Only When the King Arrives

“As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.” (Jos 15:63 AV)

The heart of the kingdom will never be clean until the king resides there!  This city, also called the city of David, would be the heart of the kingdom of Israel.  It still is.  When Israel entered the land, the tribe of Judah was unable to take this city.  It would remain occupied by the Jebusites for roughly four hundred years.  Joshua entered and conquered the land roughly around 1400 B.C.  David would not come to power until around 1050 B.C.  The heart of Israel would be occupied by the enemies of God until a king shows up.  No judge, prophet, or military man could free the heart of Israel.  Only a king can free the heart of Israel.  One a King can free the heart of the saint!

Part of counseling is to give the individual step-by-step practical goals that will help them achieve that for which they strive.  Perhaps it is sin that is so easily besetting him or her.  Or, perhaps it is fear as they are confronted with a step of faith which seems more than they can handle.  We show them the proper principles of life that will result in that which they desire.  However, if implemented, the victory may only be temporary.  That is, because we have failed to go to the heart of the matter.  We struggle because our heart is occupied.  It is occupied by the enemies that war against that which God desires for us.  They occupy and defeat the saint.  They do so because the King is not there.  We can do noting in our own strength.  We cannot contain the evil that is in the heart.  The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.  The wickedness that resides in the heart is deep and well rooted.  It must take a King to overthrow it!

All problems can truly be boiled down to our relationship with God.  If the LORD Jesus Christ is not King of our hearts, then that which resides there is.  Whether it is envy, lust, anger, pride, etc., they reside there until the King of Kings sits there.  We preach salvation in Christ.  As we should.  But we do not continue the process of growth that results in Jesus Christ being the center of our lives.  Not what we do for Him or what we know about Him.  Rather, our day to day walk with the Savior in prayer and bible meditation is not the center of our lives.  We fill our time with activities.  Some of them even beneficial to our knowledge of the holy.  But if we do not surrender our hearts and ask the King of Kings to reign there, then our walk is superficial at best.  It will fail.  The only event that can completely grant us victory is if the King comes to be the center and ruler of our hearts.