15 Days of Supernatural EncountersIhe Atụ

Day 14: Deciding the Heart Motivation of Your Life

Today, I want to challenge you to decide what the heart motivation of your life is going to be.

Know:

Pride. It’s an ugly word, isn’t it? And it’s an even uglier heart attitude. And yet we all struggle with it; I know I do.

That’s actually one of several reasons I think the Lord told me to blog under a brand name, From His Presence ®, and to name our ministry From His Presence Inc., instead of naming it all after me (as is often done with ministry names). The enemy sends enough temptation to be proud already–I certainly don’t need to see my name in lights.

Can you identify?

The temptation to be proud is strong for every human, no matter what our circumstances:

• If you accomplish something, the enemy will try to get you to be proud of it.
• If you haven’t, the enemy will try to get you to be proud, so you won’t take advice and can’t receive from others.

And along with the temptation to be proud comes the temptation to steal God’s glory.

When we take credit for things, we steal God’s glory. When we bask in our own accomplishments, we steal God’s glory. Or we try to.

And God doesn’t like that.

Isaiah 42:8 says:

“I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images.”

God is extremely jealous of His glory.

Oh, He wants you to wear it; yes. He wants to clothe you with it. He wants you to carry His glory.

But that doesn’t mean any of it is actually ours. It’s HIS glory, and He will not share it.

So how do you keep yourself humble, and keep yourself from trying to steal God’s glory?

Here are the two things I do:

First, I pray often that the Lord would make me humble.

We can never pray for humility too much. Pride is a heart issue, and it’s a sin. Every time we notice pride in ourselves, we need to continually repent from pride and embrace humility. We also need God to continually change our heart to make us humble.

But secondly, we need to decide what our heart motivation will be for the rest of our lives.

I was praying about my own heart motivation the morning I wrote this article.

I’ve been setting goals for this ministry for the next several years, and writing the vision that I feel the Lord has given me. And every time I set big, God-honoring goals, I have to fight off pride–and fight off the temptation to take any credit for any of the results.

So, as I’ve been working on our ministry vision, one sentence has been resounding in my spirit about this, and I’ve been praying it often:

“That You would get all the glory, and I none.”

As I was praying over our vision board for the ministry, I felt led to write that on the board–right at the top. We’re asking the Lord to do great and mighty things. They are things that will glorify Him and serve Him. But I HAVE to remember, always, that all the credit and all the glory is His.

So I wrote that on our vision board, right at the top.

Then, as I was praying about proper motivation, humility, etc., a second heart motivation came to mind that I have often prayed over the years:

“That Jesus would receive the reward of His suffering.”

That phrase has gripped my spirit for many years. It really is ALL about Jesus, you know. And it’s Father’s desire that Jesus would receive a pure and spotless Bride, as well as every spoil of the enemy, as the reward of His suffering (see Isaiah 53).

So I wrote that on our vision board too.

And finally, a third heart motivation came to mind as I prayed:

“That Jesus would be lifted high.”

So I wrote that one down too.

And I decided to keep these three things written down in front of me to remind me what my heart motivation for life is.

That He would get all the glory, and I none; that Jesus would be lifted high; and that the Lamb who was slain would receive the reward of His suffering. THAT is why I work. That is why I pursue His call. Not for my own glory. Not to “build a ministry.” Not to earn a living. Not for any reason other than three simple things … and I need to remember those things.

What is your heart motivation for life?

Maybe you haven’t ever thought about this before. That’s okay; but today is the day to do so. What deep, inner desire drives you–or will drive you–through life?

You don’t have to let your flesh decide this. You can decide it with your spirit, by influence of the precious Holy Spirit.

I challenge you to do this. I urge you to do this.

I DARE you to do this.

What is your heart motivation going to be? Decide; then write it down.

After you do, you can use the motivation you choose as a compass for everything you do the rest of your life. It will make all the difference in the world.

Will you do it?

Pray this:

“Heavenly Father, in Jesus’ name, I surrender my heart to You yet again this morning. Jesus, please be the Lord of my life in every area today. I surrender my will to You and humble myself before You.

Lord, please make me humble. Give me a new heart that seeks after You and Your glory in all things. Please glorify Your own name in my life. I do pray that You would get all the glory, and I none.

Now Father, as I listen, please speak to me about the heart motivation You would have me choose to guide my life. Thank You, Father. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Listen:

If you are streaming your favorite music service today, listen to Bishop Hezekiah Walker sing "Every Praise." While you listen, ask God to wreck you for Himself, so that you'll live every moment of the rest of your life sold out to Him!