Cleaning House (Pt. 2)

Then they broke down the sacred pillar of Baal and tore down the [a]temple of Baal and made it a refuse dump to this day. 28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel. 2 Kings 10:27-28 (NKJV)

King Jehu was not finished eliminating Baal from Isreal when he killed the big three. He had to get rid of family of Ahab as the Lord said through his prophet Elijah. They could rise to power and bring Baal worship back to Isreal. Once everyone related to Ahab were dead, King Jehu went after the zealots, who were the worshipers of Baal and would not turn away from him. King Jehu finished removing Baal from Isreal by destroying the temples and shrines belonging to Baal. Even though he rid Israel of the great sin, there was other sin in his life, which eventually led to the downfall of Israel.

Like King Jehu, when we get rid of our big sins, we are not done fighting. 1 John 1:8 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” Fighting sin is an everyday activity, that requires daily effort and commitment. It involves recognizing the problem, acknowledging the need for change, and actively seeking God's help to overcome our challenges. We need to recognize the little sins in our lives like white lies, gossip and slander, complaining and grumbling, idle words, and ignoring others that if left unchecked, can become big sins. We may tell ourselves that these sins are ok because they are small, but they are still sin, and they can destroy relationships. James 3:5-6 says, "In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself."

Choose to fight the sin in your life every day. Do an ongoing inventory, checking yourself and making amends promptly when you realize you have sinned. Keep a journal and do an inventory at the end of the day, listing the good, the bad, and amends that you made. If you still owe amends, make plans to offer them. Review your journals every three months and see the improvements you made and the sin that keeps popping up. Make a concerted effort to remove that sin from your life. Strengthen yourself by starting the day with prayer and meditation on His word, looking to God to guide you throughout the day. Cleaning house is not just a one-time thing, but an everyday effort that results in spiritual growth and maturity in Christ.