The Prayer of A Clean Heart

Good morning, and welcome to Living Faith Church. I am so excited to be here with you to worship Jesus Christ on this beautiful Sunday morning. If we have never met before, my name is Darcie, and I am one of the staff pastors who serve here at LFC. Today, we are continuing this new series on Prayer. Each week we are looking at prayers that have already been prayed by prophets of old, it the Bible. These are prayers that God Will Answer!

How many of you have ever prayed a prayer that you were certain God would not answer? Maybe it was a selfish prayer; maybe it was a prayer prayed from a heart of pride. Maybe it was a prayer, desiring something completely against God’s character. Believe it or not, sometimes we can pray prayers God will not answer. So, let’s look at some prayers, prayers rooted in God’s Word, prayers that are so close to God’s heart that we can be certain God will answer!

Last week we looked at the Prayer of Unity. A prayer that many are simply too selfish to pray. Next week we will look at the Prayer of Increase. A prayer that some are too shy to pray. But today, I will be sharing with you what it means to pray for a Clean Heart. A prayer that some are too afraid to pray.

To understand the importance of a clean heart led me to ask this question what is my attitude of sin in my life? Because in this world we have so many distractions and temptations, and it’s so easy for everyone to dismiss sin and justify our actions, with everyone doing it why can't I. However, God’s view on sin is very different, he calls for us to be pure, and that we are responsible for our actions and accountable to God for what we do, and that is why we must constantly seek God’s cleansing touch. We need to understand that you don’t just seek God’s forgiveness only one time but it's a continual process that paves the way for spiritual growth and a pursuit of renewal in the relationship, which then leads to a deeper intimacy with God. As we also turn and walk away from those things that we have sinned in, we then become purposeful in the commission he has placed on us and look to the path that God has planned so we can teach others about Him.

let’s look at an example of this very concept, that would be from a man whom God has called a “Man after my own heart”, This was David. In Psalms 51 we see David asking for this very thing. Let’s read

Psalm 51:1–6 (NASB95)

1 Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me.

4 Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.

As I read this my own heart hurts a little bit here, because I can feel at this point the depth of David’s sorrow and regret and hear how his heart and spirit is so broken over what he has done. Honestly, though I have been here myself, and really who hasn’t stood before God and cried out to Him, as we admit the sin that we indulged in? And yes, I used the word indulged because when we are in that moment of sin that is what it is an indulgence of dissatisfaction of what we have been given by God. We then seek what we think will make us feel better, this then leads us in places we shouldn’t be and to temptations that only satisfy in the moment then we must deal with the consequences of our indulgence, instead of seeking Satisfaction that can last a lifetime for generations to come from God.

What keeps us from praying The Prayer of A Clean Heart? Often, it is our own willful deception.

That’s what happened to David, he wrote this psalm shortly after Nathan the prophet came to him. Here is David sitting in his Courts surrounded by his advisors much like most kings and in walks Nathan. Poor David he didn’t see this coming Let's read

2 Samuel 12:1–4 (NASB95)

1 Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said, “There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor.

2 “The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.

3 “But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb Which he bought and nourished; And it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom, And was like a daughter to him.

4 “Now a traveler came to the rich man, And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd, To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him; Rather he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”

It’s interesting how Nathan the Prophet used this parable to correct David, instead of saying God sees your mess, here are the consequences now fix it, Nathan had to use this parable to shock David because I believe in this moment, David would not have heard God, any other way. David had to continue to sin to cover up what he had originally done, this is when shame and guilt entered in as well as fear of losing what he was given and losing the image he had as a King who God blessed. All of this separates us from God and makes it hard to hear and feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit. However, this does not stop God from speaking to try and correct behavior, and God wanted to deal with David privately but, now because David was not listening, God had to deal with David through Nathan the prophet.

Three Aspects of The Prayer of A Clean Heart

So, let’s look into the elements of the prayer of a clean heart so that we can make this prayer a part of our own lives. The first thing we find is found in Psalm 51:5-6

Psalm 51:5–6 (NASB95)

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.

