ALL THE WAY OUT

Numbers 33:55-56

"But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you , then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorn in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell. Moreover it shall be that I will do to you as I thought to do to them."

If you read the chapter you will find the Lord giving instructions to the nation of Israel as to how they are to conquer Canaan and claim their promised land. He is very clear - everyone has to go. Nothing left. Any remnant of it will only cause you harm.
The same is true for us. We have things blocking our path to our figurative promised lands, where we dwell in freedom with God and He dwells freely amongst us. Some things we have brought upon ourselves. Some others put upon us. Either way, the Lord can remove them. Either way, He is most likely to call for our cooperation. He will tells us what we need to remove ; we have to obey. There are times when sweets are a stumbling block for me. I can not even have them in the house - at all- they have to be totally removed. You may say well how does that impact you and God. Oh, it does believe me. Because when I go to them for comfort instead of Him, I have just set up a false god. Others are more serious. A group of "friends" you used to hang out with. A causal drink you used to have that turned into an addiction. That relationship with the opposite sex that is teetering on the edge of adultery or fornication. The show that occupies your time, or computer game, or social media. If the Lord has called you to remove those, remove them. No, you can not run around with them every once and a while and it do no harm. No, you can not have just one drink or one hit or one blow and think you can defeat the enemy. No, you can not see them "socially" and think you are safe from that pit. They have to be removed from your life and from your thoughts. Because if you don't, the destruction that comes to them will come to you as well. The death that those things bring, physical, spiritual or relational, will be yours. They have to go.
The good news - God is just as eager for you to get them out of your life as you are. More so. No child of Israel wanted in the promised land more than God wanted them in. Not a one. Same holds true for today. The same God who fought on behalf of Israel fights on behalf of you and me. All (as hard it is) we have to do is obey His battle plans. His plans that have already ensured victory. His plans that lead to the "promised land" He has for you and for me.

* I am going to add some thing here as I have mulled over this today. It does not always have to be a bad thing the Lord tells us needs to go. It can be a very good thing. A committee in church or the community. A volunteer job. Whatever. If the Lord tells you to remove it, do it. No "I'll just help with this one project". None of that. Because even good can block the best He has for you.