“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings 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.” Luke 11:24-26
“Put to death what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry… In these you too once walked… Now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator…
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and… forgiving each other… as the Lord has forgiven you… Above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:5–10,12-17
Repeatedly in the gospels, Jesus cast out unclean spirits to free individuals to life anew, to see, love, and serve Him. Upon salvation, the old life is gone, the new has come. When evil and the old heart is removed, good and a new heart must replace them. By instruction and parable, He taught that His people cannot serve two masters: serve Me, or serve another. If you do not put into practice a new way of living, the old will return and infest your devotion and habits. Only one Lord can reside on your throne. (Matthew 6:24; 8:28-32; 12:22; Mark 10:45; Luke 4:33-36; 16:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17)
Whom we put first determines whom we worship determines whom we solicit and surrender to and serve. If we are in Christ, we’ve made the choice to put away the old and be filled with the Holy Spirit. This life in Christ necessitates a constant exchange of self and flesh inclinations for Him.
It is one thing to be convicted of, and put away practices that dishonor God and demean his people, yet it is another to put on Christ instead. Unless we replace wrong thinking, selfish mindsets, and bad practices with right and Christ-ward and good ones, the void will invite back the impulses and nonsense of former custom. Are we willing to make the effort to put on Christ and His graces?
Where can we make the exchanges today? What grousing will we replace with gratitude, what irritation with graciousness, what temper or gluttony with self-control? What impatience can we meet with peace, what anger or callousness with compassion, what deception with truth, what malice with love? The Lord faithfully fills us with His Spirit as we trust and obey.
Father, remove whatever dishonors You, and keep me filled with Your Spirit and light.
As the rain and snow 