A New Heart for Our New Start
By Pastor Jong Duterte
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
Ezekiel 36:26–27 (NIV)
God is the God of fresh starts and new beginnings. He allows us to make peace with our past and set us in the right direction towards his plan and purpose for us. But God did not stop there. He made sure that we can set out to accomplish what He wants us to do. He wants to make your life a masterpiece that would reflect His grace and goodness. So, He gave us a new heart and a new Spirit. The new heart refers to our new nature. God made sure that our fresh start is not wasted by simply going back to our old sins and habits. He gave us a new nature that desires to be with Him, to follow Him and to please Him. Therefore, we can free from our bondages and sinful patterns. And not only that, He also gave us His Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers and energizes our new nature. You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you (Acts 1:8). What we are powerless to do by our own strength, the Holy Spirit can do through us as we allow Him.
Remember that God has not only given you a fresh start. He made sure that your new beginning will have also have glorious ending. That is why He gave us His heart and His Spirit. And when we fail (as we will all do at some point) remember that His mercies are new every morning and his steadfast love never cease…. Whatever challenges you may face ahead, do not give up on your fresh start because God will never give up on you….
Pastor Jong
