Paul wrote to the church in Corinth. 2 Corinthians 6:11 says, “…our heart is wide open . You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.” Blocked inner feelings. 

Colossians 3:12 is the antidote to heart blockages. It says, “Therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering.” Openness in interpersonal relationships is key to heart integrity.

Ephesians 4:25 says, “Therefore, putting away lying, Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 is a great description of a healthy functioning church. Verse 27 says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”

Think of the family unit. There is an order of authority. Colossians 2:19 says, “Not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.” As we each abide in Him, we have synergistic fruit. Collectively we bear fruit that glorifies Him.

Here are a few lines from a new song. Womb Of The Morning. Your words like oil penetrate the places in my heart that were hardened through fear. You say My child don’t be afraid. I’ve been there all along to shield and protect. Let go of that which you clutch so tight. That I might fulfill the deepest longings of your heart.

Let’s visit the parable of the sower. Mark 4:13-20. There are four soils mentioned: wayside, stony, full of thorns, and good. Verse 18-19 says, “Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world…entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”

The Greek word for care means to divide the mind. Think of the things in your life: distractions, anxieties, burdens, and worries. When we bury our hurts instead of releasing them to the Lord they choke out His word. Buried emotional pain blocks fruit for His glory. We hide instead of abide. John 15:8 says, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit…”

I love Hebrews 4:13 in the Amplified. It says, “And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, naked and defenseless to the eyes of Hi with Whom we have to do.”

Such great news! We may think we have successfully ignored, or buried hurts from our past. However, the Lord will reveal them to us when He knows that we are ready to move forward. Mark 4:22 says, “For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed…”

Kevin Prosch wrote a song called “Come To The Light.” The last lines invite us to humble ourselves because He will meet us where we are. We just have to come. Are you laden down with the cares from your past? Remember our past is only in our minds.

His embedded truth is like a warm penetrating oil. It will go in and out and through all the nooks and crannies of our heart, to loosen the soil hardened through the years of buried emotional pain. He gently removes the obstacles so we can receive His love.

The other day I received a two dollar bill in the mail. I took it with me when I went grocery shopping. I asked the clerk to see if it was real. It looked real, but I wanted to make sure before I used it. She had a discernment tool ~ a special pen.

We have the word of God, and the Holy Spirit within us to train us in the skill of discernment. When God’s truths are hidden in our heart, they will rise up like a sentinel to warn us when we are presented with a deceptive lure.

There is another aspect of discernment that the Holy Spirit pointed out to me. If there is anything hidden in our hearts, it discerns His light when it is shined on it and hides deeper. My first book has a chapter called, “Concealed Rage.”

Hurts, misunderstandings, offenses, bitterness, rejection, etc. are often stuffed in order to cope with life. Buried emotional pain has a built in trigger of self-protection. Ask yourself, “Are there areas in my life where I am afraid to be vulnerable?”

We are not born with discernment. It has to be learned through practice. When I was young I had to practice piano. My half hour was like torture. However, playing scales over and over developed a skill.

Hebrews 5:14 was written about mature believers. It says, “But solid food belongs to those of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

Discernment distinguishes between what is right or wrong, real or counterfeit, safe or dangerous. Things may look the same because the difference is subtle. Think of King Solomon. He was faced with the testimony of two women. How did he ferret out the truth? Through wisdom and discernment. 1 Kings 3:16-28.

He taught his sons. Proverbs 2 are words we can live by. We lay the groundwork for discernment by walking in the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom. Verse 3 and 5 says, “Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding….Then you will understand the fear of the Lord…”

Consider means to think about and ponder. It is clear that everything the devil uses against us is a deception. John 8:44 says that there is no truth in him. Hebrews 3:13 says that our hearts can become hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Romans 6:1-2 says, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” I encourage you to pay attention the next time you react in your flesh. Stop and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the hidden lie that you have believed.

Jeremiah 1:10 gives us a pattern for how to be more than a conqueror. It says, “…to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant.” The deeply rooted lie has to be confessed, renounced (disowned) and forsaken. 

2 Corinthians 4:2 says, “But we have renounced the hidden things of shame…” James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

The truth is we died with Christ the moment we accepted Him as our Savior. Romans 6:4 explains the spiritual transaction at our rebirth. It says, “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death…”

Yet, it is our responsibility to not embrace the temptations that dishonor the Lord. We are dead to sin. When something within rises up as a reaction, we have a choice. Luke 9:23 says, “…If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”

The moment the reaction rears its ugly head, we deny our flesh by intentionally looking to the Holy Spirit to lead us through the moment. We submit to His way, and respond with grace words.

We do not know what is hidden in our heart. Any fiery dart that penetrates is a lie planted by the enemy of our soul. It lies dormant until our goal is blocked. When I feel a reaction to someone or a situation, I know that something hidden was triggered. That is a signal to humble my heart.

Paul wrote of his struggle with his flesh in Romans 7. Verse 23 says, “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”

Romans 6:13 is really clear. It says, “And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Stop reading and say this out loud. “I am the righteousness of God in Christ.”

Romans 6 is a great foundational chapter of understanding how to live as more than a conqueror. Verse 11 says, “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Dead things have NO ability to respond in any way, shape, or form. Reckon is to consider something. 

The Greek word for the title describes someone who is super victorious, who wins more than an ordinary victory, but who is overpowering in achieving abundant victory. It is the language of confidence.

Paul wrote Romans 8:37 in reference to our trials. Through them we are empowered to be more than conquerors. There is an interesting verse in Revelation 6:2. It says, “…he went out conquering and to conquer.” Speaking of the present and future.

What do you need to conquer in your life right now? Once that is accomplished what is your next one? I am reminded over and over of John 6:63. It says, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life.”

Our words are an indicator of what is stored in our hearts. We are either speaking death words or life-giving words. Proverbs 18:21. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

Jeremiah was in dire straits. Yet as he recalled Who the Lord is at all times, Lamentations 3:24 was his declaration. It says, “The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I hope in Him!” His relationship with the Lord anchored him. He stood on the truth that God was always faithful.

2 Timothy 2:13 is one of my anchor verses. It says, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” Anchor verses secure our hearts. My dad always wrote Psalm 27:13 in funeral guest books. It says, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Living hope is like now faith. It is a present truth that holds us steadfast when we feel emotionally shaky.

Here is another of my anchor verses. Psalm 71:3. It says, “Be my strong refuge, to which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress.” I encourage you to review your anchor verses today.