The condition of the heart is the ruling factor in a person’s life. I do not rule what I believe. What I believe rules me! Rom. 10:10 For with the heart man believes…So often our confession is wrong because our heart is wrong. Jesus says in Math. 15:8&9 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Also Math. 12: 34&35…for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. Again in Math. 15: 18.19&20 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart: and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, theft, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things that defile a man.
How often do we try to tame the tongue without dealing with our heart. As James 3:10 declares, out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought so not to be.
If I do not recognise and understand that my heart is the same fertile ground for God or the devil my life is just a chaotic expression of highs and lows. I am made in the image of God, and just as God’s word is creative, my word, or my confession is creating a life-style!…Faith, or believing, in God’s word creates a joyful, peaceful expression. My heart is being ruled by Christ. But if I believe a lie, my heart is being ruled by the devil and the consequence is discouragement and depression. All fear is built on a lie, deal with fear, and fear stays near, deal with the lie, and fear will die! The devil lost his power at Calvary. He cannot create. He can only deceive. If he can deceive my heart to believe, through fear, his lies, then he is using my God given powers of creation to confess negative words which in turn, produce a negative life-style. I am deceived, and give him back the power that Jesus took from him at Calvary. What a travesty-What a tragedy.
Most of us, as born again believers, are experiencing a mixture of what has been declared so far in this article. None of us has arrived at the place God, by His indwelling Spirit, is seeking to bring us. So often our lives demonstrate a mixture of ups and downs, like living on a roller coaster. But if I don’t understand that the condition of my heart is the place of MY RESPONSIBILITY, not God’s, I am in a confused state, asking and praying for God to do something that He expects ME TO DO!
Colossians 3:15 LET the peace of God Rule IN Your HEARTS…The word LET means it is something I must do. Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding. SHALL KEEP Your HEARTS and minds through Christ Jesus.
So God has given me, first, His word to instruct me, and secondly, His peace, which I must let rule me, in the seat of my responsibility…MY HEART!
Jesus in John 14:1 Says, LET not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. And again in the same chapter verse 27; Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. LET not your heart be troubled, neither LET it be afraid.
The peace of God has a purpose in my life, it is not just a nice feeling. It is given me, of God, to keep my heart in order when trouble or difficulties arise in my life. This is when I must LET His peace rule in my heart. It is then, when this becomes a consistent life-style that my heart is stabilised, and my confession, and my life’s expression, begin to glorify God.
Let us pray that God, by His Holy Spirit will enable us to walk in ever increasing dimensions of His peace, that we may be carriers and conveyors, channels of His Presence, in all our ongoing journey’s.
