So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only. 1 Samuel 7:4
Most people in the world look at certain things or principles as what made them successful or gave them a good life. In the process of doing this, these things are often idolized and looked up to as being great and powerful.
Often people will then give their everything to these things, giving complete control over to these things to the point of worship. As this is done, they will rarely be willing to give it up for anything else.
As the Israelites were being captured by the Philistines, Samuel told the people what they must do. All the people chose to get rid of their Baals and Ashtoreths and serve God alone.
Although most people do not have physical idols that they physically bow down to and worship, they do have many idols in their lives. People have things that they are willing to give all of their thoughts, time, money, and energy to get, have, and keep. Whole lives are dedicated to having these things, which then become an idol.
Believers can sometimes allow some of these idols in their lives to take the place of God. Instead of fully trusting God in every situation, believers will take on the world’s idols and trust those idols, pushing God to the side.
True believers will recognize this as idol worship and remove it from their lives, regardless of the cost. God is the only one who should be served. Everything that a believer does should be done out of honor and desire to serve, worship, and honor God.
As the believer serves God alone, God will deliver him from the hands of the enemy.
The world is out to get you to turn away from God and serve its false gods. These false gods of the world will look good and enticing, but will only bring about captivity and death. Choose to serve God alone in every area of your life.
Seek God’s Holy Spirit to reveal to you any false gods that you have allowed in your life and remove them. Cast out anything and everything that takes your attention away from God. He, alone, is to be served and worshipped.
Put God on the throne of your life, allowing Him to be complete Master over your entire life.
Today, I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will serve God alone; that God will reveal any false gods in your life; that God will give you strength to cast out any false gods in your life; and that you will trust God with your whole life.
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This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Insights from Tom
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