotions as the final authority.
I refuse to believe that because I want something, You must give it to me.
I refuse to believe that because I have suffered, I am entitled to become bitter.
I refuse to believe that because I have succeeded, I am superior to another person.
I refuse to believe that because I have been gifted, I am indispensable.
I refuse to believe that because I have knowledge, I have no need for wisdom.
Father, deliver me from the secret desire to become my own god.
Your Word warns:
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” — 1 John 2:16
Because I am restricting this prayer to the Old Testament and Gospels, I will ground my response in Yeshua's words:
“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts...” — Mark 7:21
Therefore, Father, purify my heart.
Do not merely change my circumstances.
Change me.
Do not merely remove external obstacles.
Remove the internal roots that give those obstacles power over my obedience.
Do not merely change what surrounds me.
Change what governs me.
I CONFRONT EVERY FALSE ALTAR
Father, I ask You to expose every altar that has been built through:
fear,
pride,
greed,
envy,
jealousy,
anger,
bitterness,
unforgiveness,
lust,
vanity,
ambition,
deception,
manipulation,
superstition,
idolatry,
self-worship,
love of money,
love of status,
love of recognition,
and the desire for control.
Your Word declares:
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” — Exodus 20:3
Therefore, I declare that no created thing shall occupy the place that belongs to You.
Not money.
Not relationships.
Not career.
Not possessions.
Not reputation.
Not popularity.
Not success.
Not comfort.
Not political power.
Not human authority.
Not fear.
Not ambition.
Not even my own desires.
Hashem, You alone are God.
I DESTROY THE ALTAR OF HUMAN APPROVAL
Father, deliver me from the need to be constantly praised.
If I have made human approval into an altar, I repent.
If I have changed my convictions merely to gain acceptance, forgive me.
If I have hidden obedience because I feared rejection, strengthen me.
If I have compromised truth because I wanted applause, correct me.
Yeshua said:
“How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” — John 5:44
Father, teach me to seek the honor that comes from You.
Let my deepest desire be that You are glorified.
Let my life point away from myself and toward You.
Let my words glorify You.
Let my decisions glorify You.
Let my work glorify You.
Let my relationships glorify You.
Let my victories glorify You.
Let my trials glorify You.
Let my testimony glorify You.
Let my entire life become an offering of gratitude before You.
I CONFRONT THE ALTAR OF FEAR
Hashem, I refuse to bow before fear.
Your Word says:
“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in Hashem shall be safe.” — Proverbs 29:25
Therefore, I refuse to allow fear of people to become my master.
I refuse to allow fear of rejection to control my obedience.
I refuse to allow fear of failure to determine my identity.
I refuse to allow fear of tomorrow to steal my trust today.
Yeshua said:
“Be not afraid of them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul.” — Matthew 10:28
Father, establish holy courage within me.
Teach me to fear You rather than man.
Teach me to trust Your sovereignty when circumstances appear chaotic.
Teach me to stand in truth without becoming arrogant.
Teach me to be courageous without becoming prideful.
Teach me to be humble without becoming fearful.
I CONFRONT THE ALTAR OF CONTROL
Father, I confess that sometimes I want to control what only You can control.
I want to control outcomes.
I want to control people.
I want to control circumstances.
I want to control timing.
I want to control how others perceive me.
I want to know everything before I obey.
Forgive me.
Your Word says:
“Trust in Hashem with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” — Proverbs 3:5
Therefore, I surrender my understanding to You.
I surrender my timeline to You.
I surrender my expectations to You.
I surrender my need to know exactly how everything will unfold.
I choose trust over control.
I choose obedience over anxiety.
I choose faithfulness over self-exaltation.
FATHER, ESTABLISH YOUR THRONE
Hashem, establish Your throne in every area of my life.
Where there is disorder, establish order.
Where there is pride, establish humility.
Where there is confusion, establish truth.
Where there is hatred, establish love.
Where there is bitterness, establish forgiveness.
Where there is rebellion, establish obedience.
Where there is fear, establish trust.
Where there is selfishness, establish generosity.
Where there is arrogance, establish meekness.
Where there is spiritual darkness, let Your light shine.
Your Word declares:
“The earth is Hashem's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” — Psalm 24:1
Therefore, Father, I acknowledge Your ownership.
I am Yours.
My life is Yours.
My future is Yours.
My gifts are Yours.
My family is Yours.
My possessions are Yours.
My opportunities are Yours.
My purpose is Yours.
My testimony is Yours.
My worship is Yours.
My praise is Yours.
My entire life belongs beneath Your authority.
LET EVERY FALSE THRONE FALL
Father, let every false throne fall.
Let pride fall.
Let arrogance fall.
Let idolatry fall.
Let deception fall.
Let self-worship fall.
Let vanity fall.
Let rebellion fall.
Let false confidence fall.
