“A NEW HEART AND A NEW CREATION”

Rev. Dr. Roberta M. Heck, Chaplain

• “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.” Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV)

• “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

At the very core of God’s promises is transformation. Not an outward makeover but an inner renewal. In Ezekiel 36:26, God speaks to Israel, a people who had strayed from His ways, promising them a new heart and a new spirit. This was not just about obedience to the law but about a total inward change that only God could bring. A heart of stone is hard, unyielding, and resistant to God’s voice. But a heart of flesh is tender, responsive, and sensitive to His Spirit.

The Apostle Paul echoes this promise in 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Through Christ, the promise of Ezekiel is fulfilled: when we accept Jesus, we are not merely a patched-up version of ourselves, we are made into a new creation. The old habits, the old ways of thinking, the old shame, and the old bondage no longer define us. Instead, we are now defined by Christ’s righteousness, His Spirit living in us, and His power to renew our minds and hearts daily.

This newness is not a one-time event; it’s a continuous work of sanctification. Each day, the Holy Spirit softens our hearts more, aligns our desires with God’s will, and strengthens us to live out the identity we now have in Christ. What once was dead is now alive. What once was bound is now free. What once was hopeless is now filled with eternal hope.

As believers, we must continually remind ourselves of this truth: we are no longer who we used to be. We walk not in the shadow of our past, but in the light of God’s promise. When the enemy tries to whisper reminders of old failures, we can stand firm and declare, “The old has passed away, the new has come!”

“And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ezekiel 36:27 (NIV)

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the promise of a new heart and a new spirit. Thank You for removing my heart of stone and giving me a heart that beats in rhythm with Your will. Lord, help me to walk daily in the truth that I am a new creation in Christ. When the enemy reminds me of who I was, let me stand on the foundation of Your Word, knowing that my identity is secure in You. Fill me with Your Spirit, renew my mind, and shape my heart to love as You love. May my life be a testimony to Your transforming power. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray, Amen and To God Be The Glory!

With love and prayers,

Rev. Dr. Roberta M. Heck, Chaplain

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