A person whose situation has become even worse than before.

A person whose situation has become

even worse than before.

 

 

 

 

 

“When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, 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 person is worse than the first” (Luke 11:24–26).

 

 

 

 

(1)    As I meditated on Luke 11:24–26 today, the phrase “the final condition of that person is worse than the first” particularly drew my attention.

 

(a)    Perhaps the reason is that we Christians tend to favor the verse from Job 8:7: “Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.”

 

(i)       In other words, what we pray for, expect, and wait for is that although our beginning may be small (insignificant), our latter end will become greatly prosperous.

 

·            I revisited something I wrote on October 13, 2010, titled “Make Me Greater Still,” based on Psalm 71:15–24. From it, I learned three lessons on how we can become greater:

 

1.       To become greater, we must receive God’s instruction from our youth: “Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds” (Ps. 71:17).

 

2.       To become greater, we must grow in God’s immeasurable grace even through many and severe sufferings: “My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long—though I know not how to relate them all” (v. 15).

 

3.       To become greater, we must proclaim the Lord’s strength to the next generation even in old age: “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation” (v. 18).

 

-       However, the person described in Luke 11:26 ends up worse than before, which made me wonder why this happened.

 

(2)    Luke 11:26 says: “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 person is worse than the first.”  Here, the Greek word for “live there” (katoikei) means “to settle” or “to dwell permanently.”

 

(a)    That is, the unclean spirit returns with seven more wicked spirits and settles permanently in the life of the person whose heart remains spiritually empty. As a result, that person’s final condition becomes worse than before.

 

(i)        Therefore, the lesson of Luke 11:26 is that a heart cannot remain spiritually empty.  Either Christ dwells within, or evil will take its place again.

 

·         Here we must consider the danger of a spiritual vacuum.  Although the house (heart) was swept and put in order after the demon left, the new rightful owner (the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ) was not invited in.  In the spiritual realm, there is no neutrality—an empty space not filled with God becomes a target for evil again.

 

-          The intensification of evil: At first, there was only one demon, but when it returned, it brought seven more wicked spirits.  The number “seven” can signify completeness, meaning the person falls under a far stronger and more complete domination of evil than before.

 

n   Ultimately, this condition occurred because the place left by the evil spirit was not filled with God’s good Spirit.  The space left empty after expelling evil must not remain vacant; instead, it must be filled with the kingdom of God.

 

#    Conclusion: This passage teaches that filling is more important than emptying. If we focus only on driving out evil but do not fill the space with life, it can become an even stronger fortress of evil than before.

 

(3)    Then, from a biblical perspective, let us consider four things that this passage emphasizes about what we should fill our hearts with (reference: internet).

 

(a)    First, fill it with the Word (Logos)

 

(i)       The first thing that should fill the empty place left after the demon departs is the Word of God.

          

·        Method: We must go beyond simply reading the Word and meditate on it (ruminate on it). Like the blessed person in Psalm 1, we need to meditate on the Word day and night so that the flow of our thoughts is transformed according to the principles of Scripture.

 

-      Reason: The Word is the sword of the Spirit, so it gives us the power to drive away evil thoughts when they try to enter again.

 

·        Psalm 119:56 came to mind: “This has been my practice: I obey your precepts.” How can we make God’s Word our possession?  How can we turn what we hear and learn into something that truly belongs to us?  It is simple: we must live according to it.  As we personally read and meditate on Scripture, we must obey and apply God’s Word in our actual lives. In doing so, we experience the living and active Word of God.  This experience is precisely how we make God’s Word our own.

 

-       Ways to make God’s Word “our possession”:

 

Meditation: Reading the Word, deeply reflecting on its meaning, and engraving it in our hearts.

 

Delight: Rejoicing in the Word and valuing it more than any earthly treasure.

 

Obedience: Living according to the Word, making it a practical reality in our lives.

 

Reliance: Depending on the Word in every moment of life, especially in times of difficulty.

 

Conclusion: To make God’s Word “our possession” means to treat it as the highest value in life—meditating on it, obeying it, and being guided by it in every area of life.

 

(b)    Second, seek the presence of the Holy Spirit

 

(i)      In the verses just before Luke 11:24–26 (verse 13), Jesus concludes by saying, “How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

 

·        Method: Each morning, pray a confession such as: “Today, the master of my heart is not me, but the Holy Spirit,” and surrender your authority to Him.

