The Useless Attempt at Turning over a New Leaf
Conduct of the fleshly resolve
The Useless Attempt at Turning over a New Leaf
THE CONDUCT OF SPIRITS
Matthew 12:43–45
This section of three verses is a warning given by Christ. It is “a solemn warning against a merely negative improvement” (Williams). The parabolic incident recorded here also pictures temptation and warns about how temptation works.
1. The Removal of the Spirit (Matthew 12:43)
“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man” (Matthew 12:43). The removal of the unclean spirit here is not a result of Divine exorcising but simply the will of the evil spirit. It is like Satan leaving Christ—“When the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season” (Luke 4:13). Evil temptation, which seems at times to have such a grip on a person, will sometimes leave “for a season”; and the person no longer has such a propensity to do evil. The person often mistakes the lack of desire to do evil as new found strength or gives credit to other natural means for the lack of the strong desire, when all that has happened is that the evil spirit has left “for a season.”
2. The Roving of the Spirit (Matthew 12:43)
“He walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none” (Matthew 12:43). Evil spirits have no rest unless they are doing mischief. They are not content unless causing harm.
3. The Return of the Spirit (Matthew 12:44)
“Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished” (Matthew 12:44). Temptation will return. The evil spirit and evil desire eventually returns. And too often he finds a person who is all fixed up (empty, swept, garnished) but without anything dwelling in his heart to counter evil. So the evil spirit moves back in again. “Empty” is the problem. If a person has filled his heart with the Holy Spirit, the evil spirit will not be able to return. Negative action is not good enough. Positive action is also needed. We do not separate from the world and do nothing else. We separate from the world so we can give ourselves more to the Lord.
4. The Recruiting by the Spirit (Matthew 12:45)
“Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation” (Matthew 12:45). When there is no positive reformation in a person, returning temptation will wreck havoc on the person. The desire to do evil is strong and will yield to worse evil than before. Therefore when turning from evil, do not stop there, but fill your life with the Word of God, with holy things so you do not have room for the return of evil.
