Whose House Is This?

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit…You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” — 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)

A house tells on its owner.

The paint, the furniture, even the silence in the corners. It all tells you who lives here.

I lean toward minimalism. No bursts of color, just clean neutrals. Sleek, modern lines that shape a space that’s more of a curated sanctuary than everyday dwelling. It doesn’t scream “lived in,” but it breathes serenity. There’s a stillness in the air, like peace chose to make itself at home.

But peace isn’t about aesthetic, it’s about presence. And presence is determined by ownership. Just like a physical home carries the imprint of its occupant, our bodies, the temple, carry the spirit of who resides within.

So, who owns your house? Who has the deed to your thoughts, words, and actions? Is Jesus reigning in stillness and authority, or is the enemy living rent-free, rearranging things in your soul?

What we say, how we respond, and what we entertain. It all reveals the resident. This house may look peaceful, but is it truly holy?

Who Lives Here?

• Words reveal the resident. Does my speech echo grace or bitterness?

“You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” – Matthew 12:34-37 (NLT)

• Thoughts reveal the owner. Are they governed by peace or tormented by chaos?

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

• Actions show the authority. Do I honor God or indulge the flesh?

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV)

Journal Prompt: Room by Room Inventory

If my body is a house and my heart is its main room, what’s really inside?

• What have I allowed to reside here that doesn’t reflect Christ?

• Is Jesus welcomed or merely tolerated, invited in, or kept in one clean room while I “think” I’m hiding the rest?

• Which space needs renovating, reclaiming, or cleansing?

• What thoughts echo in the hallways and whose voice do they belong to?

• Where is spiritual furniture being arranged by fear, bitterness, or pride and not by grace?

• Complete this sentence from the depths of your spirit: “Today, I hand Jesus the keys to…”

Prayer: Reclaim My Temple

Jesus,

My body is Your dwelling place.

I’ve let other things rearrange the furniture.

Bitterness hung curtains.

Fear hid in closets.

Pride painted over grace with its own agenda.

I’ve called it mine, but You paid for it with Your blood. Today, I hand You the deed.

No more leasing rooms to anxiety or shame.

No more hollow speech echoing from a heart that is half-occupied.

Evict what doesn’t belong.

Burn the blueprints that I drew without You.

Tear down the walls I’ve built to hide what needed healing.

Rebuild me. Room by room. Thought by thought. Word by word.

Let Your spirit be the architect and the resident. May my house be clean, not for comfort but for communion. When the world visits, let them see and feel You and not me.

In Your name, Jesus, the rightful owner and eternal resident.

Amen.