“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”-{Proverbs 4:23}
The heart is the command center of the life. Or like the Control tower in an airport, watching, guarding, guiding, instructing planes that are leaving the gate to those that take off the run way, to incoming planes landing and those heading to the gate. Imagine the busiest airports in the world and the amount of volume of planes that take off and land every few minutes. If there was not someone watching over them and safely guiding them there would be calamity on the run ways let alone in the sky’s where multitudes their safety into the hands of pilots who are dependent on their instruments and the control tower that oversees all flights. If there was no one in the tower then how foolish, dangerous would it be for planes to continue to fly! Would’t happen! Safety is at issue.
So with our heart, the safety,security of our heart is imperative and so we much watch over it, as the control tower watches over the comings and goings of planes, so we too much watch over the coming and goings of our thoughts, motivations, as thoughts influence our behavior.
It’s been said, “The heart of every problem is the heart,” and how true;
“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? “-{Jeremiah 17:9}
Jesus said,”“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.“-{Matt 23:25-28}. Externally they looked good but God knew the condition of their hearts. And He looks Internally!
“for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”-{1 Samuel 16:7}
“But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” Jeremiah’s Trust in the LORD ” – {Jer 17:10 nlt}
” Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”-{Heb 4:13}
Jesus said, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. “-{Luke 6:45} . What is stored up in our heart is revealed in our speech and what comes out depends on the condition of our heart.
The hypocrite, self-righteous we see from the above verses are interested in looking good, how they appear before others, “BUT God…” He looks internally to the heart, the mind, the thoughts and motivations, and there is no one or nothing hidden from Him who is all seeing, all knowing and whose judgment is impeccable, right and true always!
When we give our lives to the LORD, He gives us a new spiritual heart that is being changed by His Spirit using His Word to help us see things from His perspective and align our thinking up with His. We have the capacity to understand HIS Word, as the Holy Spirit, the Author lives within to explain and remind us and enable us to obey as we choose to submit to Him and it.{Eph 5:18}
But this does not mean we are never tempted for 1 Cor 10:13 shows us temptation is very real, the difference is now we have the power and motivation to resist it and not sin against the LORD in our temptation, “…for Jesus sake”- {Read 2 Cor 4:5; Phil 2;13; 2 Peter 1:3}
The supreme purpose of each and every hearts is “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”-{Luke 10:27}. Loving GOD with all of our heart is the goal and by the enabling and only by His enabling through the new birth and power of the Holy Spirit, guided and governed by His Word is this possible and a reality!
“GUARD”- {Natsar}. It means to “Guard, keep, observe, preserve, hide.” It was first used in Exodus 34:7 of God keeping His faithfulness, it is also used of children keeping their parents teaching {assuming it is in line with His Word}- “My son, observe {Natsar} the commandment of your father And do not forsake the teaching of your mother;”-{Prov 6:20}
The word refers to keeping things that have been entrusted to them such as His Word,”I understand more than the aged, Because I have observed {Natsar} Your precepts.“- {Psalm 119:100}. “Your testimonies are wonderful; Therefore my soul observes {Natsar} them.” -{Psalm 119:129}. “The arrogant have forged a lie against me;With all my heart I will observe {natsar} Your precepts.“-{Psalm 119;69}. The word was used of “guarding” a vineyard.-Isaiah 27:3… and also of guarding our SPEECH. “Keep {Natsar} your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking deceit. “-{Psalm 34:13}. “The one who guards{ Natsar} his mouth preserves his life;The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.“-{Prov 13:3}. The word is used of GOD. “O love the Lord, all you His godly ones! The Lord preserves the faithful And fully recompenses the proud doer. “-{Psalm 31:23} .
“The steadfast of mind You will keep {Natsar} in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.”-{Isaiah 26;3}. How wonderful God protects our mind when we trust Him!
To “GUARD,” means to watch, preserve, guard from dangers; guard with faithfulness; keep secret and close, blockade. The verb used here is related to a word describing a prison guard keeping watch over a prisoner in a cell (posting a guard, a guard-house, a guard post). God gives us a command “Guard.” We are each personally responsible to watch over, protect our heart, our thought life. To watch over, guard implies we watch and protect, like soldier on watch on top of a tower, citadel, watch and protect. For the soldier to be indifferent, failing to gibe attention to the command of his or superior, could lead to disaster. We are to be vigilant keeping an eye out for our hearts. In some translations it reads, “Watch your Mind…” Guard your speech.
People guard what they value. Banks guard money, valuables for people who have entrusted into their safe keeping, trusting they vigilantly guard, protect their valuables!
