Importance of Spiritual housecleaning

 

Any Greek or Hebrew translations are quoted from

New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible

James Strong, LL.D., S.T.D.

Thomas Nelson Publishers 1990 edition

 

          It is important to note in Matthew 12:43-45 and Luke 11:24-26 scripture tells us that when an evil “unclean spirit” is gone out [if it should try and come back] it should never find the house empty, swept, and garnished.  This is referring to a person’s life (body) and also their house.  Matthew 12:43-45:  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 when 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.  When scripture says empty and swept it is referring to our (the person’s) spiritual state; but when it says garnished it is actually referring to the spiritually unclean décor within our home.  See Greek meaning of word ‘garnished’ below.  Both are very important to our Spiritual wellbeing.

 

·        We must keep our mind and soul filled with God’s Word.  Satan must never find our life empty of, or swept away from God’s Word or his evil spirits will try and fill the empty places in our life!  The greatest mistake any Christian can make is to receive deliverance from bondage but then not fill themselves up with God’s Word, and with prayer. 

·        Another important aspect to our Spiritual freedom is to get, and keep, the unclean objects and decorations out of our homes.  Many times people will go through deliverance and evil spirits will be cast out of their life but nobody will tell them to get the unclean cursed decoration (garnish) out of their home.  When evil spirits are cast out of a person’s life they will return to the person’s home (using the unclean garnish as a spiritual doorway) and then await their chance to get back into the person’s life.  Evil spirits will come into their house through these unclean doors and wait for a chance to oppress, or even possess, the person again.  The Greek word for ‘garnished’ in both Matthew 12:44 & Luke 11:25 is “kosmeo, kos-meh-o; …to decorate (lit. or fig.)… adorn…trim”.  If our home is garnished with Satan’s evil décor it can and will create evil doorways into our home through which Satan and his evil spirits can enter.  Satan will then await his opportunity to tempt us and create bondage in our life again.  When we try to read our Bible and pray the evil unclean spirits in our home will then whisper thoughts into our mind – thoughts that will draw us away from doing the things God wants us to do.  Using these unclean doorways they will intensify their strategy against us and do everything they can to try and stop us from praying or reading.  Bringing or having unclean decoration (garnish) in our home will result in temptation and bondage.  We must get Satan’s unclean objects and decorations out; and keep them out!  Deuteronomy 7:26:  Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it:  but thou shall utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.      

 

          Note:  Satan does not want his things removed.  He may try and stop you with thoughts of fear and doubt (or possibly through the negativity of other people).  This alone should convince you of the importance of removing unclean objects from your home.  After all, if having these things did not matter it would not raise such a stink when you get rid of them.  Usually when Satan knows you are going to get rid of them, and he cannot stop you, then he will try and use others to stop you.  If that doesn’t work then he will try to make you go overboard and get rid of everything, but you must not do that either.  I have a suggested list of things to remove (in a separate document); however, you still must pray, and only get rid of the things that the Holy Spirit is leading you to get rid of – He will guide you in all truth.  John 14:16-18:  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him:  but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.  I will not leave you comfortless:  I will come to you.  John 14:26:  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.  When cleaning out your home do not go overboard and begin thinking everything is bad, or go around telling others their stuff is bad.  You must pray for wisdom and direction before you can begin sharing this message with others.  God has a time for everything and you must not get ahead of God.  You must keep a balance in everything you do.  A person who has a lot of unclean objects in their home may feel overwhelmed when they begin removing them, however, under the direction of the Holy Spirit and through God’s Word you need to remove the objects anyway.  In time you will be able to think clearly, understand the Word better, and pray!   Again, Please do not take this to the extreme and begin throwing away everything in your home (or church) assuming that all the objects may be cursed.  As Christians, there needs to be a balance in everything we do.  Remember the Lord is balanced and he expects us to keep a balance too.  We need to be careful not to go to the extreme or people will not listen to us regarding any cursed objects that may be in their homes.  By our saying too much; or saying too little, others will continue to keep their cursed objects, then Satan and his evil spirits will be able to keep their foothold by keeping their hiding places.  We must ask God for His Wisdom in this and all matters.  James 1:5:  If any of you lack wisdom. Let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  We must search the history (origin) of the objects that are in our homes and churches, comparing that history to what the Bible says concerning objects (images/idols) of false religion.  Do not compare it with man’s tradition, but with the Word of God (the Bible).  I Chronicles 16:26 and Psalm 96:5:  For all the gods of the people are idols:  but the Lord made the heavens.  Extra note:  It is not only the unclean objects in our home that affect us; living in a house full of clutter is enough to depress anyone!  If you are feeling depressed try going through some things that you do not need, or use, and just get rid of them.      