Let every imagination that competes with truth fall.
Let every structure built upon disobedience collapse.
Let every counterfeit foundation be exposed.
Your Word declares:
“The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and Hashem alone shall be exalted in that day.” — Isaiah 2:11
Father, I ask that Hashem alone be exalted in me.
Not my name.
Not my reputation.
Not my accomplishments.
Not my abilities.
Not my influence.
Not my possessions.
Not my wisdom.
Hashem alone.
Yeshua, TEACH ME YOUR HUMILITY
Yeshua, teach me to walk in humility before the Father.
When I am tempted to exalt myself, remind me of obedience.
When I am tempted to seek recognition, remind me of service.
When I am tempted to retaliate, remind me of mercy.
When I am tempted to boast, remind me that every good gift ultimately comes from God.
Yeshua said:
“Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister.” — Matthew 20:26
Teach me to serve.
Teach me to love.
Teach me to forgive.
Teach me to pray.
Teach me to obey.
Teach me to walk humbly.
Teach me to carry responsibility without turning responsibility into self-exaltation.
Teach me to receive honor without worshiping honor.
Teach me to receive success without worshiping success.
Teach me to endure hardship without allowing hardship to become an idol of bitterness.
FATHER, PROTECT MY MIND
Hashem, guard my mind.
Guard my thoughts from pride.
Guard my imagination from deception.
Guard my emotions from bitterness.
Guard my eyes from vanity.
Guard my ears from destructive counsel.
Guard my mouth from arrogance.
Guard my heart from envy.
Guard my hands from wrongdoing.
Guard my feet from paths that lead away from You.
Your Word says:
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” — Proverbs 4:23
Therefore, I ask You to help me guard my heart.
When an arrogant thought rises, expose it.
When a hateful thought rises, confront it.
When a deceptive thought rises, reveal it.
When temptation rises, strengthen me.
When fear rises, teach me to trust.
When pride rises, teach me to bow.
When anger rises, teach me to be slow to speak.
When I am praised, teach me humility.
When I am criticized, teach me discernment.
When I am overlooked, teach me contentment.
When I am promoted, teach me gratitude.
When I am humbled, teach me wisdom.
LET YOUR KINGDOM EXPAND THROUGH YESHUA
Avinu Malkeinu, I ask not merely for my own deliverance.
I ask that Your Kingdom be expanded and Your name be glorified through Yeshua.
Yeshua taught me to pray:
“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” — Matthew 6:10
Therefore, let Your Kingdom come into my life.
Let Your will be done in my thoughts.
Let Your will be done in my decisions.
Let Your will be done in my relationships.
Let Your will be done in my household.
Let Your will be done in my work.
Let Your will be done in my ministry and service.
Let Your will be done in everything I place before You.
Father, expand Your Kingdom through the witness of Yeshua.
Let people encounter Your mercy through the way I live.
Let people see humility instead of pride.
Let people see love instead of hatred.
Let people see truth instead of deception.
Let people see righteousness instead of compromise.
Let people see compassion instead of cruelty.
Let people see obedience instead of rebellion.
Let people see Your light shining through a surrendered life.
Yeshua said:
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” — Matthew 5:14
Father, let my life become a testimony that points people toward You.
HASHEM, BE GLORIFIED
Father, above everything else, be glorified.
Be glorified in my victories.
Be glorified in my failures.
Be glorified in my abundance.
Be glorified in my seasons of waiting.
Be glorified in my opportunities.
Be glorified when nobody notices me.
Be glorified when people praise me.
Be glorified when people misunderstand me.
Be glorified when I receive recognition.
Be glorified when I receive none.
Be glorified in my public life.
Be glorified in my private life.
Be glorified in my thoughts.
Be glorified in my words.
Be glorified in my actions.
Be glorified in my decisions.
Be glorified in my relationships.
Be glorified in everything I do.
Your Word declares:
“Not unto us, O Hashem, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.” — Psalm 115:1
That is my prayer.
Not unto me.
Not unto my name.
Not unto my reputation.
Not unto my accomplishments.
Not unto my abilities.
Unto Your name give glory.
I STAND UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF HASHEM
Father, I place myself beneath Your authority.
I acknowledge that You are Creator and I am created.
You are King and I am Your servant.
You are Master and I belong to You.
You are holy and I need Your holiness.
You are wise and I need Your wisdom.
You are righteous and I need Your righteousness.
You are merciful and I need Your mercy.
You are faithful and I need Your faithfulness.
You are strong and I need Your strength.
Therefore, I refuse to build a throne for myself.
I refuse to compete with Your authority.
I refuse to establish a kingdom centered around myself.
I ask You to dismantle every altar of pride and establish an altar of worship.
Dismantle self-exaltation and establish humility.
Dismantle fear and establish trust.
Dismantle deception and establish truth.
Dismantle rebellion and establish obedience.
