Deep inside, our hearts are filled with deceit from the father-of-lies—deceitful beliefs of unworthiness, unrighteousness, and non-acceptance. Therefore, we develop habits and patterns of worthiness, righteousness, and acceptance, on the outside, so we may hide the deceitful beliefs of unworthiness, unrighteousness, and non-acceptance, on the inside. But, these defense patterns of escape on the outside cause their own unworthy, unrighteous, and unacceptable behavior—SIN.
THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS AND BEYOND CURE. WHO CAN UNDERSTAND IT?
(Jeremiah 17:9).
What a revelation when we realize that we cannot polish away the beliefs and feelings of unworthiness, unrighteousness, and non-acceptance that are on the inside with habits and patterns of worthiness, righteousness, and acceptance, on the outside. The deceitful beliefs in our own hearts cannot be cured through our own ways. They will always turn into unworthy, unrighteous, and unacceptable behavior—SIN.
I WILL JUDGE EACH OF YOU ACCORDING TO YOUR OWN WAYS, DECLARES THE SOVEREIGN LORD. REPENT! TURN AWAY FROM ALL YOUR OFFENSES; THEN SIN WILL NOT BE YOUR DOWNFALL. RID YOURSELVES OF ALL THE OFFENSES YOU HAVE COMMITTED, AND GET A NEW HEART AND A NEW SPIRIT
(Ezekiel 18:30-31).
There is only one cure—to turn away from our own ways of trying to get rid of our beliefs of unworthiness, unrighteousness, and non-acceptance. If we turn away from all our defense mechanisms of escape, and turn our beliefs of unworthiness, unrighteousness, and non-acceptance over to God, He Himself gives us a new heart and a new spirit. Then, sin stops being our downfall.
A NEW HEART ALSO WILL I GIVE YOU, AND A NEW SPIRIT WILL I PUT WITHIN YOU: AND I WILL TAKE AWAY THE STONY HEART OUT OF YOUR FLESH, AND I WILL GIVE YOU AN HEART OF FLESH
(Ezekiel 36:26).
The Lord Jesus came to exchange your heart for His own—a Heart that is Worthy, Acceptable, and Righteous.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I repent. I admit that I cannot cure my stony heart of deceit. I cannot get rid of the deceitful beliefs and feelings in my heart, which cause my defense mechanisms of escape, which cause the sinful deeds, on the outside. I turn away from all my offenses, to come to You for a new heart and a new spirit—Your Heart and Your Spirit. Thank you, Lord Jesus.
Maintain an Awareness
So, yes, the deepest urge in human nature seems to be the desire to be important–to matter. But, it is not the PRINCIPLE of wanting to be important that is wrong; instead, it is the way we adapt or the means we adopt to meet this most urgent desire of our hearts.