Empty Houses

Matthew 12:43–45 KJV 1900

43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 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. 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.

There is, within the volumes of our Nations civil law legal opportunity for someone to take possession of your property or your home without your consent.

The legality that enables this abduction and takeover of houses, properties and possessions without payment or procurement is tied to a process known as adverse possession.

While the initial creation of this lawful pilfering of property was positive in its intent, it has given room to deceptive deeds.

Throughout the history of our nation it has gone by different terms such as homesteading or in modern language, those that occupy and overtake possession of the property of others are called squatters.

Today, “Squatting” is the word used to describe occupying a property that legally belongs to someone else when that owner hasn’t given permission for the occupation.

Here are the key factors of a squatters rights…It makes possible the legal possession of a property that is not legally owned, in the absence of an objection or an eviction by the rightful owner.

Modern day squatters will case a neighborhood, identify a vacant and unoccupied house, gain entrance into the house…in many cases, once they have moved in they will change the locks and set up residence without ever paying any form of downpayment or a dime of rent.

Colorado homeowner Roland Hawkins, a vicim of these squatters, had joined some friends on a 30 day bike tour, only to find that while he had been gone, a family had moved into his home. He called the police, but they informed him that there was nothing they could do and he would have to go through a 30 day legal process to evict the squatters from his home.

Squatters…opportunists that take advantage of Empty houses...

Empty Houses

I want to preach today, not on adverse possession or legalities surrounding this strange option of ownership…but rather to preach today on the danger of empty houses!

that in the spirit realm that are spirits that are ready to ready to take adverse possession of empty houses. They are casing our churches, homes and families watching for signs of life within....Looking for empty houses.

Jesus speaking to the pharisees in Matthew chapter 12 vs. 43 concerning the self-condemnation that evil that they are heaping upon themselves for rejecting him. The danger of religion without regeneration. The downfall and destruction that comes to those who attempt to be righteous without the indwelling spirit of God.

and in his explanation to the pharisees, he describes the activity of the unclean spirt as squatting spirit.

43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

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.

First of all, let me explain to you the danger of entertaining unclean spirits.

The danger of allowing spirits into your home…Of allowing spirits that you think you can dismiss any time that you want.

While most feel those evil spirits are just guests that they can call in when they want them and dismiss them when they don’t...

Unclean spirits that we can toy with when they benefit us and dismiss them when we don’t.

And while you are being deceived into thinking these unclean spirits that you are in control of…Look at what vs. 44 says “I will return into MY HOUSE”

That deception will cause you to believe that the unclean spirit is yours, the unclean spirit looks at that empty house and says its mine.

Here is the condition of the person that the evil spirit says is “My House”.

1. He says he finds the house swept...

They cleaned things up. When that old unclean spirit was living there…things weren’t so clean…but now that the evil spirit has been put out, they’ve cleaned things up.

They don’t do the things they used to do. They got rid of some of the bad habits.

They repented of some old lifestyles and some old ways of doing things...

When that unclean spirit that has been put out comes back looking…it finds that the house has been swept.

I want to encourage someone today, its not time to be playing church…its not time to be sweeping things under the carpet…its time to get your house cleaned!

Its time to get the broom out and start sweeping out the corners of your heart.

Like David said in Psalms chapter 51 verses 6 and 7

King James Version Psalm 51

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts:

And in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

7  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

the hyssop that is referred to in vs. 7 was a sort of paint brush shaped tool. It was hyssop that was used in the book of Exodus to apply the blood to the doorpost and the mantle.

The unclean spirit came back to HIS old dwelling place and saw that it had been swept.

2. The bible says that he also found that it had been garnished. It had been organized and furnished.

There were some new things in that house that hadn’t been there before he got put out.

There was a new couch in the living room.

A new refrigerator in the kitchen.

A new picture hanging on the wall

When my wife and I first got married…we had no furniture in our home. It was a sad state of affairs.

We had an old hand me down couch someone had given us and my wife brought her bedroom set....and I think maybe a dining room table we got from a yard sale...

But 24 years of marriage later, we’ve accumulated some furniture...

And that old unclean spirit, he comes back over that old man he used to live in and he is pretty impressed…

my my my…they sure do clean up nice...

All swept and tidied up. New furniture…They’ve got a flat screen over in the corner…A nice high top table in the parlor…They’ve really been improving things since the last time I was here…

Can I tell you that when you get baptized in Jesus Name, you are garnishing your life.

Galatians 3:27 KJV 1900

27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

When you get baptized and you lay down that old robe of sin, guilt and shame…and you put on that new robe of righteousness. You are garnished!

You are furnished!

And when that unclean spirit has been out walking through dry places, looking for rest and finding none…its been a few years...

that old fire that was in your belly has died down a little!

That passion for the things of God isn’t quite what it used to be...

Oh…you’ve swept some things out…you’ve cleaned house and you got some things out of your world that don’t belong there.

You’ve garnished your life…you’ve got some fancy furnishings and wall dressings...

But that isn’t what that evil spirit is looking for..

that old squatting spirit…he doesn’t mind a swept house…He doesn’t even mind if you got some furniture…In fact he has his eye on that lazy boy recliner you have tucked away in the corner...

But he is looking for one thing…is it occupied. Are there any signs of life in there?

Oh…I know they have all of the religious protocol in place…they look really nice…they’ve got their at together…but IS IT EMPTY!?

That word there literally means unoccupied…nobody living there...

And that unclean spirit says…because its empty…I’m moving back in and I’m going to live their.

Because there is no sign of life…Because they are relaying on swept floors and lazy boy recliners, I’m just going to move in there and set up residence...

Empty houses.

listen to me this morning…empty houses are a habitation for unclear spirits.

Empty prayer lives

Empty worship

Empty faith

Lives void of spiritual fruit

No love

No joy

No peace

No patience

Lives void of spiritual gifts

No gifts of faith

No gifts of knowledge

No gifts of discernment

And because he finds it empty...

He goes and brings back 7 others spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there.

Again, understand that Jesus was talking to the religious elite. These were people that prided themselves in keeping the commandments. In fact, keeping the commandments was challenging enough, so they added more...

And Jesus wasn’t chastising them for their righteousness.

Matthew 5:20 KJV 1900

20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Hows that for an unpopular passage?

He wasn’t condemning their sweeping and garnishing…but he was telling them…there are some squatter spirits. Spirits that are looking where is there no sign of life? Where is there that they have let their love for God grow cold? That they have that passion in their worship die out? If I don’t see any signs of life…I’m going to bring 7 others spirits back with me and we are going to move in there.

As I read stories about these squatters rights…I read a story of a couple living in Jacksonville FL…and one afternoon a young couple knocked on their door…and explained that the wife was the daughter of the family that had owned the house before and they just needed to get a few things that had been left. They gathered the items and then explained that they had no place to sleep, and asked would it be possible that they just stay for the night. The man reluctantly allowed them too. Well, the night turned into a week, and the week into a month, they started invite friends over, doing drugs in the room and no matter what they man did, they wouldn’t leave. He called the police and the police explained that because he had invited them into his home, they could not legally make them leave.

Listen…in this hour, you must be careful of what you are allowing in!