Self-idolatry is subtle and leads to carnal Christianity 

We worship a God who holds nothing back from us. He shows Himself to be a good and faithful Father who showers us with every spiritual blessing and provides for all of our needs. His immense, consuming love makes every good thing on earth appear inconsequential by comparison. He even makes us co-heirs to Jesus’ entire inheritance! Yet we can all hold a part of ourselves back from God. Our anxieties, doubts, lies, and ties to this world mean that we still want to have the final say on our lives on this earth. We fear the prospect of losing control. This is the root of self-idolatry. We are so hard wired to think independently that we may not even realise when we are rebelling against God and quenching His Spirit. This is one reason why many do not hear God’s subtle voice on a daily basis — it is because our human will still navigates our lives.

(简体中文 > 微妙的自我崇拜导致属世俗的基督教 | 繁體中文 > 微妙的自我崇拜導致屬世俗的基督教)

 

Ephesians 1:3 NKJV  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

Romans 8:16-17 NKJV  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Self idolatry puts our thoughts, emotions, and desires ahead of God’s

Self idolatry is not only the worship and elevation of the self. It is also our reliance on ourselves to provide everything that we need; identity, security, love, comfort, healing, empowerment, affirmation, intelligence, and so on. 

To put it in its simplest terms, self-idolatry is to put our own thoughts, emotions, and desires ahead of God’s.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to follow His thoughts, His emotions, and His desires. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. God’s heart is for His children to arise, prosper, and overcome all things with His help, to think like Him and behave like Him. The Holy Spirit is the One who reveals the heart of God to His children. 

This comes about when we intentionally set aside time with the Lord and sit in His presence to meditate on Him and His Word, in prayer and worship, with no agenda except to shower our love and attention back onto the Lord. It is during these times – thirty minutes to more than one hour a day – that we will begin to hear His voice and His counsel more and more clearly. Meditating on the Lord this way is the training and discipline our flesh needs so that it comes under the Lordship of the Holy Spirit. (It also helps to go through deliverance to remove footholds that the devil has through our family and own iniquity to steal and destroy whatever the Lord has already prepared for us.)

Human beings do not naturally have the mind or emotional discipline of our perfect God. We only have a limited framework from our own life experiences to work with. God has no limitations of any kind. This is why no one can ever imagine what He has in mind for us. That is very exciting for believers who are all sold-out for God because we know there is more to our lives because the Lord is in charge of all things. On the other hand, it will be very intimidating for anyone who is a bit half-hot, half-cold for God. This is when we give God some parts of our hearts and minds but not all. The Bible calls this being lukewarm (Revelation 3:15-19) or double-minded (James 1:6-8).

Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV  Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

When we truly make Jesus God over all aspects of our lives, He will become central to all our goals and our desires. He will be our answer – not just the provider of solutions to our problems. There is a significant difference between God being our answer and going to God for answers. The first is illustrated by a heart that yearns after God, that puts all our faith in Him, that is willing to sit at His feet and wait on Him. The latter is characterised by a transactional mindset and quick answers because we just want to get on with our lives. 

Jeremiah 9:23-24 NKJV  Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord.

Few people will hold back from having an opinion of themselves and their futures, and let God decide all things for them. It can seem foolish to a Christian who is still led by his or her flesh. The Bible describes such a person as a carnal Christian. A carnal Christian struggles to experience perfect peace and witness Spirit-led miracles in their lives. 

I Corinthians 2:14-16 NKJV. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.

A spiritual Christian, on the other hand, defers all things to the Lord and is truly liberated to live to their very fullest potential, because they are led by the Spirit who created the universe. Our Creator has the perfect eternal blueprint for our lives because He is the one who fashioned us, and only He can reveal His perfect plan to us.

Romans 8:5-7 NKJV  For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 

Teachings from elemental spirits train us to idolise ourselves 

Whether we behave as spiritual or carnal people depends on how our minds are programmed. All our thought patterns are ‘programmed’ into us, whether by our surroundings, our experiences, or the ideas presented to us by the opposing spirit of this world. The Bible shows us that many ways we think about life (philosophies) are based on human traditions that are influenced by the other spirits that are found in this world. In other words, we either think according to the Holy Spirit’s counsel or according to the influence of evil spirits.

