Saying “I think I’ll get rid of my idol today” is like an alcoholic saying, “I think I’ll stop drinking today.”
It’s not that simple.
Let’s see what the Bible has to say about breaking free from idolatry.
Idolatry in the Bible
1. Flee Idolatry.
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:14 to flee idolatry.
Sometimes we can give our idols up altogether, but what if our idols are our kids or our spouses?
In those cases we’ll need to work on fleeing mentally–loving them, but also holding them with open hands, not feeling like we have to have them–or have to have them be a certain way–in order for us to be happy.
Journal Activity: Think of your own idol tendencies. Can you flee them in a physical sense–completely giving them up? If not–or if it it’s something like ministry and you think God wants you to continue on in it–what can you do to put it in it’s rightful place? Brainstorm some ideas and come up with a plan.
2. Turn to God—not to another idol.
In 1 Thessalonians 1:9, Paul commends the Thessalonians for turning from their idols to serve the living and true God. Too often, we turn from our idols, only to serve different idols.
We give up eating for exercising. Laziness for workaholism. Sin for ministry. Self-pleasing for people pleasing. Perfectionism for perfect Christianism.
Those activities don’t look like idols, but if we’re consistently turning to them for comfort, protection, fulfillment, and deliverance from life’s problems, they’re probably idols. (Isaiah 44:17)
Question for Journal: Read Isaiah 44:1-22 and Exodus 32:1-14 with your own idol in mind. Record everything you learn about idolatry. Why do you think God doesn’t want us to have idols?
3. Walk by the Spirit
One of the incredible things about God is that He doesn’t stand up there and say, “You shape up right now this very instant. The next time I see you I want to see perfection.”
No, instead God says, “Come. Let me help you. Walk with Me.” He insists on sole allegiance–there’s no doubt about that–but He reaches out His hand, calls us in love, and helps us make that happen.
Journal Activity: Like the Israelites, we often turn to our idols when things get rough. Read Galatians 5:16-25. What’s the difference between walking in the Spirit and walking in the flesh in those situations? What does walking by the Spirit look like?
4. Remove the high places.
If you look at the Old Testament, they were told to not just remove the idols, but also the high places where they went to worship the idols. We can do this by setting boundaries. I’ll talk about that in my next post.
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Discussion Question: Do you think idolatry is accepted in the church today?
Image courtesy of Rosen Georgiev at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Excellent posts. Idols become a problem in the church when our rules and regulations override what God’s Word says. We have let idolatry seep in the church when we place more emphasis on the Pastor or teacher than we do God. Idolatry is prominent in church. It is easy to fall victim to idolatry if we don’t watch and pray. I implement James 4:7-8 to help me concerning idolatry. Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
I love that Bible verse, Bernard, and also your thoughts on idolatry in the church. I hadn’t thought of making an idol of a pastor or teacher, but I can see how that would happen. It reminds me of when the Israelites made the idol of the golden calf – it seemed like before that, they were making an idol of Moses, relying on Him rather than God. Then when Moses disappeared they had to make a new idol. Thanks for your thoughts, Bernard.
I have enjoyed the posts about idolatry. It has opened my eyes to some things we can easily allow to become idols and not realize it. I had allowed whining and crying about certain situations to become an idol. I had placed my focus on the problem of the situations rather than the power of God. Thanks for your insight and inspiration.
Unfortunately, I’ve done the same thing in the whining department – especially when it comes to writing. I’ve been trying to focus on thanking God while I’m doing the things I don’t want to do. That helps when I remember to do it!
Good one, Barb. The modern church and it’s priorities of bigger and fancier buildings shows the tendency toward what has and will always be a problem to the fallen flesh and the mighty pull of our senses.
While we don’t always see who makes or idols, we worship them by putting more value in them than the things valued by God that can’t be seen. As if that weren’t bad enough, we then revere the world and the people in it more than we do our Father… Idolatry has submerged us…
Thanks for the reminder, it’s been a while since I read that chapter in Exodus.
Idolatry has submerged us – what a word picture. That’s exactly what it does, doesn’t it? No wonder it’s so hard to swim out from underneath it!
It does, the enemy sneaks up so subtly, like boiling a frog in a pot slowly…
Love the Isaiah 44 scripture- its so powerful! We are God’s and there is no other God like Him!
You do such an excellent job at this and your post keep getting better and better. I so look forward to journalling this later. Thank you for the time and effort you put into your posts.
As for idols in the church…oh yeah, I think there are MAJOR idols INSIDE the church. We have programs we put up ahead of God. We have church attendance we take pride in. We have people with titles that we seem to worship and follow instead of Christ. The list goes on and on. God help us!
You are so encouraging, TC. Thank you. I really appreciate it. I hadn’t thought of programs and church attendance but of course you’re right – church attendance reminds me of the blog equivalent of stats, so I can understand the temptation!
Glad I could help :)
Just sharing the things God is helping me with. Though I don’t struggle with church attendance, I’m getting pretty fed up with the people who do. I’m seeking God’s help with extending grace to those who annoy me :)
That’s great. :)
Matthew 5:48 was one of those scriptures that I had a real hard time with for a long time, until I read what C.S. Lewis had to say about it, and the examples he used to get the point across. He will do the perfecting – I need to do my part and pray, confess, repent to clear the ground, and then be silent so I can hear what He is saying.
