Have you ever felt like something was missing in your spiritual life? Despite having all the external trappings of success, do you sometimes feel spiritually empty? I want to share a powerful concept that has transformed my understanding of what it means to truly follow Jesus. It's all about what, or who, occupies the space of your heart.
The Closed Door That Changed Everything
During World War II, a young soldier had just married Margaret, the love of his life, before being deployed. Shortly after arriving at the front, he was captured and sent to a brutal work camp. For years, the only thing that kept him going was the thought of returning to Margaret someday.
After the war ended, he was finally freed. When he returned to his small village, he found his home still standing amidst the destruction. With his heart racing, he approached the door and knocked. He could hear familiar footsteps, Margaret's footsteps, as she approached.
When she opened the door, she looked as radiant as ever. He fell to his knees, overwhelmed with emotion. But to his shock, she simply stared at him and said, "I thought you were dead. I've married another," and closed the door.
This heartbreaking story illuminates a profound truth: Jesus will only occupy the space that He is invited to live in. He will not intrude if someone else is already living there. He is a gentleman.
Standing at the Door of Your Heart
In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says: "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me."
This isn't just a general invitation to humanity. It's deeply personal. Jesus is literally standing at the door of YOUR heart, knocking, waiting to be invited in.
But here's the challenging part: the context of this verse reveals something even more convicting. Just before this invitation, Jesus is addressing the church of Laodicea, believers who think they have it all together spiritually but are actually in a dangerous place.
The Lukewarm Life That Makes God Sick
Jesus tells the Laodicean church: "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:15-16).
Would you ever want a lukewarm coffee? Would you ever run a lukewarm bath? No. Nobody wants something that's stuck in the middle. It's unpleasant and unsatisfying.
What's even more challenging is that these lukewarm believers don't even realize their condition. They say, "I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing." But Jesus says they are actually "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."
Let's break down what Jesus means:
1. Wretched – Broken beyond self-repair. This speaks to inner torment – a miserable condition of the soul. It's the feeling of being full yet hollow, surrounded yet lonely.
2. Pitiful – An object of pity and compassion, not envy. They might have been admired by others, but heaven had compassion on them, not admiration.
3. Poor – Spiritually bankrupt. Not financially poor, but eternally empty. They had earthly treasure but nothing that would last.
4. Blind – Unable to see what truly matters. Living in delusion and self-deception, unable to see their own need, their spiritual state, or Jesus standing at the door.
5. Naked – Exposed and vulnerable without covering. Spiritually uncovered with no protection, no righteousness, no identity in Christ.
The Discipline That Comes From Love
Here's a verse that rarely gets an "amen" in church: "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent" (Revelation 3:19).
We don't naturally like the idea of discipline or correction. But Jesus is clear. He corrects those He loves. When someone cares enough to point out an area where you're missing the mark, it's not because they want to humiliate you; it's because they love you enough to help you grow.
I remember playing drums at church when I was younger. I was trying to look cool, mimicking my favorite drummers on MTV. After service one day, my dad pulled me aside and said, "Son, what's with your face when you play? You look like you have the IQ of a tree stump. Maybe you could put your tongue back in your mouth and stop looking like you're in pain."
It hurt in the moment, but it was a correction born of love. My dad saw something I couldn't see about myself, and he loved me enough to tell me. Who in your life loves you enough to tell you the truth?
What's Occupying Your Heart?
So the question remains: What occupies the space of your heart? For many of us, we've given Jesus access to only a portion of our hearts, while other rooms remain occupied by:
- Relationships that take priority over our relationship with God
- The pursuit of wealth and material possessions
- Career ambitions that consume our energy and focus
- Entertainment that fills our minds and thoughts
- Addictions that control our choices
- Habits that keep us spiritually lukewarm
The House With Ten Rooms
There's a powerful story about a man who owned a beautiful two-story house with ten rooms. One day, he heard a gentle knock at the door. When he opened it, Jesus was standing there.
Overjoyed, the man invited Jesus in and gave Him the best room in the house, the master suite upstairs. Jesus graciously accepted.
The next morning, there was a terrible pounding at the door. The man opened it to find the devil trying to force his way in. After a struggle, the man managed to push him out and shut the door.
Exhausted, he went upstairs and asked Jesus, "Why didn't you help me?"
Jesus replied, "My son, you have offered me only one room out of the ten rooms in your home."
Understanding the problem, the man said, "You can have the entire upper floor, all five rooms upstairs."
The next day, the devil returned more forcefully. After an even more brutal struggle, the bleeding and bruised man went back to Jesus and asked why He didn't intervene.
Jesus said, "My son, you only gave me five rooms, but you have ten."
Finally understanding, the man handed Jesus the keys to his entire house, all ten rooms. Jesus responded, "Now I will no longer be staying with you, but you will be staying with me in my house."
The next morning, when the knock came again, the man remembered that the house no longer belonged to him. Jesus, dressed in His kingly attire, went to the door and flung it open. The devil, seeing Jesus, trembled and said, "I'm sorry, King Jesus. I thought this house belonged to someone else. I came to the wrong house."
Giving Jesus All the Space
Jesus doesn't want just one room or even half the house. He wants all of you, every space in your heart. When He said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength," He meant ALL.
What percentage of your heart belongs to Jesus today? Have you given Him just a few rooms while keeping others for yourself? Have you allowed certain areas of your life to remain off-limits to His influence and lordship?
Jesus stands at the door and knocks. He's not an intruder who will force His way in. He's a guest who waits to be invited. But once invited, He wants full access to transform every part of your life from the inside out.
Taking the Next Step
Today, I want to challenge you to examine your heart and identify any spaces that you haven't fully surrendered to Jesus. Maybe it's your finances. Perhaps it's your relationships. It could be your time, your career ambitions, or your deepest thoughts.
Whatever it is, Jesus is asking for all of it. Not because He wants to take anything away from you, but because He wants to give you something better: Himself.
When Jesus occupies the full space of your heart, everything changes. The enemy no longer has a foothold. Your priorities align with God's purposes. Your desires begin to reflect His heart. And most importantly, you find the peace and fulfillment that comes from complete surrender.
Don't be like the Laodicean church, appearing rich while being spiritually bankrupt. Don't leave Jesus standing outside while you fill your heart with lesser things.
Open the door. Give Him every room. And watch as He transforms your life from the inside out.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37)
