How to stop worshiping idols

Wondering how to stop worshiping false idols or practicing idolatry in these times that we are living in?

Tired of always struggling to give God His rightful place in your life amidst the challenges of the world around you? 

Worshiping false idols or idolatry is certainly a big challenge to the millennial lady living in 2022. There are idols at every turn and this is an abomination to God. 

But God is graceful, in His word He always provides us a way out of every situation that we face. 

These practical steps on how to stop worshipping false idols will grow your spiritual life and make you a step closer to being more like Jesus and less like you!!

What does the bible say about idolatry 

The Bible says that the one who makes an idol, worships false idols or practices idolatry must be cursed. When the word of God calls for one to be cursed as a result of the commission of a sin, it only reveals the seriousness of that sin.

False idols commandment 

There is actually a commandment that speaks against worshipping false idols.

Warning against Worshiping false idols in Exodus 20:3, is the FIRST of the Ten Commandments in the Bible. This False idols commandment says that people should not worship any God except for Yahweh. People should not put anything before God in their lives. 

What is idolatry in the bible

Idolatry is the worship of anything other than God. In essence, it is the act of worshiping false idols. It can be done in many ways, but it always includes the act of putting something or someone before God.

This occurs when we think that God is unable to assist us in a certain area be it healing, provision, deliverance, or whatever it may be, so we resort to these sources.

These acts anger God because He created all these things we are turning to for help. Instead of turning to created beings for help, how about we go to the Creator?

The problem that people have is that they want quick solutions and are not willing to adhere to God’s word. This is why people sell their souls to the devil or have some sort of demonic contracts with the devil for power, fame, and money.

To get money quickly through unconventional ways. Instead of reading the bible which talks about what God’s plans are. So when we go to those evil people for help, they have become our god. The one who can supply their needs

Idolatry in the Old Testament

The most common form of idolatry in the Old Testament was worshiping a statue or a material object. The Israelites often worshiped false idols of statues and images of their gods and goddesses, which was strictly forbidden by God’s commandment.

The Israelites had just come from Egypt, where the Egyptians practiced idolatry. They worshiped golden calves and many other different idols. 

So when God told the Israelites to worship only Him, to them He was just another god and it would not be hard to follow. But trouble came when God said that ONLY He deserved ALL the worship. 

This meant that they had to destroy, disregard, and abandon all the other gods they had for various issues. For example a god for rain, a god for health, a god for provision. It was normal for them to be worshipping false idols.

But Jehovah wanted to be the ONLY God. The all-sufficient God. The one who created them and the one who took them out of Egypt. 

To the Israelites, it was hard to worship an invisible God that they couldn’t see. A God only Moses knew. This is the reason why, when Moses took long before returning back from Mount Sinai. 

They became impatient and faithless and resorted to what they knew best. Making a god that they could see. And worship it the way they wanted. 

Is idolatry a sin?

Worshiping false idols is certainly a sin. The fact that it is the first commandment in Exodus 20:3, “You shall have no other gods before I only show the extent and seriousness of this command.

Our main duty as God’s creation is to worship God. But when we practice idolatry then we are forsaking the ONE reason for which we were created.

The golden calf is a biblical story about idol worship in which the Israelites created a golden calf and worshiped it instead of God.In the story, Moses went up a mountain to talk to God and left Aaron, his brother, in charge of the people until he returned.

Aaron allowed the people to practice worshiping false idols by creating this golden calf, which they worshiped as an idol. Moses was so angry when he saw what had happened that he threw down tablets with commandments on them and broke them into pieces.

So when you worship an idol, you are saying God, you are not as important to me as this idol that I would rather give all my time, affection, and worship.

So yes, our God being the jealous God that he is, idolatry is a sin. It is a sin that defies the very nature of God.

What is Modern day idolatry?

Modern day idolatry is when we allow many things to become gods to us. Whatever we allow to be gods, we are worshipping false idols in the form of that thing. This could be relationships, money, work, pleasure, celebrities, entertainment. 

These things can become idols to us if and when we concentrate and rely on them too much to get our own identity and purpose, worth, security and value. 

