Don't Follow Your Heart

Jeremiah 16:10–12 NKJV

“And it shall be, when you show this people all these words, and they say to you, ‘Why has the Lord pronounced all this great disaster against us? Or what is our iniquity? Or what is our sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?’ then you shall say to them, ‘Because your fathers have forsaken Me,’ says the Lord; ‘they have walked after other gods and have served them and worshiped them, and have forsaken Me and not kept My law. And you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, each one follows the dictates of his own evil heart, so that no one listens to Me.

Has someone ever advised you to “Follow of your heart.” There are a lot of people who believe that this is the secret to a satisfying and successful life.

Listen to some quote from some famous people.

“I always believed that when you follow your heart or your gut, when you really follow the things that feel great to you, you can never lose, because settling is the worst feeling in the world.” – Rihanna

“Listen to advice, but follow your heart.” – Conway Twitty

29. “Trust your own instincts, go inside, follow your heart. Right from the start. Go ahead and stand up for what you believe in. As I’ve learned, that’s the path to happiness.” – Lesley Ann Warren

32. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” – Steve Jobs

37. “I have advice for people – period – who are in unhealthy relationships: Follow your heart. It will get you to where you need to be. Sometimes it’s hard, sometimes it’s easy, the places that your heart takes you. But continue to follow it. Where the train leads you – you’ll get there.” – Erykah Badu

27. “I learned always to follow your heart.” – Tori Bowie

Sounds like good advice. But there is one problem. You can’t trust your heart!!

The Bible says that He who trusts in his hearts is a fool.

Proverbs 28:26 NKJV

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.

This is reminds me of song recorded by Steve Perry in the eighties called “Foolish Heart”

In the chorus, He says

Foolish heart, heed my warning You've been wrong before Don't be wrong anymore

Apparently, He figured out that his heart could not be trusted.

The Bible never says to follow your heart. When someone tells you to follow your heart. That person is telling you to trust yourself and your feelings. Is that a smart thing to do? No

Why?

1. Because the natural state of man’s heart is evil and rebellious

Genesis 6:5 NKJV

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Ecclesiastes 9:3 NKJV

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Ecclesiastes 8:11 NKJV

Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

Jeremiah 5:23 NKJV

But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart; They have revolted and departed.

2. Because your heart will deceive you.

Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV

“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

Your heart will lie to you.

3. Your heart can be manipulated and deceived.

John 13:2 NKJV

And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him,

James 1:26–27 NKJV

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

1. The Bible says we are to trust God, not our hearts.

Proverbs 3:5–6 NKJV

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

2. The Bible says "Follow God, not your Heart".

3. The Bible says “Follow the Spirit and not the flesh”

W7-5188 Sound Scriptural Sermon Outlines, Volume 7 The Spirit Vs. The Flesh

IV. BE LED BY THE SPIRIT.

A. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14). Led, directed, driven, and persuaded by the Spirit of God!

B. "Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness" (Matthew 4:1).

"And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness" (Mark 1:12).

C. Woe to the preacher who declares that once you get saved your troubles are over! Victory all the time? Plenty of money? Good times? Fine cars?

D. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but..." (Psalms 34:19).

"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12). Stephen was stoned!

E. "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Romans 8:13).

Mortify—kill, subdue, put out of commission, put to death, destroy.

F. "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5).

By the Spirit put an end to the power of the evil habits. Mortify the sensual lusts, evil deeds, worldliness. Kill all earthly affections. Become a "new creature" (2 Corinthians 5:17).