# 88 Invite Him In To Stay

Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you."

Last time we talked about the impossibility of living sin-free without Jesus. To “sin no more,” is to live your new life with Jesus as the Lord of your house.  Of course, we will continue to miss the mark, but having put on Christ through faith we have the promise, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 Jn 1:9) God will look at us and see the righteousness of Christ as opposed to our own filthy rags!

So Jesus tells this healed man to keep his house in order “lest a worse thing comes upon him.” We keep our houses in order through regular godly sorrow over our sins, repentance, confession, and absolution.

And what is this “worse thing that can come upon us? What is worse than 38 years of bodily paralysis? What kind of torment could possibly top that?

In   Mt 12:43-45, Jesus tells us: "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44 "Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45 "Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

That’s what He was warning the healed paralytic about. That’s what He was warning the forgiven adulterous woman about. You can’t just experience healing or forgiveness from Jesus, (your house being put in order) and then try to live without Jesus. If you give Jesus the boot, the unclean spirit who was ruling your heart will return and bring seven more of his friends with him, and it will be worse for you than before!

Heb 10:29 reminds us: “Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?”

The Apostle Paul chimes in here with this warning from  1Co 11:29,30, “For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.”

My friend, rejoice that you have experienced forgiveness and healing through Jesus. Rejoice that He has swept your house clean, but don’t throw out the Broom! You need Him on a daily basis to keep you clean! And if you kicked Him out,  remember this promise from  Re 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me”

He won’t barge in. You must open the door!  He needs your invitation! Invite Him in, and this time invite Him in to stay!