And so we must Guard, protect our heart’s, but How?
We must DISCIPLINE, Train our Mind’s to THINK right, that is, in accordance with His Revealed Word!
1.PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY –
Ultimately, no one but you, is responsible for you guarding your heart. Sure, those in authority, elders are as Paul said, “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”-{Acts 20;28}. They are to be on guard for their own lives and that of others. But you are responsible for what is in your heart as no one but you and God can see that, your thought life.
2. MOTIVATION–
Who we are keeping, guarding it for? Yes for my own welfare but ultimately why am I doing it? ” …For Jesus sake”-{2 Cor 4:5}. Paul lived by faith in the Son of God. What Motivated him to trust Him? “The Son of God loved me” and how did He know this? “He gave Himself up for me“- The Cross. And so his Motivation to live trusting Him was the…Love of Christ. His love was personal “…who loved me..” “…the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”-{Gal 2:20},
Paul shared about the LORD Jesus. What Motivated him to share and tell others about Jesus? Was it some assignment they had on for a week, or a short missions trip and its kind of the expected thing you do? He gives the answer, his motivation,”For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.“-{2 Cor 5:14-15} What motivated him to share? “The LOVE of CHRIST controls us” or “constrains us.” Love was his motivation to do what he did.
The Love of Christ Motivated him to Trust Him.
The Love of Christ Motivated him to Tell others about him.
What Motivates us to guard our heart ultimately His love- “We love because he first loved us.”-{1 John 4;19} His love for us demonstrated on the cross motivates us to love Him…
3. SCRIPTURE;
“Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly,…”-{Col 3:16}. “Whatever things are TRUE… dwell on these things.”-{Phil 4:8}. “But his delight is in the law of the Lord,And in His law he meditates day and night. “-{Psalm 1:2}. As God’s Word fills our thinking and as we submit to it our mind’s are renewed and we gain insight from His Word on how to live, ” From Your precepts I get understanding;Therefore I hate every false way. “-{Psalm 119:104}.
One reason we hide His Word IN our hearts, “Your word I have treasured in my heart,That I may not sin against You.“- {Psalm 119:11}. One reason is so we do not sin against Him. And how will we know if we do not have His Word in us to show us!
Another reason is so that we may express love to Him.”Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me.”- {John 14:21}. We do not obey that He might love us but because we are loved by Him we obey out of love for Him, empowered by His Spirit as we yield to Him and His Word to do so!
“How shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed and keeping watch [on himself] according to Your word [conforming his life to it].”-{Psalm 119;9- Amplified} His WORD Is the Filter for our conscience and mind and we gain insight and as we hear and obey His Word we shall keep pure in our thinking. t does not mean we are not tempted but with the temptation we have His Word to show us how to counteract it. When tempted in the wilderness by satan Jesus responded “it is written, it is written, it is written”-{Matthew 4}. His weapon in temptation was the authority of God’s Word!
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”- {2 Cor 10:5}.
” I will study Your commandments
and reflect on your ways.
I will delight in Your decrees
and not forget Your word.“-{Psalm 119:15-16 NLT}
4. PRAYER
“Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” -{Matthew 26:41}.”Keep watching” {present imperative} is a command to be continuously alert, staying awake spiritually, don’t fall asleep or dose off!watching out, looking out for dangers, to impurities not necessarily sexual but anything that would tempt you to sin.”Praying”- {present imperative} meaning keep on praying as the habit of your lifestyle! So as not to allow those things that would pollute your mind, heart. Be Vigilant. How? Through Watching and Praying.
“Pray like this…And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. “-{Matt 6:19,3 NLT}. We are to pray that we do not allow temptation to conquer us by submitting to it. It is a prayer to Him to deliver us from the evil that is set before us.
This is a prayer of faith not in self reliance which is a sure way of falling, saying”That could never happen to me.” “If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.”-{1 Cor 10:12}. Pride goes before a fall. It is a good thing to have a healthy distrust of yourself, but don’t stop there but cling to Jesus by faith in His Faithfulness, and reveled Word. It is good to have a realization of your own frailty, this is a prayer of dependence upon the LORD to do what He alone can do!”Don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” For the reality is, we are to “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. “-{1 Peter 5:8}.
We are continually in a battle of temptation, to obey or disobey, to trust Him or trust self. To Give Honor To Him or to self or something else. To be loyal or disloyal, to be Truthful or Dishonest… the temptations are constant and we must take personal responsibility to guard, protect, keep safe our heart, mind, because like the airport tower that governs and guides all flights, what controls our mind, heart will control our thinking, attitudes, motivations, desires, delights and choices. And we must be vigilant to guard, protect our mind, heart against anything that would distract, or dampen our love, devotion for the LORD Jesus Christ.
