"For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." If any of you have read my latest article, A Babbling Fool, you will have learned that I struggle with my words, especially when I have been offended. Regardless of my excuse for speaking harshly- reading this text in the latter part of verse 34, stirred my soul- deep. If I show lack of integrity when I get upset at someone, what does that say about my heart? For "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Yuck. So if I spit out words of discouragement, insult or anything that would tear down someone rather than build them up- what then, is to make of my heart? There's obviously some filth that needs to be worked out. What comes out of your mouth? What is your heart overflowing with? Jesus says in verses 36-37, "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
Let's discuss verse 43-45: [Jesus talking] "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation."
I can totally see how this text lived out in my life. When I was addicted to pornography, I would have a day of extreme temptation, and instead of watching for the way out that Jesus provides, I'd surrender to the temptation and sin against God. After the sin had been done, I would ask for forgiveness, truly sorry for letting myself get in a mess with outright ungodliness. I would get right with God, clean up my act and get my house"empty, swept, and put in order". The problem was, I wasn't putting on the armor of God, I wasn't taking precautionary measures to make sure porn wasn't an option anymore- even if that meant getting rid of my computer. Although I was sorry for what I did, it was more because of the consequences for my action- guilt, confession, shame. It wasn't because I hated the sin. Deep to my core, I knew this, and I knew that when tomorrow came, I would struggle with it again, giving in to the temptation.
When you don't truly repent, you are still allowing the evil one to have a stronghold on your life. When a stronghold is on your life, you are allowing the evil spirit to come back with more spirits, making your temptation harder. Remember, Satan doesn't care what you are doing, but to Whom you are doing it against. Satan wants you as far away from God as possible. To bring in more evil spirits means the stronghold is larger on your life. This text says, "and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first." It wasn't until I completely surrendered my struggle to Jesus, meaning full repentance- x3watch on my computer (www.x3watch.com) -with my mother and husband being the accountability partners; only use of computer allowed was when my husband was home; if necessary, no use of the computer at all; and cancellation of Netflix. Some may seem that was extreme. Yes, it was. But in order to live a godly life pleasing to Jesus, we sometimes need to take drastic measures to maintain purity. That's what I had to do. Since I had on the full armor of God in addition to taking extreme precautions, I began to honestly hate the sin. My repentance at that time was sincere, so the evil spirits had to leave, and I didn't invite them back. I have been porn-free now for over two years.
Are you aware that your sin, if not repented for, invites the evil one to have strongholds on you? Have you experienced temptation like mine, where it seemed that every time you went back into a particular sin, you noticed the temptation to be greater? Is your house "empty, swept and put in order" or have you allowed Jesus to completely cleanse it? There's a difference when we just tidy up, and when Jesus comes in and makes it clean. What is the Holy Spirit pointing out to you today that needs a good "Jesus cleaning"? Confess and repent today.
~Leanne~
Let's discuss verse 43-45: [Jesus talking] "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation."
I can totally see how this text lived out in my life. When I was addicted to pornography, I would have a day of extreme temptation, and instead of watching for the way out that Jesus provides, I'd surrender to the temptation and sin against God. After the sin had been done, I would ask for forgiveness, truly sorry for letting myself get in a mess with outright ungodliness. I would get right with God, clean up my act and get my house"empty, swept, and put in order". The problem was, I wasn't putting on the armor of God, I wasn't taking precautionary measures to make sure porn wasn't an option anymore- even if that meant getting rid of my computer. Although I was sorry for what I did, it was more because of the consequences for my action- guilt, confession, shame. It wasn't because I hated the sin. Deep to my core, I knew this, and I knew that when tomorrow came, I would struggle with it again, giving in to the temptation.
When you don't truly repent, you are still allowing the evil one to have a stronghold on your life. When a stronghold is on your life, you are allowing the evil spirit to come back with more spirits, making your temptation harder. Remember, Satan doesn't care what you are doing, but to Whom you are doing it against. Satan wants you as far away from God as possible. To bring in more evil spirits means the stronghold is larger on your life. This text says, "and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first." It wasn't until I completely surrendered my struggle to Jesus, meaning full repentance- x3watch on my computer (www.x3watch.com) -with my mother and husband being the accountability partners; only use of computer allowed was when my husband was home; if necessary, no use of the computer at all; and cancellation of Netflix. Some may seem that was extreme. Yes, it was. But in order to live a godly life pleasing to Jesus, we sometimes need to take drastic measures to maintain purity. That's what I had to do. Since I had on the full armor of God in addition to taking extreme precautions, I began to honestly hate the sin. My repentance at that time was sincere, so the evil spirits had to leave, and I didn't invite them back. I have been porn-free now for over two years.
Are you aware that your sin, if not repented for, invites the evil one to have strongholds on you? Have you experienced temptation like mine, where it seemed that every time you went back into a particular sin, you noticed the temptation to be greater? Is your house "empty, swept and put in order" or have you allowed Jesus to completely cleanse it? There's a difference when we just tidy up, and when Jesus comes in and makes it clean. What is the Holy Spirit pointing out to you today that needs a good "Jesus cleaning"? Confess and repent today.
~Leanne~
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