I love the satisfying feeling when I successfully complete an arduous task and for most of my life, I focused upon this goal. From racing to finish my math assignments in grade school, to seeing my patients and writing my progress notes on the hospital wards, an hour before my residents arrived, there was no end to the relentless pace I had established for myself. It came at a great cost. My relationships which I held so dear: my family, my friends, my colleagues-all degenerated. They were all secondary to my career and all of them knew it. The sad and pathetic result was clear: as my professional success grew, my personal losses accelerated. As my confidence eroded, I searched for answers why there was such a divergence between my life and career.
When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, “I will return to my house from which I came.” And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.
Luke 11:24-26 (ESV)
This passage from the Bible admonishes us that we cannot fulfill our lives with worldly successes. Whenever we drive out an unclean spirit or demon, we must replace it with something stronger or we risk returning to even greater demons. Only Jesus Christ is stronger than all other demons. When I confessed and repented of my sins and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I was able to end this vicious and relentless downward spiral. A believer in Jesus Christ cannot be possessed by a demon or the devil. However, demonic influences abound and all believers must be vigilant of the schemes of Satan, who always seeks to mislead us. After any success, we may be tested by praise (Proverbs 27:21). I repeatedly succumbed to the lie that my success would fulfill my life. In reality, all it did was make me more susceptible to greater failures.
Look to our Lord Jesus Christ and finish strong like He did!
Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.
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