DOMINION OVER DARKNESS (PART XIX) CONFRONTING IDOLATRY

In love, there is so much pain. We could see this demonstrated throughout the Bible in the relationship between God and his people. That is why we need to measure our love so that we don’t spoil the object of that love. Most often than not, children who are raised by affluent parents grow up with entitlement mentality. Many of them cannot handle anything that is committed into their hands successfully. And why? It is because their parents never actually allowed these children to grow.

Some Truths About Idolatry: –

• It is a direct violation of God’s commandment. Exo. 20:1-6, “Then GOD ISSUED this edict: I am Jehovah your God who liberated you from your slavery in Egypt. You may worship no other god than me. You shall not make yourselves any idols: any images resembling animals, birds, or fish. You must never bow to an image or worship it in any way; for I the Lord your God, am very possessive. I will not share your affection with any other god! And when I punish people for their sins, the punishment continues upon the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of those who hate me, but I lavish my love upon thousands of those who love me and obey my commandments” (TLB). There is jealousy in love; there is possessiveness in love. For instance, I will not allow any ‘snake’ enter into my garden. I will not fold my hands and watch a ‘snake’ seduce my wife; I will kill it. The first garden Adam should have tended is the garden of his heart. The first garden is the garden of your heart followed by the garden of your home before your business and other pursuits. It is the pursuit of things rather than the pursuit of God that is responsible for so many ills today. There is purity in prosperity, if you don’t know how to prioritize, you may likely chase money into the grave. Even when you get that money, you might end up creating more problems, which that money cannot solve. God himself said, ‘I am possessive’, this is in spite of his nature. God expects you also to be possessive. If you leave the garden, snake will enter because every garden attracts snakes. It is your responsibility to fence it off by planting anti-snake. That is exactly how your home should be. The most important activity in the home; the family altar, is what most people neglect the most. How many families can boast of an active family altar? When was the last time you had an active family altar? Where is the fire in your house? Everyone is busy chasing money because man feels his number one obligation in the home is to make money. I pray for you, may you not make money that will mar your destiny, in Jesus name. God said it categorically that you must not bow to any image. Those who worship the image of Jesus and Mary should take heed. This is one of the reasons why many Churches are no longer the abode of the Holy Spirit but the abode of other things instead. Some Churches even have occultic symbols in their cathedrals. There are consequences for serving idols. The problem of most African countries is idolatry. Corruption is only an offshoot, a symptom not the root problem. The greatest problem of Africa is idolatry; it is the engine room of idolatry that generates corruption and other vices. Idolatry has serious generational repercussions. When somebody is an idolater, God takes it that that person hates him and that is very correct. It takes hating God to be an idolater. The root of worship is ‘worth’ – being desperately in love with the object of your worship. The standard of God regarding worship is ‘with all your heart’. When you remove that and give to another, God is grieved.
• God hates and punishes idolatry. Eze. 14:4-5 says, “Tell them, the Lord, God says: I the Lord will personally deal with anyone in Israel who worships idols and then comes to ask my help. For I will punish the minds and hearts of those who turn from me to idols” (TLB). This is one of the reasons why people pray and nothing happens; this is one of the reasons why people remain on one spot year in year out in spite of the fact that they go to Church!

TO BE CONTINUED . . .