Empty or Full

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

EMPTY OR FULL

Luke 11:24-26

24 "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.' 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 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." 

NIV

These words are still in response to either the challenge of driving out demons by the power of Beelzebub or wanting a sign to prove he is the Messiah. The thought was commonly believed that evil spirits dwelled in the parched places of Israel, and that is what Jesus speaks about. However, the truth is regarding those Jews who were living by the law, and began to believe in Him, being set free from their harsh laws they expanded into over six hundred rules and regulations, then did not stay with their thinking about Jesus being the Messiah, and could not overcome their need for the law, returned to their former beliefs and thus were worse off then before they ever believed. But how does this apply to our lives? Surely, we were once controlled by evil spirits, even those who were born into a Christian home, for they did not exit the womb saved from their sins because they trusted in Jesus Christ and accepted him as their Lord and Savior. For we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, there is none righteous, no not one. What we wonder is because Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within us, first, to convict us of our sins and need for repentance, then after we have changed the way we think, turn from our wicked ways, being under the rule of Satan, and accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we have been swept clean, but if we do not also accept the Holy Spirit, then perhaps we would still be swept clean. Then, if we are only swept clean, but not filled with the Spirit, is it possible we might return to our old way of thinking and be worse off than before we ever accepted Jesus. We know we use the phrase; we have Jesus in our hearts, but that is not possible for Jesus is in heaven. Maybe we are simply saying that the attitude of our hearts and minds is bent toward Jesus.  However, we can have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, for Jesus sent Him to us. It is the Spirit who leads us, who directs us into all truth, leading us away from the untruth we once lived under. But if we do not accept His leading, then perhaps we might be in danger of returning to our former thinking, that we have our own truth, like what Jesus was saying about those Jews who could return to their truth of the law. Would knowing Jesus but not understanding the truth because we did not accept the baptism of the Spirit, but continued to think from our own way of thinking would cause us to be worse off than before ever knowing Jesus? Maybe we would become so invested in trying to follow rules and regulations that we have devised from what we think the bible says, that we are truly not set free, but actually worse off because we are looking at the law instead of Jesus. Just a thought, can’t be sure if that fits or not, but could it be true? Being swept clean is great, but then being filled with the Spirit finalizes our changed thinking, warding off any attempts of evil to return. Therefore, we should never be empty, but full.