David Diga Hernandez - I Learned Holy Spirit Secrets to Touch God's Heart

I want to talk to you about how to touch the heart of God in a way that pleases Him, in a way that invites His favor. We're going to give you very biblical, practical keys, but to begin, I want you to write this in the comment section—three simple words: "All for Jesus." Let that be your unashamed public declaration: "All for Jesus." With this comment, you, in your hearts, are recommitting to pleasing the Lord. You're recommitting to connecting with Him, and you desire, I know you do, to go deeper with the Holy Spirit. So write that right now, and I'll take a look at point number one here for you.

Number one: Humility. In James 4:6, the Scripture says, "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says, 'God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.'" As you begin to study the nature of God by looking through the Scripture, you'll notice that His interaction with man often depends, of course, first and foremost on God's faithfulness, on God's grace, on God's goodness, on God's compassion. But there is also an element to consider in regards to the way that man responds to God—namely, whether or not man responds with pride or humility.

As you look throughout Scripture, studying both the Old and the New Testaments, you'll begin to see a pattern emerge. You'll see that those who harden their hearts, those who think that they're self-sufficient, those who think more highly of themselves than they ought to, those who resist God in ego and pride—God resists them. But those who humble themselves, those who acknowledge their need for God, those who acknowledge that they're helpless without Him—those are the ones that He lifts up. But He gives grace to the humble.

In Isaiah chapter 66, verse number two, the Bible says, "Has not my hand made all these things so they came into being?" declares the Lord. "These are the ones I look on with favor." He tells us very plainly here: "Those who are humble and contrite in spirit and who tremble at my word."

One of the demonstrations of humility is that we respond when God speaks. One of the demonstrations of humility is that we revere the Word of God; we take His commands seriously. Those who walk in pride resist the commands of God. Why? Partly because they think they know better. They may see in Scripture where God says go left, and they choose to go right. They may see in Scripture where God says to go right, and they choose to go left. They may see in Scripture where God says don't live this way, and they live that way. Why? Because there's a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is destruction.

I want to talk to you about how to touch the heart of God in a way that pleases Him, in a way that invites His favor. We're going to give you very biblical, practical keys, but to begin, I want you to write this in the comment section—three simple words: "All for Jesus." Let that be your unashamed public declaration: "All for Jesus." With this comment, you, in your hearts, are recommitting to pleasing the Lord. You're recommitting to connecting with Him, and you desire, I know you do, to go deeper with the Holy Spirit. So write that right now, and I'll take a look at point number one here for you.

Number one: Humility. In James 4:6, the Scripture says, "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says, 'God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.'" As you begin to study the nature of God by looking through the Scripture, you'll notice that His interaction with man often depends, of course, first and foremost on God's faithfulness, on God's grace, on God's goodness, on God's compassion. But there is also an element to consider in regards to the way that man responds to God—namely, whether or not man responds with pride or humility.

As you look throughout Scripture, studying both the Old and the New Testaments, you'll begin to see a pattern emerge. You'll see that those who harden their hearts, those who think that they're self-sufficient, those who think more highly of themselves than they ought to, those who resist God in ego and pride—God resists them. But those who humble themselves, those who acknowledge their need for God, those who acknowledge that they're helpless without Him—those are the ones that He lifts up. But He gives grace to the humble.

In Isaiah chapter 66, verse number two, the Bible says, "Has not my hand made all these things so they came into being?" declares the Lord. "These are the ones I look on with favor." He tells us very plainly here: "Those who are humble and contrite in spirit and who tremble at my word."

One of the demonstrations of humility is that we respond when God speaks. One of the demonstrations of humility is that we revere the Word of God; we take His commands seriously. Those who walk in pride resist the commands of God. Why? Partly because they think they know better. They may see in Scripture where God says go left, and they choose to go right. They may see in Scripture where God says to go right, and they choose to go left. They may see in Scripture where God says don't live this way, and they live that way. Why? Because there's a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is destruction.

We know that the plans of the Lord are established in our lives as we participate with Him, walking in obedience, responding to His word, living in that humility. Now, we also have to recognize that humility isn't self-hatred. Humility isn't wallowing. Humility isn't necessarily bearing your face in the dirt and saying, "I'm good for nothing, I'm worthless." And sometimes those who are humble do express things like this, but it's not the self-hatred specifically that God is looking for.

