In the Bible, idolatry is represented by man made objects like statues, figurines, “gods” made out of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone (Daniel 5:4). Sometimes, idols are talisman-like trinkets used to ward off unwanted outcomes (1 Samuel 5:6-7:2). God even made a commandment for the Israelites against idolatry – “You shall not make for yourself a carved image – any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands to those who love me and keep My commandments.” – Exodus 20:4-6.

Then there’s the golden calf. Aaron fashioned it out of gold jewelry for the Israelites to worship instead of God while Moses was on the mountain waiting to receive the Ten Commandments (Exodus 32). It seems that there was quite a big problem in the Bible of people making and worshipping physical idols instead of God.

Today, in our culture, idols tend to be quite different. They are desperate desires of the heart and flesh for things like money, status, children, power, marriage, etc. So, what changed for idols to go from handmade figurines to heart/mind obsessions? We in the West live in cultures that usually don’t use images for religious worship like other cultures do. So, do biblical teachings about not bowing down and worshiping statues have relevance for us?

Yes. I don’t think using the term idolatry to refer to the God-demeaning love of money, power, sex, etc. is a misuse when you get into the essence of what an idol is.

Romans 1:21–23 talks about how the people know God but do not glorify The Lord as God. Instead, they change the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible men, birds, four-footed animals, and creeping things. The people weren’t thankful or faithful to God but became futile in their thoughts. Their foolish hearts were darkened and they gave up God to their debased minds and out-of-control passions.

Basically, an idol is anything in the world that seriously competes for our love of God. Idolatry puts something else entirely over God. You might read about the golden calf and think that it’s silly, but it’s directly relatable today. For example, one of the shareholders of a prolific investor keeps a lock of his hair in a frame on the wall. The shareholder got it in the barber shop that the investor frequents. That’s like worshipping a golden calf and as innocent as it may seem, it is a form of idolatry and it holds us back from what we hope to achieve.  A person can admire him, learn from his investing prowess, and seek to put some of his practices in play, but keeping a framed lock of hair is idolatrous and puts a person on a pedestal.

Now, it’s definitely normal to have goals and desires. You’re human. And, even more so, if you find yourself with an idol, there’s nothing inherently wrong with you. Of course you feel more confident or powerful, you’re human! Humankind has gone through this since the beginning of civilization. But If you start to crave, love, obsess over, depend on, or trust something more than God, whether that’s self-exaltation, a promotion, dating a certain person, trying to conceive a child, fanning over a celebrity (think of the old “teen idol” trope with thousands of adoring “fans” aka fanatics), for the greatest blessing, help, guidance, and satisfaction, then idolatry has taken over.

All idols come from the same foundation: “Give me what I want.” And, often, our wants are short-sighted or temporary, and we place too much importance on achieving them (and you know once you get it, you’ll be on to the next thing soon after) rather than growing into the transformation God wants of us. If you refuse to be happy right where you’re at, you’ve probably built an idol.

It can be immensely trying and painful, hoping and waiting for things. But if you are grieving too much over an earthly desire as yet unrealized, you may be relying too much on your own strength and not letting your heart be joyful in The Lord, praying in belief, trust, and expectation that God’s Will be done.

Sadly, it probably wouldn’t be much of a stretch to say that the idol that most threatens to replace God is the image we see in the mirror. We are lovers of self-idolization, which threatens our love of God-idolization.

So, what are some prominent signs you’re idolizing something?

4 Signs of Idolatry

I would venture to say that pretty much all of us have created at least one idol in our hearts at one time or another. In our culture, we often don’t realize we’re doing it because we don’t go to shrines and bow down before hand-carved figurines.

But we do bow down and sacrifice to more subtle idols. We sacrifice time, energy, relationships, family, God, etc. to get what we want most. Idolatry creates thoughts that influence our lives and wreak havoc on our mental and emotional states. Anything that you idolize takes the focus off of God and brings you further away from our Creator. It’s the thing you think about all the time that’s stealing your attention and affection for God. It’s something that you’re desperate for! We miss out on what we really want to do because we’re giving ourselves and time away, which causes resentment.

An idol is always in the foreground or background of your mind bothering you. You may even knowingly or unknowingly attempt to use God Almighty to achieve the goal of your idolization (a common misstep among those who pray is thinking of God more as a genie that grants wishes than the Holy Spirit of all creation).

We try to get God to orbit around us to fulfill our desires. God becomes a means to an end, not the end.

