MELTING FROZEN HEARTS

Ezek 36:26  AMP

A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Ezek 11:19 AMP

And I will give them one heart [a new heart] and I will put a new spirit within them; and I will take the stony [unnaturally hardened] heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh [sensitive and responsive to the touch of their God], [Ezek 18:31; 36:26; 2 Cor 3:3.]

Many people have frozen hearts and they do not realize it.  A frozen heart is one that is unable to shed tears of compassion, feel the true joy of triumph over evil, and sense the Lord’s heart beat and the heart beat of others.  It is more than the ability to feel emotion, it is actually a heart change from stone to compassion. 

When we live in the world of noise, torment and trauma, it is a natural flesh response to try to numb ourselves so that we don’t feel.  Children who were abused find ways to escape and numb their feelings.  These all take a toll on our ability to be one with the Lord and His heart for His people.  God takes us through a journey where He breaks up our stony hearts and replaces them with His own heart.

STONY HEARTS TO FLESH

When we read scriptures, we often read it through our own mindsets and perspectives. So, I asked the Lord to share with me what He meant when He said He would take the heart of stone out of our flesh and give us a heart of flesh. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” (Ezek 36:26,27 & 11:19 & 20)

I couldn’t quite understand the language of taking out the stony heart of flesh but then replacing it with a heart of flesh. I was stuck on the semantics of the word flesh and it didn’t make sense to me. He answered my prayer very quickly and I thought what He shared was very interesting:

HEARD 6/15/02:  Christ is the very heart of who you are, at the very center of your being. 

DREAM ABOUT SPOCK OF STAR TREK

I had a dream where I saw some leaders of a church who were meeting and closeting themselves before the Lord to hear the Word of the Lord, and to see who had the Lord’s heart and message for this time. As they came out, I heard a voice ask, “Who has the Word of the Lord? Who has the heart of the Lord?” And I looked over at a lay man in the congregation. Believe it or not, he was Spock of Star Trek. Spock stood up and led the congregation in a processional of worship and parade, by going forward to the platform, then turning around in the opposite direction. The people followed him to the platform, then turned around with him and walked in the opposite direction. As I woke from this strange dream, I heard phrases about changing the mind and humility.

WHO WAS SPOCK?

Spock was a character in the TV series StarTrek. He was half human, half vulcan. He believed that to be human was to be weak, emotional, and unpredictable. He tried to suppress all humanity within him, and instead be a vulcan which was to think, communicate and respond with a highly developed sense of being logical, unemotional, calculating, and predictable. Spock was the epitome of what physiologists call left brained. He represented the mathematical, logical view of life. However, in spite of his best efforts to present a perfect model of intellectualism, he still managed to show a little humanity once in a while and he was a lovable character.

As I pondered the fact that Spock went to the podium, then turned around in the opposite direction with a procession following him, I realized that this was a parable of the word repentance. Repentance means to think differently and have a change of heart or mind, turning around in the other direction. It takes a humble heart to admit one’s falling short and it takes a humble heart to turn around and change.

RELIGION FROM THE HEAD

As I was pondering the character of Spock, I remembered a “sermon” from Heidi Baker. As she was asked to speak at some conference, the Lord spoke 4 Words through her. She repeated them over and over again. “Too big. Too small. Too big. Too small. Too big. Too small.” From what I could tell, she must have been pointing to her head, then to her heart as she spoke these words. The Lord’s Word is that our heads are too big, and our hearts are too small.

When we approach a relationship with the Lord from our heads, it leads to an intellectual study of the scriptures and circumstances, a calculating and logical view of Who He is and what He is saying. It leads to formulas, rigid, inflexible, predictable behavior and routine. It buries personal emotions and presents a cold, hardened front. It turns the perspective off the subjective self and capitalizes on the objective viewpoint. I have known many Spocks in my life and I am sure you have too. However I think that within every human being is a little of Spock.

RELATIONSHIP FROM THE HEART

The opposite side of the coin is a relationship with the Lord that becomes so transparent, there is nothing to hide. Instead of burying the humanity side of our nature, we allow it expression. Things like emotion comes to the surface. And with every emotion is a bundle of unpredictable warm, bubbly good stuff and also unclear, muddy yuck. Instead of analyzing everything the Lord might be saying, we respond. Instead of intellectualizing it, we do things like “perceive” and “feel” and we react with some kind of an “intuitive instinct.”