1 Corinthians 2:12-13 NKJV  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Colossians 2:8 ESV  See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Mankind was always meant to be in perfect communion with God, with our spirits fully open to His love, reassurances, guidance, and strength. Since the fall in the garden of Eden, however, Satan and other evil spirits now work overtime to take over the place of the Spirit of God in our thoughts and emotions, by encouraging us to think in carnal ways. 

Satan’s kingdom of darkness on this earth promotes carnal ways of thinking that are contrary to God’s will and destiny for us. This is how the world is now programmed to idolise themselves. We will not inherit the Kingdom of God when we are still under the influence of Satan’s kingdom on earth and continue to think like the rest of the world. This is why we all need our carnal minds to be renewed by God’s Word and the counsel of the Holy Spirit so that we are able to discern God’s good and perfect will for us. 

Galatians 5:19-21 NKJV  Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Romans 12:2 NKJV  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Below are some examples of carnal ways of thinking that need to be renewed. These examples are merely illustrative and will not apply to every situation.

Romans 8:5-6 NKJV  For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

	Carnal minded	Spiritual minded
1. We idolise our intellect Truth: God’s ways are much higher than ours and we cannot out-think or out-plan Him. (Isaiah 55:9)	“God gave me a brain and the ability to think and choose. I am sure He will leave it to me to decide. I won’t need to ask Him or wait.” | 1 Corinthians 3:18-19 NKJV  Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”;	“Unless the Lord makes the choice clear to me, I will not move (ahead of Him).” | James 4:13-15 NKJV  Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”
2. We idolise our abilities Truth: God does not choose us because of our abilities, He chooses and honours those who are humble and will follow His ways faithfully. (1 Peter 5:6-7)	“I am sure God will select me for this particular ministry because of my skills. I am the perfect candidate.” / “I have great plans for this ministry because of my skills.” | Isaiah 30:1  NKJV “Woe to the rebellious children,” says the Lord, “Who take counsel, but not of Me, And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, That they may add sin to sin;	“Wherever the Lord sends me, I will go, even if I feel under-qualified. Because it is clear that I cannot do this on my own, God will receive all the glory!” | 1 Corinthians 1:27,29 NKJV  But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty… to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.
3. We idolise good things Truth: The devil tempts us with both bad and good things. We can end up idolising things that are good. (James 1:14-15)	“This is a good thing so God must want me to have it.” | Proverbs 14: 12 NKJV  There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. “I have been a good Christian.” | Romans 3:23 NKJV  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,	“Not everything that looks good to me is actually good for me. I want only what God wants.” | Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, “Only God is good, I am simply doing my best to listen to the Holy Spirit and follow Jesus’ example.” | Matthew 19:17 NKJV  So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
4. We idolise our expectations and assumptions  Truth: We put our faith in our own human understanding more than in God’s when we presume to know how all things ought to be or turn out. (Proverbs 3:4-5)	“This is the way I expect people to behave / things to be done.” | Isaiah 5:21 NKJV  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!	“I will listen to the Holy Spirit’s counsel on all things, I will not presume anything ahead of God.” | 1 Samuel 15:23 NKJV  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry…
5. We idolise our judgments  Truth: No human being has a full understanding of every situation or person. Only the Holy Spirit has the complete truth and wisdom on any situation. (Matthew 5:22)	“This is what I judge that situation or that person to be.” | Matthew 7:1-3 NKJV  “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, Truthdo not consider the plank in your own eye?	“Only Jesus who is perfect has the right to judge anyone. I am a sinner too and I will not cast a stone at others, knowing I deserve to be stoned too.” | John 8:7 NKJV  So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”
6. We idolise our emotions  Truth: Emotions can overpower our ability to see things clearly and objectively. The devil often takes advantage of our emotions to manipulate us into doing what is contrary to God’s will for us. (James 1:14-15)	“How I feel justifies my words, actions, and decisions.” | Proverbs 29:11 NKJV  A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back.	“How I feel about this situation or this person may not be how God feels. My attitude may even be grievous to God. I should first seek His opinion and counsel.” | Galatians 5:24-25 NKJV  And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
7. We idolise our reputations Truth: We are called to do all things for God’s glory and not our own. Everything we build for ourselves will perish in eternity. What we build for God through His Spirit will last forever. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15)	“I must be accepted and admired by others for my qualities.” | Romans 1:21 NKJV  because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.	“I can be of no repute so that God’s glory is fully magnified. May people see Christ, rather than me.” | Matthew 20:26-28 NKJV  Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—

