HEART TRANSFORMATION (1)

“I will give you a NEW HEART and put a NEW SPIRIT within you ...” – Ezekiel 36:26a

In this Fifth Month of our Year of Hearts, Hands and the Blessed Life, we’ll focus on HEART TRANSFORMATION: “I will give you a NEW HEART and put a NEW SPIRIT within you; I will take away the heart of stone out of you flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgements and do them” (Eze.36: 26-27). Although this prophecy was primarily directed at Israel, there is a secondary application to the New Birth in Christ (2Cor.5:17). In Biblical terms the human heart is essentially the same as our spirit. It is that central and eternal core of our being; that precious part of us that distinguishes us as creatures made in God’s image, having a spirit in a body; other animals don’t. It is only with our heart that we can genuinely love and worship. Our praise and service mean nothing to God if they don’t come from our heart.

Heart Transformation therefore involves trusting God to change us in specific core areas of life. Hearts can be good or bad depending on their connection with God. Any heart that is yet to be connected to the Life of God through faith in Christ is deceitful and wicked, no matter how good it appears to be: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings” (Jer.17: 9-10). The unbelieving heart is proud, hard, and unreceptive to God; hence, spiritually dead. In contrast, the believing heart is spiritually healthy and receptive to God as the good soil is to seed: listening, trusting, and responding to His initiative and instructions by sprouting with loving obedience. The heart that trusts God is enlivened by His Spirit, through faith in Christ Jesus.

We can think of “Heart Transformation” as “spiritual formation” in Christ:  “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you” (Gal.4:19). In practical life situations however, we don’t have direct access to our heart, but use our minds – thoughts, feelings, and will – to intentionally engage with God and His Kingdom, and put our choices and decisions into motion or action. In other words, Heart Transformation progressively manifests through Mind Renewal: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING of your MIND, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom.12:2). This involves knowing and understanding God’s Will in His Word, and surrendering our divided will to His.

Paul described this process as being “renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph.4:23-24). This setting of our will on God is the key to Christ-likeness. So the beginning of personal transformation is when God’s Word and Spirit access our will through our minds. Our thoughts focus our will and our emotions incline it, for good or for evil. This is why it’s imperative that we renew our minds in Scripture and cultivate godly virtues associated with living in dependence on the Holy Spirit, who in turn grows His fruit in us. Real change begins in the heart. God sends His Word and Spirit to us and we respond by putting our faith in Christ. Faith implies trust and confidence in Him; leaning the whole weight of our being on Him. As we connect with Christ we come alive with His abundant, eternal, God-kind of life.