Spiritual House Cleaning During the Holidays

A couple of years ago, God gave me a special name, one He alone calls me. This so excited me that I asked Him if He had a name for my house, too, which I had just moved into. I heard Him whisper, Beauty. Months later, He expanded that to Beauty of Holiness, letting me know that in the new life, even my home had new purpose. Talk about humbling.

I take Beauty seriously. My place is His place; He provided it. My role is to steward it well. In the same way I dust and vacuum, He’s taught me another type of cleaning that maintains His peace, joy, and love.

Some of my houseguests enter carrying burdens of sorrow or grief, and I’m grateful they’re here. I trust that before they leave, they will have sampled joy. Prior to their arrival, I asked the Holy Spirit to decorate my interior with Kindness and Gentleness, or whatever He deemed necessary.

On occasion, guests enter with burdens of bitterness or rebellion. Though it’s often unseen in the natural, the Holy Spirit will reveal this rebellion. Our heart condition, good or bad, leaks out whether we’re aware of it or not. While I don’t waste time casting pearls of wisdom to the rebellious, I do pour out love, because the Father has loved me when I’m at my worst. I’m accountable before God for my actions alone, not for those of another. He’s the final Judge.

No matter who walks into my home, they leave a spiritual footprint, similar to a carbon footprint.

“By wisdom a house is built, by understanding it is prepared, and by knowledge its rooms are filled with every rare and pleasing treasure.” Proverbs 24:3-4 TLV

When guests leave, I clean house, every time, even if I detected only good or healthy deposits. I ask the Spirit to remove all residue of sorrow, depression, and especially rebellion and bitterness, etc. All guests are welcomed with sincere love; but the fragments of chaos they unknowingly leave behind receive a pink slip. How this all works in the unseen realm, I can’t explain. I can only testify to my disturbed sleep or the strange emotional slumps that fall on me after certain individuals spend time in my home—if I don't take time to clean.

If it's not in Heaven, I don't want it in my home. Jesus defeated sin and death through His work on the Cross. His work made us the righteousness of God, therefore we don’t have to put up with any deposit attempts by the enemy.

I steward Beauty with joy. God has blessed me, and He trusts me with His blessings. He trusts you, too.

How about your home? Are you ready for holiday guests? No matter who enters your house, they leave a spiritual footprint upon exiting.

Steps to help keep peace and love burning strong:

• Turn on praise music. Maybe let it play all night on low.
• Use your authority in Christ to command all things/spirits not aligned with God to bow the knee to Jesus and leave immediately.
• Speak Scripture over your home, each room. The Word of God spoken aloud has healing & cleansing effects.
• Rejoice! And give God thanks.

’Tis the season to clean.

Copyright © 2017 J. A. Marx. Used by permission.