Exposing: Hosts of The Heart

EXPOSING:  HOSTS IF THE HEART

By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly

“Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” - Psalm 37:4 NIV

From the moment we enter the world, our longings, neediness and hunger can be heard crying out for satisfaction.  Early on, most of our longings are for things, such as nourishment, that are necessary for life.  With time, we also begin crying out for things that we want, and he line between want and need can become blurred.  

The first sin in the Garden came as a result of succumbing to temptation, by satisfying a natural hunger with a piece of unholy, forbidden fruit.  The first bite brought with it deadly longings that, like a magnet, drew other unholy longings to come to offer themselves.  With each bite, the hunger for the unholy became stronger, opening the door of the heart to the influence and manipulation of demonic hosts. Within the first generation of offspring, innocence decayed into murder.

Today the Lord invites us to examine if we have provided a place of lodging in our hearts for unsanctified longings or flirtations with darkness.  These habits and desires are strongholds of the enemy, that left unchecked can lead to life dominating bondage, torment and regret.

What may appear harmless at first, are forms of idolatry (Col 3:5) –—things we run to for comfort instead of relying upon God’s provision.  Idols flirt with us for the attention and affection of our hearts that rightfully belong to God.  Flirtation grows into secret, love affairs of the heart that steal from the fulfillment and intimacy God desires to fulfill in us Himself.

Beloved, do you have a habit or hunger that you long to be free of?  Let’s bring it to the Father.

Father, reveal to us which worthless things have been averting our attention away from Your love (Jonah 2:8).  Come and expose every ungodly habit and hunger living in our spiritual house—longings of darkness that prevent us from walking in the fullness of Your power and authority. We want no part of addiction, perversion or warped thinking.  We renounce every abusive relationship, the torment of unhealthy longing and every unholy alliance.  Lord, walk with us, and by the power of Your Spirit and the Word, let’s evict every single one.  (1 Peter 2:1). 

First love, forgive our infidelity of heart that has flirted with darkness.  We repent! Wash us clean. Come again and satisfy our longings with Your Spirit.  In Jesus’ Name ❤️

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