War Room Part 1: A Changed Heart

Week One: A Changed Heart
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalms 51:10

Last Sunday I suggested that prayer is “Inviting God to be part of our life.”

But the purpose of prayer is about “getting to know the heart of God.”

Put these to definitions together and prayer becomes a conversation where I get to know what God thinks and feels about all I have to say. It is also where I decide to either argue with God, or change my thinking to align with His.

The reason this is important to remember is because it influences how we pray for one another, and even ourselves. Think about it this way…Have you ever been hurt by someone you care about? That hurt or conflict usually comes with a prayer before God that goes something like this…”God, fix them!” I too have had this prayer, but typically it is because I want God to change their behavior…

But prayer is not for fixing behaviors, it is for changing hearts. And sometimes the heart that needs changed by prayer the most…is ours. Keep reading, and hear me through…
When we get to know the heart of God, even our view of the offender changes. God is not in the business of behavioral management, but heart transformation. The first will always follow the latter. So here is our week one strategy:

Find a place where you can plead to God and get to know His heart.

Jesus modeled and instructed this to his followers on prayer in this way:

Luke 5:16 – “…Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Mountain, Dessert)

Mark 1:35 – “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

Hebrews 5:7 – “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.”

Matthew 6:6 – “…when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Your “prayer” room can be wherever you are able to remove all distractions, lift all your thoughts and concerns, and focus on the heart of God. He is waiting…

Remember, we are in this together…

~JT Shaw