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Rewire Your Heart: Replace Your Desire for Sin with Desire For God
Bible teacher and acclaimed spoken-word artist David Bowden reveals the secret to winning the battle with sin. Many Christians believe the only way to fight sin is to grit our teeth, strengthen our resolve, and rise above the onslaught of temptation. But in reality, we have a far better weapon in our struggle with sin than the will-power mantras associated with diet and exercise. This weapon is not saying "no" to sin but saying "yes" to God. In Rewire Your Heart , David Bowden helps us discover God's plan to overcoming sin by rewiring our desires with the Gospel. When we invite the Holy Spirit to transform our underlying affections with the good news of Jesus, we begin to break free from the patterns of sin, guilt, and determination, and discover the richer fulfillment found in joyfully obeying God's commands.
224 pages, Paperback
Published October 30, 2018
148 people are currently reading
1100 people want to read
About the author
David Bowden
3 books208 followersDavid Bowden is a spoken word poet, author and preacher from Oklahoma City. He is the author of When God Isn’t There and the forthcoming Rewire Your Heart. David is the co-founder of Kleer Series (www.kleerseries.com), an evangelistic resource for post-church young people in the UK. He has produced three poetry albums, three DVDs and one book of poetry. He is the founder and president of The Poetic Inc., a non-profit dedicated to creating gospel-centered content (www.spokengospel.com). David is married to his wife, Meagan, and serves as the Artist in Residence at Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
March 10, 2019
This is the most beautiful book explaining the human condition and the antidote to that sickness. Completely God centred, filled with hope, and is a pathway to finding the true life offered in the gospel, found in Jesus. I feel someone has just breathed a fresh breath of life into my lungs and pointed my eyes to the beauty of God.
Now if someone is asking me for a book I would recommend just in general, this is the one I’m pointing them to.
A big thanks to the author, this book has changed my life.
Now if someone is asking me for a book I would recommend just in general, this is the one I’m pointing them to.
A big thanks to the author, this book has changed my life.
March 29, 2024
This book was helpful. We must examine our desires, work to desire God more, and that will affect our actions.
March 8, 2023
In all honesty, I found myself really enjoying this book, then going through multiple chapters that had me wanting to throw it across the room, and then ended by liking it again. So this was a hard one to rate as well as for me to review.
I'll begin by saying that I very much appreciated that Bowden is determined to offer more helpful help (sounds silly to say, but it's true that not all help is helpful - especially in this department!) on combatting sin. He not only wants to be more helpful but more biblical, which of course coincide. So I loved how he goes through dismantling other, lesser approaches that many have tried or even heard preached from pulpits. I really appreciated the pathway he draws out (literally) for how affections effect belief, which effects a sense of want/lack, which effects desires, which effects temptation, which effects if we sin. And I appreciated very much that sin was brought to mean all that the Bible speaks of rather than an overly simplistic view of overtly "bad" outward actions.
Now let me get to where I think the author truly diverged from generally accepted biblical interpretation. I was first brought to concern when a few pages into the 7th chapter ("What Are Your Desires Bringing About?") he quotes Romans 1:18-21 which talks about the wrath of God being revealed against all ungodliness, because what can be known about God is plain to them through his eternal power and divine nature being imprinted even onto creation. I'm paraphrasing, but by all means look at the actual text itself. Now, Bowden then goes on to claim that it's clear that this is saying that "Everyone knows God exists...because God's wrath is invisibly present in creation." He then says it may sound strange, but he should instead have simply said that it sounds like a bad interpretation...because it is. Certainly, God's wrath is a part of His character and nature, but so is His kindness, His goodness, His wisdom, His patience, and I could go on. These are also demonstrated through the creation He created. That's what Paul is saying! Not that God's wrath is the singular thing invisibly imprinted on creation. The wrath Paul begins these verses speaking about is in regards to what God is pouring out because the people He created refused to acknowledge His love, justice, joy, righteousness and so on which were evident in creation.
But then it went from bad to worse.
