This morning, my husband told me that the “Friends” actor, Matthew Perry, succumbed to his addictions and died in his hot tub. That is indeed very sad. But it also brought to mind the words/warning of Jesus I had just read in my quiet time:
“When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.” Matthew 12:43-45 NLT
These verses are very interesting to me. I heard it once described as a person can work to get sin out of their life like addiction (drug, alcohol, sex, gambling, spending, gluttony, etc.), they are excited to be free of it. They work at cleaning out their house (soul, mind), but it is left empty. The problem lies when they do not fill it up with the power of the Holy Spirit, God’s Word, and Jesus filling us up with His glory and righteousness. This allows the addiction to come back even stronger (comes back with seven other spirits stronger than itself).
Unfortunately, when people get help in the earthly realm (which is great), they do not also get healing in the spiritual realm. When God heals/forgives us from our sin, we need to fill that void with the only thing that is lasting, God! It is only then can we start living a life of abundance, which Jesus says that is a why reason He came, “A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” John 10:10
Amen!?!
2 thoughts on “I Choose Today to stay filled by God”
So very true. I was so sad to hear of his passing, and just the tragedy of his life and death. He was brilliant, but just needed God. I wonder if someone had been able to share with him the source of real hope and joy and freedom? If he ever really heard about Jesus? Or if maybe he had rejected him. I don’t know that we would ever know, but it makes me want to not be silent to those that are suffering without Christ.
I agree with you! We need to look for the opportunities God gives us to share the gospel by our words, actions, and attitudes. Unfortunately, so many do not think there is hope even in God. And that is the saddest place of all: without hope! “Lord, open our eyes to the opportunities You have for us to share and help us be bold and courageous. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”