The Making of the Den of Thieves by Dr. 'Tayo Brown
December 7-13, 2003

"Is this house which is called by my name, become A DEN OF ROBBERS in your eyes? Behold even I have seen it, saith the LORD" Jer. 7: 11 It's so amazing to know that most of the Church of today has become a den of thieves or robbers, that is one statement that is not synonymous to what is called "THE CHURCH" but that is the situation. Jesus said the thief comes to kill, steal and destroy.

The devil is the robber. A robber takes ones property by using or threatening force, he deprive you of something belonging or due to you and Jesus said the Church has now become a den or cave of robbers. Do n't get me wrong here, Jesus said it, I don't. " And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seat of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of Prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them" Matt 21: 12-14

First, we should understand that this house is God's house, it is not our house. Secondly we should know that "this house" is our body or our gathering together as a church in his name and not a literal church building. This "house" has been made a den of thieves. The house was not originally like this but was made (a process) the den of thieves. The devil is the thief and when the owner of the house (Jesus) came for inspection he found the devil hiding in this house in a den that he'd already made. A den is a cave, like the Afghanistan caves and hideouts; the US military had to destroy these caves from the air (DEEP PRAYERS AND INTERCESSION IN THE SPIRIT) before they can literarily fight from the ground and dispossesses the Taliban. We must destroy these den and cast out the thieves.

Friends, the devil is hiding in our soul, minds, and body even in our gatherings because we are not involved in any tangible spiritual activity that can frighten and disarm him. He has made caves through our carnal and sinful activities to hide and perform his malevolence works. Our emphasis is on money, building projects and dinners. This is so serious that the Church is now a place to make merchandize of the souls of Men (Rev. 18: 12-13) Emphasis is never on walking righteously and obediently with our God, seeking his face in fasting and prayer and pleasing him by the faith of the son of God but we only major on selling doves - you know what this represents -the gifts of the spirit, what about the fruit of the spirit?

When the Lord scans through your gatherings or your heart would he found a cave made for thieves? (Satan and his demons). Jesus would not heal until he cleanses the temple. He made scourge of small cords and drove this folks out because the zeal of the house of the Lord has eaten him up (John 2: 13-17) I speak by the Spirit of the Lord to you readers, I use the spiritual scourge of small cords (the power of God's word) to drive out of your hearts and life every thieves that has made the same their hide outs in JESUS NAME.

Friends, while we think we are in God's presence in some instances we are among thieves and until we drive them out nothing can be done even if we think we receive a blessing, we will be robbed of the same by the enemy and remember it's not by power or might but by my spirit says the Lord.

Amen. GRA