Overcoming the Condition of a Spiritually Hard Heart
No one chooses to have a spiritually hard heart…but anyone is susceptible to becoming hard when they do not depend on Jesus. The plagues of locusts and the plague of darkness would not move Pharoah to listen to the Lord.
A hard heart comes in many forms. It may be due to discouragement, based on past abuse, broken relationships, depression, or other severe hardships. Inversely, a proud heart, like Pharoah can also result in a hard heart because we don’t see the need to depend on anyone or anything else. A proud heart’s greatest danger is the non-recognition of it’s own condition. Many Christians are guilty of having a judgmental heart: judging other people’s behavior but making excuses for their own poor choices. Finally, a hypocritical heart is one who’s personal choices contradict what they share with others publicly.
Proverbs 4:23-26 directs believers to ‘guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life (vs. 23). Matthew 5:8 says that those who have a pure heart will see God. To have a pure heart before God:
1. Pray continually: be fully surrendered to Jesus.
2. Seek fellowship with other believers: Moses needed Aaron to accomplish the mission God set for him.
3. Invite the Holy Spirit to lead you and baptize you: Moses life was never the same after the burning bush. God’s grace compels you to live supernaturally beyond your natural self.
4. Lead and disciple others to Christ: Moses’s confrontation with darkness led Him to be a vessel of light for all Israelites.
Don’t be blinded by your heart condition. Let your heart become pure before God.
Pastor Jason Marshall