Luke 11:24-26

Christians are not perfect.  When we see the faults in ourselves, we often find various ways to try to “clean” ourselves up.  We will say things like, “I will pull myself up out of this,” or “I will do better next time,” or “I will just be more patient,” or whatever it may be.  Then comes the inevitable failure, at least for me and others that I have observed.

I was struck by this recently and these verses came to mind.  Luke 11:24-26 says, “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, I will return unto my house from where I came out.  And when he comes back, he finds the house swept and decorated.  Then he goes, and takes to himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter into the house, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” [KJV paraphrased]

Of course, Jesus is speaking here of actual devils which He had been casting out.  However, as I pondered these verses, I found a metaphorical application to my life.  Things that are against God’s will in our lives are listed (among other places) in Galatians 5:19-21 as sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealously, outburst of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things.  When I think of these acts which are opposite of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23 (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control), I think of them as unclean spirits.  When we try to “clean ourselves up” by saying, “I will never do this again”, it is as if we are telling that “unclean spirit” to leave our home.  However, when we clean ourselves up, and we do not replace the space with something clean (a fruit of the Spirit) then, metaphorically from Luke 11:24, this spirit looks around for a place to inhabit.  It seeks seven other spirits even more wicked and returns to the home!

Here is what I find true experientially.  When I fight a sin in my life, something that is opposite the fruit of the Spirit, and I decide that I will no longer follow that area of sin nature in my life, I struggle.  Oh, I may overcome for a few days… but then, I STRUGGLE.  It often appears that I am tested all the more in that area of my life (meaning tempted to fall back into my old ways), and I become worse and not better. 

Jesus, of course, gave us the remedy for this.  If we back up in the Luke passage a bit, Jesus is telling that when a stronger man comes to a weaker man, the stronger can overcome the weaker.  For us, that stronger man is really the Holy Spirit Himself.  How does this work out practically?  Again, the fruit of the Spirit is listed in Galatians 5:22-23 and will be seen in our lives if we are walking in the Spirit.  Jesus tells us in John 15 to abide in Him and He will abide in us.  We all know that Jesus is that strong man who we need.  He wants to ABIDE in US!  If that were the case, wouldn’t it be difficult for unclean spirits to take up residence in our home (i.e. in our lives)?  Jesus goes on in John 15:7 and states, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”  There is the second part of the equation (so-to-speak).  When we clean ourselves up, we cannot replace the negative thoughts and actions with decorations (from Luke 11:25); instead, we must replace those thoughts and deeds with the Word of Christ.  Then, we must ASK Him to do the work in us to change us.  Jesus even goes on in John 15 to tell us that He spoke these things to us so that His joy may remain in us (not come to us… but REMAIN in us).  In Luke 11, Jesus tells us the following: 

Luke 11:9-13 “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.  For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.  If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

What is my take-away from all of this?  If I want there to be a difference in my life, where I look more like Jesus and less like an unclean spirit, then I need to do the following things: soak myself in God’s Word, ask for the Holy Spirit and abide in Christ.  I need to keep my eyes focused on the stronger one (Jesus Christ) and not on myself to do the cleaning of my home.

Oh God, I am asking for more of your Holy Spirit in my life.  I am asking you to abide fully within me as I submit my ways to you.  I am asking you to take away the uncleanness in my heart and lead me in the paths of righteousness as I set my eyes on You and You alone.  In the words of King David from Psalm 139, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.