"Close The Door"

"Neither give place to the devil." Ephesians 4:27 

When I was growing up, we played outside a lot. That meant we were constantly in and out of the house. Sometimes we would forget to close the door. When we did, we would always hear our mother say, "Close the door, you are letting the flies in". This morning I want to talk about "closing the door so the flies won't come in".

 

It is interesting that satan is sometimes called Beelzebub. The Aramaic form of the word means "lord of the flies". So, we need to learn how to "close the door" to our lives so that he doesn't come in and find a place to "reside". We have to keep the door closed to our hearts and minds so that he won't be able to build a "stronghold" there. 

 

What opens the door? Disobedience opens the door. Yielding to the lusts of the flesh, the pride of life and the lusts of the eyes will open it. (Matthew 4) It is opened by not keeping your mind renewed with God's word, by not being continuously filled with the Spirit, by not filling yourself with praise. You can't have a "spiritually empty house", it has to stay filled with Jesus. (Matthew 12:44,45)

 

Once you know what opens the door, then you also know what will close it. Obedience always closes the door. Not yielding to temptation keeps the door closed. Staying full of the Spirit, walking in the Fruit of the Spirit, setting your affections on things above, following Jesus, hiding His word in your heart, keeping His praise in your mouth, and drawing near to the Lord keeps it closed.

 

Is the door open in your life? Are you letting the "flies"-- anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, greed, pride, fear, deception, ungodly mindsets, etc.-- in? Or is the door closed?

 

Have a great day. Close the door, or the flies will come in.