Believing Big, Pt. 3

We’ve talked about “believing big” these past couple of weeks, and I continue to hear from many of you as to the things on your heart that you’ve entrusted to God. Last week, we spoke of keeping the focus off of ourselves and our situation, and instead focusing on our awesome God. But in one respect, we do need to focus on ourselves. Put another way, we need to examine ourselves.

Psalm 24:3-5 (NASB) says:

Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood,
And has not sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive a blessing from the Lord
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

“Clean hands and a pure heart.” Those words were on my mind this week as I prayed them back to God, asking Him to help me walk continually with “clean hands and a pure heart.” It wasn’t an easy prayer, but I know I can’t “believe big” about anything unless I’m walking in obedience.

Still, it’s a prayer that makes you kind of cringe as you invite God to uncover any and everything you think has been okay in your life and to expose it from His point of view. You brace yourself for what will come because it might very well be painful. That attitude you’ve lived with will suddenly look ugly, and you’ll wonder why it took so long for you to see it. But no matter how painful, isn’t that how we ought to want to live—in obedience to God?

It’s so easy to be deceived, to compromise here and there, make excuses, cut corners. We compare ourselves with others and think we’re doing just fine. But in reality, God is our standard. He is holy and righteous. And to us He says, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).

I know this isn’t one of those devotions that will get people excited. Might not get a lot of “Amen’s.” But it’s the truth that sets us free. “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9 King James). As we “believe big,” desiring God to show Himself strong in our lives, let’s also pray that our hearts are totally His. Let’s spend the week examining our lives, asking God to reveal the areas in which we’re not honoring Him, so that we can repent and truly walk with clean hands and a pure heart. For then, we “shall receive a blessing from the LORD” (Psalm 24:5).


Heavenly Father, You are holy and You desire that I live a life that is holy unto You. I invite You to search my heart and reveal any wicked way within me. Show me all that is not pleasing to You. I thank You, Father, that if I confess my sins, You are faithful and righteous to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Help me to walk before You with clean hands and a pure heart, in Jesus’ name, Amen.