 

-      Reason: We cannot overcome sinful habits by our own willpower alone. But when the Holy Spirit becomes the Owner of the house of our heart, there is no room for evil spirits to return.

 

·        I was reminded again of Acts 2:4: “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”  After Jesus’ ascension, about 120 disciples gathered in the upper room (Acts 1:13) and devoted themselves to prayer with one accord.  Then, on the day of Pentecost—one of the three major feasts in the Old Testament—they were all together in one place (2:1).  Suddenly, a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting (v. 2).  Here, the “rushing mighty wind” from heaven refers to the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, the word ruach (meaning “wind”) symbolizes God’s presence through the Holy Spirit.

 

-      Then how can we be filled with the Holy Spirit?  The answer is through prayer (Acts 2:4; 4:31; 6:3, 5; 9:17).  Pastor Andrew Murray said: “Without being filled with the Holy Spirit, it is absolutely impossible for a Christian or a church to live and work as God desires.  Therefore, we must seek the fullness of the Holy Spirit with all our hearts.”  As we see throughout the Book of Acts, the history of those who were filled with the Holy Spirit through prayer teaches us that we must not only pray individually but also gather together in unity to earnestly seek the fullness of the Spirit.  In addition, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, we must meditate on God’s Word day and night (Ps. 1:2).  Being filled with the Holy Spirit is being filled with the Word. In other words, the fullness of the Spirit means being so filled with God’s Word that our whole being is governed by it.  Therefore, to be filled with the Word, we must meditate on it and allow it to rule and guide us.

 

(c)    Third, change the atmosphere with praise and thanksgiving

 

(i)       Evil spirits enter through resentment, complaint, and dark emotions. In contrast, praise  and thanksgiving invite the presence of God.

 

·      Method: Whenever negative thoughts arise, intentionally speak out three things you are thankful for, or develop the habit of listening to and singing along with praise songs.

 

-        Reason: Thanksgiving serves as the strongest guard over the door of the heart.

 

·       In Psalm 138:1, David declares: “I will give you thanks with all my heart; before the ‘gods’ I will sing your praise.”  Why did David resolve to give thanks and praise with all his heart? The reason is God’s steadfast love and faithfulness (v. 2).  What were the steadfast love and faithfulness that David experienced?  Verse 2 says: “I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.”  The love and faithfulness David experienced were that God fulfilled His promises—He made His Word great by accomplishing what He had spoken.  Therefore, because David experienced God’s steadfast love and faithfulness, he resolved to give wholehearted thanks and praise (v. 1).

 

-        More specifically, we can identify four reasons why David gave thanks and praise with all his heart—four ways he experienced God’s love and faithfulness:

 

1.       Because God answered his prayers and strengthened him: “When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me” (v. 3).

 

2.       Because the kings of the earth also gave thanks and praise to God: “May all the kings of the earth praise you, Lord, when they hear what you have decreed… for great is the glory of the Lord” (vv. 4–5).

 

3.       Because he believed God would save the humble: “Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly… Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life” (vv. 6–7).

 

4.       Because he believed God would fulfill His purpose for him: “The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands” (v. 8).

 

(d)    Fourth, stay connected to a community of faith (fellowship)

 

(i)         A house left alone is easy to invade, but a city together is hard to overthrow.

 

·            Method: We must remain within a healthy faith community, sharing our spiritual condition and praying together—staying within a spiritual network.

 

-          Reason: Spiritual warfare is not meant to be fought alone but together.

 

·            I pray that our church community will be built up more and more firmly as a community of faith.  A faith community is one that listens to the Word of Christ. Romans 10:17 says: “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”  Faith comes from hearing the Word of Christ. I pray that our community will be a church where faith grows through hearing Jesus Christ’s Word.  As faith grows, our church must become one that is not shaken even in the midst of many trials (1 Thess. 3:3).

 

-          A true faith community is one that hears the Word of Christ and, like the Thessalonian church, receives it with the joy of the Holy Spirit even in the midst of great affliction. 1 Thessalonians 1:6 says: “You welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.”  Just as the faith of the Thessalonian believers became known everywhere (v. 8), I bless in the name of Jesus that the work of faith will be evident in our community, and that the testimony of our faith will spread not only throughout Los Angeles but wherever we go.