Learning to seek and listen to the Holy Spirit’s counsel

We are called to worship God in spirit and in truth. 

John 4:23-24 NKJV  But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Studying God’s eternal truths in the Bible is relatively straightforward for most of us. It is learning how to recognise the Holy Spirit’s voice in our hearts (assuming that we have already surrendered our entire heart to Him) that can be a challenge. But if we are to follow Jesus and turn from our self-idolatry, we need to hear His voice and obey Him. We do not have the ability to teach ourselves how to turn from something so ingrained in every sinful human heart if it were not for God’s help. God is alive and still speaks to His people today. We simply need to hone our spiritual ears to hear His loving counsel.

John 10:27 NKJV  My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

The Holy Spirit will help us capture our carnal thoughts and teach us how to follow God and not our own flesh – if we are willing to listen. He does this at crucial moments, at the right time and in the right place, for our good. He corrects and disciplines us for our own good so we do not stray away from God’s loving and perfect ways.

2 Corinthians 10:4-6 NKJV  For the weapons of our warfare are not [a]carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Hebrews 12:6-7 NKJV  For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”  If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 

Here are some reminders.

1. The Holy Spirit speaks through our conscience

When our conscience is pricked and grabs hold of our attention in a split of an instant, we will recognise that as the Lord gently sounding an alarm in our spirits. Let us be sure not to harden our hearts. Instead, we ought to follow our conscience to do that which is righteous in God’s eyes, even if it is not always convenient or comfortable for our carnal nature. In order to walk as new creations, we need to leave our old carnal ways crucified to the cross.

Hebrews 3:15 NKJV  while it is said:  “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

Galatians 5:24 NKJV  And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

2. The Holy Spirit speaks on all sorts of matters, not just the big ones

When our hearts are fully open to the Lord, the Holy Spirit will have spontaneous conversations with us at any time. He does not only speak when we pray. He speaks in the midst of the mundane and everyday things of life. Sometimes, he graciously drops brilliant answers into our spirits even before we know how to ask Him for help. He will reassure us of God’s undying love for us. In addition, He will also warn us, correct us and discipline us.

Romans 5:5 NKJV  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

3. The Holy Spirit speaks to us, whether we feel worthy of God or not

Jesus came to save sinners. We can fall for the lie that God won’t listen or speak to us because we are not good enough, but it is precisely because we fall short that God comes to personally help us and lift us up. He does this because He is a good Heavenly Father. His goodness does not change nor is it dependent on us. God never rejects anyone who humbly seeks Him. It is the proud He resists, not the humble. The Lord is exceptionally merciful because He is the Source of all love.

1 Timothy 1:15-16 NKJV  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.

James 4:6-7 NKJV  But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:  “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 

4. The Holy Spirit speaks through our imaginations

God gave us the gift of imagination so that He can show us things in the unseen that we cannot perceive with our physical eyes. When we receive spontaneous ideas, visions, and dreams, we need to discern if these are from God or from evil spirits. To do so, we can simply ask the Lord, “Holy Spirit, are these thoughts from You?”

Job 33:14-18 NKJV  For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds, Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction. In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man, He keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.

Note: If we can’t seem to fight off a “torrent” of abusive, dark, murderous, sexually lustful, resentful, bitter and hateful thoughts, we can be sure those are from evil spirits. In which case, we can simply say out loud, “I command you to go away in Jesus’ name” and they will stop. 

