Guard your Heart

Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else guard your heart for out of the heart flows the wellspring of life.”

Why does the Bible tell us to guard our hearts?

When you read the first three words of this verse you can feel the intensity behind the fatherly charge, “Above all else.” Father God warns, admonishes and loudly proclaims to all of us we are to guard the heart.  We understand the value of the mechanical, blood-pumping organ in the left-center of the chest, but the unseen heart that sits at the core of every human being seems to be a treasure worth guarding above all else. If you are willing to guard something you place a very high value on it.

When you walk into a bank and see a policeman with a gun on his hip, you intuitively know why he is positioned in the bank.  You don’t feel alarmed or fearful. His presence there is communicating to anyone who desires to rob the riches of the bank; he is armed and ready for any intruder.  He has been purposefully placed there to guard the treasure in the vault.  As a matter of fact, you might even notice that the bank has spent significant resources in surveillance cameras at every entrance and exit.  The bank has taken every precaution to really guard and keep a vigilant watch over the treasure from all intruders.

For many years I had no idea that my heart was valuable, and I definitely was not convinced that it was worth guarding.  I was alive but I wasn’t living. John 10:10 says that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy.  He is a liar and the one who has attacked your heart with lies that destroy your mind, heart and your identity in Christ Jesus.  

Tip to guarding your heart:  The word of God is truth, life and liberty to those who trust in it.  Consider the truth in Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Your heart is worth guarding because it is the place where God lives but there are many intruders that would love to rob you of His grace and love.

A few intruders that we see frequently:

• Fear
• Pride
• Insecurity
• Jealousy
• Performance
• Low self-esteem

We get to take authority over who and what dwells in our hearts. What intruders do you need to kick out today? 

Pray this simple prayer: Father, today I thank you that my heart is your dwelling place. I’ve allowed intruders to make a place they don’t deserve, and they are no longer wanted. Fear, I no longer partner with you and send you to the feet of Jesus and Father I invite Your love and truth to dwell in that place. 

See how easily we removed the lie and welcomed the truth in its place. 

Ask God to reveal the intruders and help you identify the truth you need today.