5. GODLY COMPANIONSHIP’S
“Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.”-{2 Timothy 2:22 nlt}
“Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”-{1 Cor 15:33}. Don’t think this won’t happen, bad character’s have an influence, you begin to listen, take in their value system and can be lead astray Just as Barnabas was by Peter’s hypocrisy.-{Read Gal 2:13}
“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers. “-Psalm 1;1-3}.
The lost have their counsel, that influences them and where they get their direction, value system from, they have their paths that they follow and they are scoffers, scoffing, mocking the things of God, God Himself and the Word of God and His people!
But, know this, that Godly companions, can have Godly influence on your life. Pick your friends wisely. Make Godly choices. While seeking to have a Godly companion or friendships, be a Godly influence in your sphere of friends as is written,”But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” -{Heb 3:13}
“…for everything you do flows from it.”-{ Proverbs 4:23}.
What is in the heart comes out. Guard, protect it with all diligence from potential dangers that seek to infiltrate so as to inwardly if not also externally sin against the LORD. Water that is polluted when placed in a cup is still polluted, like one drop of poison in a cup of clear, good water, poison’s it all so sin poison’s our heart, darkened our understanding and corrupting our motives and deeds. So we guard our mind, what we allow it to continually think on, and as Paul said “whatever is True…let your mind DWELL ON THESE THINGS” -{Phil 4:8}. Jesus is True; “I AM… The TRUTH.” His Word is true, “…Sanctify them according to Your Word, Your Word is TRUTH.” -{ John 17:17}, Think on the truth concerning Him and His Word reveals what He is like and His will, and His Word is truth, and we know that truth sets us free from wrong concepts,”…So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.“-{John 8:31-32}.
THE SHIELD OF FAITH.
And you can live this way, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” -{1 John 5:14}. You are in the place of Victory “In Christ.” We overcome by faith in Him and what He says in His Word. It does not mean it is plain sailing that we are unopposed by an evil one who is openly opposed and hostile towards God’s creation both saved and unsaved. But God has given us “everything pertaining to life and Godliness.”-{2 Peter 1:3}.
We can take up “the shield of faith.” The “shield” was used the Roman soldiers and was called a “scutum.” The shield was not some small round shield that basically covered around the arm but was the size of a door that protected the whole body. When fighting the soldiers often linked up side by side to protect them, to form an enclosure around themselves, this was called a “testudo” {tortoise}. This helped them against arrows that were fired at them from above from the walls of the cities they were attacking. Shields were often made of wood and covered in hide, when they were wet were able to put out the flaming arrows. They were not only defensive but could be used as offensive in the ability to push back their opponents and was imperative and so important in the armor of the soldier.
Paul in Ephesians 6:10-16 says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”
Clearly, a shield is vitally important to a soldier. It provides a blanket of protection. It is meant to be taken up in all circumstances. In our battle God has provided for us “the shield of faith.” Faith, is believing God! Taking God at His Word. The “fiery arrows” that the evil one shoots to the mind are temptations to trust Him and distrust God as he tempted Eve and as he did with Jesus in Matthew 4. Faith in Him, faith in His Word and in it, we see how we may “Guard our heart.” Paul gives his readers the picture of a soldier, not for a photo -op but ready for what? Battle.War! And he painted the picture of what each part of the soldiers armor is used for and to fight the evil thoughts we can use the shield of faith, His Word as Jesus did in Matthew 4 when the evil one attacked him, and tried to misuse Scripture to seek ultimately for Jesus to act independent of the Father, and disobey Him by falling down and worshiping satan!
These are FIVE Practical WAYS on how To Guard You HEART
Remember at all times, you are Personally responsible for your own thought life and heart..
- Responsibility– Take personal responsibility for your own heart
- Motivation– Know who you are doing it for- For His sake, ultimately
- Scriptures – are the spiritual strength for the building up of our faith and our resistance
- Prayer– An awareness and distrust of self and a trust of dependence upon Him. Depending on the Holy Spirit as you yield to Him to empower you.
- Godly Friendships- To encourage you in your walk of faith, and you, others.
Memorize Prov 4:23; Meditate upon it. Perhaps put on your bathroom mirror for a month and as you brush your teeth think on each word for word, phrase for phrase and before you know it you will have memorized it and throughout the day when you have free time bring your mind back to it and apply it to your thought life, temptations, choices. Pray it for your self and others and share it with others to encourages them, you be a Godly influence, friend to them.