Spiritual House Cleaning

There is an interesting parable in the New Testament that I love. It goes like this: “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith,I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation” (Matt 12:43-45).

What this parable is teaching us is that when we cast away a bad habit or repent of a sin, it is like “cleaning out the house.” But there is a danger here that we need to beware of. The old habit or sin is comfortable in the old place and will want to return. If it comes back and finds the place empty, swept out, it will move right back in to the empty spot.

What this means it that It isn’t enough to cast away the bad. We also need to fill the “house” with something good so that when the castaway sin or habit desires to return there is no room for it.