The Principality of Idolatry

The principality of idolatry is the ninth principality of Satan. The objective of this principality of Satan is to cause mankind to worship anything other than the one true God; and its attendant power is the spirit of idolatry. This prince has at his disposal two captains—ahab and unbelief—and all lower ranking principalities and powers like tradition, lying, disobedience, emulation, judgment, hate, bitterness, etc. to use to fulfill his objective. The spirit of ahab is named after king Ahab who abdicated his authority as king to his wife Jezebel. The objective of this spirit is to cause mankind to abdicate their God-given authority to others: to evade responsibility by relinquishing control. This abdication is often done in an attempt to placate or please others over pleasing God. To embrace abdication is to embrace idolatry.

The passage of the traditions of men, especially contrary to the commandments of God, from generation to generation has spawned what we know now to be the spirit of idolatry. We begin with our discussion of this unclean spirit here. Worship of on self, others, things, or on our own version of God is idolatry. In the Old Testament, examples of idolatry were primarily external, often the work of men's hands; things like images, statues, trees, stars, planets, etc.; however, in the New Testament they are primarily internal (strong holds—idols of the heart). These strong holds manifest in our worship of self, others, and even in God himself (we will pick and choose aspects of God to believe in). "Ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more" (Judges 10:13). "For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens" (1 Chronicles 16:25-26). Simply stated, idolatry is worship of something or someone before God, anything. This means desire for: wealth, marriage, healing, breakthrough, or anything else. All these things represent forms of misdirection (we focus more heavily on this in "The Principality of Witchcraft" section) and function in two different ways. First, they mislead us by causing us to take our attention from the true and living God. Second, they deceive us into thinking they are actually real. In sum, these idols speak to us and we speak back. They speak to us to cause our concentration to falter from the God who saved us. We then respond to them giving them the power that they never had from the beginning. If we truly want God, however, we must choose: we cannot emphasize things and God. They are mutually exclusive: "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Matthew 6:24). We either want prosperity or we want God. We either want favor or we want God. We either want our healing or we want God. Even if we claim these things are all God's will for our lives we cannot FOCUS on them both. "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). We must remember that focusing on these things is akin to loving them, if the choice is between them and God. The scriptures below illustrate these points,

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40)

Idol: Self

Many Christians have not "denied themselves" as commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:24); rather, they serve themselves but profess that they serve the Lord. "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me" (Matthew 15:8). They are entangled with love of this world: the "love" of this world is an imitation (2 Corinthians 11:14) of the love of God, it is not based on truth, charity, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance; but rather, it is based on a foundation of lies, idolatry, pride and lust. (John 8:44; 1 John 2:15-17). Said another way, they are bound with a strong hold of love. The "love" of this world keeps us in the flesh—keeps us in carnality—and distracts us from always pleasing God. We focus more on pleasing our close "loved" ones: the closest being ourselves. The love of this world requires that self be served, that recompense is made. The love of this world is conditional and self-serving (Luke 6:32-34). The "love" of this world keeps us centered in idolatry: pleasing others and expecting others to please us. "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26, 33). We care more about what others think and say about us instead of basking in what God thinks of us (Jeremiah 29:11; Acts 10:35; Romans 14:17-19; Ephesians 1:5-6). All our cares should be cast upon the Lord (Psalm 55:22). The "love" of this world has been engrained in us before we turn five years old. This love, however, must ALL be directed to God and not split amongst God and those close to us: "thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength" (Mark 12:29-31). We are to exchange the "love" of this world for God's love (agape): charity; because, charity "envieth not ... seeketh not her own" (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). Our faith is contingent on our hope being in the Lord (Jeremiah 17:7; Hebrews 11:1), our life being focused on always pleasing God (John 8:29), our belief being in God and his Word (Hebrews 11:6), and our love being completely focused on God. "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love" (Galatians 5:6).

Idol: False Jesus

Many Christians focus not on the Word of God but on the false images of God. For instance, when a pastor challenges with "do you love Jesus?" Instead of people rightly interpreting love to mean keep God's commandments, they interpret love to be a feeling (carnal), and Jesus to be a weak, blue-eyed, effeminate man. What's more, these Christians do not want all of God, they only want the aspects of God that benefit them. Many like to worship Jehovah-Jireh, who is supposedly the Lord God my provider; however, this is not even a name of God (see "Personal Savior"). This idolatry is also seen in those caught in the lies of Pentecostalism. They believe that the least significant gift, talking in unknown tongues, is actually the greatest gift (see "God Bearing Witness") and that by it they are accepted of God.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (Romans 1:18-25)

Not surprisingly, in many churches, people cherish the images of Jesus. They exalt the work of men's hands, kneeling before these images claiming that they love the one who is being represented by the image (see "Images of Jesus" for more on this). This is idolatrous.

