RETURN OF EVIL SPIRITS - Matthew 12:38-45

What Does it Say?  Religious leaders asked Jesus for a sign to prove he was the Messiah.  He told them the only sign he was going to give them was His death and resurrection similar to Jonah's time in the whale.  Even the pagan Ninevites repented when Jonah spoke to them, but the Pharisees refused, even with Jesus himself right there speaking to them.  An evil spirit that left a person can return.  If it finds the heart empty, it can take up residence again with other evil spirits and the person is worse off than before.

What Does it Mean?  Jesus performed miraculous signs of healing and driving out evil spirits and yet the teachers of the law asked for another sign to prove Jesus' identity.  Jesus refuses, confronting them for trying to blame their disbelief on Him. There are times when I have  blamed someone else when I didn't do what I knew was right.  I am responsible for my choices; not someone else.  Jesus explained the dangers of focusing on behavior, but not allowing Jesus to change us on the inside.  This is true repentance. When we build a relationship with Jesus and other Christians, meditating on His Word, and applying it to our lives, God fills up those empty places in our heart and stands guard on our behalf.  If we only change our outward behavior, our heart is not guarded by Jesus.  We are vulnerable to evil returning with other evil spirits like those the religious leaders were blinded by, like pride, self-righteousness, and legalism, and we will be more dominated by evil than before.  Ask Jesus to show you areas in your life that are not under His protection and invite Him into those deep places in your heart where you are vulnerable. 

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