Corona Devo 470

“When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ (25) So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order. (26) Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.”  ~Luke 11:24-26

When we (with God's help) take-a-stand/separate-from/or kick-to-the-curb a bad mood, critical attitude, sinful activity or anything that God finds displeasing, we have to clean house (and heart) and lock the door.  Whatever junk that has finally "left" us is not welcome back.  Not with Jesus on duty in our hearts.   

Not today, Lord.  Not if we are in You and standing with You.  We pray Your blessing and protection over us and over the "home" and heart that we have swept clean in You.  Help us to lock-the-door on sin attempting to reenter our lives.  Amen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Was there a time when we left one bad relationship or friendship after another?  Maybe we are still in the cycle today.  Promising ourselves to "do better" and "choose better" next time...until the next time when we've opened the door again and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.” (Luke 11:26).  

Unless Jesus fills our "home" (heart), then the cycle continues.  I wish I couldn't relate, but I sure can.

Another of the "evil spirits" that I try to send "into the desert" are my reactive words, my initial-outpourings and my gut-responses.  If I am stressed, tired, impatient, and even hungry...my first-response is full of me and my self-focus, rather than being full of Christ and His Kingdom-focus.

But when we have fueled-up in Christ's spirit instead of our own...when we have we have ingested God's Word and chewed on it awhile and allowed it to nourish our souls and fortify our day...my reactions, my responses, my words are no longer "me", they are Jesus and me.  

When we are filled with Christ and His word, and thus His peace, our hearts are all swept and in order and we will behave, speak, and think accordingly.  Praise God!

When (in Christ), our former home is all swept and in order (Luke 11:25) we don't feel "attacked" by every comment or inferior to every other, because God's peace is pulsing through us.  We can know that we are loved and accepted by Him, which gives true stability to our reactions, words, and our lives.  When we are abiding with Jesus, we are swept and in order.

This isn't a "staged-showing" or a "walk-through".  We can't just "appear" to be abiding and remaining in Jesus, because (as we know), it doesn't take long for us and others to realize that "the jig is up".  The temper flares, the words are spewed, and the ugly is unleashed.  We can't fake faith and try-as-we-might, doing life "on our own" always ends poorly, and our junk pushes it's way back into our lives and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before (Luke 11:26).

I'm done with that.

We can't just "appear" to be swept and in order, we must clean house daily with Jesus and ask Him to abide in us.  To fill our hearts and harness our tongues.  To lasso our thoughts and rein-in our reactions.  

Abide in Me, and I in you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ~John 15:4

It is an amazing revelation and experiment to realize (try it today!) that when God is in us (His Word, His peace, His presence), our outlook/heart/reactions/responses are modified to contain His-point-of-view and response.  Thank goodness.  He is our only goodness.

Today, let's "clean house".  We need to recognize the repeated patterns of sin that we allow into our lives and that we open our front door to, and it's time shut the door on them.  God's word contains all of the "cleaning instructions" we need to clean, cleanse, and purify ourselves and our lives so that we can be in harmony with God.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.  ~Ephesians 4:31

And as Luke instructs (and warns us), it is not just about cleaning, it is also about refilling our hearts (homes) with Jesus and God's Word---and then locking the door.  God will change our hearts, responses and even choices if we will abide in Him and let His ways soak into us.  And the other side of that is choosing wisdom and being proactive about locking our front door to keep the riff-raff of sin and temptation from reentering.  

It will knock.  (So it returns... Luke 11:25).

Sin always returns.   But today it will find our front door locked and our home...all swept and in order (Luke 11:25).  The "order" of Jesus Christ.

Sorry, sin.  No vacancy.


Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com

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