As I was praying in the spirit the other day, I heard the Lord speak:
"A heart that's yielded, a heart that worships, a heart that's totally surrendered to Me. That's what I am looking for. A heart for My Word, and a heart for My Spirit. A heart to walk in My will, and a heart to walk in My way! And I will begin to deliver you, and I will begin to set you free, the way I have delivered Daniel's three friends. For this is a year of setting free from your past disappointments!"
Then, I heard further:
"For I am calling you to return to the very simplicity of your heart, the very basics of your heart. A heart that is pure, and a heart that is sincere before Me. A heart of worship, not a heart that keeps eyeing fame and gain. For I cannot be deceived, and I cannot be mocked. Keep your heart right before Me, and watch how I am going to anoint you like you have never seen Me do it before!"
Indeed, it is so important to keep our hearts right before the Lord, and of course, a pure motivation before Him (especially the motivation in ministry). The Lord looks at your sincerity. In fact, in everything the Lord has called us to be (or to do), the heart is everything. When there's a heart, everything will be well, by the grace of God. On the other hand, when a heart is departed, everything will fall apart. Christianity is about the heart - heart for God, and heart for the people; and you can see this in Jesus' very ministry on earth.
In Romans 1:9, the apostle Paul wrote, 'For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit (heart) in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers'.
The word 'serve' here is 'latreuo' in Greek, from the word 'latris' which can mean 'to minister (unto God), to worship, to do service'.
In Colossians 3:23-24, the apostle Paul wrote, 'And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ'.
The word 'heartily' here can also mean 'with one's very heart, with an abounding heart, with a true heart, or with a right heart'.
So, what exactly is the meaning of 'heart' that we talk about here? In Hebrew, this word 'heart' is 'leb', which literally means 'the centre of everything, or the deepestmost of you'.
Let's now continue with what the wisest man (Solomon) had to say about the heart.
Proverbs 3:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you'.
The word 'law' here is 'towrah' in Hebrew, from the word 'yarah', and interestingly, according to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, it means 'flow (as water), teaching, instructions, directions'. In other words, let your heart flow with His heart, and that's when 'length of days and long life and peace' will be added to you!
And how about Daniel in the Bible?
Daniel 1:8 (NKJV) says, 'Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies...'
The word 'purposed' here is 'suwm' in Hebrew, and in this context means 'to fill up (before the Lord)'. In other words, Daniel was so filled up with the Lord (i.e. being filled with all the fullness of God) that he would not yield to the temptations (lure) of the world's way (i.e. the portion of the king's delicacies). And you know what's the outcome? He (and his three friends) were then found to be ten times better (in all matters of wisdom and understanding) about which the king examined them, and none was found like them! (Daniel 1:19-20)
Let's go to Daniel chapter 3 now. Here, you can see Daniel's three friends (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego) were so yielded to the Lord in their hearts (in worship and surrender) that they would not yield to the command by the king (Nebuchadnezzar) to bow down and worship the gold image (Daniel 3:14-18). As a consequence, they were then bound and thrown into the burning fiery furnace (which was heated up seven times more than usual), but the Scripture says, 'And the satraps (captains), administrators, governors, and the king's counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head were not singed (burnt, scorched) nor were their garment affected, and the smell of fire was not on them' (Daniel 3:27).
Daniel 3:28 then says, 'Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their on God!"
A heart of worship is a heart that yields and surrenders to Him (and Him alone). The word 'worship' in this verse is 'saw-gad' in Hebrew, which means 'to prostrate oneself, to fall down (before Him, who is the Almighty and all-powerful One)'.
I would also like to recap what the Lord had spoken for the year 2016:
"The year 2016 is the year of the Word! Stay strong therefore in My Word. Take My Word and keep My Word! Be a good ground for My Word! For My Word is the 'seed' that grows in your ground, that yields and brings forth a great harvest and many new opportunities for you!"
The heart is like a good ground (Matthew 13:8, Matthew 13:23), and the Word of God is like the 'seed' that grows in that ground, yielding and bringing forth a great harvest and many new opportunities for God's people.
Therefore, last but not least, let your heart retain His Word, as Proverbs 4:4 (NKJV) says, 'He also taught me, and said to me, "Let your heart retain my words; keep my commands, and live."' And as Proverbs 4:20-23 (NKJV) says, 'My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life'. Amen.
