Tell The Devil To Take A Hike
Have you ever thought about giving a place to the devil? Probably not. But did you know we do all the time and don't even know it? Ephesians 4:27 says:
"Neither give place to the devil."
Well that's pretty clear. We're not to do it. Ok, so exactly what does this mean?
Did you know that the devil can stake a claim on our minds? Yes, he does it all the time.
People can get a satanic stronghold in their lives, contaminating their life and the lives of their families. What has happend is Satan has found an unclean place in that person and camped out there. He uses that vantage point to war against God and the work of God. While taking up space in that person's life, his ministry, his work for God will suffer.
We should sit up and take notice as children of God that we can give place to the devil or grieve the Holy Spirit. It seems unthinkale to a Christian, but Paul warned us against this when he said this:
"Be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that you put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighor for we are members one of another. Be angry and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath; Neither give place to the devil. 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. 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. And grieve not the holy spirit of God whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption." Eph 4:23-30.
So some of us have created an environment for the devil. It's like we've put out the welcome mat and said, "Com'on in." We've created a nicy comfy spot to make the devil at home. He cannot take any place we have not given up. He has no right or authority over your life until you have given him a place in your life. He moves quickly when he sees a spot just right for him.
Once he gets in, he wreaks havoc. It's like renting your upstairs apartment to a loud obnoxious tenant. Night after night you listen to his loudness and can't do anything about it. He's paid the lease in full and he's not moving out. You gave him a place to stay and he's not moving out until you dislodge him legally. This can take some time. Once in, not easy to get him out. Satan never leaves a home easily. He usually does some damage before he leaves.
So now what do you do if you find yourself involved with the devil and you can't seem to get rid of him? Is there any hope, or are you destined to have to live this life with him on your back the rest of your life? He's taking up too much space in your life. How do you get rid of him?
There is hope. First you need to "put off" (Eph 4:22) and rid yourself of him by the way of repentence. You need to first deal with it before you're done with it. To repent is to turn back and change direction. Try something else. Go another route.
The second thing is to take back what you gave him legally. First you have to take back his legal authority. His legal authority is the sin in your life. Any area where you have sin in your ife is his legal ground. Until you cleanse it, he has every legal right to camp out there. He likes the contamination. Suits him just fine. He's a dirty devil after all. The dirtier the better.
Then you have to have a time of renewal (v23-24). Renewing is something to be done continually. It's a constant cleansing and it may take awhile before all of the old residue is gone. Lots of cleaning needs to be done. Think lots of water.
So what kinds of things give place to the devil? Lying for one. If your life is not built on the truth you've given him a comfortable home to come to. We've already covered how Satan is the father of lies recently. So if you want him to feel at home then live a lie, love a lie and believe a lie. He'll feel right at home.
God's kingdom is built on truth. We are told to examine our lives continually. If there's an area of dishonesty in us, then we need to get rid of it before Satan pitches his tent. There are many ways to live a lie. Did you know that you can lie by the tone of your voice or the arch of your eyebrows? If you are living and loving a lie you have created a climate comfortable for Satan.
Another way to give place to Satan is by anger. This also creates a climate for him to settle into. Are you a person that is easily miffed? Given to anger continually? Love hissy fits? Did you know the devil has an affinity for anger (Rev 12:17)? Get rid of it.
You can tell alot about a person's character by what he gets angry about. Does he get angry over sin or just get angry at the wrong things? You know, angry at the boss, angry at the wife, angry at the in-laws, angry at the neighors. If you're an angry person, you've given a room to the devil.
How about a thief? We know that Satan is a thief (John 10:10) and if thievery is in your life you have created a climate there for the devil as well. We've talked about how Satan possessed a man in the graveyeard. There we see that the devil stole that man's freedom, his joy, his sanity, his health and almost his eternal life. So Satan's a lying angry thief and that's just the beginning.
What about stealing a pen from work purposefully? Did you know that even stealing a small object like a pen or paperclip from work shows you have the potential of stealing more? Thievery is thievery in God's eyes. No difference.
Jesus said: "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much."
Don't give the devil a place in your life. Make it uncomfortable for him. Tell him he's moving out. There is no room at the inn in your life for the devil.