Refilled by the Holy Spirit

Scripture: Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it 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. That is how it will be with this wicked generation. Matthew 12:44-45

Observation: As Jesus rails against the Pharisees, he provides this obscure lessons. It can be literal, as they have been discussing driving out demons. However, it is a lesson about the Holy Spirit, a topic Jesus also introduced here. He brought up blasphemy against the Holy Spirit as the unforgivable sin, and addressed the repentance of Nineveh as an example of how others should act.

Jesus' lesson is this - when one decides to turn away from evil, he must then also turn to and seek the Holy Spirit by means of faith. If he does not, then he is simply empty ... despite having evicted evil, evil will return if it is not replaced by faith and by the spirit of God. He goes so far as to declare that the Pharisees - who have purged evil spirits from their lives and thus created a "house" that is in perfect order - are a "wicked generation" by this very act.

Application: It is very clear that turning from evil is not the point of Christian faith, but it is about faith in God, through belief in Jesus. The Pharisees tried to do good, but had no faith ... thus, they were a brood of vipers, ripe for the influence of evil, even as they promoted their piety.

I continue to ask for more of the Holy Spirit ever day. This is my near-term work in Christ, to develop a better connect with the Holy Spirit. I am lacking in this area. I have a little spirit, which thus provides good work but troublesome thoughts. I want my inner life overhauled by the spirit as well.

I have faith in God the father, and in Jesus Christ my Lord and savior. And I believe in and seek more of the Holy Spirit. I need the Holy Spirit ever present in my daily life.

Prayer: Lord, please do give me more of your spirit this day. I seek your strength and wisdom through and by the spirit, and the ability to be better guided on a moment-by-moment basis. Come, Holy Spirit. Amen.