The Hidden Cobwebs of Life: Victory Series, Part 46
I had a major challenge
ahead of me. I was trying to backup all of my important computer files to my
external hard drive, but it was not big enough! How can this be! I checked the
files already stored on it, and they didn't amount to the maximum capacity of
that drive!
It's then that I discovered a large amount of hidden junk files, 45 GB of them
to be exact. How had they gotten there? Why were they hidden? That large amount
of junk was preventing me from successfully backing up the files of this
ministry!
In the same way, "hidden" junk in our lives prevent us from experiencing utter
success through Jesus, the Christ.
When dealing with someone who was formally demon-possessed, but who had accepted
Jesus as his Lord and Savior, why did the evil spirits still claim he
was theirs?
Was
it possibly because he still had some junk that belonged to them that he hadn't yet
renounced!
In dealing with an addict, why had he
not yet experienced success? Was
it possibly because he was unwilling to get rid of "not-too-healthy" material, if you know what I mean.
Keeping things related to our illegitimate activities of the past will keep us
bound to our addictions!
The Ephesians were well aware of this and they made sure that there was no going
back to their former delinquent lives: "Many of those who believed now came and
openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought
their scrolls together and burned them publicly." (Acts 19:18-19 NIV)
If we want a clean slate, we need to make sure that it will be clean indeed.
Let's get rid of all the hidden junk that is keeping us from experiencing Jesus
fully.
Be aware however, that we need more than a thorough cleanup!
"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.'
When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 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." (Luke
11:24-26 NIV)
If we just clean out but don't replace our junk with the One who has all
authority (See Mat 28:18), we will be worse off than ever before! It is up to us
to give God's Holy Spirit free reign in our heart: "Instead, be filled with the
Spirit." (Eph 5:18-19 NIV)
I wonder why I have a computer glitch. Hmmmm. Have I allowed a rogue program to
install itself on my computer?
Rob Chaffart