We try to get God to orbit around us to fulfill our desires. God becomes a means to an end, not the end.

To put it plainly, idolatry is self-centered, not God-centered.

4 signs of idolatry include:

–          Desperation: “If I don’t get this thing in my life, than my life is worthless.”

–          Fear: “If I lost my spouse/child/youth and beauty/house/money, my life would be over. I would just want to disappear.”

–          Recklessness: “I just may do anything to get/keep this thing.”

–          Depression: “I don’t have what I want therefore I’m not happy and I won’t be until I get it.”

What does this lead to?

The Results of Idolatry

When you trust idols to satisfy your heart/mind/body, you’re not trusting in God. Idolatry can lead to:

–          Pride, pretentiousness

–          Fear, unease, worry

–          Bitterness, resentment, hatefulness, envy

–          Distress, desperation, stagnation, loneliness, suicidal thoughts/attempts

–          Controlling behavior, disrespect, self-centeredness

–          Harming others emotionally or physically, grieving God

–          A broken relationship with God, spiritual powerlessness, dysfunctional thoughts and relationships

It’s a pretty safe bet that you don’t want these results so let’s look into how exactly to tear the idols out of your life and refocus your attention on God. Take a deep breath, relax, and feel better, resting in the comfort and promises. Stay hopeful, stay optimistic, stay faithful.

9 Steps to Break Free from Idols

God is so zealous for our direct, personal dependence, reverence, and adoration that this Holiness not only discourages of competing “gods” but also the creation of idols pretending to represent The One. Why is The Creator so desirous of that kind of direct, personal dependence on reverence and adoration? I think part of the answer could be found in Psalm 96:5, which states: “For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the Heavens.”

Why did Jesus die for us? What did He get from it? Jesus the Christ already lived in a community of joy, glory, and love. He didn’t need us. The Lord received no self-fulfilling benefit, which means He came into the world to die on the cross for our sins – serving us as in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that who ever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life“

“And the glory which you gave me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one” – John 17:22. He did with us what he’d been doing with the Father and the Holy Spirit from all eternity. He loves us, and centers on us, without benefit to Himself.

If this beautiful act moves you, you can start to get out of your own way and begin centering your life on Jesus Christ in a reciprocal relationship. In the world, we’re used to giving ourselves to relationships and pursuits that pump up our efforts at self-justification and self-actualization but they often just lead to looking down on others who haven’t accomplished the same things. But, when we realize that Jesus is encircling us with infinite, self-giving love, we’re invited to focus our attention on a new foundation. Make Him the center of your life and stop trying to be your own Savior and Lord. He’ll help you accept that you’re both a sinner in need of His salvation and His renewing love. Then, you don’t need to prove yourself to yourself or others! God shows us that we are enough.

To tear idols out of your heart, first:

1. An Act Of Surrender; Acknowledge, confess, and surrender the idol to God

I’m sure you’ve heard that the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. First of all, you have to surrender the idol to the Lord, fall on your knees and cry out, give it to Him and tell Him you can’t do it on your own! You need Him. You can say something like “God, I’m done with this (fill in the blank) in my life.” “I’m putting my whole trust in you to take it away as an idol even though I desire it.”

Yes, it will be hard to do this but it’s harder to try to get rid of it on your own. Thankfully, the power of the Holy Spirit will help you and you don’t have to do it alone. The Lord will help you surrender your idols when you bring them to Him. Pray and ask God to help you in the process. For example, if you long to be married and you’re making a potential love interest an idol, thinking about him or her constantly, and making him or her the center of your universe, surrender that desperation to God in Jesus’ name and pray to Him to keep your focus on this Holiness and not a fallible, imperfect person. Never put anything on a pedestal other than God first. Ask Him to keep you clear-headed and logical about any idol you have.

A commitment to prayer most likely will not automatically produce transformation. But Christ can renew and refressh your heart and mind continually, even if you fall or backslide, and that will transform you.

2. Get to know God

Study to know this inspiration, words, and actions. The Holiness of Spirit that is good, is life, most of all is love.  So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 1John 4:16

God is perfect and is your Creator, Judge, and Savior and the Almighty alone is to be worshipped.

