Introduction:

This week’s thought is what are strongholds and do I have any in my life? 

Key Text: 2 Corinthians 10:4-5. 

Today let’s look at what God was trying to tell the nation of Israel was a strong hold in their lives.

Here in Deuteronomy 32:16-17 God let’s the nation of Israel know that He is jealous of them and that Idolatry was a big stronghold in their lives. 

Deuteronomy 32:16 says They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.

Our God is a jealous God and there’s a song out there that talks about He is jealous for me and the song is called How He Loves by Crowder. 

Did you know God is jealous for you? 

What does that even mean that God is jealous for you? 

Quoting David Guzick he says in his commentary that “God’s jealousy is love in action. He refuses to share the human heart with any rival, not because He is selfish and wants us all for Himself, but because He knows that upon that loyalty to Him depends our very moral life. God is not jealous of us, He is jealous for us.

The Bible says in Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

The Bible says in Deuteronomy 4:24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

The apostle Paul even says in the NT when he’s writing to the church at Corinth he (Paul) had a godly jealousy for the church because he was trying to present the church (the people of Corinth and all the other church bodies) to Jesus as a chaste virgin meaning he was trying to present their best version of themselves to the Lord. 

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

God is jealous of our time and attention. 

Think about it like this if your married and have children. 

Your wife or husband desires your fellowship and quality time more than gifts and or what you can do for them. 

It’s the same with your children they don’t care what they get or where they go all they want is just to be with mom and dad wherever they’re at. 

That’s the same way God feels about us He sent His Holy Spirit to live in us and guide us and God wants to be part of everything in our lives.  
 
Deuteronomy 32:17 says They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.

The word devils means demons. 

Here the Bible teaches every idol isn’t just an idol it has demonic spirits attached to it. 

An idol is demonic even though we don’t think it’s evil or causes anything sinful. 

But remember an idol is anything we put above God in our relationship with Him. 

Just because you don’t pray to it or it doesn’t look like a man or it’s gold doesn’t mean that it’s not an idol. 

Someone’s idol might not be another person’s idol, everyone has their own different struggles with idolatry and Satan uses it as a stronghold against God’s people to keep them in bondage. 

How do I know if I have a stronghold of an idol in my life?

You have to ask yourself this question?

What gets most of my time, talent, and treasure?

Am I willing to make sacrifices for it more than sacrifices for God? 

My friend if your sacrifices for something whatever it is takes you away from God or the things of God and your willing to serve it more than God then you have a stronghold of idolatry in your life. 

But the good news is this with God all things are possible. 

So if you have a stronghold of idolatry instead of making up excuses about it or playing it off how about today you recognize the stronghold and then you ask God to reveal to you how to overcome that stronghold of idolatry in your life and replace with something God cares about. 

Remember everything God tells us to do in His word is always for our best and He always has the best for His children. 

Today’s Prayer:

Father God please reveal to me and let me recognize with the power of the Holy Ghost that lives inside of me to be sensitive enough to hear from You and Your Word today of a stronghold of idolatry and God I’m trusting You know what’s best for me and I’m asking for forgiveness with this stronghold and I’m asking for your help to help me overcome it in my life! 

Review:

What’s a stronghold? 
Do I have a stronghold of idolatry in my life? 
What to do when I recognize I have this stronghold in my life?
Should I seek help and advice outside of God like my with pastor, a church member, and or another leader in the church to help me with my stronghold?
Am I willing to with God’s help remove my stronghold of idolatry?