NIV Spiritual Renewal Study Bible PlanSample

Tearing Down Old Idols

As we allow God to redeem our lives and work everything out for our good (see Romans 8:28), it is important for us to continue to reject the idols we may have once worshiped. Idols are those things that come between us and God. They can be anything — people, money, power, possessions or even our dreams and aspirations. Idols, in whatever form they manifest themselves in our lives, can do us nothing but harm.

King Asa lived at a time when the people of Israel had given themselves over to the worship of idols. They had turned away from God and the way of life they knew to be right. But a messenger of God came and told the king, “The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you” (2 Chronicles 15:2). When King Asa heard this message, he took courage and destroyed all the idols in the land. He also repaired the altar of the Lord. Asa even removed his mother from her position of power because she had been influential in Israel’s idolatry.

As we continue to grow in our spiritual lives, we will need to crush and burn the “idols” we have served. God calls us to redirect our course to follow him, even if that means we have to go against the crowd and separate ourselves from those who don’t contribute to our spiritual growth. As we seek to turn our lives around, God will empower and encourage us each step of the way.