As that chapter of "Rewire Your Heart" continues he goes into helping the reader properly interpret Romans 7. He offers this interpretation openly admitting that it's "neither agreed upon nor denied by a majority of scholars." I appreciate that he's willing to admit fallibility here, but by saying that it's not denied by most scholars we would have to assume that they all reckon with this particular argument and many of them say that it could be a possible interpretation. I'm hard-pressed to imagine that many scholars have even fancied this argument he makes let alone suggested it is likely what Paul was getting at.
The Romans 7 passage is the classic one where Paul essentially is saying, "I do what I don't want to do and don't do what I want to! As much as I know what's right I still end up doing things that are wrong." Now Bowden offers what is so tempting to readers and authors alike: A bit of a clever new way of seeing this passage. Forget the classic way where the main idea seems to be Paul talking about our struggle against evil desires like lust, or anger, or envy, or laziness. No, Bowden says, he's actually "talking about how we all, including Adam and Eve, commit the same underlying sin of covetousness when we try to earn the good gifts of God instead of receiving them freely from his hand." (Never mind that Romans 7:19 literally says, "For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.")
The author desires to suggest that coveting being good is actually what is the problem here. So our sin, he actually goes on to say, is desiring to keep the commandments. And here's the statement he eventually made that had me wanting to send this book airborne: "The commands of the law, then, are just like the serpent's temptation. (emphasis mine) The law, like the tree, is offering you a way to act on your covetous desires, fulfill the emptiness in your wants, and heal the deep unbelief you have in your soul." He's literally arguing that the law which God designed for His people to follow, and which Proverbs claims is where wisdom is found, and David poetically praised as the key to life in many psalms, is actually a sort of Trojan horse destructor of our souls because we're just coveting if we follow it.
I'm keenly aware that Paul is quite certainly arguing during this section of Romans about how inadequate the law was to ultimately save us. To that degree the author and I are in total agreement. But to go this far decrying the law seems to be so creative that it creates new meaning out an entirely different one.
So I am grateful to have read this book for its various insights and perspective on some aspects of waging war against sin by replacing our desires for sin with desire for God, but I am quite certain I can't go as far as to recommend it to others to read, which is quite a shame.
I'll begin by saying that I very much appreciated that Bowden is determined to offer more helpful help (sounds silly to say, but it's true that not all help is helpful - especially in this department!) on combatting sin. He not only wants to be more helpful but more biblical, which of course coincide. So I loved how he goes through dismantling other, lesser approaches that many have tried or even heard preached from pulpits. I really appreciated the pathway he draws out (literally) for how affections effect belief, which effects a sense of want/lack, which effects desires, which effects temptation, which effects if we sin. And I appreciated very much that sin was brought to mean all that the Bible speaks of rather than an overly simplistic view of overtly "bad" outward actions.
Now let me get to where I think the author truly diverged from generally accepted biblical interpretation. I was first brought to concern when a few pages into the 7th chapter ("What Are Your Desires Bringing About?") he quotes Romans 1:18-21 which talks about the wrath of God being revealed against all ungodliness, because what can be known about God is plain to them through his eternal power and divine nature being imprinted even onto creation. I'm paraphrasing, but by all means look at the actual text itself. Now, Bowden then goes on to claim that it's clear that this is saying that "Everyone knows God exists...because God's wrath is invisibly present in creation." He then says it may sound strange, but he should instead have simply said that it sounds like a bad interpretation...because it is. Certainly, God's wrath is a part of His character and nature, but so is His kindness, His goodness, His wisdom, His patience, and I could go on. These are also demonstrated through the creation He created. That's what Paul is saying! Not that God's wrath is the singular thing invisibly imprinted on creation. The wrath Paul begins these verses speaking about is in regards to what God is pouring out because the people He created refused to acknowledge His love, justice, joy, righteousness and so on which were evident in creation.
But then it went from bad to worse.
As that chapter of "Rewire Your Heart" continues he goes into helping the reader properly interpret Romans 7. He offers this interpretation openly admitting that it's "neither agreed upon nor denied by a majority of scholars." I appreciate that he's willing to admit fallibility here, but by saying that it's not denied by most scholars we would have to assume that they all reckon with this particular argument and many of them say that it could be a possible interpretation. I'm hard-pressed to imagine that many scholars have even fancied this argument he makes let alone suggested it is likely what Paul was getting at.
