Click here to listen: Refuse the Wicked Heart
This ends the unit on Avoiding the Heart of the Wicked Queen. Our example is Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8. What we learn about him gives more insight into the wicked heart, and what we refuse when we say refuse the wicked heart.
Here are some highlights, after a short review:
#1: The Baseline of Wickedness — The character profile of the wicked heart:
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- It operates in community (agreement or partnership)
- It acts against Godly authority
- It behaves in ways that offend God
- Its way leads to death
#2: Early Exposure Affects the Heart — Drusilla and Bernice
Wickedness is a heart condition. Luke 6:43-45 shows us that a good man brings to the front what is good from his heart, and an evil man produces what is evil. Drusilla and Bernice were the great-granddaughters of Herod the Great, and their family line was FULL of wickedness against the cause and way of God. Although early conditioning has its hold and influence on us today, we can experience change through Christ. These wicked sisters teach us to take advantage of a divine opportunity!
#3: Royal Immunity — Lord, make me immune
Psalm 91:8 promises that only with our eyes will we see the reward of the wicked. Immunity is the inability to be affected. That is our new prayer, that the Lord will create in our hearts an immunity to wickedness and wicked ways. Let’s make it our business to protect the throne, the place where God’s given us delegated authority!
#4: Refuse the Wicked Heart — Keep a repentant heart
Simon the sorcerer amazed the people in Samaria a long time with his magic. He claimed he was someone great. Philip, at the same time, was in Samaria and working the works of God. When word got to the Jerusalem headquarters of God’s move in Samaria, the apostles sent Peter and John to 1) certify the move, and 2) lay hands on the people to receive the Holy Ghost.
Simon’s wickedness was to attempt to pay for what was God’s free gift. Peter gave him the rebuke of the ages and revealed Simon’s wicked heart.
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- Acts 8:20 — Simon’s thinking was bad to think he could pay for the power of God
- Acts 8:21 — Simon had no portion in the miracles of God around him because his heart was not right before God (due to his bad thinking)
- Acts 8:22 — The only solution to wickedness is repentance. Ask God to forgive the thoughts of the heart.
- Acts 8:23 — Simon’s main issues were poison by bitterness and bondage by iniquity
We have a choice to refuse the wicked heart. The Word of God does so much for us, including renewing us in the spirit of our minds to be transformed in God’s way. His Word gives us the right perspective on grace, and God’s free gifts of salvation and His Holy Spirit.
Thank you for joining us. Each Tuesday next month, we will set our hearts against wickedness in “30 Minutes to Love”. We will spend a half hour in prayer each Tuesday next month to pray for women and young women everywhere — women’s ministries, young women’s ministries, saved and unsaved women — to develop hearts of love. We will pray 1 Corinthians 13 next month. Please, stay with us on this journey.
Love to all.
