Mensa Otabil - Our Hearts (09/29/2025)
Welcome. This week, we are starting a study on the heart, and we will look at what the heart is and the different conditions of our heart. We begin with Ephesians chapter 3, verses 16 to 17:
«That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in your inner mind, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love.»
In this passage, you see the word «Spirit,» and you also see the word «heart.» So what is the heart? When we are talking about the heart of a human being, what are we discussing? Have you ever heard people use the phrase «the heart of the matter»? When people use that phrase, what do they mean? Do they imply that the matter has a heart that pumps blood? No, that is not what they are referring to. They are talking about the core of the matter—the crux of it. The heart is used as a metaphor for our inner being, the inner person, who we truly are.
Therefore, when the Bible talks about the heart, we don’t immediately have to think about the physical heart that all of us have. When the Bible speaks of the heart, it is discussing who you are on the inside—who you really are spiritually. Your heart is what makes you who you are. Sometimes in the Bible, the heart is referred to as the spirit, which signifies that which God has breathed into us—the Spirit of God that lives inside us, the image of God that enables us to act like God.
We are also spirit beings. So at times, the heart refers to the spirit, but there are other instances when the heart does not refer to the spirit; it refers to the soul. The soul resembles the spirit, but it is not the spirit because the soul deals with our emotions, feelings, intellect, and will. In the Bible, the heart is used interchangeably—sometimes as your spirit, sometimes as your soul, referring to your emotions.
When the Bible refers to the heart as the soul, it talks about the instability of the heart. You will find phrases like «the heart of man is deceptive» and «who can trust the heart of man?» because it speaks of your emotions. The emotions of people are not stable; one moment they are on fire, and the next moment they are very cold. But when the Bible talks about the spirit, it discusses who you are, which is more stable. Though our hearts can relate to God, our hearts can also be closed to God, and that is why we say Christ comes to live inside our hearts—in our innermost being.
The Bible has stories of people whose hearts had different conditions, and we will explore many of them this week. The ultimate takeaway today is that God ultimately wants to take control of our hearts. He desires to rule our hearts and to have the ability to use our hearts to serve Him and fulfill His will. In the end, our hearts must be yielded to God. I pray that this week, as we discuss the various conditions of the heart, you will consider your own heart and its position in relationship with God.
All right, let’s pray. Say with me: Heavenly Father, I give you my heart. Fill me completely with your Spirit in my mind and emotions. In Jesus' name, amen and amen. Well, my friends, this is the start of our lesson, and we will continue tomorrow. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.