Junk Under Your Bed (Give it to God)

If there is any space at all under our beds, we usually stuff junk under there, out of sight, out of mind. It may or may not be precious to us. I want to keep the junk under my bed, but my husband wants to throw it away. Did you know that most of us stuff more than actual objects under our “beds,” so to speak? Most of us are trying to sleep on top of our emotional junk, too, but it never works! Let’s look at some emotional junk keeping us awake at night and see if we can get rid of it.

First is fear—a highway the enemy drives down, straight into your heart and mind. Fear will steer you toward believing lies about God, yourself, those you love and your future.

John 15:5-11 ESV
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he … bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

You pay a price for traveling down the road of fear. Exit that highway by reminding yourself of who God is and how much He loves you.

Then come addictions, old habits that die hard. Addiction is an evil spirit with many forms. People can become addicted to anything—drugs, alcohol, work, food, people, even ministry.

Psalm 34:17-18 ESV
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

The world tries to deal with addictions without Christ’s help. That doesn’t work! You have to surrender addictions to God and ask for His help to get rid of them and get back on track with His good plans for you.

Unforgiveness brings torment, yet people hang on to it anyway. When we won’t pardon someone for a wrong, it opens the entryway for our own torment.

As Jesus told us in Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV) “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

The bottom line is that we must forgive others if we want God to forgive us. Unforgiveness disconnects us from Him, which is torment. Forgiveness demonstrates that we love Him and live in His love.

Philippians 4:6-7 ESV
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Prayerlessness and doubt are more junk that needs to go. One of the best ways to confront prayerlessness is to confront another kind of junk cluttering our lives—busyness. Add hopelessness (doubt) to busyness, and it is a recipe for spiritual disaster.

Do you need disaster relief? Then don’t let anyone or anything block you from an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. Speak with Him as 1 Corinthians 14 guides us to do, praying both with the Spirit and with the understanding. It has changed my whole life and it will do the same for you.

Mark 11:24-25 ESV
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

The Holy Spirit is a faith-boosting Mastermind, and He wants to live with you, in you and upon you. He is God’s gift to you. Your Helper in everything, even prayer.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11 ESV
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.