Just like a professional organizer, the Holy Spirit helps us see what is “valuable” and what is “trash” through the Word of God.
Have you ever seen the television show “Hoarders”? Each week someone is featured who struggles with this disorder which compels them to store worthless items they perceive as valuable. Hoarding is more than stocking up for a rainy day. The hoarder places their trust in massive piles of torn clothes, broken toys, magazines, letters, and even old food. Roaches, rats and fleas infest the home because of the unsanitary living conditions. Loved ones threaten to leave the home because of the filth. A team of expert psychologists and professional organizers come in to help. Yet, the hoarder refuses to discard anything. Why?
The hoarder often replies: It’s a part of me. The hoarder will even cry, get angry and throw a fit to keep their stuff. They believe they can’t live without the junk. The truth is their life is in danger because of the junk.
Isn’t that a perfect picture of sin in our lives? We have piles of bad habits and attitudes and a real good reason for each and every one. Just like the hoarder, we believe we can’t live without the sin. The truth is the consequence of sin is death. Sin makes life miserable. All purpose is hindered because we have to tread carefully over the stockpile. Sin pushes away the people we love. We can even become physically and emotionally sick because of it. Eventually we cry out for help and ask God to forgive us of our sins. We accept His Son, Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins. Now, God is ready to clean house. He sends in the Expert—The Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit comes to live in us (yes He does, read 2 Timothy 1:14) right in the middle of all our junk and begins to help us get rid of every sin that hinders us. Just like a professional organizer, the Holy Spirit helps us see what is “valuable” and what is “trash” through the Word of God.
Galatians 5:19-21, (NLT)
“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”
We can be free from every bondage, all we need to do is cooperate with the team—God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. If God says, let “it” go, don’t argue. Don’t justify it. Trash it.
1 John 1:9 (KJV)
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
