By Pastor Austin C. Udeoha
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9) And God saw that the wickedness of man was great on earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was evil continually” Genesis 6:5) “ this is an among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all; yea, also the heart of the sons of men is of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead” (Ecclesiastes 9:3) “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy , pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man (Mark 7:21-23)
May be your heart has been deceiving you by telling you that your greatest enemy is the devil or your neighbour. But I want to expose him by the light of God’s word that your greatest enemy is no other person than your own very heart that you are carrying about.
The spirit of God through Jeremiah tells us that the heart is deceitful and wicked above all things including the devil. Who can know it or believe it? (Jeremiah 17:9). I want you to know from today that the deceitfulness and wickedness of your heart is above that of the devil. Therefore don’t drop this tract until you declare war against your heart and rise up, fight and wage war against your heart. But if you continue taking your heart for granted, then you must remember that Jesus tells us that the dangerous products that will destroy you at last are produced by your heart (Mark 7:21-23). Is it not your heart that deceived you and painted sin as very beautiful, only for you to discover the ugliness of sin to your shameful regret?
Is it not your heart that was telling you that you are right in that case when you are actually wrong, until you messed up yourself and entered into a fix? Tell me, was it the heart of that foolish lady or boy that deceived her or him that immorality, uncleanness, adultery and fornication is pleasure until at last they bagged pregnancy, abortion, H.I.V Aids and premature death? Was it not the heart of that armed robber that deceived him that he will become rich with another man’s property, only to discover himself in police net, firing squad, life imprisonment, death and destruction? Was it not the heart of the minister that advised him to give bribe to the president with hope of security, and to water his ground and at last shame was left to the nation, friends and family members? The same thing to you, you have been reading Bible, going to church, fasting and praying, very religious but all the same you are still in your sins, you have seen the reasons and need for you to totally confess, repent and forsake your sins and receive Christ into your heart as your Saviour. Yet, your heart has been telling to wait for sometime that there is still time for you, and your heart could not tell you that there is but a step between you and your death. (1Samuel 20:3). Sometimes your heart will be telling you, don’t mind them, you will escape the punishment of your sin, that is how others were deceived by their hearts even when they have only few days to live, their hearts still kept them busy planning for future projects that can never be executed.
Let me conduct you a little on how many wise men were deceived by their hearts. Oh! Heart of Cain! You deceived him that he was right to kill his brother Abel and at last you drove him out of the presence of God and set a mark of a fugitive and vagabond upon him (Genesis 4:8-16). Oh! The heart of Aaron and Mirian, you told them to wash their mouth on Moses because he was their younger brother, and at last Mirian became a leper and Aaron lost the office of priesthood. (Numbers 20:23-29).
Oh! The heart of Samson, you deceived him that the deadly Delilah’s laps could give him pleasure but he lost his strength, his two eyes and the prophet and judge of Israel became pepper grinding machine for the heathen women and at last he died a shameful premature death in the house of the devil with the enemies of his God (Judges 16:16-31)
Oh! The heart of king Saul, you deceived him to spare what he was commanded to destroy and was telling Prophet Samuel that he has done everything well and at last the first King of Israel died in the house and in the hand of a witch craft woman. And the heart of then king of Israel he spared boldly told Prophet Samuel that the bitterness of death is gone away from him, meaning that his now happy to die because he has succeeded in destroying the first king of Israel. (1Samuel 15:1-34)
Jezebel’s heart deceived her with wickedness in the king’s house, with the gadgets of immorality which are hair-palming, face painting, earrings, necklace and worldliness until the king’s daughter was eaten by the dogs (11Kings 9:22-37).
What shall I say more, Absalom, instead of the kingdom his heart promised him, found himself hung on the tree. Jonah landed in the belly of fish instead of the blessing of business in Tarshish that his heart promised him.
Judas was finally rejected by God, Satan, Angel and men, and was regrettably received by hell-fire instead of thirty pieces of silver his heart promised him.
Pray now, Oh Heart! Heart!! Heart!!!Thou art desperately wicked and has exposed men to the devil and to their death. I now take you into God’s surgical theatre for the three definite Christian experiences which are salvation, sanctification and the Holy Ghost baptism. And I am not coming out with you until you are totally washed, cleaned, circumcised, sanctified, perfected in holiness and filled with the spirit of God. Oh Lord! Circumcise and change this evil heart of mine and let that mind be in me which was in Christ Jesus. (Deuteronomy 30:6; Philippians 2:5) Oh Lord don’t leave me but work in my heart until I am free from adultery, fornication, stealing, preferential treatment, uncleanness, pride, hatred, evil speaking, retaliation, evil thought, blasphemy, compromise of your faith, kickbacks, fortunetelling, star gazing, hot temper, lies, cheating, deceitfulness, hypocrisy, grudges, anger, malice, giving and receiving bribes, unfaithfulness, tale-bearing, backbiting, wrath, unforgiving spirit, ‘419’, envy, jealousy, talkativeness, masturbation, smoking, drunkenness, alcoholism, false witness, falsifying receipts and accounts, examination malpractices, sitting examinations for another person, working with another person’s certificates, collecting money for contract not executed, Laziness, lesbianism, homosexuality, watching immoral films and pornography, duping other people both at home and abroad, tapping electricity light or adjusting NEPA metre, Idol worshiping, armed robbery or one chance business, polygamy, divorce and remarriage, witchcraft, occultism (cults, secret societies, sorcery), murder, abortion, gossip, abusive language, wickedness, relabeling and selling of expired drugs, removal of land marks, failing of student for refusing immorality and uncleanness, child trafficking, oppression, corruptions, hire-killer, lust of the flesh, worldliness etc, Oh man if this is your prayer then sincerely take these seven steps to your saviour Jesus Christ.
(1) Realize you are a sinner from birth with a sinful nature, and that you cannot save yourself by your power, your good works but through Christ’s sacrifice for you on the cross.
(2) Repent from all known sin through total confession of them to God not to man.
(3) Renounce and forsake every confessed sin and never go back to them again.
And separate yourself from persons, places and things that may lead your back
to sin.
(4) Receive the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart by faith as your Lord and personal saviour
(5) Rejoice in the Lord that your sins are now forgiven according to His word, you are now a new creature in Christ, old things are passed away, behold all things are now new.
(6) Read your Bible, preach, pray and watch every day.
(7) Remain with the people of God in a good – God fearing Christian Church that preaches, teaches, dresses and lives a practical life of holiness, Christians that are not dressing like worldly people, but totally different from the world. We shall meet in heaven if you sincerely, from your heart do these things and remain in holiness till the end (Romans 3:23; John 1:2. 2Corinthians 6:14)
For more help, contact Pastor Austin C. Udeoha
Holiness Power Bible Ministries
Operation Tikpoo (Destroy the works of devil)
No. 8/10 Igbesi Street, Okomala,
Berilet Bus Stop Oshodi-Apapa Express Way, Ilasamaja, Lagos
E-mail: holinesspowerbibleministries@gmail.com
Weekly Meetings
Sunday Bible Service: 7:30 am
Wednesday Power Connection (Morning Session) 8.00AM
Wednesday Power Connection (Evening Session) 6.00PM
Friday Holiness and Heaven Bible Study in different Regions 6.00PM
JESUS PEOPLE