Living Rent-Free

Who or what is living rent-free in your head?

I recently read a news article about the growing trend of trespassers occupying vacant homes whose owners are away for extended periods. If the trespassers stay long enough, they may be able to claim squatters’ rights, legally known as adverse possession. The ultimate way to live rent-free!

Living rent-free is not limited to physical properties. And no one knows that better than our spiritual enemy, Satan.

Thought Squatters

Satan cannot read our minds. Only God knows our thoughts. But while Satan is not a mind reader, he has the advantage of having studied humanity for thousands of years. As a student of human nature, he often knows us better than we know ourselves, and he tailors temptations to meet our greatest areas of vulnerability.

Temptations often begin in our minds:

A fleeting thought occurs, then disappears as quickly as it came. The next time it occurs, it stays a bit longer as we explore the choice, even though we might still reject the opportunity to sin. But the devil knows the fleshly desires of humanity, and the temptation will keep appearing—and staying longer each time—until we give in and it’s now living rent-free in our heads. Finally, we give in.

Maybe temptations to unforgiveness, envy, or pride have camped out in your thoughts. Perhaps worry, insecurity, and a plethora of what-ifs are living rent-free in your mind. Or maybe regrets of past pain and wrong choices have commandeered your thoughts and emotions. Whatever it might be, you and I are called to be vigilant against a constant onslaught of uninvited guests attempting to claim a rent-free home in our minds.

Evict the Squatters

So how can we begin the eviction process for these freeloading tenants? We start by understanding that we are equipped by the Holy Spirit to “take every thought captive” (2 Cor. 10:5).

How? By examining each thought against God’s standards: is it true, noble, right, pure, lovely, or praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8)? If not, kick it out. Remain alert to slam the door on any new thoughts that fail the test, even before they can enter.

Remember who you belong to. Then rely on the Holy Spirit’s equipping to kick those unwanted squatters to the curb of your mind!