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.