Dangers of Self-Revolution

Imagine for a moment year 2023 gives you exactly what you want. What if your ambitious resolutions are reached and your year is a year of growth unlike any other? 

You may be surprised to hear a word of caution on the dangers of self-revolution. Jesus says an interesting statement in Matthew 12:43-45 as he pulls back the veil on the spiritual realm and describes what proves too often the case with human nature and our success:

"When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation."

We know little about what caused the impure spirit to flee, but we can figure that the person it had resided in was thrilled to be free of it. Whatever oppressions, fears, addictions it manifested in him had gone with it. Now the house can be cleaned, mopped and dusted. Now that he is well, he can move on to some of those goals and some of those dreams which had never been actualized. If this occurred in 2023 you can be sure we would see some Instagram posts about a new me and the victory coming my way.

But the problem is that the room remains unoccupied. There is no one residing there, no one strong enough to withstand the coming assault when the spirits return in force. His victory was only partial. It was temporary and incomplete. That his room was cleaned only contributed to a worse state than his previous condition, setting the stage for a higher fall. One step forward, eight steps backward. Success often has this judo-like effect. 

Consider the victories the nation of Israel experienced leaving Egypt: the plagues, the parted red sea, the manna and quail--and yet was their final condition any better than their first? No, they complained and grumbled against their God, and the Scriptures say God was angry with that generation and swore they would not enter His rest. 

In the book of Judges we see the story of the unoccupied, cleaned house repeated over and over. Every victory brings about itself another round of idolatry and further oppression and subjugation. The final state is worse than the first.

The example of King Solomon is the same story in micro form. With humility he sought not riches but wisdom of God. And God rewarded Him with a great and glorious Kingdom. Wealth and opulence drew the highest members from the surrounding nations to marvel at this man whom God had blessed. The house was clean, but what a turn we see in Solomon in 1 Kings 11 from the pious youth. Marriages to foreign women, alters made to Ashtaroth and Moloch draw the harrowing statement in verse 6: "So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done." This is a new kind of rebellion and God severs the nation in two in the following generation. I can only suppose an old Solomon would have exchanged all the wisdom and grandeur of his prime just to keep the blessings of God upon His nation and His house. 

In our attempts to clean our rooms and become better versions of ourselves, we need to ensure that we too do not end up in a worse state than we are at present. That we do not get to a place of ease where we can afford to leave off the things of God and forget the matters of first importance. What we need at heart is not a new discipline regimen, but a new occupant. Not some easy tips and tricks, but a heart transformation and formation. Not merely more productivity but more affection. A tighter grip on Christ. A greater love of Christ. A closer walk with Christ.

Like every year, in 2023 I would like to read more (probably won't happen!). I want to start a garden and spend some more time doing family events—especially with my sons. Resolutions are good and we should be thankful a new year gives us a marker to reevaluate our lives and make appropriate changes. But may we not be content getting what we want, merely stopping there self-satisfied and comfortably at ease. There is a battle ongoing, a war for our souls and the souls of those around us. So much hangs in the balance. Will we hold tighter to our Lord by any means necessary? 

He is a safeguard that can keep the house through even the storm of success.