These things will dictate who we are, what it takes for us to be successful and happy.

Idolatry or worshiping false idols comes about after giving too much of our time to those things. 

The time we devote and spend on anything determines what we value the most. We give most of our time to the things that matter the most to us and those that we expect to get the most outcome from. 

When we spend most of our time working instead of with God it only shows that money, power, and success is now our idol and it determines and runs our lives.

When we let God be the ultimate center of every aspect of our lives, to take all the time, all the importance, and all the ultimate say, then God remains the one who we worship.

The one whose opinion matters the most above all else. The one who dictates our worth, our identity, our purpose, and our value. Not social media. Not your colleagues. Not your relationships. Only God.

What is idolatry in Christianity 

Idolatry in Christianity is when Christians tend to idolize everything around the church over God.

An example of this is where people see the Man of God as a small god himself. When there is idolatry in Christianity, Christians renege on seeking God and they depend on the man of God to tell them what God has said.

When Jesus died, the veil was torn so that you can go directly to God. There is no need for anyone between you and God except Christ himself.

But in modern day Christianity, people tend to rely solely on prophets, apostles, or whoever is anointed in the church to be able to tell them what God thinks or wants to say about them.

That man of God becomes an idol as his word will have become more accurate to you than God himself.

Examples of false idols

There are various examples of false idols that exist in the lives of believers. In most cases, you are not even aware that these things are idols until you are in too deep.

Idolizing Relationships

Relationships can become idols when that boyfriend, that husband, or those children become exalted above God. 

When you spend ALL your time thinking and hanging out with your boyfriend. Or when you are spending all your time on the phone with them instead of God then they become an idol.

Anything that takes time from God IS an idol. It doesn’t matter if it’s your children. 

As a mother, I know that at times we end up idolizing our children by letting them be and do whatever they want because we love them so much.

But if we love them more than we love God. Meaning that we allow them to go against what the word of God says, just to make them happy.

Then those children have become idols and that is an unhealthy relationship.

Celebrity idols through entertainment

Celebrity idols are something that many people have nowadays, even if they don’t follow any religion at all. Celebrities can be anyone from actors and singers to anyone that we desire to be like or we desire to dictate the way we live our lives.

We all see these influencers and aspire to be like them. We see their “Relationship goals and everything that we do is based on what they say, what they do, what they wear, instead of what the word of God says.

God must be our only reference point for anything. Not some celebrity.

Idols of technology and social media

The main idol that has taken the place of God in many people’s lives is the cell phone. Since the emergence of these smartphones they have taken over our lives as well as all our time. Statistics say that as of 2021, Americans spend an average of 5,4 hours per day on their cellphone.

Imagine what people will be looking at on their phones during that time. It could be Pornography, secular music, Tik Tok, Facebook, Youtube, and many other social media outlets.

But when it is time to pray or read the bible people feel tired and lazy but when they want to binge-watch something on Netflix, we don’t struggle with desire.

Idolizing Work, Wealth & Fame

The idol of work, wealth and fame is a concept that has been around for centuries. It can be defined as an object to which one ascribes supreme worth.

Work, wealth, and fame are the three main idols that we worship in today’s society. These idols have been around for centuries and they will continue to be worshiped by generations to come. They are all essential components of the American Dream and they are not going anywhere anytime soon.

New age, witch doctors, and any other source of power outside God.

When we seek help or breakthrough from other means except for God himself we are practicing idolatry and worshiping false idols. When we use ouija boards, angel cards, tarot cards, psychics, spirit mediums, and any other source of power, those outlets are our gods.

Our God is jealous and He does not tolerate people who worship anything and anyone else.

Identifying idols in your life

If you are wondering how to identify the idols in your life it’s pretty simple.

• Look for that thing that influences your life decisions, clothing decision, dating decision, purchase decision
• The stuff that makes you happy and occupies your mind most of your time
• The person whose approval means the most in your life, that person whom you seek to please 
• The source where you refer to for strength when you are discouraged, that thing or the person who always makes you want to be better
• The things where you spend your money and time on

Aaron allowed the people to create this golden calf, which they worshiped as an idol. Moses was so angry when he saw what had happened that he threw down tablets with commandments on them and broke them into pieces.

