Idols of Pride and Jealousy
The sermon warns against the dangers of holding fast to sin and the idols of pride and jealousy, and encourages listeners to repent and turn away from these idols to restore their relationship with God.
David Wilkerson addresses the destructive nature of pride and jealousy as idols that can harden the heart and blind individuals to their own sin. He emphasizes that the Holy Spirit persistently convicts believers of their sins with love and patience, but ignoring these warnings can lead to severe consequences, including spiritual blindness and judgment. The sermon reflects on King Saul's downfall due to his pride and jealousy, illustrating how these idols can separate one from God's voice and guidance. Wilkerson also highlights the story of Ephraim, who, after repenting and turning away from his idols, received clear instructions from God. The message calls for self-examination and the need to dismantle any idols in our hearts to restore our relationship with God.
Text
Anyone who holds fast to a sin will never accept truth when he hears it. Why? Bcause every sin carries with it a lie that will be accepted as truth.
When the Holy Spirit convicts a believer of a particular sin or habit, He comes again and again with loving warnings. God's Spirit is tender, patient, loving -- and He will wait for a believer to respond before He brings discipline. He will continually hammer that person's compromise with His loving conviction.
When all the wooings and warnings of the Spirit are ignored and sin takes root, the penalty is chastisement and, finally, judgment. God will allow blinding of the eyes and hardness of the heart until it becomes impossible for the habitual sinner to see his own depravity. Eventually, the hardness of his heart becomes impenetrable.
Saul's heart was under the dominion of the idols of pride and jealousy. Pride continually rose up in this man, making him jealous of David and anyone else who walked in holiness, and his heart was overcome with idolatry.
Here is the sad testimony of this idolatrous king: "And Saul answered, I am sore distressed . . . God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams" (1 Samuel 28:15). Saul could weep, seek out prophets, and pray for dreams, but the Lord answered, "No, Saul. I'm not talking to you anymore, because your heart is captivated by an idol."
The book of Jeremiah tells us that Ephraim fell under the Lord's severe chastisements because of sin. But Ephraim repented, turning away from his idols and smashing them. Here is that man's testimony: "Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed" (Jeremiah 31:19).
Do you understand what Ephraim is saying here? In essence, it is: "When I had idols [sin] in my heart, I went to the Lord for instructions. But I couldn't get a word from heaven. I didn't hear anything from God until I repented and smashed my idols to bits. Then I got clear instructions!"
Sermon Outline
- I. The Consequences of Sin
- A. Sin carries a lie that will be accepted as truth
- B. The Holy Spirit convicts believers of sin and offers loving warnings
- C. Ignoring the Spirit's warnings leads to chastisement and judgment
- II. The Dominion of Idols
- A. Pride and jealousy are common idols of the heart
- B. Idols lead to hardness of heart and impenetrability
- C. The Lord will not speak to those whose hearts are captivated by idols
- III. Repentance and Restoration
- A. Repenting and turning away from idols allows for clear instructions from God
- B. Smashing idols to bits is necessary for spiritual renewal
Key Quotes
“Sin carries a lie that will be accepted as truth.” — David Wilkerson
“When I had idols [sin] in my heart, I went to the Lord for instructions. But I couldn't get a word from heaven. I didn't hear anything from God until I repented and smashed my idols to bits. Then I got clear instructions!” — David Wilkerson
“God will allow blinding of the eyes and hardness of the heart until it becomes impossible for the habitual sinner to see his own depravity.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We must be aware of the idols in our hearts and repent of them to restore our relationship with God.
- The Holy Spirit's conviction is a loving warning, and we should respond to it before it leads to chastisement and judgment.
- Smashing idols to bits is necessary for spiritual renewal and getting clear instructions from God.