Toss Out The Tobiah’s In The Storerooms of Your Life

“The closer you walk with God, the less room for anything to come between.” Suzanne Woods Fisher

As we walk into the New Year, it seems as if acceleration of world events is the theme, does it not? I was scrolling through reels earlier today and I noticed a common feeling pattern throughout each reel: fear, loathing, powerlessness, sadness, guilt, anger, so much anger. As I continued to scroll, I felt those feelings start to seep into the storerooms of my mind and heart. In those moments a thought came to mind: I’ve got to toss out the Tobiah’s in my mind before they clutter everything up!  In other words, I stopped scrolling and started praying. 

What does it mean to toss out Tobiah?

In the book of Nehemiah, there was an Ammonite who had come to serve in the Temple of God under the leadership of the Priest, Eliashib. Tobiah hated Yahweh and was set to sow division in the people of God. Tobiah was assigned a storeroom to manage. When he gained that position, Eliashib violated the law by giving a sacred space to the enemy. Eliashab, who was in charge of sacred grain, frankincense and large vessels chose to make room for Tobiah and his nefarious plans.  When Nehemiah the prophet returned to the temple, he tossed out Tobiah and all of his trappings because he knew that when an enemy is given a storeroom, he’ll eventually invade more and more space and destroy the temple. Dear ones, we’ve got to start tossing out the Tobiah’s in the storeroom of our lives. 

How do I toss out Tobiah?

To understand this concept, let’s talk about the structure of the ancient temple given to King David (I Chronicles 28:12) by the Holy Spirit. Sadly, David never saw the temple, his son, King Solomon built the temple. The rooms were as follows:

• The Holy of Holies Dvir (דביר). This was the innermost, most sacred portion of the temple. The Ark of the Covenant was housed in this room. God’s very presence dwelled there, His Shekhinah glory. The room was literally filled with God’s light. The priests were only allowed to enter one time a year, during Yom Kippur. 
• The Heikhal was the temple or sanctuary that had the Menorah, table of showbread and the table of incense. The priests offered their worship to God. The room represented a physical connection to God. 
• Courtyards and Chambers: in these areas there were a series of places where people had varying access that was determined by holiness to God. The chambers housed storage for the priests for worship, meditation and service to God. 

How do these rooms relate to our lives?`

God’s wisdom and design continually amaze me. The design of the temple is much like the design of our lives. 

• The Holy of Holies is our spirit. When we make Jesus the Lord of our lives, His Holy Spirit comes to make His home in us. Without our Spirit, we die. Our spirit is where God speaks with us. Jesus said in John 14: the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (I Kings 6:5-8)
• The Heikhal (the sanctuary) is our heart.  Our spirit flows to our heart and then into our soul. The heart is where the center of our identity resides; our passions, desires, etc.  Jesus said: out of our innermost being will flow rivers of life. You are designed to walk with the Holy Spirit. That is how the fruit of the Spirit flows through you; love, joy, peace, patience, only through God’s design. 
• The side rooms are the places that we fill our cup with.  Each side room was supposed to be full of the Priests’ things, but when they walked away from God they would store their idols in the rooms. They believed no one would look there because it was theirs, therefore their hidden sins were just that, tucked away in a store room. When we step away from God, we start to put idols in your side rooms. Ezekiel 8:12
• Nehemiah was a representation of a prophetic picture of the Holy Spirit. Nehemiah means: “God comforts us.” To have compassion, change the mind, to alleviate grief. Turn around, repent, come to restoration. The Holy Spirit is our comforter and guide. 

What are in your chambers?

To walk with God requires that you leave something behind to move forward. Lean into Him. What is holding you back? What is causing you to limit God’s work in your life?  Growth with God never stagnates. We do not come into salvation only to stay there. God wants us, I would even say requires us to grow with Him. Is change hard? Absolutely, yes. But what would we be without change? 

They are places in our inner man where we store things. Happy memories of God’s provision and painful memories. When you experience painful words, abuse, injustice and trauma, you can do one of two things:  give them to Jesus, let Him heal you and work through your trauma; or you can bury it in your inner chamber, locked away only to be opened when the enemy wants to torture you with painful memories. When you bury it in your chamber, it stays there. Guard your heart diligently, for in it flow the issues of life. Hidden things: memories, secret sin, Idols, fear, grief, judgements. These impact how you live your life. Psalm 51:6

We live in an age full of Tobiah

We live in an age where lies are everywhere, we need the Spirit of Truth to be at the center of our lives. It is imperative to develop a love for the truth in this day and age. The Holy Spirit will rebuild the principles of your life if you allow Him. He will:

• Uncover the brokenness
• Uncover the darkness
• Uncover the lies in your life and lead you to the Word of God.

Much like Nehemiah’s job was to restore the walls of the temple, the gates (where decisions were made), the Holy Spirit needs access to your chambers and storerooms in your life. In order to do this we must: 

• Establish your identity that you are a beloved child of God. The enemy will attack this often. Romans 8
• Let the Holy Spirit empower you to serve. Serve God actively. He will give you the ability. Act 1:8

The Holy Spirit is responsible for our transformation, to conform us to Christ, to grow in Him. Compassion, love, perseverance, goodness. Jesus told us the Holy Spirit is our helper, he will help us to transform, we only need to yield to Him. Romans 8:29

Tobiah is much like the deceiver of old, Satan

Tobiah was an enemy of God, Satan is our enemy that prowls about seeking whom he may devour. What is Satan’s role? To kill, steal and destroy. To cause your outer storerooms to be filled with fear. Tobiah seeks to distract you from serving God and turn your eyes on self.  he wants to obstruct and hinder God’s work in your life. 

What was Nehemiah’s response to Tobiah? 

“The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.” What does this mean? 

• We place our reliance on God Almighty. There is no political party, no reel, no person who can compare to the goodness of God and His faithfulness. 
• We are bold in our faith in Yahweh. In Him alone we draw our strength, even when the world looks quite dark. 
• Tobiah has no place in the storerooms of the temple of our lives. The enemy, who walks around to devour us has no legal right to steal our joy that we have in God. 
• We will rely on God to bring his glory to our lives starting in the Holy of Holies and flowing outward until our storerooms are swept clean of Tobiah’s mess. 

Dear ones, are there Tobiah’s in your storerooms? If so, the spirit begs you to cleanse your temple. God Bless you.