EXAMINING THE HEART
May 11, 2006

We don’t always know the significance of what fills our hearts until we see Jesus unveiling very poignant truths about the place our heart plays in our decisions, successes, and failures. In John 13, Jesus is about to partake of the Passover Meal with his disciples. One of the things John mentions in his account is the fact that the Devil had already put it in the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus. John 13:27 later says that after they partake of the bread, Satan then entered into the heart of Judas.

The frightening truth of this is the fact that there was an invitation in Judas’s heart for Satan to operate. In other words, there was a ‘place’ for Satan to operate. Satan cannot put anything in our hearts unless we prepare a place for those things to be placed. In John 14:30, Jesus tells the disciples that he must stop talking because the ruler of the world was approaching. He then says something profound. “He has nothing IN ME.” The only way Satan can place something in us is if we have a heart attitude or desire that allows him to operate. Satan is constantly monitoring the condition of our hearts. He doesn’t know what that condition is unless he tries to sow some lie or temptation and it sticks. When he places a thought or desire in us, our heart will either receive it or reject it based upon whether we have guarded and tended our hearts correctly before the Lord.

In Mark’s gospel, he reveals this same truth from the parable of the soils. When describing the soils in chapter four, he says that the seed (or Word of God) sown on the side of the road is likened to the word being sown IN THE HEART of the hearer and then Satan comes and steals the word that is ALREADY IN THEIR HEART! That is a scary reality. In other words, the place where the enemy operates to steal is in the place where the word is being sown. Therefore, if the heart is not guarded, the true seed that has potential to bear spiritual fruit can be neutralized by the enemy as he counters God’s word with deception, circumstances, or our own sin.

Therefore, what gives Satan a place in our hearts? It is unresolved or unconfessed sin, bitterness, materialism, lust, fear, or unbelief. It is anything that would allow the flesh to prosper. If there is anything to be learned from this, it would be that we must diligently watch over hour hearts to ensure that when the enemy comes and tries to place something of his kingdom ‘in us’, he will have no success because there is nothing ‘of him’ in us.

Lord, give us the ability to discern our hearts and to be ruthless with our hearts so we can stay useable before you.