Last week we started a sermon series on how our character is under construction. Last week, we talked about that there is a battlefield that is happening in our mind. We were challenged to change the way that we think. That it is important to think positively, and in a biblical way. This type of thinking really has a purpose.
We talked about how our words can take us as high as we want to go or they can take us as low as we use them. We learned that over time our words produce our habits, and that our habits then become our character. Over time, our character then becomes our destiny. Today, we are continuing with our character under construction sermon series and we are talking about our hearts.
This morning we are dealing with the condition of this spiritual heart and determining out true intentions of our heart. We are going to discuss the importance of our heart, how our heart is attacked and closing with the condition of our heart.
I. The importance of our heart
A. Be on guard
a. Our first point here this morning is addressing the importance of our heart.
b. In fact, the bible says in Proverbs 4:20-23(NKJV) 20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. 23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
c. This verse is dealing with three important areas of our lives: our ears, our eyes and our heart.
d. When we look further at this text, the word heart is really dealing with a part of our beings which is called our soul
i. We understand that we are a three part being: Body, Soul, and Spirit.
e. Our soul consists of our mind, will and emotions.
f. If we are able to take control of our minds and control our thoughts then we will have not have any trouble with any of the other parts.
g. Truly our hearts hold a significant importance in our spiritual journey as our heart is the epic center of our thinking.
B. The physical heart
a. In discussing our spiritual heart, we also can look at our physical heart as this really is a prime example.
b. We understand that our physical heart can determine what we are able to accomplish.
c. For example, if your physical heart is weak, then we are not able to accomplish much.
d. One of our deacons, Jim had a heart issue several months ago and I remember going to visit him in the hospital and he was lying in the bed and was not able to do much of anything. We did not want Jim to do much because, his heart was not able to handle it,
C. Decisions from the heart
a. We understand the importance of the heart as that is where a lot of decisions are made.
b. In many cases, our spiritual heart is where the Lord speaks to us in His still small voice.
c. It is from our heart, that we share God’s love to others. It is from our heart that we share God’s grace and His mercy.
d. When praying about coming to Clintonville. I heard the voice of the Lord, the Lord spoke to my heart that this is the direction that He was leading me in.
D. The heart is a revealer
a. If your heart is in the right place then you will be in the right place. In other words, If your heart is evil, then you will be evil, while if your heart is good, then you will be good.
b. The bible says in Proverbs 27:19(NKJV) 19 As in water face reflects face, So a man’s heart reveals the man.
c. Truly, the heart is a reflection of what kind of person that we are.
d. If your heart reveals to you that your motives are not pure, work to make changes that your motives would be pure.
E. God sees our heart
a. When God looks at us, He sees our heart. It is man that looks at the outward appearance and judges accordingly.
b. God is really not that much interested in our outward appearance as opposed to your inward condition.
c. There is a story in the bible that illustrates this point. The prophet Samuel was called to go to the home of Jesse to anoint the next king of Israel. Jesse brought all his sons before the prophet absent of one. The one that Jesse failed to bring was the one that was going to be king. While Jesse did not see anything kingly about David, for he was a ruddy little shepherd boy. The Lord saw it differently. In fact, the Lord spoke to Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7(NKJV) 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
d. While David’s own father overlooked him, God did not, God saw something inside David.
e. So many times we are unable to see others for their potential because we are looking at them through the outward lens instead of the inward.
F. Caution
a. There is a caution when looking at our own hearts. The caution is that our hearts can deceive us.
b. We may think that our heart is pure and our motives are right but the opposite could be true.
c. The bible warns us in Jeremiah 17:9(NKJV) 9 “The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
d. To get a glimpse into your heart, Pray and ask God to reveal it to you.
e. David prayed a prayer like that in Psalm 139: verses 23 and 24 :23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
II. The attack on the Heart
A. Satan can deceive
a. Be careful as your heart can be deceived. We are reminded of this from an example from the early church
b. During the early church days, the people were struggling to take care of their needs.
c. So there were those that had some wealth and lands and they sold the land and brought the proceeds to the disciples for distribution.
d. There was a couple that sold some land and then came and gave some of the money from the sale to the Peter. The bible says in Acts 5:3 (NKJV) 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?
i. The problem was not that they were giving money to the church. They were being generous as they did not have to do this. The problem was that they were saying that they were giving all the money that they received which was not true. They were only giving part of the money.
B. Judas Iscariot
a. Another example of giving Satan an open door in a heart is one of the disciples, Judas Iscariot.
b. Judas was a zealot. The zealots were a political organization that wanted to see the rule of the Roman government in Jerusalem come to an end.
c. Once Judas realized that Jesus was not going to overthrow the government, he took personal advantage of his relationship with Jesus.
d. John 13:2(NKJV)2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him,
C. War for your soul
a. There is a war that is going on right now. This war is being fought in the supernatural realm. This is a battle between good and evil. Between God and Satan.
b. This battle is one that is not being fought with human weaponry. Rather, it is being fought with supernatural weapons that hold much more power.
c. This battle is being fought for your heart.
d. You have probably heard is said “Give the enemy an inch and he will take a mile”
i. So the suggestion is: Don’t give the enemy even an inch! Don’t give him anything to work with!
III. The conditions of the heart
A. Indifference
a. We are going to talk about some of the conditions of the heart. Our first condition we are discussing is indifference. Simply put, indifference is where you show a lack of interest or concern for something.
b. Being indifferent to the things of God can be detrimental to your spiritual journey.
c. What happens is that this indifference happens over a period of time. It is like that neighbors barking dog every night that you are going to sleep.
d. After a while you begin to ignore the dog and eventually stop hearing the dog all together.
e. There is a caution in the bible in Hebrews 4:7(NLT)7 So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted:“Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.”
B. A complaining heart
a. Have you ever come across someone that always seems to have a complaint on their lips?
b. Do not answer this, especially if you’re sitting with that person!
c. The bible is very clear about complaining. In fact, the apostle Paul in the book of Philippians 2:14 wrote: (NKJV) 14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
d. You parents out there, ever take a road trip to a far away place and have your kids ask every 10 minutes “Are we there yet?”
e. Complaining will get us nowhere fast. Complaining does not change our circumstances, complaining does not change our hearts.
f. The children of Israel complained and they spent 40 years in the desert walking around the mountain for a journey that should have only taken on two weeks tops.
C. Stubbornness
a. Another condition of the heart is stubbornness. Stubbornness is a determination not to change even though there are good reasons to change.
b. The bible says in Psalm 81:11-12(TLB)11 “But no, my people won’t listen. Israel doesn’t want me around. 12 So I am letting them go their blind and stubborn way, living according to their own desires.
c. To be stubborn is to be so determined not to change your attitude even though you know better.
D. Prideful heart
a. The last condition we are going to address is a prideful heart.
b. The bible says in Proverbs 28:25(NKJV)25 He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered.
c. When your heart is full of pride it stirs up contention with others.
d. The bible says in James 4:6 (NKJV)6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:“God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
Closing:
As we close this morning, guarding your heart is critical in order to experience all that God desires for our lives. We must understand that there is a treasure when we place ourselves in a position to receive the many blessings and favor of God in our lives. Many of you have smart phones in this room. One of the features on a smart phone is what is called GPS. GPS, stands for Global Positioning System. This GPS will take you to whatever address you type in. Like this GPS system, our heart will take us wherever we want to go in life. I leave you with this verse which is found in Philippians 4:6-7(NKJV) 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
