5-Day Devotional - Day Three

Two Kingdoms: Light & Darkness—Part One Pastor Paul Stieb Day 3: Closing the Doors to Darkness Devotional Our homes should be sanctuaries of peace, joy, and God's presence. Yet many believers unknowingly invite spiritual darkness through seemingly innocent choices. Entertainment that glorifies the occult, objects with pagan origins, or practices like reading horoscopes and consulting fortune-tellers can open doors for evil spirits to influence our lives. These things might seem harmless at first—even entertaining or helpful—but they create spiritual vulnerabilities. God explicitly warns against such practices in Scripture. Why? Because He knows they lead us away from dependence on Him, and toward deceptive spiritual forces that ultimately harm us. The early church in Ephesus understood this. After encountering the power of Christ, many who practiced sorcery brought their scrolls and burned them publicly. They recognized that following Jesus meant completely abandoning their former spiritual practices. Examine your home and habits. Are there things you've allowed in that might be giving the enemy access to your life? Perhaps it's time for your own "burning of the scrolls"—a decisive removal of anything that doesn't honor God. Remember, this isn't about fear, but about living wholly devoted to Christ. When we close doors to darkness, we create more space for God's light to fill our lives. Bible Verse "Many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver." - Acts 19:18-20 Reflection Question What specific items, entertainment choices, or practices might you need to remove from your life in order to close doors to spiritual darkness? Quote "Sometimes people—unknowingly or ignorantly—allow things to enter their home, and then wonder why they keep repeating challenges. It's because they’ve given the enemy access." Prayer Father, show me any areas where I've unknowingly given the enemy access to my life. Give me courage to remove anything that doesn't honor You. Fill my home with Your presence and peace. In Jesus's name, amen.