A New Heart Through the Power of Christ - Heart Solutions Part 2 #CWC

Overcoming Iniquity Through Christ's Power

"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)

God promises to give us a new heart when we come to Him in faith. This is the essence of being born again - going from a heart of stone that is dead in sin to a heart of flesh that is alive to God. Jesus told Nicodemus, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3)

But this new birth is just the beginning. We must then nurture the seed of salvation and allow it to grow. Just as a newborn baby can see but cannot yet walk, a new believer starts by seeing the kingdom but must then mature. "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:" (1 Peter 2:2)

This growth process involves overcoming the iniquities and sinful habits that once held us captive. God drives them out little by little as we yield to His Spirit, just as He drove out the inhabitants of Canaan before the Israelites (Exodus 23:29-30). We have a part to play in walking out our deliverance, fighting the good fight of faith.

Even the apostle Paul struggled with a "messenger of Satan" that God allowed to keep his pride in check (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). God's power is made perfect in our weakness as we depend on Him. 

The key is abiding in Christ and letting His word abide in us. "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." (John 15:7) As we delight in God's word, it cleanses our hearts and makes us fruitful.

Becoming more like Jesus is a lifelong journey from the cradle to the cross. But praise God, He who began this good work in us will be faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6)! Let us press on to maturity in Christ.

From a Wicked Heart to a Pure Heart Through Jesus

From Wicked to Pure Heart

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9 KJV) 

This verse reveals the state of the human heart after the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Our hearts have a natural propensity towards evil and wickedness. As it says in Genesis 6:5, "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

But praise God, there is hope for transformation! The Bible shows us how we can go from having a wicked, deceitful heart to having a pure heart that allows us to enter God's presence. Psalm 24:3-4 says, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully."

The key to this transformation is inviting Jesus Christ into our hearts. As Revelation 3:20 states, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." When we open the door of our hearts to Jesus, He comes in and begins to clean house, just as He cleansed the temple in the Gospels (Matthew 21:12-13). 

Jesus is the Living Word (John 1:1), and when He dwells in our hearts, His truth sets us free from the bondage of sin. "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32)

As we delight ourselves in the Lord and His Word, He gives us new desires that align with His will. "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." (Psalm 37:4) No longer are we slaves to sin, but we become servants of righteousness through Christ (Romans 6:16-18).

This is the amazing journey of the Christian life - going from a wicked heart ruled by sinful desires to a pure heart filled with the truth and love of Jesus Christ. May we open wide the doors of our hearts to Him today!

From Darkness to Light: Mary Priddy's Powerful Testimony of Transformation Through Jesus

Jesus: The Love Mary Needed

Introduction:

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Mary Priddy, who I connected with through the Knowing Jesus community on social media. Mary's story is one of the transforming power of Jesus Christ in a life that was once lost in darkness. I'm excited to share her powerful testimony with you.

Raised in the Church, but Falling into Darkness

Mary was raised going to church by her grandparents and was baptized at a young age. But when she was 12, her world fell apart when her preacher grandfather passed away. She ended up in state custody and started down a path of drinking, drugs and unhealthy relationships. By 18, she was pulled into a dark world of hard drugs, prostitution, and abuse by an older man. 

Hitting Rock Bottom

Mary spiraled further into drug addiction, especially meth. She worked as an escort and prostitute to support her habit. Suicide attempts landed her in the ICU. Mary felt helpless and hopeless, seeing no way out of the darkness her life had become. But God was still there.

A Grandmother's Love and God's Intervention 

Even in her lowest moments, contemplating ending her life, Mary recounts how Jesus intervened. Her grandmother miraculously found her and brought her home. After a final relapse and suicide attempt, Mary ended up in a shelter, then a church. She was prayed over, and has now been walking in freedom in Christ for 10 years.

Experiencing the Love of God

A key turning point came a few years ago when Mary had a powerful encounter with God's love while reading a book. She felt His love lavished on her in that moment - the unconditional love she had been searching for her whole life. This solidified her walk with Jesus.

Praying for Others to Be Set Free

Mary prayed a powerful prayer for those struggling with addiction, sexual immorality, and searching for love in the wrong places. She prayed they would find their identity and hope in Christ, ignore the enemy's lies, cry out to God, and experience His real love and freedom.

Conclusion: 

What an amazing testimony of the relentless love and transforming power of Jesus! No matter how far we may fall into darkness, God is always there, ready to set us free if we cry out to Him. I pray Mary's story inspires many to turn to Jesus and find new life in Him. Feel free to connect with Mary on her Google+ profile linked below. And if you have a testimony of how Jesus has changed your life, I encourage you to share it boldly!

Follow Mary on FacebookFollow Mary on Facebook