“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

THIS IS NECESSARY FOR AT LEAST THREE REASONS:

1. Hearts are extremely Valuable. We don’t guard worthless things. I put my garbage out at the end of our driveway on Wednesday nights. On Thursday morning it is picked up and hauled away. It doesn’t have to be guarded. Why? Because it is worthless.

Not so with your heart. It is what defines who you are. It is your authentic self—the core of your being. It is where all your dreams, your desires, and your passions live. It is that part of you that connects with God and other people.

Just like your physical body, if your heart—your spiritual heart—dies, your godly leadership and influence dies. This is why Solomon says, “Above all else.” He doesn’t say, “If you get around to it” or “It would be nice if.” No, he says, make it your top priority.

2. Hearts are the source of everything you do. King Solomon says it is the “wellspring of life.” In other words, it is the source of everything else in your life. Your heart overflows into thoughts, words, and actions.

In Georgia where I (David Mitchell) grew up, there are natural springs everywhere. Natural springs are where water flows to the surface of the earth from deep under the ground. It then accumulates in pools or runs off into creeks and streams.

As a matter of fact, down in our pasture there is a natural spring that feeds the creek. Our animals all drink the water from the creek. One day I decided to drink from the creek. The water was wet, cold and tasted a little funny. But hey, it is all natural and nature can taste a little “funny”. As I was walking a little father up the creek to the spring, I noticed lying there where the spring comes out of the ground was the carcass of a dead cow. Not only was it lying in the water, but the water was running right through it. No wonder my water tasted a little “funny”.

If you poison the water, the flow becomes toxic. If you plug up the spring, you stop the flow of water. In either situation, you threaten life downstream. Everything depends on the condition of the spring.

Likewise, if your heart is unhealthy, it has an impact on everything else. It threatens your family, your friends, your ministry, your career, and indeed, your legacy. It must be guarded as a top priority.

3. Hearts are under constant attack. The implication of Proverbs 4:23 is you are living in a combat zone—one in which there are casualties.

Many of us are oblivious to the attacks that are waged for our hearts. The evil one is opposed to God and anyone who belongs to God. Satan doesn’t want us to love and serve God with all of our hearts, so he is trying to kill, steal and destroy.

Satan uses all kinds of weapons to attack our heart. These attacks often come in the form of circumstance that leads to disappointment, discouragement, or even disillusionment. In these situations, the temptation is to quit—to walk off the field and surrender.

We must guard our hearts and continue to have that same passion as Peter had for Jesus as Pastor Steve taught Sunday. We will all have times of doubt and failure, but we must guard our heart and not let satan diminish our love and desire for the things of God. If we lose heart, we have lost everything.

WHAT TO DO:

Heed the warning:

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 ESV

Spend some time in prayer asking God to show you where your heart is most vulnerable.

What areas in your life can you think of where satan is trying to interrupt Gods work?

List the areas that have potential to cause you to stumble.

Claim the promise:

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Rom. 8:37

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4 ESV

Spend some time in prayer with God asking Him to give you the strength to overcome and thank Him for His promised help. The greatest way to guard your heart is to spend time with it’s maker.