Genesis is like a 2000-year case study of God’s blessing and mankind’s sin. The Bible is the most honest book ever written showing human failure met with divine faithfulness. All of this sets the stage with clear understanding of our need for Jesus as the solution to all sin!
Genesis 3 reveals how we messed up everything that was good that God had done. We are fallen, broken people with fallen, broken hearts!
Genesis 3:14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. ESV
(To Adam God said), “you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19 ESV
The devil will eat dust. Man is dust. Left unchecked, our flesh is the devil’s feast. The perpetual nature of sinful inclinations exist within every human being as a result of Adam’s sin. This is the nature of the fallen, broken, human heart. Jesus is the answer!
God has a plan to bless your life. Satan has a plan to destroy your life.
We are fallen people which means we are fallen parents and there are some things we have done that have created problems for our children. I apologize to my kids today who are here right now for where I’ve missed it. By God’s grace we are all growing and becoming more aligned with God’s blessing and less aligned with the enemy’s destructive plans.
The unchecked human heart is wild, unruly, and prone to deceit, pride, and self-destruction. But in Christ, what was once ferocious becomes fervent—full of passion, purity, and purpose for the Kingdom of God.
But without Jesus we are in trouble. “Well, I’m a good person. I don’t really do anything bad.” Let’s see what the Bible says about the human heart after the Fall.
Genesis 6:5 The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. NIV
Every inclination of their thoughts were evil. Not just their behavior. No matter how good you have become at covering your self-serving disposition God sees beyond the behavior and knows the condition of your heart.
Some people say, “Well you just don’t know my heart.” That is true and NEITHER DO YOU!!!
1 Kings 8:39 “…For you alone know every human heart.” NIV
Jeremiah 17:9-10 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart… NKJV
Prov 16:2 A man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
1 Cor 4:4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. NIV
Just because we come up with a clear conscience doesn't make it right. Don’t let your conscience be your guide.
Prov 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. NIV
Guard your heart. Don’t follow it! Just because you have chemistry doesn’t mean you have destiny.
Romans 8:13-14 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. ESV
The Greek word used here for deeds of the body speaks of a continual impulsive disposition that is trying to become a habitual lifestyle. By the Spirit we can continually put to death the behaviors our flesh keeps producing. Your sin nature does not go away but you can grow stronger in the spirit keeping your flesh in check.
Your greatest desires are warring against your deepest desires. God has planted his laws in the human heart. What’s the deepest longing of the human heart? What’s your deepest desire? What’s the thing you want most? The deepest longing of the human heart is to know and enjoy God.
Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. NIV
Hebrews 8:10 “…I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” ESV
Spiritual awakening activates those laws, and they exist to be discovered in the deepest pursuit of God. We must imprison our thoughts so our thoughts don’t imprison us.
The idea of the regenerated heart means our deepest desires are God’s desires. Our deepest desires are holiness, obedience and that which is good. Religion tries to restrain desire. We must discover our deepest desires & unleash them.
God’s children cried out for deliverance and God sent them a prophet because if you can get a word your situation will change!
Controlling wrong passions isn’t the issue but rather truly being passionate about our deepest desires.
The unchecked human heart is wild, unruly, and prone to deceit, pride, and self-destruction. But in Christ, what was once ferocious becomes fervent—full of passion, purity, and purpose for the Kingdom of God.
Only Jesus can turn a heart that resists God into one that desires Him.
GP2RL: Reflect on today’s verses inviting God to do a deep work within your heart awakening His desires above your own.
