Video #22 - Preventing a Spiritual Heart Attack

When you think about a massive heart attack, you probably imagine someone who suddenly clutches his chest and collapses.  We know that a heart attack of any size is not something to play around with, seconds count in getting the proper treatment and saving a life.

Typically, a heart attack occurs because the circulation of blood to the heart muscle is blocked.  If that blockage is not rapidly opened, heart tissue will die from a lack of oxygen resulting in permanent heart damage and life-threatening problems.

I am told that the prevention of a heart attack is fairly straightforward.  Don’t smoke or use tobacco, exercise regularly, eat a heart-healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight, get enough quality sleep, and see your doctor regularly.

Spiritually speaking, we are all born with a serious heart condition.  Jeremiah declared, “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jer. 17:10).  When God looked at man’s condition, “the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen 6:5).

Solomon, in all of his God-given wisdom acknowledged that “as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7 KJV).  In other words, the condition of our heart determines the condition of our life.  This is evidenced by the fact that “the fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’ (the condition of his heart); as a result, he is “corrupt, doing abominable iniquity” (the condition of his life - Psa. 53:21).  You see, “out of the heart come … adultery (and) sexual immorality” (Matt. 15:19; Mark 7:21-22).

If you have come to a point in your life where you acknowledged your heart condition – your state of sinful rebellion against God - and you have confessed your sinfulness before God, believing in your heart that Jesus (the Son of God) died on the cross of Calvary to pay the price for your sinful, rebellious heart; then God Himself says you are saved (Acts 16:31 cp. Rom. 6:23; 10:9)! 

Now get this - this is so cool:  At the moment of your salvation that old sinful heart was crucified (put to death – Gal. 2:20).  Your hardened, calloused rebellious heart of stone was removed, and God gave you a new heart.  You’ve had a total heart transplant!

A friend of ours recently went through an actual heart transplant.  Since having this new heart placed within her, she has had to change some aspects of her life.  There are certain things she has to stay away from.  She has to eat a proper diet, she must do certain exercises, she must take periods of rest, she must take certain medications, and she must see her doctor regularly.

In a similar way, once you have become a born-again believer; once you have been given that new heart you must “above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Prov. 4:23).

In the next section of this series, we are going to see in God’s Word how to maintain a healthy “heart” so we can live a “healthy” life that glorifies God in everything we think, say and do.  See you next week!

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About Steve Etner
Steve Etner is a National Men’s Speaker, Author and Purity Coach (www.thepuritycoach.com). He has authored many books, including “Extreme Mind Makeover: How to Transform Sinful Habits into God-Pleasing Patterns of Life”; “The Pure Man’s Devotional Guide: A Biblical Toolbox for Purity”; and “Are You A Super Man? Becoming God’s Man of Steel.” 

Steve’s conferences, seminars and retreats focus on what God has to say about the way we think and the impact it has on our behavior. By teaching men how to live in moral purity by equipping them with Biblical answers, Steve’s goal is for men to have a re-ignited passion for Jesus and learn how to prepare their minds to successfully overcome their temptations and thus live pure lives for Christ.