The term heart of man and the illustrations in this booklet refer to who and what is controlling our thoughts and actions. This is who we really are on the inside and not what we ourselves or others may think. God looks inside our heart, and nothing can be hidden from him. “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
The heart is the source of all the deeds that you do. If the heart is clean, then the deeds will be good. If the heart is evil, then the deeds will be evil also.
There are many people with troubled hearts today. God is the answer; he loves you and wants to live in your heart. He is the only One who can bring lasting change in your thoughts and actions.
The Heart of the Sinner
Satan is the ruler of this heart. He rules over the sinner with his evil spirits. The animals in the picture represent some of the evil spirits that control the sinner’s heart. Sin is any thought, deed, or belief that is contrary to the will of God. All sins defile the heart of man.
The snake is an example of dishonesty. This spirit avoids the truth through deceit because it doesn’t want to face the facts. It justifies its mistakes with excuses.
The crocodile is an example of covetousness, jealousy, and thievery. It raises its ugly head, looking at the possessions of others and coveting them. Covetousness drives the sinner to strive for much money, even through ways that are evil.
The lion is an example of anger, hatred, and fighting. Many times these sins appear in ways such as seeking revenge, harsh words, or arguments. The heart can contain this evil spirit for a time, but cruelty and wrath will eventually come out.
The dog is an example of immorality and lust. These inhabit this heart in thought and action. Jesus said that for a man to even look on a woman to lust after her is to commit adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:28). Immoral books, videos, and entertainment feed the lust of this heart.
The pig is an example of drunkenness, gluttony, and filth. This heart lacks temperance and is given to excess. Drunkenness is shameful and brings on many other sins. Overeating was judged even in the Old Testament law as a very serious sin (Deuteronomy 21:18-21). This heart may also be filled with filthy conversation and complaining.
The spider is an example of smoking and harmful drug use. People try out these evils, thinking that they will be able to quit at any time. They are soon caught in a web just as the spider catches insects in its web. These vices are poisons that defile the body, which God would like to use as his temple (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).
The turtle is an example of laziness and procrastination. This spirit makes a person push off the time of facing his sins, so that he doesn’t take care of them right now.
The bat is an example of fear and witchcraft. These are the powers of darkness, just as the bat is active at night. A person is driven by fear to involve himself with these secret sins. God hates all satanic activities (Isaiah 47:12-15).
The peacock is an example of pride. Pride is recognized in this heart by its boastfulness and selfishness. It cares little about the life and feelings of others. It lifts itself up by its knowledge, possessions, clothing, and natural beauty. It desires power, position, and respect. “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate” (Proverbs 8:13). “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
The conscience continually troubles this heart, leaving the heart in a condition of guilt and condemnation. This is how God reminds mankind that judgment is waiting for him. There is no peace in this heart, only turmoil and chaos. Oh troubled heart, God is calling you!
The Convicted Heart and Repentance
Here we see the light of God’s Word shining into the sinner’s heart. This light judges sin and also gives a solution. By the grace of God, the heart receives light and understanding—light to see its sins and understanding to receive and accept the Word of God by faith. The part of the sinner is to confess all his sins. If he does this, he will have opened all the windows of his heart, and the light will shine everywhere.
This bright illumination of the Word of God chases away Satan and his evil spirits. They resist the authority of God’s Holy Spirit even as they are departing. They try to hide themselves by covering many sins of the heart from the searching eyes of God.
This sinner’s heart is beginning to respond to the call of God. Regrets and sorrow fill his heart as he recognizes his lost condition. There is nothing he can do to pay for his sins. The Holy Spirit welcomes the sinner to look in faith to Jesus the Savior. Jesus willingly gave his life on Calvary’s cross to pay the debt for the sinner.
The sinner has started to pray, not only with the lips, but with a cry of despair deep in his heart. When he realizes the sinfulness of his heart, he cries, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). His prayers ascend to heaven. God has already seen this condition; He is listening and will respond to this cry for help. God’s response is full forgiveness. Peace floods this heart and condemnation is gone.
The chains of Satan have been broken; the Holy Spirit of God enters and changes this heart completely. “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).