The Romans 7 passage is the classic one where Paul essentially is saying, "I do what I don't want to do and don't do what I want to! As much as I know what's right I still end up doing things that are wrong." Now Bowden offers what is so tempting to readers and authors alike: A bit of a clever new way of seeing this passage. Forget the classic way where the main idea seems to be Paul talking about our struggle against evil desires like lust, or anger, or envy, or laziness. No, Bowden says, he's actually "talking about how we all, including Adam and Eve, commit the same underlying sin of covetousness when we try to earn the good gifts of God instead of receiving them freely from his hand." (Never mind that Romans 7:19 literally says, "For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.")
The author desires to suggest that coveting being good is actually what is the problem here. So our sin, he actually goes on to say, is desiring to keep the commandments. And here's the statement he eventually made that had me wanting to send this book airborne: "The commands of the law, then, are just like the serpent's temptation. (emphasis mine) The law, like the tree, is offering you a way to act on your covetous desires, fulfill the emptiness in your wants, and heal the deep unbelief you have in your soul." He's literally arguing that the law which God designed for His people to follow, and which Proverbs claims is where wisdom is found, and David poetically praised as the key to life in many psalms, is actually a sort of Trojan horse destructor of our souls because we're just coveting if we follow it.
I'm keenly aware that Paul is quite certainly arguing during this section of Romans about how inadequate the law was to ultimately save us. To that degree the author and I are in total agreement. But to go this far decrying the law seems to be so creative that it creates new meaning out an entirely different one.
So I am grateful to have read this book for its various insights and perspective on some aspects of waging war against sin by replacing our desires for sin with desire for God, but I am quite certain I can't go as far as to recommend it to others to read, which is quite a shame.
November 16, 2021
Of course in a sense there can be nothing truly new, but notwithstanding this is really original thinking on the subject of sin and sanctification. I tried to read it slowly so as to absorb the ideas, but still some of it was still hard to soak in. Part of this may be the style of writing, but all the same I'm glad I didn't rush the reading because regardless of anything else, this has left a profound impression in my heart.
Essentially the idea is to rediscover the 'Awakening' era concept of 'affections' but with a twist. We sin because we have affections - that is, we want to sin! At the root of this is the idea that like Eve & Adam, we want to be independent of God and save ourselves. As Christians we have come to a point of seeking saving from God, but still that desire to help oneself takes hold. Therefore the need is to redirect our affections as to the true nature of God. In other words the more you know of God the less you even want to sin. That is a wholly inadequate summary, but that conclusion is most evident.
Chapter four detailing the process of sin in our lives and the process out of sin is also really new and insightful stuff, albeit one has to read the book:
Presented in a different order than the book - with the '<' being the precursor...
Sin < Temptation < Desires < want/lack < unbelief
then the renewal process works in reverse, from unbelief to:
> faith > want/lack > Desires > opportunity > righteousness
The book is pitched at a spiritual level rather than any deeply practical application, in fact deliberately scorns such and therefore it would be (will be) interesting to compare and put alongside Bowden's other book 'When God isn't there'. It isn't easy to be holy when we feel God is a million miles away and this is the demand from Rewire Your Heart. It's your heart stupid!!
Bowden writes thick with analogy and many of these are both original and clever. This is not a book for young Christians and I am thus very much reminded of Jesus' explanation for parables - "The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand" but as we grow we can take in more of what Bowden too is teaching us here.
Essentially the idea is to rediscover the 'Awakening' era concept of 'affections' but with a twist. We sin because we have affections - that is, we want to sin! At the root of this is the idea that like Eve & Adam, we want to be independent of God and save ourselves. As Christians we have come to a point of seeking saving from God, but still that desire to help oneself takes hold. Therefore the need is to redirect our affections as to the true nature of God. In other words the more you know of God the less you even want to sin. That is a wholly inadequate summary, but that conclusion is most evident.
Chapter four detailing the process of sin in our lives and the process out of sin is also really new and insightful stuff, albeit one has to read the book:
Presented in a different order than the book - with the '<' being the precursor...