TC also nailed it with her comments – she does that a fair bit :)
Yes, she does, doesn’t she? I haven’t read what Lewis had to say on Matthew 5:48, but I really liked all the responsibilities you included on our part – hadn’t thought of the silence part, I like that! I would also add that our part is to do spiritual warfare, replace lies with truth, and to abide in the Word. It’s so interesting how God does the transformation but He wants us involved. Thanks for your thoughts, Rick.
Lewis said (I’m going to paraphrase here) that it does not mean we can achieve perfection on our own, which is a common misunderstanding and one that can trap us into a cycle of failure and depression, but that he will not be satisfied with anything less than perfecting us – similar to how a father will applaud every attempt his child will make towards learning to walk, but will not be satisfied with anything other than a firm, proper walk from them later on.
Wow, I absolutely love that. Thanks for sharing it. That thought also makes me think of the trials God sends or allows to make us grow – seen in that light, it makes me thank Him even more for the trials and also makes me even more determined to learn what He wants me to learn from each one. He’s such an incredible, loving God.
Yep – He is that :)
Oh, and as a recovering alcoholic myself, you know I know that you know what you spoke of with your opening :)
Food and alcohol have a lot of similarities. :)
What I enjoy about this is your reference to 1st Corinthians 10:14 – the entire chapter is ripe with lessons on idolatry. 10:13 specifically provides me with strength and hope because it states there is nothing that we will face that cannot be overcome, even if it means fleeing. There will always be a way of escape, all we have to do is choose to do so.
Yes, that’s a great chapter – I probably should have included all of it! It’s interesting to me that the people wanted the idol once they lost Moses. It seems like they were making an idol of Moses first and felt the need for a replacement once he was gone. Thanks for including this in the discussion, DS.
Removing the high places is huge. Those are the idols that we think no one sees. I love your analogy of an alcoholic. I’ve thought I would give up my idol today many times!
Thanks, Melanie, I know what you mean. I keep thinking, I’ll just wait til the boundaries post and then I’ll get more serious with my own idols. It’s always easy to find ways to justify putting it off, isn’t it? I did decide to go ahead though, even though I haven’t written the post yet. :) Today I put up a boundary and renewing of the mind goal for checking e-mails. I said I have to answer them whenever I look at them – that makes me want to look at them less!
Great idea! I know I need to look at my phone less often, period.
I just re-read your post and did the journal activity- it was great!
As for “high places”, next week I have a post about Solomon building high places for His wives. I can’t wait for your input on that!
Wow, that sounds interesting, TC – looking forward to reading it!
As always, I love reading your posts. Your questions make me pause and go deeper than scanning an idea. Your post challenge me to think. And pray!
Thanks, Karen. :)
I think today’s society accepts idolatry as being ok and it’s creeped into the church. It’s important for each Christian to turn to God and admit personal sin/weakness, no matter how small or big the issue is. Daily renewing our mind and thoughts is so essential to break free from idolatry or bad habit. Great post!
Thanks, Dan. Great advice. If we turn to God for help when the sin/weakness when it’s small, it never reaches that huge stage. The trick is to notice it when it’s small. Thanks adding to the discussion.
Noticing when it’s small is key.
Yes idolatry is accepted in the church. Easy to see some idols, others mask themselves especially when it comes to our family, ministry and a host of others.
They shows up when we have to let go or life brings changes that makes us give up something. My idols usually start out small tucked in a corner of my heart then before I know it I am building an emotional building around it, lifting it higher for all to see since it’s all about me not my idol. Great post, one that needs repeated often.
Wow, I love that word picture – building an emotional building around it. That’s what we do, isn’t it? I’m finding that when I continue to have some sort of emotional distress around the same issue, there’s usually either an idol involved, a sin involved, or at the very least, an unbiblical way of looking at life. The emotion at least tells me where to go looking for idols.
I was just thinking of your comment again, Betty – about how our idols can show up when life brings changes that make us have to give up something. I think that’s what happened to me when I started blogging. I had to give up the need to be liked, since I know some of the people I’m close to condemn me for being too “religious.” And a blog brings more opportunity for condemnation. Fortunately, I think they still like me – at least no less than before. :)
Great list, Barb.
I think the greatest obstacle is finding out the idols in our hearts in the first place. Then we have the difficult point where we love our idols more than we really want to get rid of them – so the next step is to understand the folly and the horror of idolatry. Then this list will naturally flow from us.
I agree, Loren. The truth really does set us free. One of the truths that helps us break free form idolatry is understanding the folly and horror of it.
I love the 1 Thess 1:9 that you mentioned and how it talks about the Thessalonians turning from idols to God. I believe we need to always be on our toes when it comes to idols. They are such sneaking things that can work their way into your life without knowing it. I think that churches are often full of idols, the problem is that people often don’t realize it. One of the most important things I feel I can do as a pastor is to help lovingly expose those idols in the lives of those I serve and then give them to tools to overcome.
That’s great, Caleb – to both loving expose the idols and and give them the tools to overcome. I would guess that might not be the norm in churches. My experience has been that people really want to follow God and break away from sin, but either they don’t know how or they think it should be easier than it is. I used to be in the don’t know how category. Now I know how but have a big backlog of sins to work on!
Guilty as charged, paying the price in grief, much grief, and many many tears. – Running to the Cross
It’s so incredibly painful to be broken. I’m praying that God will bring good from your grief.
This post was a answer,that came just in the right time , when I couldn’t see a way out . God knows what we need , and he knows our pain…. specially the pain that we bring to ourselves for having idols :(
Yes, He does, but the wonderful thing is that He can redeem anything. That’s an incredible blessing. Praying that He will use what you’re going through for good–I know He will (Romans 8:28). But sorry it’s so hard right now. :(