The Best Thing I Did Before Moving into my Home

When Travis and I bought our house, we moved all our stuff in but we didn’t live there. We spent a few days pulling up all the carpet and replacing some light fixtures while staying with my parents down the road. Then we spent a week visiting his family in northern Indiana. After Travis left for South Korea, I stayed with my parents again for a couple weeks while we worked on the house. We had to get the water working and install a shower before I wanted to move in.

There was one other important thing I wanted to do before moving in.

Pray.

I have to admit I was very nervous about moving into this new place alone. Old houses come with a lot of strange sounds usually, and I wasn’t used to hearing them. What if I couldn’t sleep? I was afraid I would be afraid. I have had a lot of problems with fear lately. I’ve let it take a hold of me several times, and I didn’t want that to happen while I was alone in this new house.

The day we finished the projects that needed to be done for me to live there, I decided I would officially move in. That night, my mom and I prayed over my house.

We walked around the yard, laying hands on everything from my car to the garage to my front door. Then we walked through the inside of the house, praying over each room and anointing the doorways with frankincense oil. My mom said beautiful prayers, praying for God’s protection and that I wouldn’t be afraid. She prayed that I would learn the language of the house (the noises and sounds that come with an old house), and we dedicated the home to God.

You might be wondering, “Why did you anoint the house with oil?” Good question! Did you know the Bible talks about using anointing oils 20 different times? In the Old Testament, they sprinkled anointing oils on the tabernacle and its furnishings to mark them as holy and set them apart for God.

Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments and his sons and their garments. – Leviticus 9:5

In this verse, the word “consecrate” is used to mean ordain. But another definition of the word consecrate is to make or declare something sacred or to dedicate formally to a religious or divine purpose.

The New Testament also talks about how the disciples anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

They (the disciples) drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. – Mark 6:13

Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. – James 5:14

Personally, I think of anointing my home with oil as we pray as setting this home apart for God — dedicating it to Him. Because I want this home to be a place of God’s peace and presence, a place of hospitality and joy. This is where I write for this blog, this is where I invite others over for food and games, this is where I sleep and cook and live.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. – Joshua 24:15

I have now lived in my house for one week, and let me tell you I can feel those prayers. I feel peace, not fear. I have slept great every single night. (And I never sleep good in a new place!) I encourage you to pray over your home, especially if you are having trouble sleeping or feeling fear.

 

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