The Path Out of Spiritual Dryness: The Hidden Temptation in Storms and Plenty

We all experience times of spiritual dryness, periods where resources are low, vitality is gone, and the voice of God seems distant. Our natural inclination is to long for a break, but sometimes what we really need is a breakthrough. Hidden areas of unrecognized idolatry can sap our spiritual strength like buried infection in a body. Finding and removing these idols can result in surprising release and blessing. In this talk, we will look at the Biblical x-ray for discovering your hidden idols, as well as the practical steps to remove them. Since false gods come in different forms, we will examine the seven archetypes of idols described by Josiah in 2 Kings 23, as well as how those same idols express themselves today. The goal of this talk is to equip you with practical knowledge and skills for courageous idol removal in your life and in the lives of those you serve.

This talk addresses the following 5 topics:

1. How to Spot an Idol in Your Life Since each of us consciously and unconsciously hide our false Gods, how can you discover if they exist? And why would you want to find them?  Jeremiah 17 offers us the answer to both of these questions.

2. How You Can Initiate Breakthroughs in Your Life and the Lives of Others Josiah accomplished the most complete cleansing of the land since the time of David. What was his approach? How can we apply his strategy to our lives and the lives of others?

3. The Hidden Temptation in Storms and Plenty Baal and Asherah are the first two of seven archetypes found in 2 Kings 23. What is their nature? How were they worshipped? What do Baals and Asherahs look like today?

4. The Seductive Power of Stability and Threats Gods of the heavens (Sun, Moon, and Stars) and gods of destruction (Molech) are not often identified because of their unusual nature. Why did people worship these two kinds of gods, and where do we find them in our lives?

5. The Covert Danger of Pleasure, Victory, and Your Family Legacy These three final archetypes—Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and family gods—are also more common today than we realize. What is their nature, how do they impact us, and how can we discover and remove them?