Guard Your Heart With All Diligence
Study Text: Proverbs 4: 20 - 23
Introduction:
- The heart is the “master-control” of the life; a wrong heart always produces a wrong life. To allow sin into the heart is to pollute the entire life.
- We must be diligent to keep our hearts; because the condition of our heart will affect everything else in our life.
- It seems that life all around us is filled with reasons to be on our guard, and to protect ourselves from loss or damage. Out of all the areas in life that force us to take "security measures", the Bible presents our effort to protect our heart as the most important of all.
- We shall be discussing the topic under three subheadings:
1. The Message on Guarding the Heart
2. The Manner of Guarding the Heart
3. The Motive of Guarding the Heart
1. The Message on Guarding Your Heart:
- As believers we have a two-fold mission in guarding our hearts. We have to be careful of what we let in and out.
- Guarding our hearts is necessary because everything we do is a reflection of the condition of our hearts. We must take heed to the following ways to guard our hearts:
1. Be Committed to Fervent Prayers: Colossians 4:2.
- Praying everyday keeps us alert and on guard for the temptations that would draw our hearts away from God.
- Our prayers give us the strength to guard our hearts even in times of distress.
2. Grow in the Knowledge of His Will: Colossians 1:9.
- We guard our hearts with knowledge of God’s word and our response to it. 2 Peter 3:18
- Studying the Bible as a lifelong practice, will equip us with all the knowledge of the will of God necessary to guard our hearts and minds. The word of God is our greatest defense weapon for the heart.
3. Desire and Operate with Divine Wisdom: Proverbs 4:6.
- Wisdom is the application of knowledge that we have received from God’s word. Wisdom from the Bible protects us from the deceitful traps of our enemy.
- As we walk in wisdom, our hearts are trained to recognize the truth as different from lies, so that we will be able to avoid entanglements with sin.
4. Be in Control of your Mouth and Scrutinize your Words: Proverbs 4:24.
- Speaking only what is necessary and good for others to hear is a discipline for those who have grown up spiritually.
- When we learn to control our mouth, our hearts will be protected from the onslaught of regret over gossip, corrupt, slanderous, and exaggerating words.
- On the other hand, speaking words of truth and encouragement preserve the integrity of our hearts and builds up love for people in our hearts. Ephesians 4:29
5. Cultivate your Sense Organs as Instruments of Righteousness: Romans 6: 13
- With the prevalence of sensuality on the Internet, Radio, Television or billboard advertisements, there are many opportunities to stray with our sense organs.
- Making a covenant ahead of time to yield the members of our bodies as instruments of righteousness will guard our hearts from falling into sin.
6. Gain Victory over your Thought Life: 2 Corinthians 10: 3-6
- Many believers have fallen into the traps of sinful behaviours because of an unrestrained thought life.
- The careful meditation and reflection of God’s word can help guard our thoughts and keep us from falling into sin. Romans 12:2
7. Walk in the Spirit in all Conversations: Galatians 5:16
- We must always question our motivations before we do anything. We must walk in the Spirit, and be led to do everything as to God.
- Our actions reveal the truth about our hearts even when our words may say differently. Doing the right thing is an act of obedience that will keep us from many grievous consequences.
2. The Manner of Guarding the Heart
- We are encouraged to guard the heart not carelessly, but with all Diligence, with everything that it takes to ensure unfailing success.
- In our text passage, we can identified four principles of guarding our heart.
1. Recognize the Treasure
- To experience the fullness of our faith and partake of the blessings of God, we must recognize the treasure of the heart.
- The text identifies guarding your heart as more important than anything else.
- The Bible revealed that God does not evaluate people by outward appearance, but He looks at the heart (1Samuel 16:7).
2. Realize the Task
- Having identified the biblical mandate for us to recognize the treasure of the heart, we must realize the task of guarding our heart.
- Guarding your heart with all Diligence is more about feeding your soul than avoiding sin. When our heart is strong, we are able to resist the temptations that cause many saints to stumble.
3. Resist the Trash
- Guarding your heart includes seeking God, but we cannot ignore the instruction to resist the trash from our lives. Romans 12:2
- The verses that follow the command to guard our heart describe putting away perverse speech, looking straight ahead, and choosing good paths.
- These verses are similar to the New Testament challenge contained in Hebrews 12:1-2. Both of these passages reveal the need to remove some things from our lives so that we can run the race of faith.
4. Reinforce the Truth
- A fourth strategy for guarding your heart is to reinforce the truth. We need truth, and Jesus said the truth would set us free.
- Guarding your heart involves reinforcing your life with the transforming truth of God's love and His Word.
- Pay attention and listen closely because God's Word is alive. It is sharper than a two edged sword. Hebrews 4:12
3. The Motives of Guarding the Heart
- The guarded heart is the only kind of heart God can teach, tame, and trust. Consider why a guarded heart is such a necessity to our spiritual life.
1. To Possess a Justifiable Conscience
- We need to guard our hearts to ensure that we possess a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men. Acts 24:16
2. To Render an Acceptable Worship
- A guarded heart in the will of God is an un-compromised condition for an acceptable worship unto God. Matthew 15: 8 - 9
3. To Offer a Rewardable Service
- Our hearts must be approved of God before our services can be accepted and rewarded. Romans 12: 1 - 2
4. To Present a Commendable Sacrifice
- Whatever offerings or sacrifice of praise and worship we render to God cannot be commended by Him, until our hearts are right with Him. Hebrews 14:12
5. To Partake of an Enjoyable Fellowship
- It is only with a heart guarded in the will of God, can we truly enjoy Fellowship with God, and with the people of God. Hebrews 12: 22 - 24
Conclusion:
- Staying on guard has the responsibility of constantly pulling yourself in line with God’s word and in the direction of the Holy Spirit.
- Those who give into the cravings of the flesh may find themselves in places without any spiritual protection. We trust in the Lord to lead us down the right paths as we surrender and follow His will.
- God gives us the strength and courage to guard our hearts as we put our trust in Him.
