Learn from Rehoboam’s Mistakes

 The 2 Chronicles 12:14 verse noted above is speaking of Rehoboam, the king of Israel, who was the grandson of David. He inherited the throne when he was 41 years old, at the death of his father Solomon. In the beginning of his reign, his heart was sensitive to the Lord. He once turned back from battle simply because of a prophet who spoke to him in the name of the Lord (2 Chr. 11:1-4).

However, his commitment to seek the Lord only lasted for three of the 17 years of his reign (2 Chr. 11:17). Sound familiar? It certainly does to me. During the time I have been in the ministry, I have known thousands of people who genuinely loved the Lord at one time and were excited about the things of God, yet they grew cold and, in many cases, completely abandoned the Lord and the things that were once so dear to them. How can this be? Why does this happen? It’s because they didn’t prepare their hearts to seek the Lord.

Get Prepared by Establishing a Fixed Heart

 The word prepare means to establish, fix, prepare, or apply. It conveys the idea of deliberate effort over a prolonged period of time. The same Hebrew word that was translated prepare here was also translated as fixed four times in the Old Testament, and all were spoken by David. David also used this word twice in Psalm 57:7, which was a psalm he wrote about the time he was hiding in a cave, and Saul, the king who was trying to kill David, came into that exact cave.

David’s men tried to get David to kill Saul and seize the throne which was rightfully his, but David wouldn’t do it. Why? Wasn’t Saul trying to kill David? Wouldn’t it have been considered self-defense? No one would have blamed him. He could have gotten away with it and saved years of frustration and pain in his own life. But David had already prepared, or fixed, his heart that he would not take the kingdom by killing Saul.

Plan Your Reaction to Temptation in Advance

His own words about this instance say, “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise” (Ps. 57:7). If David had not already fixed his heart on what he would and would not do, he would have succumbed to the pressure of that moment. But he had already fixed his heart against taking Saul’s life.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the word fixed is defined as meaning: firmly in position; stationary; not subject to change or variation; firmly, often dogmatically held.

One of the keys to preparing our hearts is to fix our hearts on what we will and will not do before we encounter the temptation. David had already settled what he would do so that there were no options left when the temptation came. Far too often, Christians have not made strong enough commitments and, therefore, succumb to temptation.

Trust in God to Strengthen You

Of course, no one can accomplish preparing their heart on their own. This is not a matter of sheer willpower. God must be involved in preparing our hearts. Psalm 10:17 says, “Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart.” Only when we trust in the Lord and depend on Him can we find the strength to keep our hearts fixed and prepared to resist temptation.

Humility is also an essential ingredient in the preparation of our hearts. Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Anytime anyone falls from their steadfast position in the Lord, you can bet that they stopped humbly depending on the Lord. Humility has to be forsaken, or at least neglected, before we fall. A humble heart is a soft, sensitive heart.

Imagination and Memory Play a Role

Our imaginations and our memories also play an important role in preparing our hearts. David said in 1 Chronicles 29:18, “O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee.” David is talking about the concept of memory here and the influence of imagination on what we remember.

If we look at this moment in context, David had just given billions of dollars in offerings toward the building of the temple in Jerusalem (1 Chr. 29:4). Then the elders of Israel did the same (1 Chr. 29:6-7). It must have been an awesome experience, and David prayed that the Lord would use the memory of this event to prepare the people’s hearts.

The proper application of memory is a vital aspect of preparing our own hearts. The Lord warned the children of Israel not to forget the mighty works He had performed for them lest they turn away from following Him (Deut. 4:9, 23; 6:12; 8:11-14, 19). He linked memory to the ability to stay true to the Lord.

Remember God’s Faithfulness

No one who is dominated with thoughts of the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord will turn their back on the Lord. Someone who turns from the Lord has allowed Satan to divert their attention from God while blocking the memories of God’s goodness and faithfulness to us. If you keep your positive memories alive, you will maintain a close, intimate connection with the Lord, and your heart will be prepared to withstand any temptation.