Declutter the Heart of the Home
Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Solomon’s instruction to us in this verse shows us our responsibility in our spiritual health. We do not serve a controlling King. God gives us freedom to choose how we want to live. But His blessings only come through our obedience. If you are living in sin and feel like you are being blessed, you should question whether those blessings are from God or from the enemy in an effort to keep you in bondage to your sin.
God clearly spelled out in scripture for us that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy but Jesus came so we could have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). It’s one of my favorite promises. Satan wants to stand in the way of God’s will for our lives. We have control over whether he does or not. Abundant means bountiful and superior. It doesn’t mean ordinary, anxiety-filled, or stressful. And we acquire the abundant life through our love – loving Him with all of our hearts, souls, and minds.
When we love Him with all of our being, we put Him first in everything and His love flows from us and into everything we do. Proverbs 4:23 is obviously not talking about the physical organ that pumps blood through our bodies. Biblically, the heart refers to our feelings, will, and intellect (Strongs 3820). It’s our thoughts and our motivations. Every decision we make, every word we speak, and all the plans we put into action all come from this delicate source. It can also be tainted if we don’t guard it with vigilance.
Sin is like poison. When our hearts are full of sin — bitterness, negativity, unbelief, hate, gossip, jealousy, etc, all those things flow into our homes. The very place that should be full of comfort, peace, joy, and rest, becomes toxic. When David was confronted with his sin with Bathsheba, He cried out to God,
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)
The worse sins a man could commit King David committed – adultery and murder. And instead of death by stoning, which was the law, David repented when God tugged at his heart. We do not need to hide our sin from God. One of the reasons David’s sins are recorded for us to show the forgiveness we have through repentance and the abundance of God’s grace. Repentance means having deep remorse about your sin and turning from it. It’s the first step in getting rid of the pollution in our hearts. God already knows what you did. He knew what Adam and Eve did. He knew what David did. He watched Adam and Eve sew fig leaves together to cover themselves. And he watched David take the matter into his own hands which ended in a murder. Instead, just as in the garden, God wants to cover us. Where fig leaves dry out and disintegrate leaving us exposed, God’s covering doesn’t. His desire for us is to turn from our sin and live for him (Ezekiel 18:23). We do not need to clean up our lives before we turn to Him. We turn to Him so He can purify us and change us.
We also have sin we are blind to. This is sin that can only be revealed by praying, reading His word, and listening to God speak to our hearts. David prayed:
Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.
See if there is any offensive way in me;
lead me in the way everlasting.
Hebrews 4:12 tells that the word judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. It can do what no psychologist, counselor, or friend can ever do. When we refuse to repent and turn from sin, it gives the enemy legal rights to remain with you. He was already defeated. And we have all the power in Christ to overcome Him. Applying God’s word to our hearts daily may cause the enemy to work harder to remain, but eventually he’s get tired and flee. Just as he did in Matthew 4 when he was tempting Jesus.
Removing the clutter from our homes is just as important as removing it from our hearts. While keeping our homes tidy is important, keeping them clear of demonic items and idols is crucial. Spiritual warfare is very real and the enemy loves to attach himself to demonic objects. Having Ouija boards, witchcraft objects (including books), tarot cards, dream catchers, images or statues from other religions, or satanic, pornographic, or violent images are to name a few that give the enemy legal rights to stay in your home and cause you and your loved ones harm. Satan has used many such objects by making them appear to be home décor items. I see them often when I’m shopping in stores, through catalogs, and at trade shows. These are very attractive in many aspects. A Buddha statue isn’t a symbol of peace. Deuteronomy 7:25-26 You shall burn the carved images of their gods with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it; for it is an abomination to the Lord your God. Nor shall you bring an abomination into your house, lest you be doomed to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest it and utterly abhor it, for it is an accursed thing.
Many of us, myself included, don’t recognize these items without the help of the Holy Spirit. Some items may be hand-me-downs that are cherished. Devote an hour or two weekly to sorting through closets and drawers prayerfully. Go through your DVD’s and books. Is it glorifying to God? If it’s not, it doesn’t belong in your home!
Memory verse: “Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” – 2 Corinthians 7:1
If you are interested and a more thorough teaching on this click this link: https://bibleresources.org/spiritually-cleansing-home/