The Gateway to the Human Heart - Pt IV

NOTE: This series began as a three-part teaching on believing with the heart; however, in order to keep this final article at a reasonable length, I had to publish a fourth article.

Of all the tools that God has given us to gain access to Him, the heart may be the most neglected. Most of us have a daily prayer life; we even fast occasionally, along with studying and meditating on God’s Word, but when is the last time we meditated on improving the heart’s ability to commune with Jesus Christ? Not to be misunderstood, but the heart as used in this instance is referring to the physical organ that pumps blood and not the spirit of man, which has been traditionally taught by Western theologians. And perhaps the traditional message that the heart of man is his spirit is why we have ignored this organ that God gave us as our gateway to the spirit; because we don’t realize what is laying dormant in our 'tool-chest.'

There are dozens of Scriptures that refer to the heart as an organ of perception and that it has cognitive ability; however, I believe that verse 23 in Mark 11 and its pertinent contextual Scriptures is the most explicit demonstration of the awesome power of the heart that we will find in God’s Word. Jesus says in Mark 11:23, For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith (additional contextual Scriptures quoted in Part III of this series). The heart’s ability simply cannot be overemphasized. It is simply the single most important key to obtaining answer to prayer; aside from hearing the Word, which is obviously where our faith rests.

If we examine the motivation that Jesus uses to declare Mark 11:23, we will note that the he cursed a fig tree the previous day and commanded that it never bear fruit again (see Mark 11:12-24 in Part III of this series). Twenty-four hours later when Jesus and His apostles passed the tree, they saw that it had withered from the roots. The apostles were stunned, but Jesus used this as an occasion to give, what I believe to be, the greatest lesson on faith-potential in the Scripture. He answered their astonishment with these four simple words: Have faith in God, and then, according to Matthew’s depiction of this event, Jesus drew a parallel to the withering away of the fig tree and the casting away of a mountain into the sea:

^21.Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. ^22.And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive (Matthew 21:21-22).

Verse 21 above gives us insight into why Jesus cursed the fig tree the day before. Yes, He was hungry, and yes, the fig tree didn’t have any fruit on it; however, this was not why he cursed it. According to Mark 11:13, figs were out of season: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet (Mark 11:13). However, in order to reveal a profound truth concerning the ability of the heart, he cursed this tree so that he could give a graphic correlation between cursing a physical tree, and casting a mountain into the sea. However, without a proper understanding of this event, we are faced with the question of whether or not this mountain is a metaphor for a ‘mountain of problems’ in one’s life, or is it a physical mountain, like the Rocky Mountains.

Once you see the connection between Jesus cursing the out of season fig tree, and his declaration that we, shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done, we will discover that Jesus has handed us one of the greatest abilities that faith can acquire: The ability to move mountains; literally. This is possible only if we do not doubt in our heart. AWESOME!!

Those who would argue that Jesus was referring to the mountain as a metaphor of mountains in one’s life, totally missed the significance of Him cursing the fig tree. He used the occasion of cursing the fig tree as an example of how far faith can leap. Considering that figs were out of season, he did not curse the fig tree out of retaliation as some would suggest, but to give us a vivid glimpse into how far faith can go, even to the point of casting a mountain into the sea.

Understanding that believing with the heart authorizes us to act in unbelievable and unstoppable ways; of course, in the name of Jesus, will give us a greater clarity to what Jesus meant when he said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father (John 14:12). We are all given the measure of faith, but great faith is exercised with the human heart, and those who yearn for such demonstration must condition their heart to attain to that level of belief.

No one would argue that Apostle Paul was not a great leader, but even he had to concede that his expressions of faith were not as great as a man that he knew who visited Heaven.

^1.It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. ^2.I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. ^3.And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) ^4.How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. ^5.Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. (II Corinthians 12:1-5).

Before we examine II Corinthians 12, let’s recall that in Matthew 21, Jesus told us…And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive (Matthew 21:22). Although, some would argue that this phrase ‘all things’ is not inclusive and would not incorporate literally all things, I believe that those who rise to the ability to believe God for ‘all things,’ know what to ask for and what to refrain from asking for. The man – or men, because it appears that Paul may be referring to two different men, with two different experiences – that Paul is identifying, who I will call Anonymous, had such a great moment of faith, that Paul says he visited Heaven and may have still been in his flesh and blood body. This is a great, great example of believing with the heart and receiving anything we ask God for. In this instance, Anonymous wanted to visit Heaven, and it was granted to him.

Whether Anonymous’ experience was in or out of the body, it is certainly a remarkable expression of faith, and ranks up there as one of the greatest demonstrations of faith in the canonization of the Word of God.

…coming soon – “The Heart, the Gateway to the Spirit,” will be a three part series where I will begin to discuss ways to strengthen the heart’s ability to access the spirit.