Dismantle idolatry and establish wholehearted worship.
Dismantle selfish ambition and establish servant-heartedness.
MY DECLARATION OF SURRENDER
Today I declare:
I belong to Hashem.
I worship Hashem.
I trust Hashem.
I seek Hashem.
I obey Hashem.
I honor Hashem.
I exalt Hashem.
I will not exalt myself above Hashem.
I will not allow pride to become my master.
I will not allow fear to become my master.
I will not allow human approval to become my master.
I will not allow possessions to become my master.
I will not allow ambition to become my master.
I will not allow bitterness to become my master.
I will not allow deception to become my master.
I will not allow any idol to occupy the throne that belongs to Hashem.
Yeshua said:
“Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” — Matthew 4:10
Therefore, Father, I choose worship.
I choose surrender.
I choose humility.
I choose obedience.
I choose truth.
I choose holiness.
I choose forgiveness.
I choose mercy.
I choose faith.
I choose to seek Your Kingdom.
A FINAL CRY BEFORE THE FATHER
Avinu Malkeinu, let the heavens declare Your glory.
Let the earth testify of Your greatness.
Let my life testify of Your mercy.
Let my words testify of Your faithfulness.
Let my choices testify of Your authority.
Let my repentance testify of Your goodness.
Let my humility testify that You alone are worthy.
Let the fire of God consume every altar that competes with Your throne.
Let the shield of Yeshua's blood remind me continually of Your mercy and the covenant established through Your Messiah.
Let every high place of pride within me be brought low.
Let every false altar be dismantled.
Let every idol be rejected.
Let every counterfeit throne collapse.
Let every root of arrogance be exposed.
Let every seed of rebellion be uprooted.
Let every deception be brought into the light.
Let every place of darkness be invaded by Your truth.
And let Hashem alone be exalted.
Father, I do not ask to become great so that people will praise me.
I ask to become faithful so that You will be glorified.
I do not ask for influence so that my name will become famous.
I ask for influence only insofar as it can serve Your purposes.
I do not ask to build my own kingdom.
I ask that Your Kingdom come.
I do not ask to elevate myself.
I ask that Yeshua be exalted.
I do not ask to be worshiped.
I ask that You alone receive worship.
I do not ask to control everything.
I ask for grace to trust You.
I do not ask for a life free from every difficulty.
I ask for a heart that remains faithful to You through every difficulty.
Father, make me humble enough to repent, courageous enough to obey, discerning enough to recognize deception, strong enough to resist temptation, compassionate enough to forgive, and faithful enough to continue following You when the path is difficult.
Let my life become an altar of worship—not an altar of pride.
Let my heart become a dwelling place of gratitude—not a throne of self-exaltation.
Let my mouth become an instrument of praise—not a weapon of arrogance.
Let my hands become instruments of service—not instruments of selfish ambition.
Let my feet walk in Your ways.
Let my eyes seek what is righteous.
Let my ears hear Your instruction.
Let my mind meditate upon Your truth.
Let my heart fear Hashem.
Let my soul love You.
And when pride attempts to rise again, remind me:
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” — Psalm 51:17
When fear attempts to build an altar again, remind me:
“Hashem is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? Hashem is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” — Psalm 27:1
When I am tempted to trust myself above You, remind me:
“Trust in Hashem with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” — Proverbs 3:5
When I am tempted to seek earthly glory, remind me of the words of Yeshua:
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” — Mark 8:36
And when I am tempted to build my own kingdom, remind me to pray:
“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done.” — Matthew 6:10
Avinu Malkeinu, I surrender.
Hashem, I bow.
Yeshua, lead me.
Ruach HaKodesh, teach me to walk in truth and obedience.
Let every high altar fall.
Let every idol fall.
Let every false throne fall.
Let every manifestation of pride be brought low.
Let every counterfeit foundation be removed.
Let every work contrary to Your holy purposes be exposed and overcome.
Let Your truth stand.
Let Your righteousness stand.
Let Your holiness stand.
Let Your Kingdom stand.
Let Your name be sanctified.
Let Your Fatherhood be honored.
Let Yeshua's Messiahship be proclaimed.
Let Your mercy be known.
Let Your light shine.
And above everything else:
Father, be glorified.
Hashem, be glorified in me.
Hashem, be glorified through me.
Hashem, be glorified despite me.
Hashem, be glorified in every circumstance.
May my life never become a monument to myself.
May it become a testimony to Your faithfulness.
May I never build a high altar to my own name.
May I continually bow before Your name.
May I never seek to establish my own kingdom.
May I continually pray for Yours to come.
May I never place myself upon the throne.
May I continually surrender the throne to You.
For You alone are worthy.
You alone are holy.
You alone are God.
You alone are King.
And I belong to You.
In the name of Yeshua the Messiah, I pray. Amen.
