Surrender and responsibility – by these two qualities we can live a life of victory . . no matter our circumstances.  And no matter our present circumstances we can live a life of victory if we actively put into practice what God tells us to in the area of our minds.   But what about our heart – what can we do about it?  Because we ‘feel’ things and many of us . . many times . .’feel’ things very strongly.  If I ‘feel’ it strongly is there no truth to them? Aren’t my feelings important?  Do they not matter to God?

Scripture tells us to take our thoughts captive, but what does it say about our feelings . . or let’s say, my heart?  One of my favorite verses is from Proverbs, chapter 4, verse 23 – which says, “Watch over your heart with all diligence” or some versions say, “Above all else, guard your heart.”  Why above all other things that we could or should guard, why would the Lord tell us to guard our heart the most?

Let’s think about this for a moment – what is a guard?  A guard is someone assigned to protect or oversee.  Guards are typically placed to protect someone or something extremely important, correct?  The President of the United States has guards to protect him.   One may see guards at a bank protecting the vault that holds all the money or a jewelry store that may have some very valuable jewels.  If “it” is important or valuable, it is worth protecting with someone who will fight off anything that will try to steal or devalue that which is being protected.

So, imagine with me for a moment your heart . . . one of the most precious and valuable parts of you . . like it was a, say, vault.  Now, picture it without a guard; what would or could happen?  It stands unprotected from whatever would like to enter into it and take residency there.  Let’s say Annie Anger  or Ida Impatient comes a knockin, finds no one keeping watch over it and so she decides to go in and make herself at home.  Now, the rest of Proverbs 4, verse 23 tells us that – from the heart “flow the springs of life” or put another way, “for everything you do flows from it.”

If Annie or Ida are living in your unprotected or unguarded heart, what will flow out of you?  Anger?  Impatience?  Ah .  . . yep!  It probably will.

Now picture your heart with a guard standing by it . . . . a true guard whose trained well and has the strength of Samson and Annie Anger comes a calling.  The guard knows how precious this thing is that he/she is guarding – do you think Annie is going to get it?  I don’t think so! Why? Because this guard is going to fully interrogate Annie . . .’why are you here and are you willing to wait a while before you enter so I can ask you a few questions? What is your purpose for coming?  Do you plan to leave before sundown?   Is your presence going to increase or decrease the value of this vault that I have been assigned to oversee and protect?’  Well, the questions could go on and on . . . but does this sort of silly illustration help you to see what the Lord is trying to tell us?

If in everything we do, we want others to see Christ, then we must guard what enters into our hearts diligently because what lives in the heart will come out of the heart – through our words and our actions.  A life of victory has a heart that is watched diligently and meticulously.

How will you watch over your heart today?