Overcoming Idolatry as a Christian

We are all guilty of idolizing something or someone at some point in our lives. It could be a person, a place, an object, or even an idea. Idolatry is the act of worshiping something other than God.

Commit to spending time with God DAILY

In an age where we all have to constantly hustle to make ends meet. It’s possible to discover that the day is over and you haven’t had a single minute to spend time with God. Due to the busyness of work, life, family, children, and just,, life.

You can make a literal appointment or date with God every day. It could be the first 30mins or hours of the day or the last. This means that you can commit to waking up an hour early every day and in that hour you read the bible and pray and just be in God’s presence.

It could also be doing this as the last thing before bed. However, you decide to do this you HAVE to plan time with God. Otherwise, before you know it a week has passed and the only time you spend with God is the hour or 2 at the church service. Of which followers of Jesus must not be Sunday Christians. We mustn’t rely on Sundays only to have time with God.

Like any relationship, investing in quality time is a must. How can a relationship blossom, how can it grow when you don’t spend time with the other person? 

How can you get to know the other person if you don’t spend time with them, talking to them, opening up to them, being vulnerable with them? Our relationship with Jesus must also be invested in, like any other earthly relationship.

This way we prevent worshiping false idols when we always make God the center and an essential part of our lives. He gets to talk to us in that quiet time and His opinions and views about us remain the most important. Instead of what influencers are saying on Social media.

Commit to walking with the Holy Spirit the whole day

Apart from having an hour a day of quiet time with God, we must also walk with the Holy Spirit throughout the whole day.

We must talk to Him and include Him and acknowledge Him in our daily tasks. When we are working, cleaning, driving, it can be as simple as listening to the audio bible, gospel music, and praying silently to Him. Acknowledging him like, “Holy Spirit now I am driving to work, go before me, make this day one that glorifies You.”

When you are doing chores at home, saying something as simple as, “God thank you for this house that I get to clean, the children that I get to drop off at school. Help me be a good mother or father to them.”

It is as simple as that. Always acknowledging Him in the simple things to make Him remain the most important part of your life. This helps us keep our attention focused on God and avoid worshiping false idols.

Commit to making fasting a lifestyle

Fasting helps us to die to self, crucify our flesh and get closer to God. Fasting purifies and makes our Spirit clean, getting rid of all carnal desires such as idolatry. When we fast we strengthen our Spirit man and this makes us hear God’s voice better. 

When we fast, we commit to spending time to God, deny ourselves of all fleshly desires which include food, entertainment, and every other thing that could be a potential idol in our life.

We must make a program of fasting in our lives be it once a week, once a month or so forth. An important result of fasting is the revival of our desire and fire for God, the desire to spend more time with God and in His word. In the end, this eradicates the power of anything to be an idol to our lives above God.

Fasting also helps us to discipline our flesh. From food, entertainment, and every other potential idol that is not God. Fasting time is God’s time so we must seriously commit to doing so. When fasting becomes a lifestyle, worshiping false idols will not be evident in our lives.

Commit to serving God

When we embark on serving God in whichever ministry, this helps us fill our time with God. This could be serving in a church ministry, feeding the less privileged, and so forth. This humbles us, makes us acknowledge God’s love for our lives.

Serving God with gladness helps us to keep God at the center and this avoids worshiping false idols. Serving God will keep God at the center, not worldly desires and passions.

Consider having Christian-based entertainment.

Entertainment is another way where we can easily start worshipping false idols. Because we will be spending too much time watching TV, we end up seeing those actors as idols. 

The TV itself may become an idol if we spend too much time binge-watching shows at God’s expense.

Cutting off the TV and or any sort of pleasure may be difficult if the TV is becoming an idol. But If the TV programs or the music is God’s centered and teaches us Christlike attributes, it is better because at least we will be spending time worshipping God or acknowledging Him.