Create In Me a Clean Heart

Lord, Create In Me A Clean Heart

Have you ever prayed that God would give you a clean heart and a right spirit? King David did. As the story goes, King David spotted Bathsheba from his rooftop bathing herself. He later slept with her, got her pregnant and then had her husband killed, all in an attempt to cover it up. He was later approached by the Prophet Nathan about it and then he realized he had sinned against God (2 Samuel 11-12). He went from being God’s right hand man to being tied up in a vicious web of sin and lies. Today, even when great spiritual leaders of our time fall into sin, typically it’s not for adultery and murder. Yet, God loved King David, as He does us all. He viewed him as a man after His own heart and blessed him to be in Jesus’ lineage. Sin effects us. It effects our lives and how we view ourselves. We say to ourselves, “Look at what I have done. I’m no good. How can I be of any use to God or anyone?” This is the ultimate pity party attitude. Ok, you lied, you cheated, you stole, you knocked him out, you slept with the guy, you slept with the girl, you slept with both of them at the same time, you smoked it, you passed it around, you drank it and you enjoyed it! You then realized you sinned against God and now you feel guilty and shameful. King David sat exactly in the same place you’re sitting and what did he do? He not only asked God to forgive him, but he asked God to create in Him a clean heart and renew a right spirit within him. With only a forgiven sin, we are bound to repeat our actions over and over again, but with a clean heart and a right spirit we won’t. We find that King David is never once mentioned again to have fallen into that same sin. Only God can cause you to detest and run from sin, rather than find pleasure in it. He doesn’t want to just forgive you, He wants to give you a new heart, a new mind and new life through Jesus. With His help, your days of struggling with sin are over!

“Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.” (Romans 6:12-14 NLT)

Prayer:
Father, I’m struggling with sin. The problem is I enjoy it, but I know You hate it! So I repent and I command by Your power that the grip of sin be broken off of my life right now in Jesus name. Lord, show me how to walk in newness of life with a new heart and a new mind. Help me love what You love and hate what You hate. Thank You for setting me free! In Jesus’ name, Amen.