spirit | Missing Pieces

mind-of-spirit-is-peace

When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. ⁴⁴Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. ⁴⁵Then 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.”

Many of us are familiar with Yeshua’s words from Matthew 12:43-45. It is possible, however, to read over this passage many times and yet miss some vital information. This is an important message for all of us, so it is wise to spend some time reflecting on Yeshua’s warning.

First, let us look at the rest of the chapter for context. At the beginning of the chapter, Yeshua, referring to Himself as Son of Man (Hebrew expression for a human being) is also declaring His identity and authority as Son of God, because He has authority even over the Sabbath. We know from other Scripture verses that Yeshua emptied Himself, or divested Himself from His power as the Son of YHVH (Phil 2:7) and relied solely on the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1), as He expects His followers to do (Luke 24:49).[1]

As the chapter continues, Yeshua performs miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit. Beginning in verse 22, Yeshua casts out a demon from a man who is both blind and mute. The people consult with their leaders after this miracle, saying that surely Yeshua must be the Son of David, the Messiah. The leaders, who are against Yeshua, tell the people that Yeshua is not using the power of YHVH to perform His miracles, but the power of the prince of demons. They are denying the power of the Holy Spirit in their attempt to discredit Yeshua.

Now we come to Yeshua’s words concerning an evil spirit who leaves (or is driven out) from its dwelling within a person. After wandering for some time, the demon returns to its former abode, which has now been swept clean and is in order. This suggests that the person has repented, been forgiven, and/or had soul wounds healed. But Scripture also says that the abode is empty, or unoccupied. Who should be dwelling there now? The Holy Spirit. If there is any part of our souls (mind, will, emotions) that have not been yielded to Yeshua and filled with the Holy Spirit, they are prime areas for demons to move in.

In our efforts to quell demonic activity in our lives and repair the damages, we must be intentional in inviting the Holy Spirit to ensure that the former (or potential) dwelling of the demon is not only in order and swept clean, but occupied and guarded as well. In other words, we cannot truly improve on our own, but need the help of the Holy Spirit. In Mark’s version of this story (chapter 3), Yeshua tells us no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. On our own, we are not strong enough to withstand the enemy. The Holy Spirit is the “strong man” that cannot be overpowered by demons.

Yeshua purposely divested Himself of His power and authority as the second Person of YHVH in order to rely solely on the power of the Holy Spirit, thus demonstrating to us that we must divest ourselves of our own power and rely on the Holy Spirit.

Why did Yeshua say “that would be the experience of this evil generation”? Because the Pharisees wanted to be in control to the extent that they not only denied the power of the Holy Spirit when it suited them, but they gave credit to hasatan for the work of the Holy Spirit. Some believers today are still falling into that error. Some say that speaking in tongues is of the devil, for example. Many of us avoid the Holy Spirit out of fear or reluctance to relinquish control.

Where the Holy Spirit prevails there will be order, unity and love. Where the Holy Spirit is not welcome, there will be chaos, division, hatred or apathy. We cannot atone for our sins on our own, but need to rely on Yeshua’s sacrifice on our behalf. Likewise, we cannot steer our own course through this spiritual battlefield on earth, but must rely on the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Aside from some practice runs, the apostles did not get started on their assignments in YHVH’s harvest until they had been filled with “power from on high” or the Holy Spirit (Acts 2)

Are there areas in your life that are confusing or chaotic? Are there broken or weak relationships in your life? How will you sweep these areas clean? Will you welcome the Holy Spirit to reign in that area of your life as your “strong man”?

[1] Yeshua did not cease to become the Son of YHVH at any time nor did He relinquish His authority as the Son of YHVH, but He operated only by the power of the Holy Spirit to demonstrate to His followers what He expected of them.

Lately I have heard many teachings and exhortations concerning abiding, whether it is about us abiding in Yeshua or YHVH abiding in us. After some thought, I realized that I did not have a clear idea of what the word “abide” means. According to merriam-webster.com, there are several definitions for the word “abide”. After consulting the Scriptures on passages dealing with abiding, it seems that various Scriptures deal with one or more of the definitions provided by merriam-webster.com. Here are my perceptions and discoveries. You may also wish to do your own study. This is rather a lengthy study, so I will present it in two parts.

The first definition means “to wait for” or “await”. Revelation 3:20 states, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door ….” YHVH often works in subtle ways, and in order to hear His knock, we have to be listening for it and be willing to respond by opening the door. Ephesians 3:17-19 explains the reason for welcoming Yeshua into our hearts, so that we “may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Messiah which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” In order for us to be effective followers of Yeshua, we must first be saturated in His love. It is out of this abundance of love that we will be able to do that which He requires of us.

Romans 8:9-10 tells us that we are not in the flesh but in the Spirit. This passage also tells us that “if Messiah is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.” We are comprised of spirit, soul and body. It is our spirit that is born again when we accept Yeshua as our Lord and Redeemer and our spirit is in direct communication with the Holy Spirit. Our body and soul must learn to submit to our spirit. Andrew Wommack provides an excellent teaching series entitled Spirit, Soul and Body that provides a clear understanding of how to get our soul and body lined up with our spirit. The Holy Spirit does much for us, but we must do our part by cooperating with the Holy Spirit.

The second definition of abiding is “to endure without yielding or withstand and/or to bear patiently or tolerate.” Galations 2:20 says that “I have been crucified with Messiah; it is no longer I who live, but Messiah lives in me ….” We must daily die to self, to the demands of our soul and body. “Therefore, as you have received Messiah Yeshua the Lord, so walk in Him…” (Col 2:6). We must be willing to withstand persecution and suffering as we walk in Yeshua. We must not only tolerate others, but love them with the love of Yeshua. That does not mean that we must embrace or even condone their choices or lifestyles; often it is just the opposite. We must love people in their sins as Yeshua loved us in our sins. This is something that we grow into gradually, as we grow in Yeshua’s love.

The third definition is “to accept without objection”. In John 8:31, Yeshua said to His disciples, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;” We must be yielded to Yeshua’s will, just as Yeshua was yielded to His Father’s will. If we are yielded to Yeshua’s will, we will also be yielded to our Father’s will, for they are echad. In 2 John 1:9, we are warned that “anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Messiah, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.” Yeshua assures us in John 15:10 that “if you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”

There is a prevalent teaching today that we live solely by grace and are not required to keep YHVH’s commands, particularly those in the Old Testament, because it is too difficult for us. On our own, we may very well be too weak to keep every command perfectly, but we are not on our own. We have the Holy Spirit working in us to perfect and strengthen that which is weak in us. Yeshua paid for our sins on the cross, but He also sent us His Holy Spirit that we might be strengthened and sin no more. In order to live in YHVH’s kingdom, we must be able to abide by His rules.

There is much for us to reflect on concerning this simple word, “abide”. This study has been both enlightening and challenging to me. Hopefully, it will be helpful to you as well. Both my strengths and my weaknesses were brought to light as I studied and I clearly see areas where I need to grow. In next week’s blog, I will present the remainder of my study on abiding. I pray that it will be helpful to you, as it has been to me.