Sin < Temptation < Desires < want/lack < unbelief
then the renewal process works in reverse, from unbelief to:
> faith > want/lack > Desires > opportunity > righteousness
The book is pitched at a spiritual level rather than any deeply practical application, in fact deliberately scorns such and therefore it would be (will be) interesting to compare and put alongside Bowden's other book 'When God isn't there'. It isn't easy to be holy when we feel God is a million miles away and this is the demand from Rewire Your Heart. It's your heart stupid!!
Bowden writes thick with analogy and many of these are both original and clever. This is not a book for young Christians and I am thus very much reminded of Jesus' explanation for parables - "The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand" but as we grow we can take in more of what Bowden too is teaching us here.
November 23, 2018
I received a complimentary copy.
The book is complex and for the most part kind of hard to get through without really having to stop and think. It will take work and practice to begin really making a change and for most the not having time or wanting will be a block. The author does maintain the topics at hand and adds in a lot of biblical reference with the wording. The book may be best for older readers or someone close in faith that wants to restart spiritually speaking.
The book is complex and for the most part kind of hard to get through without really having to stop and think. It will take work and practice to begin really making a change and for most the not having time or wanting will be a block. The author does maintain the topics at hand and adds in a lot of biblical reference with the wording. The book may be best for older readers or someone close in faith that wants to restart spiritually speaking.
April 27, 2019
Helpful and biblical. For those well-acquainted with John Piper's "Christian Hedonism" (or Jonathan Edwards' theology of "Religious Affections"), there's nothing profoundly new in what Bowden writes, but he applies Christian Hedonism in street-level language. The book would be a good resource for a Bible study or small group as it provides ample biblical basis and numerous illustrations which could make for good discussion regarding application.
January 1, 2019
Must Read for everyone, doesn't matter how old you are. It's main focus is on God, its even in the title. We cant argue with his strong points, he helped me make sense of why we Sin and how we can change.
January 31, 2019
Change your heart!
If you are looking to change the way you think and act and get closer to God, get into this book! It will educate you and propel you to new heights in changing your heart God.
If you are looking to change the way you think and act and get closer to God, get into this book! It will educate you and propel you to new heights in changing your heart God.
January 14, 2020
This book was really good but also hard to get through. Very in depth book about “rewiring your heart” and turning away from sin and toward God. I loved how he had Bible verses to back up what he was saying. Overall though a really good read.
December 1, 2024
This book was okay. Had some good points but didn’t agree with everything :)
Want to read
November 8, 2018did not receive book
December 25, 2022
I really like that this book doesn't tell you, "Just focus more on God and stop sinning." It talks about how behavioral modification isn't enough and really digs in to the root of why the Christian life can sometimes feel like such a battle. Here is an excerpt from the beginning that I feel accurately portrays the style and content of the rest of the book:
"The necessity of hearing and understanding the story of our creation, fall, and redemption in this way is so that we might grasp this one central truth: Jesus satisfies our deepest desire...In Jesus, we find the one who has perfectly done all the work, earned all the glory, established all the legacy, and received all the power for which we so long. Yet Jesus is so different from all others who have done work, earned glory, established legacy, and received power. He is different in two major ways. First, because He has done all of these perfectly, eternally, and to the uttermost. Second, because He does not keep these for Himself, but credits them to us. All the significance Eve longed for when she ate of that fruit has been earned in Jesus. All the salvation we long to earn has been earned in Jesus. Therefore, we can look to Him and rest. Our deepest desire can finally be satisfied."
"The necessity of hearing and understanding the story of our creation, fall, and redemption in this way is so that we might grasp this one central truth: Jesus satisfies our deepest desire...In Jesus, we find the one who has perfectly done all the work, earned all the glory, established all the legacy, and received all the power for which we so long. Yet Jesus is so different from all others who have done work, earned glory, established legacy, and received power. He is different in two major ways. First, because He has done all of these perfectly, eternally, and to the uttermost. Second, because He does not keep these for Himself, but credits them to us. All the significance Eve longed for when she ate of that fruit has been earned in Jesus. All the salvation we long to earn has been earned in Jesus. Therefore, we can look to Him and rest. Our deepest desire can finally be satisfied."