Have you ever had someone ask you in the middle of a spiritual experience, “What is the Lord saying to you, how are you feeling?” HUH???

I have had many visitations where the Lord has promised, then fulfilled the impartation of an anointing/enduement in my life. All of them have been fulfilled differently and a surprise. The one I am thinking of right now was when a visiting evangelist came to town. I rarely if ever fall when traveling speakers come through. It always seems as though they go through the prayer line and dominoes fling all around me. But me? I am the lone tree still standing. (The priests must learn to stand and minister in His Presence.) But this particular time, the evangelist whizzed through the line, and I went flying backwards. “And what was the Lord saying to me? And how was I feeling?” You’ve got to be kidding!

I was a bundle of hysterical laughing, then deep heavy sobs and tears, then back to laughing so hard I could hardly contain myself with more tears to follow. I would say it must have been quite a display between emotional bliss and sludge. And my body? It was violently shaking with my heavy tennis shoes pounding the floor very loudly. It was like currents of supernatural electricity surging through all my cells. And how was I feeling? It must have been something like ecstasy, but I was too busy responding to think about it. For three days every time I heard the Word of the Lord, I shook. It was like every cell in my body was being re-tuned to His sync. I would lay in bed at night and hear Him say even one Word in His still small voice, and my body would shake so strong that the whole bed vibrated. And then the laughter and the tears. Another Word, more shaking. I loved it!! Understand it? Not a bit. Embarrassing? When it feels that good, you don’t care.

It has been several years now since that experience and I remember it fondly. Now I am back to being the lone tree while the dominoes fly, but I am changed from the inside out. There is a deep, residing ability to sense the Holy Spirit’s Presence. It is like He strikes His tuning fork, and I line up and resound with the same pitch. Explain it? Understand it? No, but I sense Him, feel Him, and my heart responds. It has the ability to go with the flow and move where it will… just like His wind.

RECIPES FOR HEARTS OF FLESH

There are many ways the Lord takes our hearts of stone away, and replaces them with soft, tender hearts of flesh. As mentioned above, the anointing of His Presence is one way.  And repentance is a must. 

Another way is through our sufferings. Tribulations, persecutions and afflictions all take their toll upon the hard places as we lean upon Him. Somewhere in the mystery of this process, the heart becomes tender and all the stony places break off in the fiery furnace.

Rom 8:35-39 NLT

Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? (Even the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep." ) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God’s discipline is also another way He removes our hearts of stone. He knocks, and we resist, hoping that if we wait long enough, He will change His mind. He knocks again and we resist more. For some, it is years of layered resistance towards heeding His Word. And so the spankings come. The prayer lines grow but the pain remains. Finally, what was perceived as evil opposition, is finally relented and the word “chastisement” comes into focus. Yes, He does chastise those He loves. Sometimes He runs out of time, and He loves us so much that He does not want us to miss out on the joys that are soon coming… and so He brings us to that painful place where we can no longer close the door and resist His voice.

Ps 119:67 NLT

I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word.

And it does hurt and the tears do flow. Every tear becomes a watering pool to soften the heart. Adam was made of dust. Through the years, he became hardened clay. Our tears soften the bricks and somehow the stony heart melts and it is replaced with the heart of flesh.

SUMMARY

Our relationships with the Lord are more complex than the pendulums of pursuing Him with our minds versus pursuing Him with our emotions. Jesus told us, “…love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” (Mark 12:30 NLT) And so we pursue Him with all of our beings. May He continue His good work among us and may we not resist His voice when He calls.

THROUGH THE HEART OF STONE

[He is Knocking on the Door of Our Mortared Hearts]

PROPHETIC VISITATION 6/19/04: THROUGH THE HEART OF STONE

HEARD: Pack all your cares away. Don’t take them for another day. I will go with you. Abandonment. I have never left you. I want you to sink deeply into your roots in Me. I understand. I have walked where you are walking. It’s not about your flesh, it’s about My power working through you. Weakness. I am training you. You can handle this. It’s about Me living in you. That’s all that matters.

Retreat? Never. Move forward into place. My beloved Bride. I am standing by your side. Don’t argue. Enlargement. I am your full measure. You will not fall. My keeping power. We have to do it My way. I’m going to send you. Way past yourself. Leader. Into My throne room. Trust Me.