The Plea for Purity

Coming back to Psalm 51- I think we all can learn a lot from how King David responds to this correction from Nathan the prophet

2 Samuel 12:5–6(NASB95)

5 Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die.

6 “He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion.”

I think everyone in this room would respond as David did… You may have had this very conversation with your own children when they wouldn’t share their dolls or Legos. But let’s keep reading.

2 Samuel 12:7 (NASB95)

7 Nathan then said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul.

So, that’s an uncomfortable moment! Most I believe would have denied these accusations or would have tried to shift the blame on others. I believe at times this is what we do when we are in our sin, because like David he may have thought that he could separate his relationship with God from that of sin. We still want the presence and blessing of God but don’t touch what I am doing because I need it, it makes my life work, or it helps so I am not stressed, and it feels good. That however is not how our relationship with God works.

Pastor K shared with us a few weeks ago how righteousness is applied to our life by God, but sanctification or the outward working of our faith is something that by God’s grace we practice. And this is us intentionally drawing nearer to God by purging our life of sinful works.

So, Davide responded with this

2 Samuel 12:13 (NASB95)

13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.

David didn’t give an excuse, and he willingly admitted that he had sinned and that he was responsible for all he was accused of. Now we see his heart for God, and when we look at Psalms 51:1-6 it makes more sense. God’s mercy is highlighted by the significance of an honest confession in connecting with God's grace. This was David’s first step towards a clean heart. Just as David acknowledged the truth about his failures, we too can —invite God's cleansing power into our lives. This is something that I would say as a Christian is so important to do. Let God examine our hearts regularly I like to call these heart checks and then allow conversation with God about our past sins and offenses that we still hold on to. This will help us to keep a closer connected relationship with God and then maintain a focus on transparency before God I believe this is crucial for anyone seeking forgiveness. The cry of a clean heart begins with… Lord, my heart is not clean. Which then leads to my next point

2. The Pursuit of Renewal

As David begins his next step, he understands the concept of being cleansed that it leads to a transformed heart, not just a change in behavior. Here in the next few verses, David’s genuine remorse is illustrated and that it can ignite a desire for holiness and a commitment to live in a manner that honors God, Lets Read

Psalm 51:10–12 (NASB95)

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.

David knew that only God could do the transformative work of moral and spiritual cleansing and that he needed to be clean again. Israel throughout their history and even today understood this. so many laws were kept to prove that they were and are holy. However, like many of us today, they lacked the understanding that it wasn’t about their appearance or how many times a day you prayed, or how much you gave in the offering, but it was about the heart, the relationship with God if you love me you will keep my commandments John 14:15 Israel’s heart was always constantly drawn away from God They were looking for ways to stratify there need to look the part of a blessed people. Through the Levitical law, a sacrificial system was started by Moses which showed them how Seriously God saw sin. These rituals cleanse them which then allow them to return to a state of purity after their transgressions. This was done by sacrificing the blood of different animals for certain sins.

David knew that he didn’t just need the absence of Sin he needed the presence of God!

I know there have been times I have felt that separation from God anyone else have been there it was either by my sin or because I was just mad, mad at God, at people or even when I didn’t get me way in a situation I prayed for, that’s a big one, and when that happened let me tell you I could feel the difference I would feel lonely, disconnected and I didn’t feel his comfort that he was there for me even though I knew he was and also I was angry all the time, snapping at friends or family or taking offense at the littlest things not to mention how the worry came back with a vengeance all the time stressed out if others where judging me or watching me and I would make assumptions that they didn’t like me but I wouldn’t reach out to God and in that time I was miserable I believe David wanted the presence of God back as he had been in the same place as I was in those moments and he wanted that back he needed that Joy again that peace, that love that he danced before God with all his heart not caring who saw and how he looked before others. This is what he wanted and he sought that by asking God to cleanse him and create a clean heart

