Deaf and Dumb Spirit
… Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief… Jesus rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him
(Mark 9:24-25 KJV).
Idolatry, is it only a gold statue of Buddha or the many-handed Shiva of Hinduism? No, an idol does not have to be an object as Christians may assume. In fact, many Christians have idols. Apostle John warned believers saying “Little children keep yourself from idols (1John 5:21).”
Idolatry aligns with any thought that does not obey Christ. If you have a false belief system, a lie, that governs your behavioral patterns you are moving in idolatry. Today we see a proliferation of so-called body art, is this also a sign of idolatry? The tattoo, a graven image produced by the shedding of blood, often represents a source of strength, protection or comfort for those who choose it to adorn their body. The tattoo itself is not the idol but the motive behind getting the tattoo is.
The greatest harm idolatry produces in us is a heart of unbelief. Jesus said, "Anything is possible if a person believes." Have you ever examined how fear or false expectation, which is essentially unbelief, leads you? Where is your source of comfort or reassurance, is it the Holy Spirit, sacred scripture, or meaningless rituals? A deaf and dumb spirit rules over many in the church today. Highly educated and schooled in modern day technology yet when it comes to the unseen world, we sorely lack understanding. Let us turn from every idol to serve the invisible God.