Idol worship
Many of us have burnt joss-sticks in temples, made polite bows at graves or altars, prayed to dead “saints” or “Mother Mary”, kowtowed to a martial arts, guardian deity, worshipped the Hindu kundalini spirit through yoga etc. – without knowing these are things that offend God. We may have even brought some idolatrous objects home. Through such ignorance, we create entry points to spiritual oppression and curses.
(See Chinese versions: 简体中文 > 偶像的咒诅 | 繁體中文 > 偶像的咒詛)
God will not accept those of us who have “participated with demons”, whether intentionally or not. Thankfully, we can confess to our compassionate Father in Heaven who will forgive us for our ignorance when we repent sincerely from our hearts.
1 Corinthians 10:14,20 ESV Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.
A prayer to break off the curses of idolatry
“Dear Heavenly Father,
I praise You for being the Almighty Creator of this entire universe.
Romans 1:25 ESV because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
I repent of seeking any source of power or knowledge other than You. All these have been created by Satan to deceive me and lure me away from the pure worship of my Heavenly Father. Please forgive me for my ignorance.
Galatians 4:8 ESV Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.
Jesus, Son of God, thank you for coming to destroy Satan’s works and lies in my life. Holy Spirit, please open my eyes to all the idolatrous rituals, relationships and objects that separate me from You. Today, I repent of taking part in (name all forms of idol worship, witchcraft, fortune telling, ancestor worship, bowing down before statues and people etc.)
1 John 3:8 ESV … The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
Today, I destroy all objects used for idolatry that are in my possession (for example, idolatrous artwork, lucky charms, ungodly statues, spiritual artefacts such as dreamcatchers and totem poles, ungodly fiction books and drawings etc.)
Deuteronomy 7:26 ESV And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house and become devoted to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction.
I also cut spiritual ties with (name all mediums, fortune tellers, fengshui masters, psychics, and friends that introduced you to the dark arts etc.), the spirits that operate through these people, and the places they dwell in.
Luke 11:24 ESV “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’
In the name of Jesus, I break off all spiritual ties with the demons behind (name all forms of idol worship, doctrines, cults, philosophies and false religions). I command all spirits associated with these forms of demonic oppression to leave me and submit to Jesus, in the name of Jesus.
Colossians 2:8 NLT Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.
I break all spiritual oppression and footholds over my mind, body, soul and my heart in Jesus’ name.
Holy Spirit, please come and be my Lord in every area of my life.
2 Corinthians 6:16 ESV What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
In Jesus’ name, amen.”