1 Peter 5:7

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Heb 13:5-6 NKJV

For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

Eph 4:13-14 NKJV

Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

HEARD: Knock, knock. Your emotions. They are under control, you are doing very well. It feels like a roller coaster, I know. I want you to experience these things so you will understand your children. In and out and up and down. My oh my and all around.

NOTE: Upon hearing Him mention the roller coaster, the Holy Spirit brought back to my memory the following Word to Ponder:

ROLLER COASTER RIDE 1/25/03

I know that your feelings have felt like a roller coaster ride from the bottom to the top, and up and down again. First you’re sad, then you’re glad. Up and down and down and up. My what a time it has been!

Just like a tea pot, I have tipped you over and poured you out. Smile with Me and feel the joy that the strongholds have finally fallen in your life. These were mind-sets that you thought would never change but are now radically different. Just wait until you see the fruit! Yes, I know, you have waited long enough and you’re tired of pouring steam. So let’s move on now, one wonderful day at a time. Proceed carefully and your road will be a whole lot smoother this time.

"Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God." (Luke 3:5-6 KJV)

[Visitation continued]

HEARD: Knock, knock, knock.

VISION: I saw a wooden chamber door with a rounded arch at the top, just large enough for a person to enter. I could see the outside of this small chamber room connecting to the door and it was mortared in cobblestones. I had the impression that the room was almost round, but not quite.

HEARD: Come in.

VISION: I saw the door opened and I felt the movement of walking in through the door.

HEARD: Got you!

[When I heard, "Got you!" His voice was very cheerful and I felt His humor and joy.]

OPENED SMELL: The inside of the room was dripping heavy with a man’s perfume. It was like what Wayne wears that I love so much, but this was more poignant and I knew it was the Lord. It was an overwhelmingly beautiful aroma with great attraction and drawing.

NOTE: Evidently the Lord had been listening to my thoughts yesterday about Wayne’s cologne. Sometimes Wayne will hug me and nestle his cheek against my face right after putting it on. Then later in the day I have noticed the yummy smell lingering upon me and I love it. As I was thinking about this, the Holy Spirit brought to mind the following scriptures:

Song 5:13 NKJV

His cheeks are like a bed of spices, banks of scented herbs. His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh.

Song 5:4-5 NKJV

My beloved put his hand by the latch of the door, and my heart yearned for him. I arose to open for my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the lock.

HEARD: Would You please show us our future? It’s a destiny made in heaven. For My purpose. Within the deep recesses. Come Holy Spirit. I won’t be denied. It’s a joy and a life as you experience it together side by side. One. They shall all know You. Room. Your hearts of stone to pulse once again.

QUICKENED IMPRESSION AND MEMORY: The Lord has been recently talking to me about His melting and changing our hearts of stone. As I watched an old Star Trek, there was a scene in sick bay where they had a stone about the size of a small heart and it lit up and played different sounds for whoever held the stone in their hand. This was really quickened to me that our Doctor Jesus has our hearts in His hands and He is doing Master surgery upon them.

On the outside of the stone were all these beautiful natural colored stones that were mortared or embedded into it. The stones glowed and pulsed with light and were alive in song. I was reminded that the stone looked similar to the mortared cobblestone surrounding the chamber room, so both represent the heart’s of stone coming alive.

HEARD: Heart of prayer. Stone. Right now, to feel again. What is lacking? She’s afraid. Vulnerable. It’s OK. I want to reassure her. I’m not leaving. Abandonment. She seems hard pressed, I know. I’m doing the work in her heart on the go. It’s for My children, you see. To understand their destiny. Volunteer lovers, who will go for Me? Only those who want My way on earth.

WORD TO PONDER 6/19/04 A WAY THROUGH THE HEART OF STONE

My beloved Bride, pack all your cares away and leave them with Me. Lean heavily upon Me as you sup with your roots grounded in My love. I understand your weaknesses and feelings of vulnerabilities, I also once walked the earth, you know. Always remember, it is not about your own power, but My power working through you. As you experience your weakness, draw deeply from our well and never retreat. I AM moving you forward into your place. I AM sending you and preparing you for leadership. Now trust Me.

Right now your emotions seem to be up and down and all around. I also understand this and want you to understand. As I AM moving you into your place, I AM also doing heart surgery. I AM opening a way through your heart of stone, this heart that is well barricaded with years of mortar for protection. I AM knocking upon the door of your heart with yearnings and wooing and tender caresses, I AM drawing you with the fragrance of My poignant spices. As you enter into this new place, you will be overcome with the rich smell of My Presence and passionate longings to embrace your heart. As you finally let go and let the climax of our union come to fruition, your heart will pulse once again. This stone of an existence you once knew will spring to life and pulsate with vibrate color and rich sounds that are unique to you.