Another thing I would like to point out David praised God for pointing out his sin this is when he speaks about his bones being broken, he rejoices, let me tell you I have never rejoice when I broke a bone, and I have broken many. What David means here is that he recognizes if God had not corrected him where would he be? He would have been on the wrong path; he also may have walked away from God and that happens way too easily with anyone. Sin separates you from God we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, Because of unconfessed sin eventually and I have seen this so many times you walk away because it does not seem like a sin, to you any longer and you will not feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit and have put yourself further from God. That’s why David rejoiced because he recognized that God saved his life by bringing him back even though it was harsh. I know we feel that way at times when God corrects us but God doe this to save us so that we spend an eternity with Him. Hebrews 12:6 God corrects those he Loves. Now it’s a new beginning and a time to let go of our sin and move into what I like to call our

Purposeful Commissioning

Now we see a new David, we see a different response you can see that his countenance is not deeply remorseful any longer like we have seen in the first two sections of this Psalms. He has changed and has been renewed. Also, David has hope again and he remembered his Purpose let’s read

Psalm 51:13–19 (NASB95)

13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise.

16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

18 By Your favor do good to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, In burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.

There is a pep in David’s step he is ready to go out and declare what God has done for him, he didn’t stay in the broken places of his sin he was no longer ashamed of what he had done as he understood that God cleansed him. This is a point I would like to stress, so often we get caught in this cycle of unforgiveness towards ourselves and that keeps us in the place where our sin has taken us. It is almost like we are stuck and refuse to move, God never intended you to stay there, yes there is a place for the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, but he does not keep reminding us that we have sinned and that we should keep punishing ourselves. That is called condemnation and not of God. God wants us to ask forgiveness turn away from what we were doing that was sinful and now move forward like David and let it go as God does.

Now David has never been one who would shy away from expressing what he thought, he was now free from unconfessed sin, and a burden was lifted from him. As a result, David has now vowed to teach others after being restored, highlighting that a heart transformed by God doesn't stay inward-focused but becomes a vessel of His love and grace to others. David now realized that There is an importance of living out this commission, empowered by the Spirit, and that is demonstrated by a clean heart, which leads not just to personal peace but also to active ministry for God's kingdom.

God had chosen David for a reason He saw the heart of this man who sought God in everything that he did from the time he was a shepherd taking care of his father’s sheep to a king protecting and caring for those people in his kingdom that God gave to him. God knew that when David sinned he would humble himself regardless of his position and he would answer that plea for purity and even ask himself for God to create a clean heart in him. In doing so he also would ask to bring back the joy of his salvation and a renewal of his relationship as he was desperate to be in his presence. God Knew that David would continue to follow where God would lead and that he would be purposeful in the commission he was entrusted.

I know this message may have been challenging by praying for a clean heart and admitting that you have done something wrong but if you are willing to humble yourself, I believe that God wants to do so much more for you. Now I know for me, there have been many times I have been in this place of sin and praying that no one found out. That I could pretend I was a good person by how I dressed or acted or the job that I had, that if I could carry on this appearance others would not see the feelings of guilt and shame that I buried deep inside of me. I am here to let you know someone already has seen what you have done and I am not talking about being caught on camera or that people have witnessed your actions. What I am saying is this God already knew before you sinned you would do this, and like a loving father who does not want this burden placed on you of unconfessed sin, in your life he wants better for you, that as you are hearing these words right now he is speaking to you about this very sin you have been trying to hide and would like to give you a time of confession and come to the alter so that you can pray for a clean heart and for God to renew you.

There may be someone in the room today would say I have sinned and God, and I am ready to give my life to you. Then I would like to allow a time for you to surrender your sin and your life to Jesus today. So with every eye closed all across the room raise your hand, if that’s you ( wait here for a moment) – Keep your hands up, I have a friend coming your way to pray with you- There’s a prayer that we can pray together and believe by faith that you are inviting Jesus into your life as your Lord and savior let’s pray

"Heavenly Father, today I give my life completely to you. Jesus, forgive me for all of my sins. Make me brand new. Fill me with your spirit, so I can follow you for the rest of my life. I surrender to you. My life is not my own. Today, it is yours. Thank you for new life. Now you have mine. In Jesus' name, I pray."

Thank you so much for being here today. Right now I have some prayer partners waiting up here for you. If you need prayer for anything else healing finances please come. Let’s all stand as Ii pray a prayer of blessing over you. Alright everyone thank you so much for coming and I will see you next Sunday!!!