The New Heart
A new heart has been created, and peace has been given by God. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Pride and selfishness have been replaced with humility and love for everyone. Christ is now his theme and praise. His desire is to please Him who has given him new life. He is willing to deny himself, take up his cross, and live for Jesus.
Just as a shepherd leads his sheep, the new heart is led into green pastures and beside still waters (Psalm 23). He loves to stay close to his Shepherd and walk with him. This heart desires and feeds on the Word of God. Sharing God’s Word with others brings much joy to his heart. This relationship with Jesus satisfies this heart more than anything else.
Now the Holy Spirit, which is pictured as a dove in our illustration, has entered this heart to guide it into all truth. This Holy Spirit of God begins to bear the good fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, and gentleness. Self-control is clearly seen in this heart (Galatians 5:22-23). The Holy Spirit leads this person to reconcile with those whom he has wronged and guides him in all the decisions of life.
This heart searches for fellowship with other children of God. When he finds the body of Christ, the church of the living God where all the teachings are taught and practiced by the believers, the desires of his soul are satisfied (1 Corinthians 1:10).
This heart experiences victory over sin. Its intention is to glorify God, who has called him into his kingdom (1 Thessalonians 2:12).
This child of God strives to put aside every weight that hinders him, so that he can run the race of life with patience, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of his faith (Hebrews 12:2). He has learned to watch and pray, knowing that Satan will tempt him again through the lusts of his flesh. This enemy is close by with his weapons of darkness, but the Christian has sufficient protection because he is preserved by the power of God.
The Backslidden Heart
The condition of this heart is tragic. This heart once knew God, but the deceitfulness of Satan gradually causes sin, unconcern, and neglect to enter this heart again. The good fruit of the indwelling Spirit has begun to disappear. Satan and his wicked spirits, formerly kept out by the presence of God, are coming back in their evil forms and ways, causing the gentle graces illustrated by the dove and lamb to depart. This heart is beginning to turn from the Savior and is leaving the eternal promises of God that he had known before.
Daily obedience and watchfulness would have kept this Christian victorious in his spiritual life. But through the cares of this world, neglecting daily prayer, or not reading the Bible, Satan has rocked this Christian to sleep spiritually with the intention of him never waking up again.
Perhaps this heart continues to keep up a good appearance on the outside, so it looks like he loves God. He continues to go to church, pray empty prayers, and give empty testimonies. False pastors and prophets further deceive this heart by comforting it in its current condition.
The conscience, which was clean, has been ignored and its voice is seldom heard anymore. He makes friends with ungodly people. Complaints, jealousy, grudges, unforgiveness, and many other sins control his thoughts again, confirming that Satan has regained control of this heart.
Self-denial is no longer important, and the ways of God and his church seem very restrictive. Although God calls him back, the sinner continues to make excuses. How pitiful is this condition!
Jesus, his Shepherd, is very sorrowful. He wants the sinner to return to Him. “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7).
The End of the Sinner’s Heart
The person with the heart of sin has reached his day of death. His body may be filled with pain and his heart with fear. The possessions and money that he gathered in his life have no value now. The ungodly friends that he had while living in sin are nowhere to be seen. He has heard God’s voice for the last time.
It is a fearful thing to look on a sinner in the time of death. There is no hope, no Savior, and no light, only darkness and despair. Eternal anguish and the furnace of fire will be his punishment. “And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:42). This doom awaits all sinners, whether they have never left their sins, or have returned to their sins like the backslidden heart.
The Homecoming of the Faithful Heart
This heart is victorious. The Shepherd has continued to lead this heart as one of his own sheep into green pastures and beside the still waters. Many times, when beset with affliction and trials, this faithful heart was led back to the stillness of this place, and here his soul was restored (Psalm 23).
The peace and rest he had in his life continues during the last minutes of his life here on earth. As he bids his loved ones goodbye, his testimony is with certainty that through the redemption of Christ he will now receive an eternal reward. This faith which has kept him in his life on earth will not cast him away in death, because he has put his anchor in the everlasting Son of God. Jesus will send his angels to take his spirit home.
By faith the Christian can see heaven, that beautiful city which God has prepared for those who love Him. He says with Paul, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
Invitation
The apostle John said, “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9-10).
Do you desire to be a part of that multitude which John saw? Jesus is calling today, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).