Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life – Proverbs 4:19

The Bible uses the heart with the mind of man interchangeably. The mind which is the center of reason, is the springboard of all of man’s actions. The Bible speaks extensively about the heart owing to its importance. The emphasis in Proverbs wasn’t on life but the heart. This is because it is the state of a man’s heart that determines the direction of His life: ‘For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…’ (Proverbs 23:7). Victory and defeat are matters of the heart. Success and failure spring from the heart. The contents of our heart are determined by the things we decide to feed it with. Like the computer, what you garbage in, you garbage out. This is why it matters what we feed our hearts with. The heart of man is the greatest battleground of life. It is so deep and complex that God has to search the heart to determine its content: “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jeremiah 17:10). The Author of Proverbs also confirms this thus: “The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the inner depths of the heart” (Proverbs 20:27). Every man is a reflection of the content of his heart; however a man pretends, time shall reveal his true nature.

Every man is a reflection of the content of his heart; however a man pretends, time shall reveal his true nature.

The Heart: A vital Component of Worship

God relates with men from the heart. The heart of man is a center of attraction both to God and the Devil. Worship and allegiance spring from the heart. God does not relate with man from the external part of him but from the inwards – the heart. Even salvation begins from the heart – With the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:10). God told Prophet Samuel: “…for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. ” (1 Samuel 16:7b). God commanded the children of Israel to love the LORD their God with all their hearts, with all their souls and with all their strength (Deuteronomy 6:5). Because of the straying tendency of the heart of man, God requires complete allegiance from the heart of man – ‘all your heart’. God observed through the Prophet Isaiah that these people worship me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me (Isaiah 29:13). Christ also confirmed this Scripture in the book of Matthew 15:8-9.  The Author of Proverbs charged us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts (Proverbs 3:5). God’s emphasis in worship has always been ‘the heart’ and ‘all’. The heart is indeed the main object of worship. It is for this reason that God places a demand on the heart of man – “My son, give me your heart…” (Proverbs 23:26). This s why Satan’s target is the heart because when the heart is polluted or distracted, it loses its potential to worship the Almighty God. To maintain your allegiance and devotion to God, your heart must be properly guarded.

Because of the straying tendency of the heart of man, God requires complete allegiance from the heart of man – ‘all your heart’

Why Guard the Heart?

Satan operates and attacks a man from the heart, and God also walks with men based on the condition of their hearts. Of Judas it was written, “Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot…” (Luke 22:3). Satan’s operations through Judas’ heart from that point until his betrayal of Christ were evident. The account of Peter rebuking Christ when He told them of His passion also reveals the operation of Satan in the hearts of men. Jesus’ response to Peter indicates that Satan was operating through him at that moment: “Jesus turned around and said to Peter, “Get away from me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my way, because these thoughts of yours don’t come from God, but from human nature”” (Matthew 16:23, GNT) Concerning the matter of the heart, God said of King Abijam of Judah, “And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father” (1 Kings 15:3). Here, God weighed the lives of Abijam and David by the state of their hearts. Jesus said, “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things” (Matthew 12:35). Satan’s strategy is to seize the heart and, in turn, enslave the man. Jesus rightly said, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man” (Mark 7:21-23). This is a key reason to guard the heart. Man was naturally created to live from the inside out. Therefore, the life of every man is a true revelation of the content of his heart.

Satan’s strategy is to seize the heart and, in turn, enslave the man

How to Guard the Heart

Consistent Study and Meditation on the Word – This is a key that keeps the heart in check and shape. The Psalmist declared: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11). The word of God, hidden in the heart and not the head, is an antidote to sin and a purifier of the heart. The Psalmist also recommended meditation upon the word of God as a key to true productivity and prosperity (Psalm 1:2-3). Meditation is a practice of the heart. In leading the Israelites to the Promised Land, God also charged Joshua to meditate on the law as a key to a prosperous and successful life (Joshua 1:8). Jesus said to His disciples that they were cleansed by His words (John 15:3), and that sanctification of the heart happens by the word (John 17:17). This cleansing is indeed of the heart. One of the best investments we can make for our hearts is in the word. It pays in the long run. The word of God is the sword of the Spirit, which counters satanic thoughts and arguments. During His temptations in the wilderness, Christ firmly countered the tempter with the word (Matthew 3:1-10). 

One of the best investments we can make for our hearts is in the word

A Consistent Prayer Life: Prayer positions the heart towards God. It keeps the heart consistently dependent on God and shields it against harmful thoughts. Prayer is actually a matter of the heart – a heart-to-heart conversation with God. Hannah prayed in her heart, her words were not heard, but her prayer was answered (1 Samuel 1:13). In prayer, God answers beyond our words. Our thoughts and imaginations are also responded to by God: “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish indefinitely more than we can ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20, NLT). God responded to the thought of the woman with the issue of blood by healing her: ‘She thought within herself’ (Mark 5:28, NLT). This indicates that prayer springs from the heart. And when the heart is given to consistent prayer, its focus is enhanced, thereby hindering it from wandering. A prayerful heart does not condone sin; it repels it. Uncleanliness is alien to it. This is because, as we stay in prayer with God, we connect with His nature and are transformed to become like Him. His thoughts flow into ours, and our minds become like that of Christ. (Philippians 2:5).

