I recently was speaking to a woman on the phone when she told me that her pastor denies there is such a thing as addiction because it doesn't appear in the Bible. I'm glad I was on the phone so she couldn't see my jaw drop. The word "Trinity" doesn't appear in the Bible either but I wouldn't go as far as to deny its existence. I shared with my caller that the Bible does speak through and through about idolatry of which addiction is a form. She wholeheartedly agreed.
Far too often we consider idolatry to refer to bowing down to worship little statues with big bulging bellies, yet idolatry goes far beyond that. The more common idols today are idols of the heart.
Ezekiel 14:3-5 "Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them? Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols."
When we become convicted of the grip idolatry has on our hearts I think our first cry to God is that He remove them from our lives. I remember praying that God would smash the idol at the foot of the cross - it sounds good, but it didn't happen.
"The death of an idol comes not from it ceasing to be an idol, or from its removal, but it comes from knowing that I no longer have to serve it."1
That is victorious living. By the power and presence of Jesus Christ in me, I no longer have to serve any idols. I'm free to walk in obedience. Hallelujah!!!
Diane
1 Personal Quote - Lidia Mocelo
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