My Heart
My heart and its fleshly desires is the problem. My heart has its own worldview, it defines its own wisdom, and it desperately wants veto power over anything it finds disagreeable. As a result, my fleshly heart has open and frequent communication with Darkness; they speak the same language, they have the same goals and ambitions; they are opposed to the rule of God.
As Christians, we are given a new heart, and the scriptures state we are a new creation, created in Christ Jesus. This new creation is a spiritual and moral rebirth, we are born again by the Spirit of God and we are given a new identity in Christ. We are no longer the same person even though we live in the same body and continue to struggle with our autonomous nature.
Even though born-again, we continue to live on earth and we are told to renew our mind and discipline our physical body to no longer serve ourselves but God. We are able to stop sinning if we allow the Word of God to rule over our intellect, rule over our will, and rule over our emotions. We are called to live a sanctified life through the power of the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit gives us inward power through the new birth to overcome our old self-centered way of living. The point of salvation is not only to save us, but to change us inwardly by giving us power and victory over the bondage of a self-seeking and a self-centered heart. The words of that old hymn speak of Christ providing a "double cure",
Rock of ages cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee,
Let the water and the blood,
From thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.
The Desires of Our Heart
Our problem is the sinfulness of our heart. Our heart prefers and loves it's own way above Gods way. As a result of that self-love, we naturally partner with Darkness against the message and work of the gospel. Sooner or later we realize that our heart is the problem and that it is the focus of the gospel; only the gospel has the power to give us a new heart.
The gospel not only saves, but sanctifies. There is a battle, a fight, as we work out and walk out the redemptive work of Christ. The cross has dealt our flesh a fatal blow. Because of that death we are no longer bound by a sinful nature but are given a new nature. As Christians, we show the reality of Christ's victory over sin, when we walk out His victory over our sin in our personal life.
Planet Earth and Our Heart
God has chosen that we walk out His victories in this life, on planet earth, in our body, and with our mind. He could have translated us to heaven immediately on salvation, but He didn't. He chose to leave us in the midst of spiritual enemies, enemies that hate God, hate us, and hate everything good. In addition to spiritual enemies, we are also left in a body that must be made to serve God, and with a mind, if left to itself, will turn from God, and with a heart that constantly opposes God. As born-again Christians, this is our battle, to walk out the victories of Jesus over the world, the flesh, and the Devil. This is the life we have been given to live. As we gain victory over inward evil, we prove the work of Christ to be more powerful than the power of the Devil. We do not despair, we have been given victory over the enemies of our soul!
See Our Heart
Spiritual Evil
Spiritual evil is about planned and willful opposition to God, opposition to His Word, opposition to His way of salvation, and opposition to you, a born-again Christian. This system of darkness is intelligent, disciplined, powerful, and according to scripture, exercises influence over the entire world and every unbeliever! Ephesians 2:1-3, 1John 5:19
A Selfish Heart
All Christians have a sinful nature that opposes God. This sinful nature, also called the "flesh", is that selfish, autonomous part of us that wants its own way. The problem is heightened by the partnership of spiritual darkness with our fleshly nature. This dark cooperation forms a powerful influence over our thoughts and emotions, and therefore our behavior. It is at this level of our being that we learn to walk out Christ's victory over evil. If we do not learn how to control our thoughts, emotions, feelings, desires, priorities, ambitions, etc.- then we are truly like a city without walls and defenseless.
Proverbs 25:28 He that hath no rule over his spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls
Who Is In Control?
The person that cannot control his behavior has never learned to control his heart and it's desires. Someone or something has to be in control of our thoughts and feelings, and if we are not in control, then darkness will gladly influence our heart away from God.
We Learn To Change The Channel!
Our minds are like a radio that is always on. The radio has the ability to pick up any transmitted signal; it will play according to the channel it is tuned to. Our victory is learning to use God's weapons in order to change the channel! His Word instructs us to turn our minds, and hearts to His Channel.
Spiritual Chains Bind Through A Lie
Chains exist in our lives through the selfishness of our human nature - lies that reside within and influence our behavior, our values, our faith and our relationship with God. These chains manifest themselves as destructive habits, compulsive living, chronic depression, frustration, anger, apathy, unhappiness, discouragement, bitterness, etc..
Chronic dissatisfaction, chronic unrest, dissatisfaction with with life in general are examples of chains that can and do profoundly affect our lives.
Jesus said the source of these problems is the heart. So what we are saying is this; a system of darkness that relies on lies, and a heart that accepts and acts on those lies, will result in emotional dysfunction and spiritual chains.
Can A Christian be Bound?
Can a born-again Christian have spiritual chains? Let me ask you a question-Can a born-again Christian live in chronic fear, depression, or discouragement? Can a born-again Christian lose the joy of serving God? Can a born-again Christian lose interest in life? Can a born-again Christian be bound by habits? Can a born-again Christian be completely unhappy in their relationships with God and man? The answer to all these questions is YES!
All of us, at one time or another, have struggled with fear, depression, anxiety, etc,.. But for some, the struggles are ongoing, chronic. This ministry is dedicated to help that Christian work out, and walk out the victories of Christ, purchased for them by the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. God bless you.