Book Review: gods at war by Kyle Idleman

Kyle Idleman believes all of the issues we face in our spiritual development can be traced back to one word: idolatry.  In gods at war, he details the various gods that compete for the affection of our hearts.  As he states in his book, “Idolatry isn’t just one of many sins; rather it is the one great sin from which all others come.”

Idleman’s assessment rings true with Scripture;  the first commandment “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” is the foundational truth from which the Mosaic Law is established.  As a matter of fact, the entire law, as Jesus prescribed, is built upon the premise, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God.”

Most of us have no desire to erect funny-looking statues in our homes, or dance around cows made of gold; however, if we were honest, there are “things” that squeeze God out of His proper place in our lives.  These “things” are not innocent “things” at all.  They are gods that strive for our attention and adoration.  Ultimately, as Idleman contends, the real idol is self.  This is what wooed Adam and Eve to the forbidden fruit- the deceptive promise that they would be as gods.

Our greatest struggle is self.  Someone told me years ago that I only needed two truths to succeed in life: one, God does exist, and two, I am not Him.  Kyle Idleman would agree with such a notion.

This is a great read.  Eye-opening and honest, gods at war will cause you to tear down the shrines, and rid your heart of the false gods that have found lodging in your life.  This has been one of my favorite books to read this year.  Favorite quotes from the book include:

“Disproportionate disappointment reveals that we have placed intense hope and longing in something other than God.”

“God is jealous for your heart, not because He is petty or insecure, but because He loves you.  The reason why God has such a huge problem with idolatry is that His love for you is all-consuming.  He loves you too much to share you.”

“God withholds His blessing in the very areas in which we lift up false gods.  You shouldn’t expect God to help you down the path of chasing after an idol.  He’s not going to bless the areas of your life that are robbing Him of His place on the throne of your heart.”

“When something good becomes a god, the pleasure it brings dies in the process”

“How often do we live with good intentions of spending time with Jesus and turning our heart toward Him only to find at the end of the day that’s the one thing on our checklist we never got around to?”