You must empty your desires that you would be filled with His. “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4 NKJV). When the Lord is your delight, it will be His desires you want in your heart.
Our desires are the compass that points us to where we’re going. Whether the desire is good or bad, it is the thing that drives us. We hold onto wrong desires and wonder why we’re failing. We don’t take hold of His good desires and wonder why we’re not growing. We need right desires to have right living.
The direction of your heart determines the direction of your life. Jesus taught us, “…your heart will always pursue what you value as your treasure” (Matthew 6:21 TPT).
It is not our weakness to overcome a thing that is our problem, but the strength in which we hold on to those desires that would ruin us. We think we must try harder to change, but instead, we can only be changed by surrendering to His power. He can help us overcome if only we would let Him.
The Devil didn’t make you do it. You did it because you wanted to. “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” (James 1:14-15 NLT).
The problem we have in our world, our nation and our own lives is a heart problem. There are many challenges we face, but it is the desires of our heart that determine how we might address them. Every wrong desire is born out of selfishness, whereas every good desire is born out of selflessness.
Just because you justify yourself does not mean you are right. “But Jesus said to them, ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in men’s eyes, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly prized among men is utterly detestable in God’s sight.’” (Luke 16:15 NET).
It is certainly good to be concerned with self, but never at the expense of another. Whenever our gain causes another’s loss, then in the kingdom we are losing. When we desire good towards another, it will yield good towards us in the kingdom.
The more we desire something, the more likely we will do it. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23 NKJV).
We try to divide good and bad between divisions of people, but the hearts of all people stand in opposition to the perfect and holy heart of God. We think our heart is in far better condition than the Word of God tells us: “The heart is deceitful above all things…” (Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV). We need more than a change of heart—we need a new one.
His nature can change your nature. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26 NKJV).
If you want to change your outward life, then you must let the Lord change your inner life. If you want to go after good things, then you must have good desires. Sacrifice your wrong desires on the altar and then you can enter into the presence of the Lord to be given good ones.
The cost of the heavenly life is your earthly life. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…” (Galatians 2:20 NKJV).
You can’t be all that God intends you to be if you’re refusing to let Him change you. The secret to a new heart is letting go of the old one. Until you crucify the old man, the new man will just stand waiting. There is nothing too hard for God to change in you when once you’ll let Him.
Don’t only invite Jesus into your life but let Him reign over your life. Live your life, “…like slaves who belong to Christ, who have a deep desire to do what God wants them to do” (Ephesians 6:6 NOG).
God will only give us the desires of our heart when those desires are aligned with His own. You were made in the image of God, but it is up to you to reflect it. When you are a man or woman after God’s own heart, it will be there in which He will give you your new heart.
Stop crucifying others and just crucify yourself. “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:24 NKJV).
Blessings to you,
Paul Balius