Re-Taking Lost Ground

As Israel was preparing to take the promised land, God told them what they had to do in order to gain the land back.  It is what we need to do in our spiritual lives to gain back lost land.  They (we) needed to:

1. Drive out the inhabitants - remove whoever (or whatever) had taken ownership of the land, and drive out those living on land that belongs to Israel.  We often try to take back the land, but we leave someone (something) alive to stay on that land.  We desire to give up coffee, but we still sit in Starbucks to study.  We want to lose weight but we still purchase cookies (for later use).  We want to stop lusting but we still purchase the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.  We need to drive out the inhabitants (which could be the demons who are deceiving) in order to take back the land.  Or else they will be a "barb" in our eyes and a thorn in our side.  They will give us trouble.  WHAT HAVEN'T YOU DRIVEN OUT?
2. Destroy carved images and idols - These are depictions of the "gods" that have taken up residence in the land. We do not always realize what we worship but there are images all around us of things we substitute for God.  When we look at these images they bring us security and they tell us what we need to be doing.  We actually take instruction from inanimate objects!  We must destroy these images so that we can focus on God's direction and worship God alone.
3. Demolish High Places - these are the actual places in which we carry out the worship of other Gods.  We each have our sacred places that help us to draw near to God (the place we pray and read the scriptures and worship God).  We also set up places where we worship those images and idols and receive direction from those things we worship.  DEMOLISH THEM!  Or they will continue to influence your life.
4. Take possession of the land - Once the land is empty, we need to overrun the land and live in it.  Take up residence in the way God would desire us to live.  If we leave it empty, others will come and re-take it.  

How might this look?  Let's say your issue is that at one time in your Christian life you were generous, but that is not part of your life any more.  You begin by driving out the things that have taken the place of generosity : debt, possessions, self-centeredness, etc.   You then destroy the images and idols of prosperity, the lies of what we think we need and the things that have gained more importance in our lives than God.  We then destroy the high places of covetousness and greed that have a place of importance in our lives.  Then we take possession of the land by living there in God's way of living.

It doesn't sound easy, but then again, the Israelites had to go out and actually fight very difficult battles as they took the land.  Why shouldn't we have to do the same?