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Coming out of sin or being delivered out of sin is great. Is this enough in and of itself to please God?
There has to be more. God does His part, and we must also do out part. Our part is allowing God to deliver us out and then we must replace the sin, the evil, with good! And, this is done only through faith and the righteousness of our Savior.
We find this principle of replacing evil with good in various places in scripture. Let’s turn to Matthew 12.
Matthew 12:43-45 (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.
A parallel account is found in Luke 11:24-26.
Luke 11:24-26 (24) When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. (25) And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. (26) Then goeth he, and taketh to him 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.
In this account, we see an empty space that had been swept and garnished. The evil was removed from this person’s life; but he did not replace the evil with good!
In the original Exodus from Egypt which is used as a type of sin, or evil, God’s Plan was not to only remove the Israelites from sin, which He did; it was also to bring them into His Promised Land! It was a land flowing with milk and honey. God was replacing the evil with good in the lives of His people!!
So we are to do the same in our lives. How do we accomplish this process of replacement in our lives?
We need to realize sin begins in the mind, in our thought processes. Let’s see this point in James.
James 1:14-15 (14) But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (15) Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
This is stating the process of sin! How are we to control this; keeping it from happening?
2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
We are to bring every thought into captivity. We have been in captivity to sin partly because of our thoughts. So it follows, since sin begins in the thinking, and we are to bring every thought into captivity, then it logically follows, we are to be replacing our evil thoughts with good thoughts, where it all begins!
And God is so loving and merciful, He has even told us how to do this; by telling us what to think about.
Philippians 4:4-9, 13 (4) Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. (5) Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. (6) Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (9) Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. (13) I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 2:5 tells us to let this mind be in you which is in Christ Jesus!
Where does this begin! It begins with, Think on these things!