Read Numbers 33

“But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell.” (Numbers 33:55)

What an applicable warning to all of God’s people who fail to diligently drive out the inhabitants of the land — that is, the godless practices and idols of the heart. For the nation of Israel, it was the physical land of Canaan to which they were warned to drive out the people. The inhabitants of Canaan were idolaters of the most perverse kind, and if Israel let them dwell among them, they would become irritants and thorns, causing Israel to stumble into sin and fall away from the only true God. And indeed, this is exactly what happened (see Joshua 23:13).

For us, however, it is not a physical land to which we are called to dispossess trespassers, but it is the real estate of the heart — the place to which Christ has claimed Lordship and enthroned Himself in our lives. All of the idolatrous and perverse things which inhabit the sinful heart of man must be driven out! This, I am certain, can only happen by submitting ourselves to the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. The battle is the Lord’s.

However, we can indeed quench the Holy Spirit, can’t we? (read 1 Thessalonians 5:19). If we knowingly purpose to allow perverse things to dwell in our hearts, such things will only provoke us to sin. When we entertain godless things — even from a distance — they poke us in the eyes and stab us in the backs. They harass us like Shimei harassed King David, who threw stones at him and cursed him (see 2 Samuel 16:5-7). They will be irritants in our walk with God, and can cause us to stumble into sin.

“Therefore… let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…” (Hebrews 12:1)

We must realize that all perverse and idolatrous things in our hearts are trespassing Christ’s territory. We are Christ’s! He alone has the title deed. Herein lies the great battle of the human heart for the believer. Christ has already wrought the victory, but will we live in it? Christ has already enthroned our hearts, but will we recognize it? Christ has already implanted His perfect Word, but will we let it grow?

How we choose to live will never change the status of Christ’s authority and ownership of our lives — but it determines whether we live in freedom or frustration; in victory or vexation; in fruitfulness or thorniness.

Beloved, I ask you lovingly, are you allowing thorns and irritants to dwell among the soil of your heart?

“Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:21)