Part 7 of 8

Hang on, bear with me, today may be a bit rough, but well worth it in the end...

You've really come a long way on this journey and I'm proud of you for sticking with this. If you've implemented changes in your life already to grow closer to Jesus, I just know He's happy and smiling and so pleased to be closer with you. Things are going better, perhaps, but what if...

One day, you get home after a typical day and Jesus is waiting for you right by the front door. He's got a strange look in His eye, one you don't remember seeing before. He seems to be looking at you in an odd way that makes you a bit uneasy. He gets right to the point, he's so good at that, "There's a strange odor in the house. I think something must be dead around here. It's upstairs and I think it's coming from the hall closet."

As soon as Jesus says this, a little red flag pops up in your mind. You know where He's talking about. In that closet, you have one or two things hidden away you don't want anyone to know about. You keep the tiny little closet locked at all times. They are dead and rotting things of the past, part of the old life. They aren't evil or wicked, just things that aren't right or good to have in a new Christian life. Not only have you tried very hard to keep other people from knowing about those things of your past, but you certainly don't want Jesus to see and know about them! What would he think?! You know you should've gotten rid of them long ago, but there's an attachment to them you find hard to break. You want to hang on to them so badly, yet didn't want to admit they were still here in your house.

Reluctantly, you ascend the stairs with Jesus. You know He won't let this go. As you get closer, you too notice the stench is getting so much stronger, almost overwhelming. He points at the door and says, "It's in there! Some dead thing!"

Okay, now you're a bit angry. You've given your house guest free access to the entire house, made all kinds of changes to suit His way of living, given up quite a bit, but now he's asking, or rather, demanding, do know about this tiny little 2 foot by 2 foot closet? That's where you draw the line. You are NOT handing over the key!

Reading your thoughts, Jesus tells you there's no way He's staying in the bedroom you've given Him on the second floor with that stench permeating everything around! "I'd rather sleep on the back porch!" He tells you. I'm not staying anywhere near that...that...thing, and He starts to head downstairs.

After having been so close to Jesus now, the sudden withdrawal of Him from you hurts. You don't want to lose that closeness, the fellowship, those intimate times together you've enjoyed. You remember the compassion, mercy and love He's shown you already - so unconditional - without shame, guilt and condemnation. Just a true desire to help free you from the world's bondage. A freedom, peace and joy like none you've ever known. You have to make this right between the two of you.

You stop Him on the stairs and tell Jesus, "Here. I'll give you the key. But you'll have to look inside the closet and clean it out because I just don't have the strength to do it." Jesus looks at you with those warm, loving eyes of His and says, "I know you don't. Hand me the key. Just give me permission and authority to clean this mess up and I gladly will." You hand over the key, a bit embarrassed, but relieved. You know it's the right thing to do.

Jesus slowly opens the door. He enters the closet and takes out the putrefying stuff that was rotting in there and threw all of it away. Jesus cleansed the entire closet, removing every last trace of everything that was in there before. Suddenly, there's a wonderful new fragrant breeze that sweeps throughout the entire house! The entire atmosphere of the house changed. You feel a new freedom and sense of victory in your life that brings you to your knees, brings you to tears. Years of struggle, gone, never to have a stronghold in your life like that again!

No matter what sin or pain you may have hidden away in your own hall closet, know that Jesus is ready to cleanse you, remove it, restore you, forgive you, heal you, and make you whole like never before.