5. The Holy Spirit speaks through our feelings

God created all our emotions. The fruit of the Holy Spirit includes emotions such as love, joy, and peace. God’s Spirit can use our emotions to get our attention. For example, if we don’t feel any peace about a situation, then it is very likely that the Lord is not endorsing it. His warning can also feel like a quickened heartbeat, dread, or unease. Sometimes, He can also allow us to feel what others feel so that we can demonstrate God’s mercy and compassion towards them because we can literally feel what they are feeling.

Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

6. The Holy Spirit speaks in gentle ways

Love is not controlling, it does not insist on its own way. God is love and He is not forceful, domineering, or harsh. His voice can seem like a gentle knock on our hearts and resonate with our thoughts. We need to cultivate a quiet spirit so we can hear His voice clearly and immediately. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV  Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Revelation 3:20 NKJV  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Rest in the Lord and seek His counsel daily

Walking with God is an exciting and fulfilling journey, it is the best relationship that we can ever experience here on earth and for all eternity. 

Let us choose to prioritise and cultivate our relationship with the Lord through personal times of worship and Bible reading. He will respond and reward us when we spend time with Him privately, away from people and the influences of this world.

Matthew 6:6 NKJV  But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

It will also help to regularly fast from all food for two days, and drink only water. The carnal flesh will cry out and protest initially but the more regularly we do these 2-day (or more) fasts, the more the noise from our flesh will be subdued and brought under the lordship of the Holy Spirit. 

We can choose to start our daily times with the Holy Spirit with a prayer like this, “Lord, today, I crucify and die to the passions of my flesh and quiet my spirit to listen to Your Spirit. Please speak and open the eyes of my heart to see the things that You want me to see. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.” God is our shield and our exceedingly great reward!

Genesis 15:1 NKJV  After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

Testimony: Laying down expectations to experience the fullest of the Holy Spirit’s presence

“I didn’t realise the depths of my ‘stuff’ before my inner healing and deliverance prayer session. The week before, God gave me a song, “Forgiveness by Matthew West”. I could not get enough of this song; it was on repeat over and over. “Ok God, I get it, You are going to forgive me for all of the rubbish in my past then I can be really free to accept Your love”. 

During the prayer time, the Holy Spirit gently revealed that it was I who needed to forgive, accept situations for how they are, and let go of all my grudges. 

I confessed how I felt my family members should be like. I confessed how I longed for them to show true love for each other and actually more importantly, how I wanted them to show love and unconditional regard towards me. 

As I grew up, I felt judged and not good enough. I always seemed to have to ‘do by my own works’ to gain approval. Even when I tried my hardest to do something to deserve some love, I never felt satisfied with what I received. As I left home, I continued to seek acknowledgement from others. I would try everything in my power to be loved. 

Following this confession, God held out His hand and let me know that He loved me so very dearly. He encouraged me to delve deep in my heart and forgive each person for not being someone who I felt love from. God very clearly told me that in brokenness and dark secrets that hold other people back from freedom, I can be a source of light and love to them. It’s not about me and my feelings or how I want people around me to be different but how I can become light and love in their eyes and point them to Jesus. I am so loved as a child of Christ that I do not need to look outwards anymore for this hole to be filled from others.

Surrender came through the grace of God and not through my own strength. God was going to forgive me for my stuff when I had really forgiven others deep in my heart (Matthew 6:14-15).

As I woke up the following morning and got into my routines, the Holy Spirit’s presence was so strong within me. As I put make up on, I was told that I was beautiful already and I didn’t need to put on foundation, mascara etc. I felt so full of the Holy Spirit that morning; a love and joy that I had never felt before. I didn’t want to go to work and longed for lunchtime when I could be quiet with Him.

My spirit and soul are now connected to His will and His immense love for me. It is only now that I have been released then I am free to rejoice in His boundless love. I know my identity in Him. I am a child of Christ who is so fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). My soul is overflowing with His love for me. I know He wants all of us to feel this joy and unconditional love. 

We seek to find God but the Holy Spirit comes behind us and guides us. The glory of the Lord is now my will. My God, I will praise you forever.”

May this sharing be a blessing to you as you seek to love the Lord with all your heart and follow the Holy Spirit as a spiritual person.