From the Sinful Heart to a New Heart: God’s Plan Beyond Conflict and Hostility | Harvest of Asher

The Bible describes a deep reality about human nature. Since the fall of humanity, the human heart has tended toward sin, conflict, and death. At the very beginning of Scripture it is written about humanity: “Every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5). When people act out of their sinful nature, the result is strife, violence, and destruction. The New Testament explains this as well. In the letter of James it says, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” (James 4:1). In other words, the wars and conflicts we see in the world do not begin only in actions but in the human heart.

This is exactly what Stephen describes when he stands before the religious leaders. In the book of Acts 7:51 he says, “You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your ancestors: you always resist the Holy Spirit.” Stephen points to a deeper problem than a religious disagreement. It is a human heart that is closed to God and resistant to His work.

Yet the message of Scripture does not stop with diagnosing sin. God promises a profound transformation of the human heart. In the Book of Ezekiel it is written: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you” (Ezekiel 36:26). Through Yeshua the Messiah, a person does not remain with the old heart of stone but receives a new heart born of the Spirit of God.

This difference becomes very clear in the story of Stephen. When the crowd is filled with anger and begins to stone him, the natural reaction could have been fear, curses, or a desire for revenge. But Stephen responds in a completely different way. In Acts 7:60 it says, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Instead of hatred there is prayer. Instead of revenge there is forgiveness. This is a heart touched by the grace of God and walking in the way of Yeshua, who said on the cross, “Father, forgive them.”

At first the story appears tragic and painful. A righteous man is killed in violence. Yet within this scene there is a young man present named Saul. Scripture tells us that during the stoning “the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul” (Acts 7:58), and it is also said that he approved of the killing (Acts 8:1).

Years later Saul himself testifies about this moment. When Paul recounts his story in Jerusalem he says, “And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him” (Acts 22:20).

But the story does not end there. That same Saul encountered Yeshua on the road to Damascus and became the apostle Paul. He later wrote the epistles to the first congregations of believers in the early communities of faith. His letters to the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and others became foundational teachings for believers. Until today, his writings continue to guide and strengthen churches around the world.

This message is especially important for us today. As believers living in the land of Israel and as the body of the Lord here, our calling is not only to pray for peace for ourselves but also to pray for those who are considered our enemies. Just as Stephen prayed for those who were stoning him, we are also called to pray for the peoples and nations that oppose us, including Iran, Lebanon, and other countries in the region. Such prayer is not weakness but an expression of the new heart we have received in Messiah, a heart that seeks mercy, forgiveness, and salvation for others as well.

The vision of praying even for those who are seen as enemies is also reflected in the prophetic promise found in The Book of Isaiah. In Isaiah 19:23–25, God reveals a future in which former enemies are brought together under His blessing. The prophet writes that a highway will exist between Egypt and Assyria, and that the people of these nations will worship the Lord together. Then the Lord declares: “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.” This remarkable promise shows God’s heart not only for Israel but also for the surrounding nations. His ultimate purpose is redemption and reconciliation. As believers in Yeshua living in the land of Israel today, this vision reminds us that God’s plan reaches beyond conflict and hostility. Just as Stephen prayed for those who persecuted him, we are called to pray for the nations around us, believing that God’s mercy can transform enemies into people who will one day worship Him together.

In this way we see how God works even within painful situations. A sinful heart brings strife and death, but a new heart born by the Spirit of God responds with love and forgiveness. Stephen’s example reminds us that when we live out of the new heart we have received in Messiah, even in moments of suffering we can become instruments in God’s hands to influence others and bring life where it seems there is only death.