Stretch Yourself

Heart Guide for Lesson 22:
No More Idols

Pray over the root issues!  Keep sowing these prayers into the three areas that most powerfully bind you to wrong desire and wrong behaviors through your own unwitting agreements with an enemy.  If you have things in your life you can't just say 'no' to that are not of God, then there has been mental and emotional "programming' by the enemy to make his lies seem more believable than God's Truth

It may take some serious 're-programming' in truth to undo the damage. But be encouraged: whatever got in can be gotten out - if you persevere in believing Truth the way your heart once persevered in believing the lie. It takes a genuine determination to declare that there will be no more idols that you believe in, but a love of the truth—and of the One who is Truth—will see you through.

Lie #1: The Lie of the Idol

Father, I confess that I have wanted and craved __________ (substance, wrong behavior, compulsion, negative emotion). It has become an idol to me and in my heart of hearts I keep believing that I need it. And yet the truth is that through it I have not only fellowshipped with demons, I have served them and been enslaved by them to do their will. Forgive me and break its power over me. I fully acknowledge that these desires and behaviors are wrong. Help me to see that they are also untrue. Expose the lies of the idol to me: I do not need it for me to be mended or to be fulfilled. I only need You and what You show me is right for me. I cast down all of my previous beliefs in the lies this idol represents. Thank you for telling me the truth and giving me grace to be able to turn from darkness to light.

Lie #2: The Lie of the Wounded Heart

Father, I confess and renounce my pattern(s) of putting the blame for my besetting sins and messed up emotional life on others. These are my sinful reactions and I am taking total responsibility for why I chose in my heart to respond to the conditions of my life in these ways. No one held a gun to my head and made me choose fear and un-forgiveness or substances or any other deeply held sinful state as a way of life. By taking responsibility for all of my choices, I am taking back authority over my heart and life. I am now giving my life to my God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) as You have always wanted me to - in complete trust and surrender and genuine willingness to obey You and walk in Your ways. You will help me learn how to deal with my emotions because You are the best Teacher on earth and Your love cannot fail. You will help me get my life back so that I am the head and not the tail where my emotional reactions are concerned. By retaking responsibility for all of my thoughts, emotions and reactions, I am retaking freedom of my will to exercise authority over my life.

Lie #3: The Lie of the Distorted Image

Father, I confess that I have run to idols, rather than to You. I have tried to find an answer to my pain and my longing in lesser things and it has been to my ruin. Thank You for loving me even while I was turning away from You. I now see that You really are the joy-filled, all-loving Father that my heart has been aching to know. Your love really is the answer to my wounded heart. And so I confess that I have not fully believed in Your love. I have let the enemy and my own life experiences build up false images about You that have kept me from running to You. But those days are ending now! From now on I will fight to believe in the truth about You that Jesus is revealing to me. I will fight to run to You when I am beset. I will seek Your grace even in my places of deepest disgrace. Let Your perfect love cast out all of my fears!

Return to No More Idols: Head to Heart Guides for more ways to go deeper into these truths or stay 'on course' by going to the...