Overcoming the Divided Heart: A Path to Unity

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing the Dual Nature of the Heart

Understanding that our hearts can simultaneously long for and resist God is crucial. This recognition prevents us from overstating or understating our spiritual struggles, allowing us to address them more effectively. Acknowledging the divided heart is the first step toward spiritual growth, as it helps us to be honest about our internal conflicts. By doing so, we can seek God's guidance and strength to navigate these struggles, knowing that we are not alone in this journey. [02:26]

Jeremiah 17:9-10 (ESV): "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 'I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.'"

Reflection: What are some specific areas in your life where you feel a pull towards God but also a resistance? How can you bring these areas before God in prayer today?

Day 2: Praying with IOUS for Spiritual Transformation

The acronym IOUS (Incline, Open, Unite, Satisfy) provides a framework for prayer, asking God to incline our hearts, open our eyes, unite our divided hearts, and satisfy us with His love. This approach acknowledges our dependence on God for spiritual transformation. By praying these specific prayers, we invite God to work in our hearts, helping us to overcome resistance and embrace His presence more fully. This process is not about self-effort but about relying on God's power to change us from within. [04:03]

Psalm 119:36-37 (ESV): "Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways."

Reflection: Which part of the IOUS prayer resonates most with your current spiritual journey? How can you incorporate this prayer into your daily routine?

Day 3: Embracing the Fear of God as Friendship

The fear of God is not about being afraid but about fearing the consequences of resisting Him. This fear draws us closer to God, where we experience the pleasures of His friendship and the unity of heart that He promises. Understanding this concept helps us to see God not as a distant judge but as a loving friend who desires our best. By embracing this fear, we find ourselves more aligned with God's will and more open to His transformative work in our lives. [07:19]

Proverbs 9:10 (ESV): "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight."

Reflection: How does your understanding of the fear of God influence your relationship with Him? What steps can you take to deepen this friendship today?

Day 4: Preaching the New Covenant Promises to Ourselves

In moments of resistance, we must preach the promises of the new covenant to ourselves. This involves declaring the truth of God's promise to give us a united heart, resisting the temptation to give in to a divided heart. By focusing on God's promises and calling upon His power, we can overcome the instability of a double-minded heart and embrace the unity and satisfaction found in Him. This practice of self-preaching is a powerful tool for spiritual resilience and growth. [09:25]

Ezekiel 36:26 (ESV): "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."

Reflection: What specific promise of God do you need to remind yourself of today? How can you make this a regular practice in your spiritual life?

Day 5: Finding Satisfaction in God's Steadfast Love

The new covenant, secured by Jesus' blood, promises a united heart that fears God. By focusing on this promise, we can overcome the instability of a double-minded heart and find satisfaction in God's steadfast love. This satisfaction is not based on external circumstances but on the unchanging nature of God's love for us. As we rest in this love, we find the strength and peace to navigate life's challenges with a heart that is fully devoted to God. [09:58]

Psalm 90:14 (ESV): "Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days."

Reflection: In what ways do you seek satisfaction outside of God's love? How can you intentionally seek satisfaction in His steadfast love today?

Sermon Summary

In today's discussion, we explored the profound struggle of the divided heart, a common experience among believers. This internal conflict is characterized by a simultaneous longing for God and a resistance to His presence. This duality can be frustrating, but it is not unusual. Recognizing this division is crucial because it helps us avoid overstating or understating the problem. We must acknowledge that our hearts are not entirely welcoming nor entirely resistant to God. This understanding is vital for spiritual growth and maturity.

To address this divided heart, I introduced the acronym IOUS, which stands for Incline, Open, Unite, and Satisfy. These are prayers derived from the Psalms that guide us in seeking God's help to overcome our resistance. The letter "I" stands for "Incline," as we ask God to incline our hearts toward His testimonies, acknowledging that this is a divine work. "O" stands for "Open," where we pray for God to open our eyes to see the beauty and truth in His Word. "U" stands for "Unite," a plea for God to unite our divided hearts to fear His name, which leads to a deeper friendship with Him. Finally, "S" stands for "Satisfy," asking God to satisfy us with His steadfast love.

The fear of God, as discussed, is not about being afraid of Him but fearing the consequences of resisting Him. This fear drives us closer to God, where we find the pleasures of His friendship. We are encouraged to preach to ourselves the promises of the new covenant, where God promises to give us a united heart. This is a blood-bought promise through Jesus, ensuring that our hearts can be single-minded in their love for God.

In moments of resistance, we must declare the truth of this promise to ourselves, resisting the temptation to give in to a divided heart. By focusing on God's promises and calling upon His power, we can overcome the instability of a double-minded heart and embrace the unity and satisfaction found in Him.

Key Takeaways

1. minded heart and find satisfaction in God's steadfast love. [09:58]
** [09:58]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:08] - Introduction to Faith Burke
[00:24] - The Divided Heart
[00:51] - Listener's Question
[01:29] - The Struggle of Resistance
[02:26] - Recognizing a Divided Heart
[04:03] - The IOUS Acronym
[05:19] - The Importance of Open Eyes
[06:06] - Uniting the Heart
[07:19] - Fear of God and Friendship
[08:09] - Preaching to Yourself
[09:09] - The New Covenant Promise
[10:15] - Overcoming Double-Mindedness
[11:16] - Satisfying Love
[11:31] - Conclusion and Transition to Faith's Story

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Psalm 119:36 - "Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain."
Psalm 86:11 - "Unite my heart to fear your name."
Jeremiah 32:39 - "I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them."