Watch now, as I move you into the new beginnings with growing foundations that are solid, healthy and strong. Your hearts are becoming tenderized after many years of loss, pain, tragedy and sorrow. Allow Me access to do this work within you. I greatly rejoice in you, My beloved ones, - always.

I understand this is greatly disconcerting to you, - to feel so vulnerable and without protection. You see the risks of loss and can not fathom a recovery should a tragedy take place. Precious one, know that I AM the Great Doctor. I do all things well. I will not abandon you, I will never leave you, I AM your destiny. Yes, volunteer love is different than the security of legal contracts. Consider this, that I too have weighed the risks and I have chosen to love you as you are, to embrace you as My own, and to call you My friend. Love is like that.

Ezek 11:19-21 NKJV

Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.

MELTING THE LAYERS

[Separating Spiritual and Soul Issues]

HEARD: Name this place intense. It is true. Lean on Me and I will help you. See truth. Stay together. And hold onto your hat. The nuance, the flavor is intense, grade A. Foul weather, that too. A focus lived for. Is that discernment? Break the ice and plow through.

VISION: I saw a ship that was breaking through ice. It had something on the front of it similar to a solid steel plate. It reminded me of an army tank, except designed to be an icebreaker.

HEARD: Melting the layers. Through to the heart. Heavy winds come and go. It's joy and sorrow.

VISION: I saw the same steel armor designed for breakthrough on the tip of my nose which was also on the front of the ship.

HEARD: To feel. It's not easy to have these emotions. And then to make immediate adjustments. Ability to discern spirits, motives, the heart of something for understanding. Sensing emotions.

Heb 4:12-13 NKJV

For the word of God is living and powerful , and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

WORD TO PONDER: SEPARATING THE SOUL FROM THE SPIRITUALS

I AM breaking up frozen ground and melting places within you which were once frozen and numbed from disappointment. I AM drawing all things to the surface for washing.

This time can become intense as the enemy seeks to take advantage and bring confusion and perversion of the Truth. Ask for My understanding to separate your soul from your spirit. I will help you and release you with Truth. This can be a time of intense joy as well as sorrow. Keep your focus aligned on Me and I will help you discern your matters of the heart and separate it from demonic influence.

Offer to Me your eye and ear gates of everything you see and hear in life. Yield your eye and ear gates for My holy consecration. Do not allow the demonic pollution and the world's mixture to pollute your soul, lest your ability to separate and discern between good and evil become cloudy as well. There is an increased power of inspiration and influence attached to the media. These powerful tools are used by spiritual sources to declare truth or pervert lies into compromise thus creating blindness, one scale at a time. What you feed upon is what you assimilate. This will open doors to demonic inspiration when eventually you will have passion for the inspiration, but not know the source.

Dear ones, who of you have the passion to so clearly hear My voice that you will change your lifestyle for Me? I know it is unsettling to you to hear what I say and not be able to discern what I mean. I will help you to be settled and clarified with all the pieces of My rhema Word as you overcome the demonic influences and also allow Me to cleanse your soul from polluted eye and ear gates.

I AM moving My people away from milk and into separating strong meat. This requires maturity at new levels of discernment for not all that glitters is gold. The channel to hear and see the supernatural is only one spiritual channel. It is the same for the demonic along with the heavenly. Take heed what you hear and learn to candle it by the living light of My Word. Does not a farmer candle an egg towards the light to see that it is fertilized with life? Yes, and each living egg is placed in a warm place to be kept safely until birth. So does the seed of My Word incubate in you.

Come holy one, be My friend. You will notice the closer you come into being My image and walking in a holy life, the more your level of walk manifests the demonic around you. It is My power that rests upon your life. Yes, this gives you access to also experience demonic backlash and persecution, but I will grant you strength to stand. I will give you a level of discernment with each experience. Yes, as you yield to Me this confusion of demonic persecution, it places you in a low and humble place. My weak ones, trust Me and lean. If you walk in My light, the windows of the Spirit reveal My light, and all things are manifested in your soul as well of as every kind of spirit surrounding you. Walk in holiness, lean, learn and ask.

1 Cor 2:13-16 NKJV

These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.