SERMON NOTES

Taking Ground: No Vacancy

In a season marked by noise, pressure, and constant demands for attention, one question cuts through the clutter: what currently has the most access to your life?

Access is not defined by intentions or good resolutions. It is revealed by what we allow to have unrestricted entry—the loudest voice in our thoughts, the emotion that dictates our mood, or the habit that shapes our days. Scripture is clear on this truth: whatever has access will eventually take authority.

As part of our Taking Ground series and our year vision of Dominion, this message confronts a sobering reality—dominion does not begin with what we conquer externally, but with what we evict internally.

An Empty House Is Not a Secure One

Jesus addresses this principle directly in Matthew 12:43–45. He describes a person who is delivered from an unclean spirit, only for that spirit to return later and find the house “empty, swept, and put in order.” Nothing appears broken or chaotic, yet the house is vulnerable. The issue was not disorder—it was vacancy.

Clean does not mean covered. Order does not mean occupied. Heaven does not only look for cleanliness; it looks for lordship. Sin may be removed, but if the space is not filled with Christ, it remains open to reclaim.

This is why Scripture emphasizes renewal, not just repentance: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” Romans 12:2 (ESV)

Deliverance without discipleship leaves room for return. What is not actively occupied will eventually be contested.

Access Determines Authority

A clean house with an open window is still exposed. Access, not appearance, determines vulnerability.

The same principle applies spiritually. Boundaries may exist, discipline may be practiced, and habits may be adjusted—but if access points remain, authority will eventually shift. What we tolerate today has the potential to dominate tomorrow.

Jesus’ warning in Matthew 12 reveals something unsettling: the enemy still refers to the house as “his.” What is not fully renounced still assumes it has rights.

Scripture never treats tolerance as neutral. In fact, Paul’s instruction is decisive: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature…” Colossians 3:5 (NIV)

Compromise may feel manageable in the moment, but it grows quietly, like weeds in a garden—uninvited, unattended, yet eventually overtaking what was meant to flourish.

Israel’s history reinforces this truth. In Judges 1, the people failed to drive out what God instructed them to remove. By Judges 2:3, the result was clear—what they tolerated became a constant source of pain and temptation. Dominion cannot coexist with compromise. If something is not brought under Christ’s authority, it will eventually compete for control.

Dominion Is Maintained by Occupation

The greatest danger in Matthew 12 was not attack—it was absence. The house was empty.

Throughout Scripture, when God gave land, He commanded His people not only to defeat the enemy, but to live there. Authority is not sustained by momentary victory, but by ongoing occupation.

Many believers lose ground not because they lack power, but because they rely on spiritual moments instead of spiritual maintenance. A powerful encounter without daily devotion. A breakthrough prayer without consistent obedience.

Paul addresses this rhythm clearly: “Be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18 (NLT)

The language implies continuity—keep on being filled. The question shifts from “How do I get rid of this?” to “Who occupies this space?” When Jesus fills the house, peace displaces anxiety, truth displaces lies, and light drives out darkness.

No Vacancy

Dominion is not merely about taking ground; it is about keeping it. It is not just about cleaning the house, but crowning the King. When Christ occupies the heart, fear has no key. Bitterness finds no room. Old patterns lose their influence.

The declaration over every life and home becomes clear: No vacancy. Occupied by the Holy Spirit. This life is guarded. This heart belongs to Jesus. And where He reigns, His peace, truth, and authority fill every room.