Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Do you ever ask yourself why certain passages are written in this manner? We see first that the contrite and humble are connected together with spirit and then as He speaks to revival they are separated. First He revives the spirit of the humble and then revives the heart of contrition. Do you ask yourself why? Perhaps you come up with an idea as to why. Perhaps not. Do you ask the Lord why? I did.

Consider the first state or condition of the spirit and heart to be equal and alike. Both are dead and in need of being born again. Dead in our sins, we have exhausted every human effort to attain to righteousness, so we turn to God. We place our faith in Jesus Christ and we become a new creation. Now we are quickened in spirit and obtain a new heart, one after God.

The spirit and the heart are not the same. One is spirit, the other flesh. They both have access to the truth but only one is subject to infection, the heart. The spirit is subject only to the Holy Spirit, the heart, because it is flesh is subject to fleshly influences. The heart can be filled with Godly influences and constantly needs to be revived as it is spent. We sin and repent over and over again. Not so the spirit.

Hebrews 6 clearly states that it is impossible to renew one who has tasted of the Holy Spirit to renew itself by repentance, because the spirit is not subject to corruption, and needs not repent. But not so the heart which is influenced by the world in which it resides and has to subject itself to continued repentance.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.