February 14, 2025
**Thought-provoking and stirring**
I appreciate the wake-up call this book was, and the author's biblical methods for combating the power of sin the bigger power of God's word. So much of it was beautifully written and pierced my heart and I went rather crazy with my highlights. This book has given me much to think about and acts as a great motivator to get deeper into the Bible than I already do. If there's one thing we all need to do as people (and especially believers), it's to want God more than anything else.
If I had to complain about anything, it was the repetitive nature of some of the author's claims. I understand wanting to drive points home, but the constant reminders were kinda distracting. I also feel like too MANY things were being classified as sin for the sake of REALLY pounding it one's head the need for God. Obviously, desiring God isn't a bad thing, but why call things sins when they're not a necessary aspect of proving that point? It just felt disingenuous.
At any rate, this was still a great read anyway and I'm glad to have taken part in it. Even flawed reminders are good reminders of needing to desire God above everything else. If you're curious what stood out to me the most, click here.
I appreciate the wake-up call this book was, and the author's biblical methods for combating the power of sin the bigger power of God's word. So much of it was beautifully written and pierced my heart and I went rather crazy with my highlights. This book has given me much to think about and acts as a great motivator to get deeper into the Bible than I already do. If there's one thing we all need to do as people (and especially believers), it's to want God more than anything else.
If I had to complain about anything, it was the repetitive nature of some of the author's claims. I understand wanting to drive points home, but the constant reminders were kinda distracting. I also feel like too MANY things were being classified as sin for the sake of REALLY pounding it one's head the need for God. Obviously, desiring God isn't a bad thing, but why call things sins when they're not a necessary aspect of proving that point? It just felt disingenuous.
At any rate, this was still a great read anyway and I'm glad to have taken part in it. Even flawed reminders are good reminders of needing to desire God above everything else. If you're curious what stood out to me the most, click here.
January 22, 2023
I absolutely loved this book! David Bowden did such an amazing job with showing the reasons behind why we sin. That deep down we have a desire for sin and it’s our own desires that drive us to sin. James 1:14-15. That our hearts have been wired towards sin. Our affections are too weak. So if we have weak affections and deep down we still desire sin, how do we change that. It is by having a delighted love in the Lord that will change and rewire our hearts. A delighted love in the Lord changes our affections to become stronger ones for the Lord. That we would have Holy affections that would then result in Holy actions. This is only achieved by delighting in God. Delighting in the cross and his love displayed for us. Then and only then will our hearts be rewired.
November 24, 2022
Truly my favorite read of this past year.
At some point, it’s difficult to find books that communicate the same truths to you in new ways, but this book does just that. It has encouraged and emboldened me in new ways, specifically in the examination of my personal relationship with Christ.
I have underlined and noted so many passages in the chapters, and found the refreshing nature of the topic to be a perfect balance of timely conviction and uplifting encouragement.
I simply cannot recommend this book enough, and I pray it continues to shape my mind and heart as I seek to love the Lord and His ways, more and more.
At some point, it’s difficult to find books that communicate the same truths to you in new ways, but this book does just that. It has encouraged and emboldened me in new ways, specifically in the examination of my personal relationship with Christ.
I have underlined and noted so many passages in the chapters, and found the refreshing nature of the topic to be a perfect balance of timely conviction and uplifting encouragement.
I simply cannot recommend this book enough, and I pray it continues to shape my mind and heart as I seek to love the Lord and His ways, more and more.
February 5, 2022
This Book Is Changing my Life
Although I’m about 3/4 of the way done - I’m in awe of the wisdom of this young man and the way he breaks down “Truth”. The examples used to explain his revelations are exemplary. I have a totally different understanding on the importance of reliving the Gospel every. single. day. and how Jesus rewires our heart to transform us. Good Stuff. I have a feeling this is a book I will read over and over again. Thank-you so much David for taking the time to write this amazing book!!
Although I’m about 3/4 of the way done - I’m in awe of the wisdom of this young man and the way he breaks down “Truth”. The examples used to explain his revelations are exemplary. I have a totally different understanding on the importance of reliving the Gospel every. single. day. and how Jesus rewires our heart to transform us. Good Stuff. I have a feeling this is a book I will read over and over again. Thank-you so much David for taking the time to write this amazing book!!
