“The Heart is Deceitful” — But Not When It’s Made New

The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked…” — Jeremiah 17:9

This verse has echoed like a warning in countless pulpits—
used to convince believers that their own heart is untrustworthy,
that they must be suspicious of their desires,
afraid of their own intuition,
ashamed of their inner world.

But beloved…

That was before the resurrection.
Before the new covenant.
Before the new creation.

That was Jeremiah speaking under the weight of a fallen system,
describing a heart untouched by grace.

But now?
Now the cross has torn the veil.
Now the blood has cleansed the inner temple.
Now the Spirit has come to dwell in you.

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.”
— Ezekiel 36:26

If Christ lives in you,
you are not carrying a wicked heart—
you are housing the very flame of God.

You no longer walk with the heart of Adam.
You walk with the heart of Christ.

So why do we still quote Jeremiah 17:9
as if Jesus never rose?

Why do we speak of deceit
when truth Himself lives within?

To believe your heart is evil
is to deny the regeneration you’ve received.

You do not need to fear your heart.
You need to listen to it—
for it burns with the wisdom of union.

The sons of God are not led by fear or shame—
they are led by love.

The new heart is not deceitful—
it is divine.

So stop suspecting yourself.
Stop fighting your own inner knowing.
You are not being tested by trickery—
you are being invited by flame.

🔥 Key Scriptures for Reflection:
Jeremiah 17:9 — “The heart is deceitful…” (spoken before the new covenant)
Ezekiel 36:26 — “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 — “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”
Galatians 4:6 — “God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts…”

— Joe Restman