As we stay in prayer with God, we connect with His nature and are transformed to become like Him

Consistent Praise, Worship, and Thanksgiving: Satan has various strategies by which he attacks, pollutes, and conquers the hearts of men. One of such strategies is complaining, grumbling, murmuring against God, ingratitude, and discontentment. The antidote to always keep the heart safe from this attack is praise and thanksgiving. An attitude of praise and thanksgiving creates an atmosphere and a buffer around the heart that makes it resistant to this assault of the enemy. Paul counseled the Philippian Christians: “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petition and praises shape your worries into prayer, letting God know your concern” (Philippians 4:6, MSG). Petition and praises shape worries into prayer. God speaks about giving His people a praising heart rather than a languid spirit or the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3 MSG). David, understanding the power of praise in keeping the heart in check, declared: “I will always thank the LORD; I will never stop praising Him” (Psalm 34:1, GNT). Little wonder that he was called a man after God’s heart. When we always praise and give thanks to God, we live beyond the limits posed by our human nature and the world, and live in the realm of all possibilities with God. It keeps the heart in a continuous ‘joyful mood’ which will give no room for the enemy to infiltrate. Praise and thanksgiving turn our attention from ourselves and help us continually fix our gaze on God. Are you going through difficulties, and the challenges of life seem to overwhelm you? Is the enemy beginning to suggest some ‘solutions’ in your heart to your predicaments? Switch into praise and thanksgiving, and lighten up your mood for victory because the joy of the Lord is your strength, which positions you for victory (Nehemiah 8:10).

Praise and thanksgiving turn our attention from ourselves and help us continually fix our gaze on God

Consistently Declare God’s Word with Your Mouth: Understanding the power of declaration, the Psalmist proclaimed: “I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God in Him will I trust”” (Psalm 91:2). When Satan begins to infiltrate your thoughts or pollute your heart with thoughts of limitations or impossibility, talk back at him from your heart through your mouth. Do not be quiet when the enemy is hurling dirty stuffs at you, making you to doubt God’s word – speak out! There’s nowhere this is truer than in the area of faith and fear. A key weapon against fear is speaking and affirming the word of God. Fear is of the heart, and if allowed, can manifest itself in various ways. Do not allow it to manifest its various disastrous facets; rather, counter it by declaring God’s counsel from your heart. The battle between David and Goliath was a war of words. As the giant uttered defaming words on David, he never gave room to it in his heart, but countered it with words of faith, which later delivered victory to God’s people. When we give attention to the enemy, he gains more ground to operate and overwhelm us. Give no place to the Devil (Ephesians 4:27). As you meditate on God’s Word, declare it over your life, and what you say continuously forms a shield in your heart against what is contrary. That is the power of affirmation!

As you meditate on God’s Word, declare it over your life, and what you say continuously forms a shield in your heart against what is contrary. That is the power of affirmation!

Be Mindful of What You Consume – The heart is like a collection center with gates that send contents into it. Two of such major gates into the heart are the eyes and the ears. Little wonder, Jesus told His disciples to “take heed what you hear…” (Mark 4:24a). Also speaking about the gate of the eyes, Christ said: “Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul” (Matthew 6:22, NLT). The MSG version reads thus: “Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light”. From the above Scriptures, we find these two main gates as being highly influential to the state of the heart, and eventually, who a person becomes. The biblical principle of what a man sows, he reaps is true by what we feed our hearts with. If you feed your heart with dirty and unclean content, this will frame your reality and determine the ultimate outcome of your life. On the other hand, when the heart is fed with healthy content through the ear or eye gate, this becomes the foundation for a fulfilled life. What do you feed your eyes with? What kind of movies do you watch? What kind of pictures do you see or what kind of books do you read? What kind of music do you listen to? These all shape your thought process and create your reality. Both God and the Devil utilize the things we consume to frame our lives. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart, will only produce good fruits. The opposite is also true (Matthew 12:35).

If you feed your heart with dirty and unclean content, this will frame your reality and determine the ultimate outcome of your life

A Final Word

Is your heart already conquered by the kind of things you’ve fed it with over the years? Are you already a captive to your thoughts and can’t help it? There is succor in Jesus. Your heart can be recovered for Him again if only you will heed the call: “My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways” (Proverbs 23:26). Are you ready to let Him have your heart? Then “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved” (Romans 10:9). Be blessed!