Ezekiel 36:26 - New Heart Of Flesh
Step 1: Pray. Select.
Today, as I approach my prayer time, I can’t seem to stop thinking about strained relationships. How do you move towards healing and acceptance when someone whom you are supposed to look up to continually lets you down? I find myself fighting feelings of resentment and borderline anger mixed with frustration. I do not want the negative feelings to grow, so I ask the Holy Spirit to guide me to scriptures that help deal with my hurting heart and emotions.
As I came to Ezekiel 36:26, I knew this was just what the doctor ordered today. So, I moved to STEP 2.
Step 2: Write. Read. Circle
After reading the scripture three times, the following words stood out amongst the others:
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Step 3: Re-Write
With a focus on the words I circled that stood out, here are the personalized sentence(s) that came alive in my heart.
Jennifer, a new heart and a new spirit give you a heart of flesh.
If you are doing this alongside me today, add your name in front of your unique sentence so the Lord can speak directly to you.
Step 4: Visualize
As I close my eyes to focus on my sentence from the Holy Spirit today, I see the Tin Man character from the Wizard of Oz. For those of you who don’t know, the Tin Man is made entirely out of metal and professes that when the Tinsman made him, he forgot to put a heart inside. So, for the time being, he is left hollow and dark in the area where he should feel love and life to the fullest.
The LORD is prompting me to take a look at the fact that a heart is not mechanical and, therefore, cannot be predicted. It doesn’t run on gadgets but instead on multiple nervous system reactions, and it beats irregularly when emotions run high. It is reactive and complex.
The Holy Spirit asks me to examine the heart even closer on a microscopic level.
As I do my research, one thing stands out most about the heart. The heart is dynamic, not static. This is where the wording in the scripture is so important. The LORD is not saying he will repair or renew your heart; he is saying he will give you an entirely new heart. Therefore, any damage done or scar tissue formed will not exist. You will not have to work with a damaged, broken-down heart, but a brand-new one made of flesh. It will be able to expand and contract as if it were just formed, free to move and flawless, regardless of the past you have experienced. And to go with the heart, the LORD will give you an entirely new spirit. You will be completely rebuilt.
Furthermore, I think about how he is giving you a heart to handle the world we are currently in or in the flesh. This raises a question in my mind, so I proceed to Step 5.
Step 5: Ask. Seek
The requests/questions that came to mind are:
Holy Spirit, why doesn’t the LORD say he will give us a spiritual heart instead of giving us a fleshly heart? Or why not an eternal heart?
Step 6: Hear. Write. Receive
Here is the answer I received:
“The issues you are seeking to solve only exist in the flesh. The LORD is not giving you a new spiritual heart because you are not fighting a spiritual hurt; you are fighting a fleshly hurt or wounds of this world. He knows in the flesh that the heart will not heal but rather form scar tissue that healed the heart at one time; however, it leaves the heart in a weakened state, causing more damage. He wants you to be strong of heart and courageous. He wants to completely heal you, not heal you with the constant reminder of the wrongs that have been done in the past. He is offering you a brand new chance to be free each and every day through his strength and trust that he is giving you, and any relationship, another chance. Now let’s be clear, this does not mean if someone is hurting you, that you should remain in their presence, but what it does do is guarantee whether reconciliation happens or not, you can and will be given a new, perfectly healed heart to continue to love and praise your Father who is the ultimate healer. He can wipe away your reminders of the hurt and release and forgive even the worst of your enemies. He does this in the flesh so you can be a living testament to what he can do and how the power of the LORD and his continuous ability to make you completely new is the only way to live a life filled with joy and freedom. You must choose this. Otherwise, you will be left longing like your Tin Man for anything or anyone to fill the empty hole with partial healing, allowing the scar tissues of lies to play over and over like a record player on repeat. It will consume you and leave you living in fear and keeping you from the ultimate glory and grace the LORD has in store for you. Don’t take this word lightly when the LORD is giving you something completely new. It is as sure as a new day if you want it. So grab onto the LORD and his goodness and know your healing is just one yes or amen away. Hang onto your Father; he has the power to resurrect you in the flesh to give you a new chance and hope for your eternal future.”
Step 7: Pray. Confirm
Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus.
Thank you for giving me this word today to know that GOD will make me new in my heart and spirit. Even though I may not know how or when he will provide for my ultimate healing, he will be my strength and my courage and will grant me the peace I need when facing these challenging relationships. Let me focus on your healing inside and in front of me rather than the past, LORD.
Lord, I pray the peace of Jesus washes over me as I navigate these challenging life experiences and, through your goodness, let others see me lean upon you and know you are real and present through me at all times.
Let your record player play a new song that refreshes my soul and reminds me I am not damaged goods or barely hanging on; I am made new and completely restored by your power.
I lift you up and thank you in Jesus' mighty name; I pray and seal this prayer with the blood of Jesus - Amen.
Step 8: Share. Testify
If you used the 8-Step Prayer Practice today, we would love to hear how God works in your life! You can comment below or share your miracle or testimony HERE.
Conclusion:
Friends, today really lifted my spirits, giving me hope that no matter what tough relationships bring, the Lord can heal me and free me from any past hurts or scars.
Thank you for not leaving me with a bandaged heart but for putting a new, fleshly one inside me every day to realize how much power I have over my circumstances through you, Lord.
Complex relationships are incredibly challenging, but the Lord has already given us the tools to rise above and fully heal in this world without waiting for eternity.
God bless you. See you soon!
