“And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.” Luke 15:11-13.
The prodigal son failed when he wanted his father’s goods without wanting his father. The son’s failure did not come because of his riotous living but his riotous living was a result of his failure. We do not see the failure in a person’s heart until we see the manifested result of the failure. Once the result of the failure has manifested and the sin nature is once again on it’s throne in one’s heart, we blame the result for the failure instead of the failure for the result.
“Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men:” Isaiah 29:13.
Satan’s goal is to remove our heart from the Lord. The devil knows the result of this failure will be death. I want you to understand, the modern church failed a long time ago and we are now beginning to see the results of fallen hearts…hearts far from the Lord Jesus. They have sought, decreed, declared and proclaimed the promises of Jesus Christ but have not lifted up the name of Jesus Christ…they wanted the Father’s goods without wanting the Father.
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 3:1-7.
These are those who are ever learning with every wind of doctrine that comes down the pike of the church but never coming to the knowledge of the Truth in Christ Jesus…their hearts are far from God. They are seeking the Father’s goods without seeking Him and the results have manifested. The failure occurred when their hearts turned away from the Lord Jesus Christ and sought other means for their deliverance.
“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God?” 1 Peter 4:17.
Anything that directs our faith away from the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary’s Cross is an attempt of the devil to steer the heart’s of His Children away from Him. This includes many of the doctrines in the churches today which incorporate psychology (worldly means) into the Gospel of Jesus in order to achieve godly results. Make no mistake, worldly means will never manifest into godly results but in fact turn a heart away from the Lord.
Discern what is being preached by where it is directing your heart and not by the words being said. Does it direct your heart toward self will or self efforts? Does it direct your heart toward that prayer shawl? Where is your heart being directed? God knows. “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.” Luke 15:24-25. The elder sons heart also failed. His heart was directed toward his works and he was left in the field…his Father knew his heart was not toward Him and the manifested result of the failed heart was self righteousness.
Where is your heart? Don’t answer, ask the Lord to show you…daily.
-Donna Clark Warren
Living in The Spirit 