ENEMIES

OF
THE
HEART

Breaking Free from the Four

Emotions That Control You
The Simmering
Volcano

Matthew 15:1-20
How do you monitor your heart?

Our tendency is to monitor our

behavior while pretty much
ignoring our hearts
 The Heart is such a
Mystery
Jeremiah 17:9
 Like the Seismic Activity of a dormant Volcano
WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW CAN HURT YOU

Suddenly someone files for divorce.

Suddenly a kid’s grades drop and his attitude changes.
Suddenly a harmless pastime becomes a destructive habit.
Out of nowhere devastating words pierce the soul of an unsuspecting loved
one
– Our hearts impact the intensity of our communication.
– Our hearts have the potential to exaggerate our
sensitivities and insensitivities.
– Every arena of life intersects with what’s going on in our
hearts.
– We need the courage to ask the Heavenly Father
for help to watch over, understand, and purify our
hearts. He is eager to respond and to show us
how to replace old bad habits of the heart with
new and better ones that will in time make us
more like his Son.
Fessing Up

1 John 1:5-10
The First Enemy of the Heart is
“Guilt”

–Guilt is the result of having done

something we perceive as wrong.
The message from a heart laden
with guilt is, “I owe”
How do you get your guilt canceled?

1 John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and

just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness” (kjv).
“Letting Go of Hurt and
Anger”

Ephesians 4:25-32
 The second enemy of the heart is
“Anger”

–We get angry when we don’t get what we

want.
–The root of anger is the perception that
something has been taken. Something is owed
you. And now a debt-to-debtor relationship
has been established.
–The remedy for anger is forgiveness. If we
hold out waiting to be paid back for the
wrongs done to us, we will be the ones who
pay. If, on the other hand, we cancel the
debts owed to us, we will be set free.
“Watching Out for
Greed”

Luke 12:13-21
The third enemy of the heart?
“Greed”

–It’s when we feel that we

deserve more and more worldly
wealth and goods. Greed says, “I
owe me.”
– After telling a parable, Jesus gave his definition of a greedy
person: someone who stores up things for himself or
herself but isn’t rich toward God. Being “rich toward God”
is Jesus-talk for being generous toward those in need. A
greedy person is the man or woman who saves carefully
but gives sparingly.
– Generous giving will break the grip of greed on your life.
So whether or not you think you have extra, give and
give generously.
– Break the power of greed through the habit of generous
giving. It’s a habit that changes everything.
“Taking Your Desires to
God”

James 4:1-3
 Jealousy

– When we think about jealousy or envy, we immediately think of the

things others have that we lack—looks, skills, opportunities, health,
height, inheritance, etc. We assume our problem is with the person
who possesses what we lack. But let’s face it; God could have fixed all
of that for us. Whatever he gave your neighbour, he could have given
you too. That’s why you may feel inside that he owes you.
– Jealousy can terrorize your life and wreak havoc in your
relationships. The good news is, this behemoth, like the
other three, has a vulnerability. And it’s something you
might not expect: stop coveting what others have and
start asking God for what he knows is best for you.
– Every concern you have, great and small, matters to the Father
because you matter to the Father. Whether it pertains to your
love life, your career, your marriage, your parents, your
children, your finances, your education, or your appearance,
bring it to him. And keep bringing it to him until you find the
peace to get up off your knees and face the day, confident in
the knowledge that he cares for you.
Let me assure you, your
heart will always be dear
to his heart.
– What is your heart aching for? Spend some time in
absolutely free, uninhibited conversation with God
about what you feel you lack. Ask him to bless you in the
way he knows is best—and to reveal his love to you
along the way