Escaping Bondage

January 10, 2008

Matthew 12:43-45
12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 12:44 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. 12:45 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.

How often have you faced a habit, an attitude, or a sin in your life that no matter how hard you try to get rid of, it keeps coming back?

Verse 44 of this passage may give us a clue of why this is. Take notice that when the unclean spirit returns it finds the house "empty". What would have happened if that "house" had a new tenant? Could the unclean spirit take up residence again?

Overcoming any issue starts by giving it first and foremost to Jesus Christ our Lord, He paid the price on the cross for anything that has us in bondage. But once our house is clean, we need to put a new tenant in: a Godly attitude, attribute, or action. Yes, it is easier said than done - but substituting the old with the new is biblical:

Ephesians 4:22-32
4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 4:27 Neither give place to the devil. 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with [his] hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Colossians 3:1-10
3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 3:4 When Christ, [who is] our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 3:10 And have put on the new [man], which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Let's consider what we struggle with; give it to the Lord; and replace it with something Godly so that it is no longer something that puts us in bondage.

John 8:36
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.