“When a defiling evil spirit is expelled from someone, it drifts along through the desert looking for an oasis, some unsuspecting soul it can bedevil. When it doesn’t find anyone, it says, ‘I’ll go back to my old haunt.’ On return it finds the person spotlessly clean, but vacant. It then runs out and rounds up seven other spirits more evil than itself and they all move in, whooping it up. That person ends up far worse off than if he’d never gotten cleaned up in the first place.
“That’s what this generation is like: You may think you have cleaned out the junk from your lives and gotten ready for God, but you weren't hospitable to my kingdom message, and now all the devils are moving back in.”
Matthew 12:43-45 The Message
We work hard to clean up our act so we can get right with God. And by sheer will, we might be able to do it, but can we sustain it? That's what this passage is about.
For instance, we've all known someone (or have been that someone) who quit using, or quit drinking, or lost lots of weight, only to start using, drinking or bingeing all over again. That's what happens when we try to do it in our own strength. We need the Eternal God to provide not only salvation, but also eternal, everlasting change and transformation in our lives. We may be spotlessly clean, but we are vacant when we do it ourselves.
We are to be filled with the Holy Spirit. In the Greek, 'filled' actually interprets to be 'furnished'. If we are filled/furnished by the Holy Spirit, there is not going to be room for any evil to come back into our lives. God posts the "No Vacancy" sign when He comes to dwell in us. Praise His Holy Name!
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for the provision You have made through Your Son - that when Christ sets us free, we are free indeed. Fill us, Father, with Your Holy Spirit, and guard our hearts and minds. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
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