The Clean Room

Luke 11:24-26

When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.

So as I read this when I was younger, I never really thought much of it. It was something that was little more then just another story to me. But then when I was reading another book I cam across this passage and I felt like I needed to go back and read it, and when I did God revealed something to me that I could have never seen on my own.

It could go one of two ways, but I believe that it really doesn't matter. Whether Jesus meant it to be a literal spirit or just a metaphorical idea, I don't believe that it matters. The idea here is where are hearts and minds need to be, because of this.

So the issues comes down to this. There is a sin in our lives (or a spirit) that we finally get deliverance from. It leaves our body, not finding rest, so it comes back to see the place he used to dwell. When he gets there he finds the house cleaned up, yet still empty. So he finds 7 more spirits that are worse then him and brings him to this place. Now instead of being clean and free from the spirit you are now stuck with more and harsher spirits. Here is what was reveled to me, those spirits are the strong sins in our life that we continually deal with. They are that one sin that we can not beat or get over, but needed deliverance from it. So now we are finally delivered from the evil, but the problem is this... We are only clean now, but still we have not filled that house with the goodness of God. Then when the spirit comes back, he can move back in. Now are problem is back and worse then ever! Deliverance is only the first step to our freedom in Christ. The second and just as important is that we fill ourselves with the goodness that comes from Christ. That the Spirit of the Most High God comes in and fills our lives in every space and corner so there is no room for the spirit to comes back. "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you" (Psalms 119:11) That is why it is so important to open our hearts to the word of God and be filled with it daily... hourly.... every minute.... Peter said, "pray without ceasing" (1 Thes 5:17) We are to be with God all the time, because when we are not with God his glory fades from our face (like it did on Moses face after coming down from the mountain)and when it fades... it allows the darkness to creep back into our lives.

Flee from evil and seek God and you will find Him.