Not Even 2.54 Centimeters!

Have you ever known someone of whom you might state, “Give them 2.54 centimeters and they’ll take 1.609 kilometers”? Perhaps the metric measurement doesn’t have the same ring (or flow) to it as “Give them an inch and they’ll take a mile”, but the expression is actually the same. There are some people that if we give them EVEN A LITTLE ROOM they are likely to push the limit and completely take over. We should no more be on guard against such occurring than when it comes to the devil’s attempts to creep into our life. EVEN ONE SPECK of room is too much to allow him to gain control over!

Perhaps this is best illustrated by the following which I shared during one of our recent mid-week Bible studies. It was reportedly told by a Haitian preacher.

A certain man wanted to sell his house for $2,000. Another man wanted very badly to buy it, but because he was poor, he couldn’t afford the full price. After much bargaining, the owner agreed to sell the house for half the original price with just one stipulation: he would retain ownership of one small nail protruding from just over the door. After several years, the original owner wanted the house back, but the new owner was unwilling to sell. So the first owner went out, found the carcass of a dead dog, and hung it from the single nail he still owned. Soon the house became unlivable, and the family was forced to sell the house to the owner of the nail.

The point made by the Haitian preacher was, “If we leave the devil with even one small peg in our life, he will return to hang his rotting garbage on it, making it unfit for Christ’s habitation.”

There are various ways in which the devil may try to slip into our life. Since these ways can be quite subtle we must remain on guard. That includes not only things associated with our relationship to Christ, but also with one another.

Writing to the church at Ephesus, Paul urged…
“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, (27) and GIVE NO OPPORTUNITY TO THE DEVIL.” ( Ephesians 4:26-27 ESV)

Other translations end with “…do not give the devil a foothold.” (NIV), “…nor give place to the devil.” (NKJV), and “…neither give place to the devil.” (ASV) The Greek word is “topos” which was used with reference to an inhabited place such as a city, village, or district. This word was also used metaphorically for “the condition or station held by one in any company or assembly [as well as for] opportunity, power, [or] occasion for acting.” [Strong’s Lexicon]

Harboring anger within us is like hanging a welcome sign for the devil to come in to take up residence in our life. We need to fully surrender our life to Christ so as to LEAVE NO ROOM at all for the devil. NOT EVEN A LITTLE CORNER of our life is to be surrendered for the devil to inhabit. Not even a single nail is to be allowed on which to hang his stuff! For us to do so will only prove to be a hindrance and will ultimately leave our life uninhabitable for our Lord.

James exhorted…
“(7) SUBMIT yourselves therefore TO GOD. RESIST THE DEVIL, and he will flee from you. (8) DRAW NEAR TO GOD, and he will draw near to you. CLEANSE YOUR HANDS, you sinners, and PURIFY YOUR HEARTS, you double-minded.” ( James 4:7-8 ESV)

Do we need to do some housecleaning? If so, let us not waste any time. The sooner Christ and the Spirit of Truth take up residence in every room of our life the safer we will be.

Have a great day ALLOWING CHRIST TO OCCUPY EVERY CORNER OF YOUR LIFE!
Carl

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