Idolatry must be dealt with in order to produce sustained fruit of THE SPIRIT!
The word “idolatry” means: to give one’s extreme devotion and service to something he worships, to maintain it, to adore it, he gives his attention, he gives his money, to the worship of this thing. It is anything that has your attention more than GOD. Idolatry occurs when you give your attention, devotion, passion, love, or commitment to a person, project, or object more than GOD. When something other than GOD takes first place in a person’s mind, he has entered into, at least into some degree, the act of idolatry.
What does FATHER think of idolatry? The following provides us with HIS response to idolatry.
It is recorded by THE SPIRIT in 1st Samuel chapter 5:
1 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod (powerful destroyer).
2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon (meaning “fish god”) and set it by Dagon.
3 And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again.
Did the idol fall down by accident?
4 And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it.
What is the first of the Ten Commandments? “You shall have no other gods before ME.” How serious is idol worship? Read on:
5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
6 But the Hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and HE ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory.
The men of Ashdod quickly concluded the source of the problem:
7 And when the men of Ashdod saw how it was, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His Hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god.”
8 Therefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” And they answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to Gath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away.
9 So it was, after they had carried it away, that the Hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction; and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and tumors broke out on them.
10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. So it was, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!” [
1 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
12 And the men who did not die were stricken with the tumors, and the cry of the city went up to Heaven.
FATHER is very serious about idolatry. HE does not want anything or anyone to take our devotion more than HIM. If we are obsessed with anything more than we are with Jesus and His Lordship over our life, Father will get involved to remove that object from our lives, somehow or some way.
As an example, amateur and youth sports account for over $91 billion in expenditures. Overall, it is estimated the sports generated over $146.5 billion in expenditures. Athletes have become idols and are paid accordingly. Within a few miles from their venues, people are living in poverty, especially kids.
Do you think FATHER is turning a blind eye to this form of idol worship? As I have said in the past, your time and checkbook determine your priorities… and who or what you serve and are devoted to.