Spiritual Heart Attacks

OCTOBER 20TH, 2002

THERE IS A WAR BEING FOUGHT IN THE WORLD TODAY …..

-IT’S A SUPERNATURAL WAR

-A WAR FOUGHT BETWEEN GOD AND SATAN

-BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL

-THAT WAR IS BEING FOUGHT FOR THE HEARTS OF MEN AND WOMEN !

ONE SIDE WANTS TO MAKE YOUR HEART SOFT

-THE OTHER SIDE WANTS TO MAKE YOUR HEART HARD

ONE SIDE WANTS TO FILL YOUR HEART WITH JOY AND LOVE AND PEACE

-THE OTHER SIDE WANTS TO FILL YOUR HEART WITH PAIN

ONE SIDE WANTS TO PROTECT YOUR HEART

-THE OTHER SIDE WANTS TO ATTACK YOUR HEART

THAT’S THE REASON I’VE TITLED TODAY’S MESSAGE “HEART ATTACKS”

-EVERY HEART HERE TODAY IS VULNERABLE TO ATTACK

WHY THIS BATTLE …..

-BECAUSE …..

Proverbs 27:19

19 As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.

Proverbs 16:9

9 In his heart a man plans his course …..

-THE COURSE OUR LIVES TAKE WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE CONDITION OF OUR HEARTS ! ! !

-IT’S IN OUR HEARTS THAT WE DETERMINE …..

-WHO WE WILL LIVE FOR

-WHO WE WILL SERVE

-WHO WE WILL LOVE

-WILL IT BE THE GOD OF HEAVEN

-OR THE GOD OF THIS WORLD

-THAT’S WHY THE BIBLE MENTIONS THE HEART 779 TIMES !

TODAY CAN BE A VERY IMPORTANT DAY IN YOUR LIFE

-IF YOU WILL SAY WHAT KING DAVID SAID IN PSALM 86 (TURN THERE)

Psalm 86:11-12

11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. 12 I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.

BUT FIRST, LET’S PRAY …..

WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH HEART ATTACKS …..

-HEART RELATED DEATHS ARE THE #1 CAUSE OF DEATH IN AMERICA

-MORE THAN CANCER

-MORE THAN AIDS

-MORE THAN CRIME AND TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

-AND WHEN HEART AILMENTS DON’T KILL …..

-THEY INJURE

-THEY DEBILITATE

-THEY ALTER OUR LIVES

HOW IRONIC …..

-THE VERY INSTRUMENT OF LIFE IS THE CAUSE OF DEATH FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS

AND THOUGH ONLY A MINORITY OF PEOPLE SUFFER “PHYSICAL” HEART ATTACKS …..

-WE ALL ARE VICTIMS OF “SPIRITUAL” HEART ATTACKS ! ! !

-AND THEY CAN BE ETERNALLY FATAL ! ! ! ! !

IF WE WERE HONEST …..

-MANY OF US WOULD SAY WHAT THE PSALMIST SAID …..

Psalm 25:17

17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish.

Psalm 40:12

12 For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.

WHY IS AN UNHEALTHY HEART SO DANGEROUS …..

TURN TO MARK 7 …..

Mark 7:20-23

20 He went on: ‘‘What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ 21 For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’”

THAT’S WHY SOLOMON SAID …..

Proverbs 4:23

23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

-OUR PHYSICAL LIFE AND OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE

SO TODAY, I WANT TO PRACTICE A LITTLE PREVENTIVE MEDICINE …..

-SOME EARLY DETECTION AND EARLY TREATMENT

THE FIRST ATTACK IS SPIRITUAL “HARDENING OF THE ARTERIES” …..

-SEVERAL “ARTERIES” PUMP LIFE INTO PEOPLE SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING

-PRAYER AND WORSHIP

-THE BIBLE

-FELLOWSHIP

-SERVICE

WHEN PEOPLE BECOME HARDENED TO THESE THINGS THEY BEGIN TO GROW SPIRITUALLY WEAK AND EVENTUALLY SPIRITUALLY SICK

-SOME HAVE EVEN DIED ! ! !

Proverbs 28:14

14 Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

EVERY HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP REQUIRES COMMUNICATION

-PRAYER AND WORSHIP IS OUR COMMUNICATION TO GOD

-THE BIBLE IS GOD’S COMMUNICATION TO US

-A HARD HEART SILENCES THAT COMMUNICATION ! ! ! ! !

FELLOWSHIP IS ANOTHER VITAL PART OF SPIRITUAL HEALTH

-I’VE BEEN A CHRISTIAN FOR 24 YEARS AND A PASTOR FOR 20

-SOME HAVE BEEN PASTORS FOR 20 YRS AND CHRISTIANS FOR 15

-I’VE NEVER SEEN A “HEALTHY CHRISTIAN” WHO HAS HARDENED THEIR HEART TOWARD OTHER BELIEVERS ! ! !

-I MEAN MORE THAN JUST JOINT ATTENDANCE AT THE SAME CHURCH

-I MEAN …..

-DEVOTION TO OTHERS

-LOYALTY TOWARD ONE ANOTHER

-CONCERN FOR EACH OTHER

-COMMITMENT TO ONE ANOTHER

AND SERVICE IS A VITAL “ARTERY” THAT BRINGS SPIRITUAL HEALTH

-BLOOD FLOWS IN AND OUT OF A HEALTHY HEART PHYSICALLY

-THE SAME IS TRUE SPIRITUALLY

-A HEART THAT ONLY TAKES IN AND NEVER GIVES OUT GROWS SPIRITUALLY SICK

-SO MANY PEOPLE ARE ONLY CONCERNED WITH …..

-GETTING “FED”

-GETTING “SERVED”

-GETTING THEIR “NEEDS” MET

-AND THEY BECOME SPIRITUAL PATIENTS FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES

-THEY NEVER BECOME “HEALTHY CHRISTIANS”