Dry Places and Living Waters: The War for Occupation
- Zerubbabel
- Jul 5
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 5
Scripture Verse (NIV):
“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest
and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’”
— Matthew 12:43
Reflection
There’s a spiritual truth in Jesus’ words that’s often overlooked: when an evil spirit is
cast out, it begins searching. But not for peace. Not for repentance. And certainly not for
God.
No—these spirits roam in search of rest through embodiment. They crave a host. They
seek a home.
And what kind of place do they look for? Dry places.
In Scripture, the term "dry" or "arid places" is not about sand or heat—it's a spiritual
metaphor. These are places devoid of the Living Water. They represent lives, minds,
and environments where the Holy Spirit is absent. Whether it’s the heart of an
unbeliever or the soul of someone who once repented but never surrendered, these dry
places are the devil’s playground—vessels unfilled, thrones unoccupied, temples
swept but empty.
Jesus warned that when a house is swept clean but left unoccupied, that spirit will
return—and worse, bring seven more wicked spirits with it. The result is a condition
more dangerous than the first.
Why? Because a clean house flashing ‘vacancy’ is still vulnerable.
A life reformed but not reborn is an easy target.
A soul that says “no” to evil but doesn’t say “yes” to Christ is still unguarded.
But here’s the truth many overlook: we can’t even sustain repentance in our own
strength.
The willpower of man cannot keep the house indefinitely swept clean and unfilled.
The flesh grows tired. The soul returns to its vomit. The outside may look clean for a
while—but only the Spirit of God can fill and guard the inside.
This is why Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Because the burden
only becomes light when He enters in and bears what we never could.
We overcome sin not by striving, but by surrender. In our weakness, when we reach
out in prayer and ask Him to fill us, He responds.
And when we ask often—when we welcome Him daily—He becomes established
within us.
And when He is established, the temptation that once ruled us begins to lose its grip.
The devil sees no vacancy—and flees.
The counter to dry places is Living Water.
The solution to vulnerability is indwelling.
When Jesus fills the vessel, the house is no longer empty. The throne is no longer
vacant.
The soul is no longer dry.
And demons can find no rest there.
Key Truth
Demons seek bodies like dry land longs for rain. But the believer, filled with the Holy
Spirit, becomes a temple, not a vacant house.
Deliverance is the beginning of freedom—abiding in the Living Water is how we
remain free.
The Spirit doesn’t just cleanse us—He seals us, guards us, and fills us to overflowing,
leaving no place for the enemy to return.
Let’s Pray
Father, thank You for the wisdom of Your Word and the warning from Your Son. I ask
You now—fill me with Your Spirit. Let there be no room for anything unclean to dwell
in me. I surrender my house to You completely. Don’t let me be a swept shell—make me
a vibrant temple, overflowing with Living Water. I want to abide in You daily and drink
deeply from Your presence, so that I never grow dry again. Seal me, guide me, and fill
me until I overflow—so that my life glorifies You alone.
I ask this through the Holy Spirit, and in the name of Jesus—Amen.
Scriptures for Further Study
● Matthew 12:43–45 – The return of the unclean spirit
● Luke 11:24–26 – The unclean spirit seeks rest
● John 7:37–39 – Rivers of living water from within
● John 15:4–5 – Abide in Christ to bear fruit
● Romans 7:24–25 – Who will deliver me from this body of death?
● Romans 8:1–11 – Living by the Spirit, not the flesh
● 1 Corinthians 6:19 – Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit
● 2 Corinthians 1:22 – God put His seal on us and gave His Spirit
● Galatians 5:16–17 – Walk by the Spirit and not gratify the flesh
● Ephesians 5:18 – Be filled with the Holy Spirit
● Colossians 2:6–7 – Rooted and built up in Christ
● Proverbs 26:11 – A dog returns to its vomit
● 2 Peter 2:20–22 – The latter is worse than the beginning
● Ezekiel 36:26–27 – God gives us His Spirit to obey Him
● Luke 9:23 – Deny yourself and take up your cross daily
● Matthew 11:28–30 – My yoke is easy and My burden is light
● 1 John 4:4 – Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world
● James 4:7 – Resist the devil and he will flee from you
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