 

 

I have a suggested list of items to remove in my document under "things to remove from our homes and churches"

 

 

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          In scripture Jesus tells His people that the gates of hell will not prevail against them.  He tells us that He has given us (His church) power to bind and to loose.  Matthew 16:18-19:  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven:  and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  However, due to our own lack of knowledge Christians have neither bound nor cast the enemy away from their life, but instead have allowed evil spirits into their life – through unclean doorways in their home.  We, the Church, have not been able to bind and cast out evil spirits (and their evil influence) from our lives because we have allowed them access into our homes – which has in essence become their home.  Matthew 12:29:  Or else how can one enter into a strongman’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man?  and then he will spoil his house.  The Greek word for ‘strong’ in Matthew 12:29 is “ischuros, is-khoo-roos; forcible (lit. or fig.):- boisterous, mighty (-ier), powerful”.  In this scripture Jesus is talking about devils (evil spirits) referring to them as strongmen.  This scripture is an excellent scenario of how strong evil spirits have infiltrated the homes and lives of Christians.  It is time for us, as Christians, to learn and follow the truth of God’s Word – to bind the evil strongmen – and to cast them out of our homes and our lives.  As Christians, we must take back the authority (which we have allowed Satan) over our homes, lives, and our families.  Getting his unclean things out of our homes is our first step, now we must bind and cast his unclean strongmen out of our lives, and the lives of our family.  Jesus Christ cast many evil strongmen (spirits) out of the lives of people during His earthly ministry and tells us in His Word that we have this same power and authority through His name.  John 14:12:  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.  Mark 16:17-18:  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.  Let’s start walking in the power and authority that God has so freely given us, and take back what Satan has stolen from us!

The following is a list of evil spirits (strongmen) mentioned in the Bible.  Also included is a prayer of deliverance from these evil strong men, as well as a list of blessings from God’s Holy Spirit.

 

STRONG MEN:

 

Anti-Christ spirit (I John 4:3)

 

Bondage (Romans 8:15; Galatians 5:1)

 

Death (I Corinthians 15:26)

 

Divination/witchcraft (Acts 16:16-18)

 

Dumb & deaf spirit (Mark 9:17-29)

 

Error/false doctrine (I John 4:6)

 

Familiar spirit (I Samuel 28:5-19)

 

Fear (II Timothy 1:7)

 

Haughtiness/pride (Proverbs 16:18)

 

Heaviness/suicide/excessive mourning (Isaiah 61:3)

 

Infirmity/sickness (Luke 13:11-13)

 

Jealousy (Numbers 5:14; Genesis 37:3)

 

Lying (II Chronicles 18:20-22)

 

Perversion (Isaiah 19:14)

 

Seduction (I Timothy 4:1)

 

Whoredoms/worldliness (Hosea 5:4)

 

 

If you are a Christian and you feel that you may be oppressed by any, or all, of these strong men then please say the following prayer:

 

          Father God, I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth (the true Messiah).  According to your Word you have given me power and authority over Satan and his evil strong men (evil spirits).  I take you at your Word because your word is true, and right now in the name of your Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ and by the power of your Word I bind the evil spirits of ________________ ________________ _______________ ____________.  I cast them out of my life, my home, and out of the lives of my family.  The truth of your Word has set us free!  John 8:31-32, 36:  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 

 

          Your Word in Matthew 16:19 also tells me that I have the power to loose blessings, so I loose the following blessings from your Word into my life and my family”.

 

Spirit of Truth (John 16:13)

 

Spirit of Adoption (Romans 8:15)

 

Spirit of Life (Revelation 11:11)

 

Power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13)

 

Spirit of God (Romans 15:19)

 

Spirit of Wisdom (Ephesians 1:17)

 

Resurrection Life (John 5:29)

 

The Spirit of Power, Love, and a Sound Mind (II Timothy 1:7)

 

A Humble and Contrite Spirit (Isaiah 57:15)

 

The Garment of Praise (Isaiah 61:3)

 

The Oil of Joy (Isaiah 61:3)

 

The Spirit of Grace (Hebrews 10:29)

 

Amen! 

 

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     I will end this document with the following list of scriptures concerning idols/images and their removal; and a few about the importance of anointing:

 

Genesis 35:2

 

Exodus 12:12

 

Exodus 20:4-6

 

Leviticus 26:1

 

Numbers 33:52

 

Deuteronomy 4:16-20

 

Deuteronomy 6:14

 

Deuteronomy 7:25-26

 

Deuteronomy 23:14

 

Deuteronomy 27:15

 

Deuteronomy 32:16-17

 

Joshua 6:18

 

Joshua 7:13

 

I Kings 9:6-7

 

II Kings 23:1-25

 

I Chronicles 16:26

 

II Chronicles 7:22

 

II Chronicles 33:1-7, 22

 

II Chronicles 34

 

Psalm 96:5

 

Psalm 135:14-18

 

Isaiah 40:18-31

 

Isaiah 42:8; 17-20

 

Isaiah 43:10

 

Jeremiah 7:30

 

Jeremiah 10:14

 

Jeremiah 32:33-34

 

Jeremiah 51:51-52

 

Ezekiel 16:17-18

 

Hosea 13:2

 

Habakkuk 2:18-19

 

Acts 15:20

 

Acts 17:23-25

 

Acts 19:21-41

 

Romans 1:21-32

 

I Corinthians 10:19-22

 

II Corinthians 6:15-17

 

Galatians 4:8-9

 

Galatians 5:19-20

 

I Thessalonians 1:9

 

I John 5:21




A few scriptures about anointing (oil):

Genesis 28:18

 

Isaiah 10:27

 

Isaiah 61:3 (oil of joy)