Heart Can Change

Heart Can change

1 Samuel 10:9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.
1 Samuel 15:17-21,24 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel? And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord ? And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

Introduction: I salute everyone in the name of our Lord and Saviour who has kept us to see last week of the year. .
The eyes of the Lord our God will be upon us as we journey towards eternity in Jesus name

. As I read through the Scriptures about the emergence of Saul as the king of Israel, it occurred to me that God can give us a new heart and we can change the heart by ourselves when the new heart is not guarded by the word of God and by obedience to human nature.
1 Samuel 10:9(NLT) As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart, and all Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day.

❓What changed the new heart given to Saul? This is the key area we are looking at this week.

Anyone who comes to Christ is given a new heart and is made a king and priest unto God.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

❓What made Saul to change his new heart given by God?
Hear Samuel’s question to Saul;
1Samuel 15:17-19 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel? And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord ?

Hear Saul’s response for his disobedience to God’s word to destroy sinners.
1Samuel 15:20-21 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.
🛑 The people who were materialistic influenced him to disobey God’s command.

God was sorry to have chosen Saul. This is a serious matter worthy of consideration as Christians.
1 Samuel 15:35(NLT) Samuel never went to meet with Saul again, but he mourned constantly for him. And the lord was sorry he had ever made Saul king of Israel.

Many Christians including founders and General Overseers started well but now have a changed heart against God. Unfortunately, two major things can cause the change of new heart given by God.
1️⃣. Spirit of Mammon and materialism
2️⃣. People’s opinions

Being born again or having a new heart is from God but not a guarantee to finish well. There must be constant guard of the new heart.
Proverbs 4:23(NLT) Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Among the weapons of spiritual warfare is the breastplate of righteousness that guards the heart.
Ephesians 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Breastplate covers the heart region.

Devil knows it is much easier for him to change the heart of Christians with materialism, and spirit of Mammon which changes the new heart given by God. Unfortunately, those whose heart has been replaced with worldly heart will not know but under the illusion that they are on course to Heaven. Saul insisted; Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord.

This is a dangerous trend in the body of Christ now. Many who started with humility like Saul are now strategically bringing out worldly system of acquiring more wealth in ministry claiming more souls are being won for Christ. Truth from the Word of God are set aside to preach what people want to hear. It is a change of new heart given by God. Saul obeyed people to disobey God. This was another factor that changed his new heart given by God.

Many half-baked Christians who negatively influence Christian leaders with new hearts are in top echelon in the church with worldly ideas to increase income of the church. They live sumptuously like the rich man Jesus spoke about in Luke 16:19-31.
They make bread from stones by asking struggling believers to look for money in order to receive God’s blessings.
They arrange for programmes because of offerings and make it look like salvation for souls.

These people subtly make the founders and General Overseers to have a change of new heart given by God. Unfortunately, they believe that they are on course to Heaven due to abundance of possessions acquired against God’s instructions.
Hear warning from the Master to Christians with new hearts.
Luke 12:15(NLT) Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

Finally brethren, once born again is not always born again forever. There must be constant defence of the new heart or born again status because the violent ones are ready to attack the new heart that leads to the kingdom of God.
Matthew 11:12(NLT) And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it.

❓How is the condition of your heart? Is it still new as at when you surrendered to Christ? Do you obey God at all cost than opinion of men? Are things of this world affecting your relationship with God?

🛑 Let us learn lessons from king Saul who received new heart but materials from sinners meant to be destroyed and people’s opinions changed his new heart and ended with the witch at Endor. There are pastors that God has stopped talking to as a result of changed hearts and now using dark powers or worldly wisdom to deceive men in order to maintain status quo.
1 Samuel 28:6-7 And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.
Heart that will stay anew without influence by money and people’s opinion shall need constant renewal by the word of God.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
✋ Maranatha