Overflow of the Heart

Introduction

Hello, everyone! Today we're continuing our Freedom curriculum with Week Five, focusing on the "Overflow of the Heart." As apprentices of Jesus, our journey involves being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and doing what Jesus did. Today's lesson addresses a fundamental aspect of that transformation—our hearts.

Scripture reminds us in 1 Samuel 16:7: "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." Our hearts are central to who we are and how we live out our faith.

Opening Prayer

Let's begin by inviting the Holy Spirit into our time together.

Lord, we come before you desiring to understand our hearts as you see them. Open our eyes to the truth in your Word, and give us courage to examine ourselves honestly. Help us to be with you today, to become more like you, and to follow your example. Amen.

Main Teaching

The Importance of the Heart

Proverbs 4:20-23 gives us a profound instruction:

Proverbs 4:20–23 NIV

My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

This passage emphasizes that everything we do—our words, actions, attitudes—flows from our heart. Jesus taught that it's not what goes into a person that defiles them, but what comes out, because what comes out reveals what's in the heart.

Four Blockages of the Heart

Today we'll examine four common blockages that prevent our hearts from flowing freely with God's love and truth:

Selfishness - When our own desires, comfort, and interests consistently take priority over others and God's will, our hearts become blocked. Selfishness makes us the center of our universe rather than Christ.

James 3:14-16 “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such 'wisdom' does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice."

Bitterness

Jesus acknowledged in Luke 17:1 that "It is impossible that no offenses should come."

Proverbs 18:19 "A brother wronged is more unyielding than a fortified city; disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel." Bitterness builds walls around our hearts, preventing healing and connection.

Rejection

Proverbs 18:21 “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”

We will face rejection in this world, but when we internalize it and form our identity around it, our hearts become blocked.

Evil Thoughts

Mark 7:21–23 NIV

“For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

What we dwell on shapes our hearts.

Three Steps to Transforming the Heart

The good news is that God doesn't leave us with blocked hearts. He offers transformation through the Holy Spirit:

Invite the Holy Spirit to show me 

Psalm 139:23-24 teaches us to pray,

Psalm 139:23–24 NIV

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

The first step to transformation is honest self-examination with the Spirit's help.

Invite the Holy Spirit to change me - Psalm 51:10-11 is David's prayer after his great sin:

Psalm 51:10–11 NIV

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Invite the Holy Spirit to fill me - Ephesians 5:18 instructs,

Ephesians 5:18 NIV

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,

A heart emptied of blockages must be filled with God's presence.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 gives us this beautiful promise…

Ezekiel 36:26–27 NIV

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Personal Reflection Exercise

Take some quiet time to reflect and journal on these questions:

Holy Spirit, what are you showing me about the state of my heart today?

What specific blockage do I need to invite the Holy Spirit to address?

What would it look like if my heart overflowed with God's love instead?

Closing Thought:

Remember: Being with Jesus transforms our hearts, becoming like Jesus happens as our hearts change, and doing what Jesus did flows naturally from a heart aligned with His.

Closing Prayer (3 minutes)

Father, thank you for caring deeply about our hearts. You see what others cannot see, and you know our struggles. Thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit who shows us, changes us, and fills us. This week, help us to guard our hearts diligently, remembering that everything we do flows from it. Create in us clean hearts, O God, that we might better reflect Jesus to the world around us. In His name we pray, Amen.