Enmity with God has a root cause in idolatry. Idolatry opens a door to many evils.
From my personal experience that’s now tested, in order to overcome all lusts, you must start by pulling down your mental structures of idolatry.
Evil spirits attracted to us by idolatry, contribute to our thoughts and personalities. Some may be more dominant than others in a person depending on the environment.
Idolatry binds a soul to a fellowship with the world at the expense of that exclusive worship of the living God. It comes through what you can see or feel.
1 John 2: 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world — the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God remains forever.…
The devil tried to use the same trick to tempt Jesus to worship him. He displayed the same items of glamour he uses to tempt humans.
You may ask how come that the devil tempted Jesus knowing that Jesus was a son of God!
There are several reasons. One, the devil knew that Jesus was purely human just like us and therefore subject to temptation. It had worked with other humans, why not Jesus.
The other reason was that tempting humans was and is still is his nature, he can’t help it!
Mathew 4 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’e ” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
We have no excuse to engage in Idolatry. When the devil takes us to those high mountains and shows us how we can live in glory and splendour from the world if we bend our will to him and compromise then we become enemies of God. We need to say no just like Jesus said. God has prepared for us better things.
1 Corinthians 2:9 However, as it is written:“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,and what no human mind has conceived”
the things God has prepared for those who love him
The scripture below uses the word ‘adulterous’ referring to the fellowships we have with the world.
James 4:4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
Here adultery was the prostituting of oneself to idols, that is glitz and glamor in the world.
When idolatry creeps in and takes root in us, dependence on God diminishes and is replaced by a materialistic approach to life. Reference to God is left only on our lips.
We may walk around as if we have God’s power but it’s only a form of Godliness that is hollow and impotent to the power of satan.
2 Timothy 3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power…
It’s the Holy Spirit dwelling in us that gives a Christian the true power. The Holy Spirit will not dwell in a Christian who has given their heart to idolatry because they are enemies of God
May God richly bless you!
[Article Author: Joseph GM]
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