In an episode of this podcast from Season 2, I shared about the principle that I call the Replacement Principle.  The most succinct statement of this principle that I have found in the Bible is this:

2 Timothy 2:22 ISV  Flee from youthful passions. Instead, pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace together with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart.

Note in this passage that Paul did not merely say to run away from lust, but he also said what to run toward (godly character qualities) and whom to run with (other believers).  

To summarize:  The Replacement Principle states that we are to turn our focus away from what we are NOT to do, and turn our focus toward what we ARE to do (and who we are in Christ), and join with others who have the same focus.

In that same episode, I shared about the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon.  It is simply a recognition that our brains have a tendency to try to find patterns in the massive amounts of sensory data that we encounter each day.  When something catches our attention, then our brain raises that observation to a higher priority in its pattern recognition algorithm.  It is therefore not surprising at all that our brain begins to find matches to this new observation.  An example of this from everyday life might be when I buy a car, and then begin to notice how many of that same model car are on the road today.  They were there all along, but I am just now noticing them.

Well, I am experiencing a similar phenomenon.  I am now seeing this Replacement Principle in other places in the Bible.  They have been there all along, but I am just now noticing them.  For example, listen to how Paul instructs the believers at Ephesus:

Ephesians 4:21-32 NLT  Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him,  (22)  throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.  (23)  Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.  (24)  Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.  (25)  So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body…  (28)  If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.  (29)  Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.  …  (31)  Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.  (32)  Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

This passage lists many examples of turning our focus away from doing something ungodly and instead replacing it with something godly.  Here are a few:

·         Throw off your old sinful nature (your former way of life).  Replace it with your new nature, that renews your thoughts and attitudes.

·         Stop telling lies.  Replace telling lies with telling the truth.

·         Stop stealing.  Instead, use your hands for good hard work, so you can give generously to others in need.

·         Stop using foul or abusive language.  Replace that language with words that are good, helpful, and encouraging.

·         Get rid of angry, bitter, and harsh behavior.  Instead, be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving.

In another passage, notice what Jesus said:

Luke 11:24-26 TPT  “When a demon is cast out of a person, it goes to wander in the waterless realm, searching for rest. But finding no place to rest, it says, ‘I will go back to the body of the one I left.’  (25)  When it returns, it finds the person like a house that has been swept clean and made tidy but is empty.  (26)  Then it goes and enlists seven demons more evil than itself, and they all enter and possess the person, leaving that one with a much worse fate than before.”

Jesus is making another application of this principle.  It is not sufficient to merely get rid of evil or sinful influences in our life.  Why?  Because if we do not replace those influences with the presence of Jesus and with faith-building virtues, attitudes, and actions that keep our focus on Jesus, then many more sinful influences will rush in to fill that void, and our spiritual condition will become worse than before.  

That is sobering.  Our spiritual condition could actually become worse, if we do not apply the Replacement Principle and preemptively fill the void left by removing bad influences.

Will you agree with me in purposing to not merely remove the bad influences from our lives, but to also replace them with good influences?

Today, I encourage you to “Reflect on This.”