July 1, 2022
David Bowden presents a fresh but grounded take on sanctification, and while his writing style is not as engaging or memorable I would like, the information in this book was on point.
Bowden challenges the typical behavior modification approach to holiness. He forgoes the most popular interpretations of Paul in Romans 7. He proposes that by delighting in the God we can change the object of our affections, and by so doing sanctify our desires.
I will read this again some day. Really good stuff here.
Bowden challenges the typical behavior modification approach to holiness. He forgoes the most popular interpretations of Paul in Romans 7. He proposes that by delighting in the God we can change the object of our affections, and by so doing sanctify our desires.
I will read this again some day. Really good stuff here.
January 17, 2019
Is the way to fight sin to grit your teeth, strengthen your resolve, and rise above the onslaught of temptation? What does the Bible say about breaking the chain of sin and doing what is right instead of what is wrong?
In this Facebook Live video with Bible Gateway, David Bowden (@davidbpoetry) talks about his book, Rewire Your Heart: Replace Your Desire for Sin with Desire for God (Thomas Nelson, 2018). Check out the video here----https://bit.ly/2TWUgY6
In this Facebook Live video with Bible Gateway, David Bowden (@davidbpoetry) talks about his book, Rewire Your Heart: Replace Your Desire for Sin with Desire for God (Thomas Nelson, 2018). Check out the video here----https://bit.ly/2TWUgY6
July 15, 2024
Interested in what authentic sanctification looks like?
READ THIS…I’m 65 and have been walking with Jesus for 43 years. I gave my heart to Jesus in 1981 at 22. I’m an avid reader and serious about discipleship. This is one of the best books I’ve ever read! Proverbs 4:23 says, “ Guard your HEART, for out of it spring forth the issues of life.”
READ THIS…I’m 65 and have been walking with Jesus for 43 years. I gave my heart to Jesus in 1981 at 22. I’m an avid reader and serious about discipleship. This is one of the best books I’ve ever read! Proverbs 4:23 says, “ Guard your HEART, for out of it spring forth the issues of life.”
February 3, 2025
5 ⭐️
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I’ve been reading this book on and off the past couple of years. It’s crazy to flip back through this book and see the notes I made and just seeing my growth. This book is like a time capsule for me.
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This book was so well thought out and I’ll definitely be looking forward to more of his stuff :) definitely recommend this if you’re in the faith!
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I’ve been reading this book on and off the past couple of years. It’s crazy to flip back through this book and see the notes I made and just seeing my growth. This book is like a time capsule for me.
-
This book was so well thought out and I’ll definitely be looking forward to more of his stuff :) definitely recommend this if you’re in the faith!
October 9, 2025
This book had a good emphasis that we sin because we ultimately want to, and in order to have victory over sin, we need a new heart that wants to do right. I would recommend reading it for this message. However, there were some chapters in which the author could have thought through his ideas better so that he could state them more clearly.
July 16, 2021
Interesting
This was at times a bit confusing, but in the end, it all makes sense. Our hearts need to be focused and consumed by God. He should be tge object of our affection because of who He is and what He has done for us. It has helped.
This was at times a bit confusing, but in the end, it all makes sense. Our hearts need to be focused and consumed by God. He should be tge object of our affection because of who He is and what He has done for us. It has helped.
October 27, 2025
After months and months I finally finished this. Did I enjoy it? Hard to say. The first half was excellent, the second was repetitive and slow and lost me after chapter nine. Overall it was fine, I'll never recommend it to anyone, but three stars.
April 22, 2020
3.5 stars
May 1, 2020
Great book!
June 7, 2022
One of my favorite books this year. I went through it slowly and really sat with the text. I honestly don't think I will ever be the same. READ IT!
Read
October 21, 2022This book was helpful for me.
February 18, 2023
A MUST READ.
June 18, 2023
Wow… Such a powerful book. I will definitely read this again and again and again to make my heart remembers that it needs to be rewired.
December 19, 2023
Keep sanctification than worldly.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews