Gods at War Combat Journal

by Kyle Idleman

In his latest work, Kyle Idleman challenges us with the thought that perhaps all sin springs from the same source - IDOLATRY. While we may not see many "graven images" in our world today, Kyle argues that there are still countless gods passionately at war for the throne of our heart. If we put the wrong god on the throne, our lives will be thrown into chaos, and all our efforts at sin management will be futile. Only by recognizing our misplaced worship and by enthroning Jesus can we experience freedom and life.

Genres: Christian Living

205 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2012

About the author

Kyle Idleman is the teaching pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, the fifth largest church in America. The bestselling author of the award-winning book Not a Fan and AHA is a frequent speaker at conferences and events around the world. Kyle and his wife, DesiRae, have four children.

Reviews

[Katie]

Didn't finish. Not well organized and not as good as the last one.

[Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author starts with an Os Guinness quote: "Idolatry is huge in the Bible, dominant in our personal lives, and irrelevant in our mistaken estimations."

He then goes on to make the point that our sin grows out of our idolatries which is why we should guard our core, our center, spiritual hub, our heart. Prov 4:23

Idleman describes idolatry as spiritual adultery and we draw from four areas to follow our idols:
- gods of our fathers and mothers Joshua 24:14
- gods of our past Joshua 24:14
- gods of our culture Joshua 24:15
- God Himself as the true source of our worship and life Joshua 24:15

In this readable book, he then goes on to describe the gods of

The Temple of Pleasure
- food
- sex
- entertainment

The Temple of Power
- success
- money
- achievement

The Temple of Love
- romance
- family
- me

He finishes with the challenge to either draw from these broken cisterns or from the Living Water for strength and purpose in our lives

[C.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's the book that I read through halfway last year and then found it on the shelf a few days ago. And I finished the rest of the book in stride. The message is powerful, especially to those who has a fast pace life. Some of the things I got from the book is that the battlefield in our spiritual life is always at our heart. The gods of achievement, money, sex, romance, family, and most importantly god of me try to take control over my heart and in our weakness and distress, it is easy to succumb to their temptation. However, these things cannot give us ultimate rest and satisfaction. The void inside of us is meant to be filled with God. If we begin worshiping the idols, we are sure to feel empty at the end. We are meant to worship God. I am doing such a great job summarizing the book, but it's very convicting book that is timely to those who find themselves too busy and empty in the world.

[Dwain Minor · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Calvin wrote that the heart is an "idol factory". This book was a look at our ability to create idols and live for those idols without even knowing it. This book is a call to repent of serving those idols and turn to the Living God who redeemed us for Himself.