Idol: Pastor "Jesus"

Many Christians idolize the pastors, especially the "Senior Pastor," making them the head, making them Jesus, making them the way, the truth, and the life. This is apparent every time the "Senior Pastor" goes out of town; attendance at services decreases. They prefer to hear from man not from God as did the children of Israel with Moses: "And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die" (Exodus 20:19). The children of Israel continued to show this sentiment when desiring to have a king that was not God in 1 Samuel 8:6-7 (see "The People" for more on this). This is bad because God proclaimed: "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD" (Jeremiah 17:5). And, as can be derived from the following verse, who we serve determines who we worship: "And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish" (Deuteronomy 8:19). Jesus commands that "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve" (Luke 4:8) and Paul adds "ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men" (1 Corinthians 7:23); because, "no servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and" (Luke 16:13) man (Romans 1:25). We "by love serve one another" (Galatians 5:13): "serve" in this instance means "do service"; hence, "With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men" (Ephesians 6:7).

Moreover, like the many idols of the children of Israel, the images of these ministers are proliferated through varied media. Often, in this age of church marketing and self-marketing, the "Senior Pastor's" picture and name are on billboards, on the church website, in the church lobby, in the church bulletin, in the materials handed out to visitors, on banners hanging in the church building, etc. Many of these pastors have Public Relations specialists working to elevate them to celebrity status. These pastors are often on television, radio, streaming video, and other media; and often participate in large (mega-sized) so-called "Christian" conferences. "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted" (Matthew 23:11-12). Many of these same pastors will preach against church marketing and idolatry of themselves; yet, they do not change their own actions or marketing strategies. This is hypocrisy at its best. Tell the congregation that you are against it and redirect their eyes to look at other churches, but not within. Here are scriptures and judgments God stipulates for people like this: "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise ... For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth" (2 Corinthians 10:12, 18). And, "Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them" (Ezekiel 34:10). See "Church Leadership" for more on this.

Idol: Dumb Sheep

A particularly insidious lie from church leaders is to tell the people that they cannot understand the Word of God; that they have to ask their pastor or another church leader. The sheep are not part of the inner-circle, they are un-anointed dumb sheep, and they are without. They use the following scripture to falsely justify this position: "And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables" (Mark 4:10-11). These church leaders promote themselves as the fountains of knowledge; that is, as those that are within ("Unto you it is given to know"). They elevate themselves as one of the Old Covenant prophets who God spoke through to the people. Because of this false teaching, in the opposite direction of what we saw in the previous sub-section (Pastor "Jesus"), the leader gets the people indoctrinated with the notion that they simply have to trust in him as the leader, as their head.

Idol: My Prosperity

One of the key idols in the church today is financial prosperity or, more to the point, the love of money (avarice). "For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely" (Jeremiah 6:13). This, even though Jesus said "Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God" (Mark 10:24)! The prosperity of God is peace (Psalm 122:7); whereas the prosperity of the world is riches—financial prosperity. The righteous focus on the prosperity of God, however, the ungodly focus on the prosperity of the world: "Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches" (Psalm 73:12). At a recent church service, the presiding pastor preached a powerful sermon on the need for faith. At the end of the sermon he called to the pulpit all those that wanted to be free from the "spirit of poverty" (see "Understanding Deliverance" for more on this false spirit). He stated that the Lord had told him that there was a spirit of poverty in the church. He translated poverty, however, to be a lack of money instead of a lack of faith caused by doubt, unbelief and judgment. This is like a doctor that diagnoses that a person has brain cancer, yet only prescribes medication for hair loss. "Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols." (Ezekiel 20:16). The prosperity God has for us is Jesus Christ: "in me ye might have peace" (John 16:33), for "my grace is sufficient for thee" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Why are we seeking anything else? See "Prosperity" for more on this.

The Lord Told Me?

Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to inquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself: And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him; That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 14:6-11)

The result of having idols is the inability to hear God's will; all you hear are your idols speaking. How many inquiries or prayers have been made in the church over the past years from a foundation of idolatry? Is our current crisis caused by erroneous prophecy uttered through deceived prophets as we see in the scriptures below? For those church leaders that actually hear from God, are they hearing his perfect will or are they hearing their idols speaking? Is it any wonder that those with an idol of financial prosperity interpret scriptures from that mindset? There is big business in idolatry, as we will see in this next section.

And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee. (1 Kings 22:19-23)

The entrenchment of the principality of idolatry creates a strong hold in the mind of the infected person to worship anything other than the one true God. What's more, the powers of this principality, the spirits of idolatry, ahab and unbelief, work to cement their place in the person through false practices. The person learns to idolize the images of the traditions of the world, to put pleasing self, others, or things above pleasing God, and to operate in unbelief: "for they say, the LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth" (Ezekiel 8:12). Tradition caused the infected person to put stock in the traditions and belief of the world, and idolatry puts in place worship of the images of the traditions of the world. It is now an easy transition to believe the things of God can be accomplished by their own power and might. In other words, the infected person is now susceptible to entrepreneurship.

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