Defend the Heart over the Flesh

The LORD has armed us to defend. He has given us His Armor. We put it on daily. This morning in my continued study of the word “heart” I was brought to Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church and the passage titled in my bible “The Ministry of Reconciliation”. Where I have been in this passage before, again, the LORD points me to another realization.

“¹²We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.” – 2 Corinthians 5:12 (ESV)

When we are defending, we are to focus on the heart. You see, out there in the world there are many that make claims to be of Christ. They are outward (public) Christians and want everyone to know it. And where it is great to be so bold for Christ in the public square, it is in the heart where our true allegiance to Him is found.

I do not know the heart of others as it is not my place. Yet, it is my role to defend the heart for Christ and not just the outward declarations. I have to take people at their word and then utilize the Armor of God to defend Christ and my heart for Him. I have to be aware and on guard for those who are only boasting on the outside and may not have accepted Christ in the heart. Again, I do not know their heart, but I can and should still defend Christ who is in mine.

It is hard, I know. And there is a balance that must be struck. But, when we are defend the heart, we should be determined and steadfast. We are to defend with vigor. We are to stand firm in Christ and know that as we are doing work for Him, He is actively defending, guarding, and protecting us. Be bold for Christ who is in your heart and know that the LORD is with you every step of the way.

What are you defending? Is it the actions that we see on the outside? What if you were to look inward to your heart and defend Christ who has found a home there in you?

Inward to Outward

We are to live a life with Christ beginning inward at the heart and stream outward in our actions.

“²⁹But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.” “¹³For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. ¹⁴For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.” – Romans 2:29 & 13-14 (ESV)

Paul speaks here of Jews and Gentiles. He shows that it is not just the actions or the heart that make one a follower of Christ. It is the combination of the two. Starting with the heart, we internalize the Spirit to give us the guide to our movements in the world. As a result of that guidance, we take action that demonstrates our following of the LORD.

Too often, I believe there is too much put on the actions of individuals as the demonstration of their Christianity. The Christian is to be compassionate and giving and loving. But I also see the world looking only at those actions as the indicator of the Christian, and when the Christian stands up in opposition of anything, they are seen as combative and unforgiving and frankly as mean awful people, when in truth, they are acting from the heart and guidance of the Spirit.

“⁷You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

‘⁸This people honors me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me;

⁹in vain do they worship me,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

— Matthew 15:7-9 (ESV)

Jesus says and I believe that this world view of Christians is shaping the heart and actions of new Christians, and this is not new. Where yes, we are to be compassionate and giving and loving, we are also to oppose those things that are not of Christ. That is the true heart of Christ. We are to live for Christ in all topics and not just on those that make us look good.

So here it is, we are to embrace the LORD in our heart and then, by the guidance provided by the Holy Spirit, we are demonstrate the LORD in our actions to the world. Those actions are to be in love, compassion, and giving, but also in full concert with the LORD and His will.

What is your view of your actions? Are you doing things for the world to see to make you look a certain way? What if you were to take action based on the guidance of the Holy Spirit on your heart to bring glory to God?

Judged, It is About the Heart

“⁵Thus says the LORD:

‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man

and makes flesh his strength,

whose heart turns away from the LORD.’”

“⁷Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,

whose trust is the LORD.”

“¹⁰I the LORD search the heart

and test the mind,

to give every man according to his ways,

according to the fruit of his deeds.”

— Jeremiah 17:5, 7, & 10 (ESV)

Whether we are blessed or cursed, it is the LORD who makes that judgment and it comes from His examination of our heart.

I believe that in this world, we want to be judged by the actions that others see. And where actions speak louder than words, it is the condition of the heart that the LORD is looking to. Where are the actions coming from that is judged by the LORD, not the actions results or the idea that the actions are even being done. The LORD is looking to the heart as to where we were and are as relates to those actions.

Action is needed, yes, and we should be taking action to impact the world that is in need. But, that action should be a result of the heart’s condition and not to make a splash for the world to see. Yes, the world may look at you to say you have done a great thing, and we should not discount the impact made on the world. It is the condition of the heart that the LORD is looking to, not the results of the actions you are taking. We may not solve all the problems of the world with our actions from the heart, but we will do the work God has for us to complete and on this we should looked to be judged by Him.

What are you being judged for? Are you looking to do actions that garner attention from the world in hopes that you are looked on favorably? What if you looked more inward at the heart and allowed your heart to drive your actions knowing that the LORD is judging you based on the condition of your heart?

Really Live with Desire In Your Heart

Yes, we will really live when we have desire in our heart. But here’s the catch, we have to desire that which is fulfilling.

“¹²Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”

“¹⁹A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,

but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.”

— Proverbs 13:12 & 19 (ESV)

God’s Word tells us that “a desire” is fulfilling to the point of bringing “life” and “sweet”ness. But what is that desire that we should be looking for. Well, it is Him. We are to fill our hearts with God and His Word and we will be blessed beyond belief. We will really be living when the LORD is at the center of all our movement.

How are you able to fall into despair when you are filled with the joy of the LORD? How are we to consciously sin when we are focused on doing the work that the LORD has for us? How can we not live life to the fullest when we are living for the glory of the LORD? The answer to all of these how questions is, we can’t.

I know that there will be moments of challenge in our lives and all will seem impossible to achieve, but that is where our desire to live the life that God has given us to live comes into play. I have to live the life that the LORD gives me and not the life that I want. I have to live according to the desire to be more and more like the LORD at every turn. I have to live from my heart outward and then I will really be living.

What are you leaning on to really live? Are you trying to find fulfillment outside your heart? What if you were to have God in your heart and live outward from Him and His direction?