Day 2: Clean Hands, Pure Hearts
Week 1: Awakening & Consecration
“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.”
Our verse for today speaks about access to the presence of God. The "mountain of the Lord" and "His holy place" are pictures of intimacy, worship, and spiritual authority. David asks a simple question: Who can stand there? The answer is surprising. It is not "the most gifted" or "the most famous," but the one with clean hands and a pure heart.
Outward Actions and Inward Motives
Clean hands speak of outward actions. Pure hearts speak of inward motives. Much of modern Christianity focuses on gifting and platform, but Scripture focuses on holiness and integrity.
In his book Pigs in the Parlour, Frank and Ida Mae Hammond emphasise that deliverance and spiritual warfare are not just about casting out demons; they are closely linked to repentance, forgiveness, and obedience. Dirty hands and divided hearts give the enemy room to operate. Clean hands and pure hearts close the door.
Honesty Over Perfection
This is not a call to perfectionism. It is a call to honesty. A pure heart is not a heart that never struggles; it is a heart that refuses to hide. It is quick to repent, quick to forgive, and quick to obey. A person with clean hands is not someone who has never sinned, but someone who keeps bringing their life under the blood of Jesus and walks in the light.
In his book Shaping History Through Prayer and Fasting, Derek Prince shows how nations shift when God’s people humble themselves, confess their sins, and pray from a place of integrity. He writes that God is looking for "men and women with clean hands and pure hearts" who can stand before Him on behalf of their land. That is what I long for in ANCC.
A Safe Place for Restoration
We say we are a church of refuge and restoration, a place where people find a relationship with God instead of religion. That means we must be willing to live openly before God ourselves. As He cleanses our hearts and hands, we become safe people for others to open up to. Consequently, our prayers for Britain carry greater weight in the Spirit.
Let Us Pray
Holy Spirit, search me. I do not want to live with dirty hands or a divided heart. Show me any sin, compromise, or idol I have tolerated. I bring it into the light and ask for cleansing through the blood of Jesus.
Teach me to live honestly before You and before others. Make ANCC a house of clean hands and pure hearts, so that we can stand in Your presence and pray with authority for our families, our town, and our nation. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.