Dwight Fletcher | Point your heart in the right direction

IN THESE last days, where our heart is, is critical. The heart is the seat of our desires and affection. “… Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1 NIV). “Set your hearts” means ‘to seek, desire, and have passion for’. Knowledge of God starts in the heart and grows from there. We cannot get to know God unless we grow in passion for Him, and desire to get to know and pursue Him. Taking care of our living on earth is important, but not as important as God.

“The things above” refers to the heavenly, eternal things of God. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV). The things above are the eternal things and they must become our treasure, meaning, the things we primarily desire. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21 NIV).

The spiritual forces of this world that are enticing us into false worship are also attempting to prioritise false, earth-bound things. In the power of the Holy Spirit, our desire for God must be so above those false priorities that we are able to stay the course. What’s in our hearts will determine what we do.

“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires (misplaced heart) and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4. They will reject the truth and chase after myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4 NLT).

Many of us may have thought that the Scriptures were extreme, but in Jamaica we have seen where, if our heart isn’t fully in the right place, we can be dragged away and enticed. We have seen examples, including locally, where it was said that one group’s leader was powerful enough to get people off impossible court cases, and also got them other things, but no one said they were led into a closer relationship with God. Our hearts can lead us astray, to the point where we’re blind to the obvious. Even with all that has happened, some still support this movement. “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24 NIV).

We’re to “… set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” At the right hand of God, Christ is at the place of authority and power. “Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else…” (Ephesians 1:21 NLT).

As we set our hearts on things above, we will learn to stand in our identity and authority because where Christ is seated, we’re seated. When our hearts are in the right place, we’re seated with Christ in the place of authority and have the advantage of higher ground over the enemy. As we seek the things above, the Holy Spirit will help us to stay above the entrapments of the world, and the flesh. “They triumphed over him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death” (Revelations 12:11 NIV).

We’re not victims. We can overcome, no matter what the end-times throw our way; but we must set our hearts in the right direction.