The Battle for Our Hearts
By Amanda Idleman
“And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” - Matthew 5:30
The battle for our hearts is ongoing. Sin is sneaky, and before we know it, we are in an all-out war with sin. God is keenly aware of this fact. Sin is like a virus; once one tiny germ gets under our skin, it spreads like wildfire. To prevent the spread, drastic measures have to be taken!
In our more polished appearing culture, it can be hard to understand the God of the Old Testament. His commands to annihilate people groups can feel vicious, but the spiritual world of the time was much more physical than spiritual when the Israelites were wandering in the desert. God showed up in all kinds of crazy ways! He appeared to Moses and the community as smoke, clouds, fire, and even in the flesh. When the people sinned, the consequences were tangible and immediate. God was really there with his first people.
That being the case, the way he addressed those not willing to follow his ways was dramatic because they represented sin. Those that rejected the God of the Isrealites became physical embodiments of sin, temptation, and evil, and once they infiltrated the people's lives, it seems that the Isrealites quickly were led astray. We truly are like those easily distractible sheep that God loves to compare us to all throughout the Bible.
Jesus in the New Testament is also pretty serious about our sin. In Matthew 5:30, he tells us that if our hand makes us sin, then go ahead and cut it off! He knows that your soul is much more valuable than your body. While I don’t recommend amputating an arm, I think it’s important that we internalize how focused God and his Son Jesus are about our holiness.
I know we want to focus on God’s grace because we need it, but there is a danger of overlooking the ways God’s word instructs us about how to conduct ourselves. God is our protector, and some of that important protection comes from the wisdom God imparts to us from his Word. God knows what is best for our minds, bodies, and souls. That is why he sets important guidelines for us to follow.
How can we become as serious about sin as God is? Well, the first step is studying God’s Word about what godly living should look like. Here are a few lessons we can apply to our lives about God’s desire for us to be holy:
1. Be Careful What We See
Seeing is often the prelude to bad decisions. Our eyes do not tell us the whole truth. Consider Eve in the garden. Her eyes told her that the fruit was pleasing to look at and, consequently, would be enjoyable to taste. She believed that because the apple looked good, it must be good, even though God had told her otherwise. How often do we doubt God’s way because we think something that he says is no good appears to be good?
2. Think on These Things
Philippians 4:8 tells us, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Our mind is another place where sin can get a foothold in our life. The Bible tells us what we meditate on matters.
3. Set Guard to Your Mouth
Psalm 141:3 instructs, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” Matthew 15:11 further adds that it's what comes out of our mouths that can defile us. Our mouths are full of power!
Think of the last time you lost your temper, maybe with your child or spouse, and how much damage a few moments of angry words did to your relationship. We can cut people down in a heartbeat if we are not careful with our words. How many of us are carrying wounds from years ago from something a person of influence in our life said, probably thoughtlessly, about us?
4. Live with Humility
Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.” Pride is so sneaky. It’s so hard for us to live daily in the reality that we do not have the power we need for righteous living on our own. We are each called to trust the Lord so he would provide the strength we need to follow his ways.
Humble living is tough, but it’s one of the most important parts of holy living. We can’t please the Lord on our own. Step one to a holy and pleasing life is humbly surrendering ourselves to him daily in obedience to his Word. Not our will be done but his alone!
God’s grace is sufficient for all our needs, but it’s not to be abused. We have to choose to follow his path, and then he promises to gently lead us toward Heaven. Holiness is a part of Christian living, and no matter how trendy a sin becomes, God’s Word is the truth and standard for our lives. Surrendering our desires to him is what is required for us to follow his way.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Consider what boundaries you need to put in place for your life to guard your heart from sin. Take steps to implement these safeguards. Pray a prayer of repentance today for how you have sinned against God and others. He is faithful to forgive.
Further Reading
A Prayer of Protection from Evil
Are You Losing the Battle with Sin?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Kharoll Mendoza
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Related Resource: How Habit Stacking Will Help You Discipline Your Mind, Body, & Spirit
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