1. Identity Messages
Leadership 1

2. Identity Messages Why do we believe certain things about ourselves?
What kind of baggage do we bring along with us?
Even after salvation, we can still bring wrong identity messages
Salvation is the first step. Sanctification is ongoing

3. Sanctification
Sanctification begins with salvation and brings us to a fullness of life
Salvation can bring us eternal life, sanctification enables us to live a full life on earth
Sanctification includes spiritual gifts, operating in the power of the Holy Spirit, and living free from bondage
Sanctification is ongoing

4. Idolatry stops sanctification
Exodus 32
The Israelites knew God and had encountered God powerfully and miraculously
God speaks to Moses about how priests are meant to act
Aaron the high priest then creates an idol using the gold that they give him

5. Idolatry Happens in People who know God
The Israelites knew God, knew His goodness, His power, His salvation
But they still held onto their idols
They became idolaters over time, not overnight
They experienced the silence of God and started to doubt God
In the silence, they turned to their idols

6. People have needs Matt 6:25
They turned to idols to meet their needs instead of God
In their perspective, God’s silence and Moses’ long time away was God abandoning them and not meeting their needs
They turned to an idol instead of trusting in God
We turn to idols when we have needs that God apparently cannot meet

7. What are our idols?
We may not have statues or images, but we do turn to things other than God when we are desperate or when we have a need
In tough times, what do we do to cope and to feel safe?
Aaron turned to the idol because he lacked leadership

8. Put God first no matter what
John 20:29
Jesus understands that believing without seeing is difficult, but we are blessed when we do it
We grow up with other sources for what we need – parents, friends, family, food, money, etc
These are not bad things, but they cannot be what we depend on for our lives
Don’t go back to them when life is hard

9. Jonah’s Idol Jonah 4 Jonah’s idol was emotional
Jonah got angry and wanted to die
Psalm 42:5 – challenge your emotional idol

10. Types of idols
Obvious idols are images or man made objects, people can bow to them for blessings, success, etc
Less obvious idols are things like emotions, entertainment, hobbies, work, things we enjoy doing, etc.
Not always wrong in and of themselves, but can become idols if we depend on them too much
Potential idols are things that are good but can become overbearing in our lives. E.g. health, ministry, church, family, etc