Heart Protection Is Soul Protection (conclusion) by Brother Duke Hansen

         Our scripture reading is going to go now to the book of Isaiah. We will be starting at verse 14 of the chapter. We have hardness in some parts of our heart, bondage, and some thought processes which have been corrupted by bad life experience and a wrong way of thinking. God wants you to have a life now! Walking in obedience and worship of him. There are moments in your walk where it isn't error that puts you in the press. God sometimes bends you in a direction. He wants you to walk into glory in the end. He's not the superman who will put all of man on his shoulder in rescue. 

        14 Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.

        15 I am the LORD, the Holy One, the creator of Israel your King.

        16 Thus saith the LORD which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;

        17 Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched in tow.

        Verses 16, 17- If you decide to leave the worlds captivity, there is nothing that God can deliver you from. 

        18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

        Put away the past and move forward. Dwelling in the past often enables you and keeps you living in sin. Behaviors in your life, embedded and anti-God will only lead you into a partial commitment. It's similar to most relationships we have in the world, half hearted, half committed. The only commitment is to your stinking flesh, when God is desiring a commitment from you. 

        19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

        In the spirit- It doesn't matter where you are, what you did, your baggage, your hang-ups, your history. God will give you his spirit. 

        21 The people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise. You will show me praise out of your heart and willingly. We need to maintain a quality of life with our health both physically and spiritually. God did not create conviction for man to feel sorry for himself but to truly repent!

        23 Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honored me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense.

        We say today we don't have to sacrifice animals. Our sacrifice today is not that, but it's sacrificing our flesh. As Paul says in Galatians chapter 5 verses 24-26;

        24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts.

        25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

        26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

        That means no gossiping at the work place, no chasing after the lust of the eye be that other persons or objects, coveting possessions. Instead it's devoting time daily in prayer, in study, in seeking God's face. Why is it we can find the time for the most emptiest things in life, yet act like finding an hour to be at God's feet is impossible? In growth you make mistakes along the way. It's part of the process. Those mistakes can build character if you approach it right. If you don't face your failure after it happens, but push it under the rug, you won't grow in your walk. You will just sit there in spiritual diapers needing a change and crying because the preacher man got too loud! Back to Isaiah 43, verse 24.

        24 Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins.

        You have made me to serve with your sins. When you think that sin is okay, and think that God is still your best friend and walking in that junk with you keeping you protected, you really have him working in darkness. He can't help you that much. Jesus is the door and his word are the walls. Jesus is the cornerstone of our faith and the apostles were the foundation the faith is built on.

        25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will to remember thy sins.

        26 Put me in remembrance: God wants to work with you. let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.

        27 Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me. Your first father had sinned. Your teachers, leaders, your help transgressed in the Lord. When men stand idle and allow the worldly approach, they give up their authority and let things slide, God profanes the princes of the sanctuary.

        28 Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.

        Cut off, profane, cursed, reproach all those go back to verses 24 and 25. How can we remember God as in verse 26? Get to know the man first. Clear time from your Netflix, your Facebook stalking, instagram posting and read the four gospels and Acts. You read those books and you have a good understanding of the Lord. 

        Who was the greatest intercessor that lived on earth? It was Jesus. He knew you before were made in your mothers womb. (Jeremiah 1:5) When you are pressed together with him in the fire God can work with that. He has an expectation that you will do the right thing. God wants you to work with him and he wants to work with you. God has not overlooked your sin. We may press harder on tearing down our flesh, and lose sight of God's love, mercy, and grace for us. Repentance is a plea, because you go to God as guilty. There is a lot of things you are supposed to be because God has called you to it.