Humility, truly biblically speaking, is a recognition of who you are in reference to God. In other words, when you see yourself in light of who He is, it's sobering. When you see how holy God is, it's really humbling. If you think too highly of yourself and then you look at God, or you catch a revelation of who He is—well, I promise you, when looking at the Lord, it's very difficult to not see your own flaws. Why? Because He is light, and He shines that light in dark places, especially in our hearts and minds.

When those areas of our hearts and minds are revealed, that, of course, produces this great sense of need for the presence of God. That is one of the demonstrations of humility—that we rely upon Him, that we recognize that we're broken without Him, that we recognize that we can't do it in our own strength, that we have to do it in God's strength.

I often say that if it wasn't for the Holy Spirit, I would be a thousand broken pieces on the floor. The Holy Spirit, His presence and power, that is the grace—the glue that holds together all of those broken pieces of who I am. In Him we are complete; in Him we find our strength; in Him we find our value. And again, this isn't self-hatred—this is recognizing that apart from Him we have no value, but in Him, because of Him, and by Him, that is where we find our value.

So we recognize: we're helpless without you, Lord. We can't do this on our own strength. We can't do ministry without the Holy Spirit. We can't be good spouses without the Holy Spirit. We can't be good parents without the Holy Spirit. We can't live this Christian life without the help of the precious Holy Spirit.

And so in this season, this newness of life in which you're stepping, if you will wear humility, if you will clothe yourself with this recognition that God is great and only in Him do we find our value—there's no limit to where God will take you. God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. He gives favor to the humble. He looks favorably upon those who are humble and contrite in spirit.

Number two—and this is so important—a repentant heart. In Psalm 51:16-19, the Word says this: "You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart. O God, look with favor on Zion and help her rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar."

It's not in the sacrifice—it's in the sincerity. When we live in a way that recognizes the flaws and frailty of human nature, and when we live in a way that constantly addresses these issues—not dismissing them, not minimizing them, but acknowledging them, confessing them, and then tackling them for the problems that they are—when we approach the Lord asking for His forgiveness, when we approach the Lord asking for strength to do that which is right, when we constantly correct those little areas of our lives where there's compromise... The constant correction of compromise—that's what it is to live with a repentant heart.

Now, I'm not talking about legalism—and by the way, you know you're legalistic if you live in the constant fear of losing your salvation. Why? Because Ephesians chapter 2:8-9 tells us that salvation is by grace through faith; it's not of works, lest any man should boast. So it's not that we do good works to be saved, but we do good works because we are saved.

So I'm not talking about legalism—this constantly beating yourself up, this constant paranoia and fear and tension. No, the Lord gave us assurance of salvation. The Lord tells us in His Word that we can know that we are born again. Not this uncertainty, not this picturing of salvation as if it's just hanging by a thin thread ready to be broken at any moment, that every mistake we make is the last one we'll ever make. No, that's not what I'm talking about when I talk about living with a repentant heart.

I'm talking about living in a way that acknowledges the wrongdoing, that acknowledges that there is sinfulness in us. If any man thinks he's without sin, he's a liar. If anyone says they don't have sin, he's a liar. All of us have areas in our lives where we could be more like Jesus, and the moment that we fail to recognize that—that's the moment we step into pride, that's the moment we allow compromise to continue.

You see, legalism produces one of two results: when you think that salvation is dependent upon your works, it produces either pride or despair—pride because you think you're actually living perfect, or despair because you don't think that you can ever be accepted by God because you can't be perfect. But when you recognize that you rely upon the righteousness of Christ, that that's what was imputed to you when you believed, then that produces a confidence that ultimately bears the fruit of righteousness and holiness.

Yes, believers ought to live holy, but how are we to do that? We're to do that by wearing the righteousness of Christ and walking in repentance, correcting those things as we go. Some people leave things just lying around, and then it becomes a big issue and it comes back to bite them later. Why do that? Why not address the issue when it's a small compromise? Now technically, there's no such thing as a small compromise. Why not just address this right now?

Is there something in your area—is there some area in your heart, I should say—that hasn't been addressed yet? Is there something in your heart? Is there something in your mind? Is there something in your habits? Is there something in your attitudes that needs to be addressed? Don't put it off. Face it.

This is what the Bible says in Luke 18:9-14: "Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness" (by the way, it was the Pharisees who had confidence in their own ability and their own righteousness). "Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else. Two men went to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I'm certainly not like that tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.' But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.'"

"I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

This is a lifestyle of repentance. Now, we recognize in the New Testament, after the finished work of the cross, that we don't refer to ourselves as sinners anymore—we are saints. We are the saints of God in Christ Jesus.