3. Ask for humility

Understand your place in the universe. God is infinitely higher and holier than you and your thoughts; For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9. You’re not God. You’re small and weak next to Him, full of neediness and sin, and that’s okay! Recognizing it leads to humbleness which God desires. Your identity is in Christ, not your desires and society’s idols. 2 Corinthians 12:9, which states “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’

4. Don’t fan the flames

For example, if your idol is a high-powered career, you might not be able to read productivity books every day or watch financial influencers on social media all the time if you end up feeling disappointed with your life afterward. Know that this thing can’t ultimately satisfy you, and your human nature will get bored and crave more once you get what you want in a never-ending, vicious cycle. This is living in a finite world. You can achieve what you wish for but eventually you will hit the wall and not understand why you’re not satisfied. Only Jesus can give the living water. “But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” John 4:14. Nothing else will persistently satisfy.

5. Nourish your soul with daily prayer and Bible reading

If you want to put God in his rightful place, you must get into the Holiness of this presence throughout your day. Adore God, confess and be thankful, and pray in humble, gratitude (ACTS) daily. Read the Word in the morning or evening or anytime in between. Listen to worship music. Do things that are going to stir your affection for Jesus. Go to Him for a two-way relationship. Bow to Him and receive His goodness, love, and fellowship. Ask God to help you desire Him far above anything else. It’s not necessarily natural for people to appreciate God just because we live in the flesh and are of the world, but the more you seek The Lord (and ask the Holy Spirit to find you), the more you will desire to know God and want to put this relationship before anything else. “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” – Deuteronomy 31:6-8 You can stand on these words, always.

6. Confess and repent immediately

Don’t let sinful thoughts brew, fester, and get worse. Remember that as you are going through an idol demolition process, you still need to take your thoughts captive. You’ll probably backslide a lot and it’s your mission to get back up and set your mind on the things of God. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s Will is…” Romans 12:2

Praise God and speak His Word and promises out loud

Idolatry is a form of spiritual warfare and your weapons are praise, prayer, gratitude, worship, and God’s Word. You cannot escape the enemy all on your own. But the Lord sure will help you! ^“ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:10-18

7. Ask God to help you with any forms of idolatry

You might not be able to get over idolatry with your own free will but God can help you do what you can’t on your own. Keep on, keeping on with surrender. Ask The Lord to help you see why you’re idolizing something so you can catch faulty thinking and take your thoughts out of captivity and for Christ. Remember God is for you, to help you, become aware of your thoughts and renew your mind always.

8. Put Jesus in his rightful place as the one and only true God

The last point to cover is that idols will not satisfy your soul. Idolatry’s obsessive nature happens when we refuse to accept the present or how something worked out because we’ve over identified with an outcome. If you’re obsessing over something or someone, you might have equated your worth, value, and identity to getting it. You think you will not feel at peace or be able to “live” until you get what you’re obsessing over. Obsession shows us what we’re not giving proper attention to. Even if you get into that relationship, get that promotion, or whatever else, you’ll still end up hungry for the next thing soon after, ultimately feeling an emptiness that can only be filled by the Holy Spirit.

John 17:3 – “And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” God will satisfy the thirst you have deep inside. He’s the Eternal life and the only true God. Give Jesus everything this season and pray for God to help you.

Flee from Idols

The very last verse of John’s letter (1 John) says: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” Why does he end the letter like this when he never even directly referenced idols in it before? This closing sentence seems to come out of the blue. Earlier in the letter he says: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world.”

John might have been thinking of literal physical images when he said “keep yourselves from idols” but he was probably thinking of the more immaterial problem that anything in the world that successfully competes with our love for God is an idol. Anything that holds us captive and takes our time away from what we really desire.

If we want to get rid of our idols and put God first in our lives, we need to work at it, seeking God with all our hearts (Jeremiah 29:13¹³ And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.¹⁴ And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, Jeremiah 29:13). Our work doesn’t take away from God’s grace – it merely shows our appreciation of it.

God doesn’t ask, nor want anyone to be perfect as we are loved just as we are. We’re not on some mission to be good or pleasing to God as we are loved just by being. All this is for us, for us to have our best life possible here on this earth. It is all for our benefit so that we are not held captive in our thoughts or things we do. We can work on ourself everyday no matter if we fall down or we are up. In the Holiness of God that is Love and loves us no matter. If we want to listen to others judge us that is to our own detriment. We aren’t meant to judge each other. We are supposed to uphold each other. That is up to us as to how we want to live our life. Idolatry is something we will all deal with at one time or many and it is a form of holding us back in our own thoughts. We have the ability to change our thinking and what God has given us, “⁷ For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2Timothy 1:7

Giving up idols is like breaking free of the chains that hold you back. To break these chains, you first have to want to. God will take it from there.

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Blog written by Dana Hornor Mosolgo