"Neither give place to the devil." Ephesians 4:27

"The place we give Satan is often empty space. An empty, passive mind can easily be filled with all kinds of wrong thoughts. A believer who has a passive mind and who does not resist these wrong thoughts often takes them as his own thoughts. He doesn't realize that the evil spirit has injected them into his mind because there was empty space there to fill.

There are aggressive sins, or sins of commission, and there are passive sins, which are sins of omission. In other words, there are wrong things that we do, and there are right things that we don't do. For example, a relationship can be destroyed by speaking thoughtless words, but it can be destroyed by the omission of kind words of appreciation that should have been spoken but never were." Joyce Meyers

As I read these words, immediately, my heart went to, "Lord where am I being passive and leaving empty space for Satan? What does passivity look like in my life?"

Jenni's definition of passivity: Passing on the activity that I need to do in order to walk in victory.


Let me start with the Eph 4:27. Neither give PLACE......." That word place caught my eye. There is space inside of me that I can choose to give to Satan? Why would I do that? I had to look that word up in the Greek on Biblestudytools.com and here is the definition for that word "place"

place, any portion or space marked off, as it were from surrounding space
an inhabited place, as a city, village, district
a place (passage) in a book
metaph.
the condition or station held by one in any company or assembly
opportunity, power, occasion for acting

Inside my thoughts is opportunity, power, and occasion, that I can choose to give to God or to the Devil. How do I do this? By agreeing with the thoughts that come to me. There is power in agreement. In order to do this, I must be aware of what I am thinking. This takes active engagement on my part. For my head is filled with random thoughts all day. I must be intentional with my thoughts. This is why renewing my mind is so important. It helps me recognize which thoughts are Godly and which are not. Which thoughts honor God or promote myself and my feelings. Satan is always a "self" promoter. If my thoughts go like this....."What about me? What about my feelings and what I need?" This is a strategy to get me to walk in my own strength to get my needs meet instead of depending on God. I must know that according to Phil 4:19 that my God shall supply all my needs. Why would I try to meet my needs when God is willing and so much more able than I too? Because of wrong thinking! I have given agreement to wrong thoughts, causing my actions to be wrong also. I have given place to Satan. The good news is that place is God's in me, and with Him I can take it back!

I do this by repenting. Realizing that my thinking was wrong, confessing it to God and exchanging my thoughts and words for His, coming back to His perspective on the issue. Humbling my heart brings "the Place" back under God's authority and rule.

When I considered passivity in my own life. I felt very convicted about "resting in the Lord." There is a very clear distinction between resting in the Lord and being passive. Resting in the Lord is a place of active faith, with fruits of abiding in Him. Faith without works is dead. So in that place there will be peace, love, joy, gentleness, patience, self control, faithfulness, goodness, kindness, clear evidence of His Holy Spirit. Being passive is a place, where I have sat back and said, "I don't feel like it or I don't know how. I am tried of trying. So, I just sit back and let God." This is problematic because God had Jesus already pay the price, He has given me all the tools, the instructions and the purpose I need. All wasted if I don't do my part. If I don't take my responsibility, I won't walk in authority in that area. Satan will take the authority. Remember he is a thief. His intent is to steal from us, all that God has given us and to not only kill us in the process but destroy us also.

God knew we would be empty, He created us that way so He could fill us Emptiness is not the problem. The problem is what we do with the emptiness. Empty places in our hearts are perfect places for Satan to establish footholds in our lives. It is a good thing that the Lord has given us His Holy Spirit to fill us continually. (see Eph 5:18) Our emptiness must be used to come in agreement with the Lord and not for Satan's operations. So often, I come to the Lord so full of pain and heart ache. I give it to Him, leaving me empty and relieved but if I don't fill it up with God, it won't be long before Satan is shacked up in that spot and filling me again with pain and heartache. Recognizing that strategy has helped me so much. It has stopped the cycle of heartache in my life.

After I have poured our my heart to the Lord, I immediately begin to fill it with His word. This filling of my empty places requires me to study and meditate on His word. To cast down my imagination and take account of my thoughts concerning that situation or person. It is work. I often don't feel like it. In fact, my feelings are always slow to come in line with His word. But as I am diligent, consistent and persistent I make progress. I receive victory. I see less and less of Satan. I have become God front property! Whooo Hooo!

My Dear Sisters in the Lord,

I just encourage you to bring your empty places to the Lord. To trust Him to fill them. Ask Him to show you how to do your part of His will for your life. Ask Him what that looks like. Ask Him to show you how to be active, not busy. To discover the joy of knowing that God is in agreement with you. Let me say that again. When you walk this way, God agrees with you! Activate your supernatural God powers.....His grace, His special power for each and every situation, circumstance and challenge you encounter. Charge! :bigsmile: