“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast
spirit within me.”
Psalms 51:10 (NKJV)

READ: Psalm 51:1–17

Stressing further about the repentance of David in the ordeal of Uriah’s wife: David was asking God to create in him a new heart and that God would renew a steadfast spirit within him (Psalm
51:10). In the New Testament, this present dispensation, believers
are meant to worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:23,24).

A regenerated person, a believer in Christ Jesus, has the responsibility to work on his or her soul or mind. The mind, which is one of the functional parts of the human soul, is not regenerated at new birth; it is only the human spirit that is regenerated. Thus, the mind is still in its old state and it must be saved and renewed by the Word of God (Romans 12:2; James 1:21).

When someone’s mind is renewed (Romans 12:2), the recreated human spirit of the person would have the freedom to control and lead in every department of the person’s life (Proverbs 20:27; 1 Corinthians 2:11).
A New Testament believer has a new heart or spirit, but the work must be done on the flesh and the mind for him to be able to live victoriously on earth as a believer in Christ Jesus (Romans 12:1,2).

David asks for two things in the text:
• That God should create in him a clean heart (Psalm 51:10).
• That God would renew a steadfast spirit within him (Psalm 51:10).

The two requests can be answered in the New Testament terms:
• Through salvation in Christ Jesus—being born-again—a new and clean heart or spirit is created in the person who confesses Christ (John 3:3–6; Romans 10:9,10; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
• The second one: through the knowledge of the Word of God, the
Bible, and walking in the light of it, a steadfast spirit is built or rebuilt (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1–3; James 1:22–25). Steadfastness in God is built through the consistent studying and practising of
the Word of God.

In verse 11 of the same Psalm 51, David asks that God would not cast him away from His presence. Some have erroneously propounded that once a person is saved, the person will always be saved. But other parts of the Bible do not substantiate such an idea or teaching. God’s presence can be withdrawn from a believer who walks disorderly (1 Thessalonians 4:12; 2 Thessalonians 3:6,7).
God may not necessarily take away the Holy Spirit from a believer but a believer can silence the Holy Spirit in his or her life (Hosea 5:15; 1 Samuel 28:6; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19).

Note:
• The voice of the Holy Spirit can be silenced, muted, or suppressed by a believer when such a person lives in disobedience to the written Word and the commands or witness of the Holy Spirit on the inside of him or her (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19).
• A believer can also short-circuit the move or flow of the power of the Holy Spirit in his or her life. The admonition in the Scripture is: “DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT” (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
• The fire of the Holy Spirit in you can be quenched through the way you live your life, that is, if you are living contrary to the principles found in the Bible.

David prayed such a prayer because in the Old Testament the Holy Spirit did not reside or dwell on the inside of people as He does in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 3:16,17; 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16). Their human spirit was not regenerated, thus it could not be a habitable place for the Holy Spirit.

The example of the Holy Spirit departing from someone is that of King
Saul:
“BUT THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD DEPARTED FROM SAUL,
AND A DISTRESSING SPIRIT FROM THE LORD TROUBLED
HIM.”
1 Samuel 16:14 (NKJV)

That being said, if the Holy Spirit does not depart or leave a regenerated believer, but such a believer walks disorderly—that is, in sin—he will quench or silence the operations of the Holy Spirit in his life (Ephesians 4:30). Thus, living in holiness is not optional; it is the way you have to live as a believer if you actually want intimacy with God through the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:15,16).

Reflect:
• Is your mind being consistently renewed by God’s Word, or are
old patterns still controlling your thinking?
• In what areas of your life might you be quenching the work of the Holy Spirit?

Peace!

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