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Observation Questions:

What does the sermon suggest is the nature of a "divided heart" in believers? How is this division characterized? [02:26]
How does the acronym IOUS help believers address the issue of a divided heart according to the sermon? [04:03]
What is the significance of the "fear of God" as discussed in the sermon, and how does it relate to friendship with God? [07:19]
How does the sermon describe the role of preaching to oneself in overcoming a divided heart? [09:25]

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Interpretation Questions:

In Psalm 119:36, what does it mean to ask God to "incline" our hearts, and why is this significant for overcoming resistance to God?
How does Psalm 86:11's plea to "unite my heart to fear your name" address the internal conflict of longing for and resisting God? [06:06]
What does Jeremiah 32:39 reveal about God's promise to give believers a united heart, and how does this promise relate to the new covenant? [09:09]
How does the sermon interpret the fear of God as a path to friendship rather than a reason for fear, and what implications does this have for believers? [07:19]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you experienced a divided heart. How did you recognize this division, and what steps did you take to address it? [02:26]
The sermon introduces the IOUS acronym as a prayer framework. Which part of IOUS (Incline, Open, Unite, Satisfy) do you feel most drawn to pray for in your current spiritual journey, and why? [04:03]
How can the fear of God, as described in the sermon, transform your relationship with Him from one of resistance to one of friendship? [07:19]
The sermon encourages preaching to oneself the promises of the new covenant. What specific promise from God do you need to remind yourself of regularly, and how can this practice help you overcome a divided heart? [09:25]
Consider the new covenant promise of a united heart in Jeremiah 32:39. How does this promise impact your understanding of spiritual growth and maturity? [09:09]
In moments of spiritual resistance, what practical steps can you take to declare God's promises to yourself and resist the temptation of a divided heart? [09:25]
How can you incorporate the practice of praying Psalm 90:14, asking God to "satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love," into your daily routine to cultivate a deeper satisfaction in God? [11:16]

Sermon Clips

"Recognize that you have a divided heart and plead in prayer, Psalm 86:11, 'Oh God, unite my heart to fear your name.' And of course, fear, fear your name doesn't mean feel a resistance to God's coming because you're afraid of him, just the opposite. Fear of running from him." [06:40]

"What we fear when we fear God is we fear resisting him, we fear pushing him away, we fear the horrible outcome of hardening our hearts against the sweetness of his fellowship. God's chosen people who embrace Christ as their treasured savior are the apple of his eye; they are his loved ones." [07:05]

"The fear of God does not drive us away from God; the fear of God drives us into God, where there are the pleasures of friendship. So pray Psalm 86:11, 'Unite my heart to fear your name,' and then preach to yourself Psalm 25:14, 'The friendship, the sweet private counsels of the Lord are precisely for those whose hearts are united to fear God's name.'" [07:58]

"Preach to yourself the promise of the new covenant in Jeremiah 32:39, where God says, 'I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever for their own good.' That may fear me, I will give them a single united heart that they may fear me forever." [08:13]

"When you find this division in your heart, and a resistance begins to rise up, pushing out the welcome and the longing, declare to yourself, preach to yourself and to your sin and to Satan, 'No, no.' You might even say it out loud. I talk out loud sometimes to my sin and to Satan." [09:23]

"This resistance is not the new covenant work of Jesus that he bought for me. No, it's not. The new covenant work that he bought with his blood is a single new united heart that fears God, welcomes God, enjoys the friendship of God. It is united in his love for God." [09:44]

"Throw the truth of the blood-bought new covenant promise in the face of the deceiver, and then you meditate, perhaps on James 1:8 and James 4:8, 'A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Purify your hearts, you double-minded,' and you read that and you call down all the purifying power." [10:08]

"Purify your heart, you double-minded. You call down the purifying power of the blood of Jesus Christ, died that we might have a single heart for him. So don't give up. I'm saying this now to our friend: don't give up, don't surrender to a divided heart, resist the resistance of God." [10:32]

"Call out to God for a single heart and fix your mind on the promises. Friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him. He will give a single united heart to his blood-bought people, and the S, the lonely S at the end of our acronym IOUS, will come to pass." [10:52]

"Satisfy me in the morning with your steadfast love. So good. Thank you, Pastor John. It's an important way to address the divided heart. Well, you met Faith at the top of the episode. Faith is a wife, a homemaker, and a homeschooling mom of four kids eight and under." [11:16]

"Psalm 119:36, 'Incline my heart to your testimonies.' We pray, so we ask God to take away resistance. We ask God to incline us toward God and his word instead of away from God, and so we admit this is a work of God." [04:32]

"Psalm 119:18, 'Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things out of your instruction.' We need God to do the miracle on the eyes of our heart so that we can see the truth and beauty and value of who he is right there in his word." [05:16]

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Overcoming the Divided Heart: A Path to Unity

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing the Dual Nature of the Heart

Day 2: Praying with IOUS for Spiritual Transformation

Day 3: Embracing the Fear of God as Friendship

Day 4: Preaching the New Covenant Promises to Ourselves

Day 5: Finding Satisfaction in God's Steadfast Love

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Overcoming the Divided Heart: A Path to Unity

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