Kimberly Thorpe Speaks

Guard Your Heart

In the book of Proverbs God speaks through Solomon in Proverbs 4:23 he says, "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

I want to talk about guarding your heart as it relates to the marital union.

As Christians we have heard the term guard you heart, guard your heart over and over in again, but in a practical sense what does that really mean.

It is obvious that married Christians are not really clear about what it means to guard our hearts or else the divorce rate would not be at 40 to 50%.

Examples of an unguarded heart:

1. One who gives someone other than his her spouse access to his or her hopes dreams and desires.
2. One who flirts with one he or she is attracted to.
3. One who allows an individule he/she is attracted to, to confide in him or her about their relationship woes. 
4. One who allows a friend of the opposite sex to build him or her up and looks forward to the compliments or becomes reliant on them.
5. One who goes out to drink and party specifically with single companions who are on the prowl.
6. One who is not in relationship with the Lord and able to hear him clearly when he or she is being tempted.

Many of us get in trouble when we leave our hearts unguarded, we are quick to say I can handle this situation then we end up falling into sin.

We live in a world where we clearly know and understand the importance of  guarding everything else but our heart.  There is no discussion around the need to guard our money, our home, or our possessions.  But when it comes to the heart, we just fail to give the guarding of our heart much thought. 

Familes are destroyed, homes are broken, unions are shattered simply because we do not give much thought to guarding our heart.  The truth is Provebs 4:23 is a commandment not a suggestion.  Everytime God gives us a commandment he also give us the provisions to accomplish what he has commanded.   We are all susceptible to falling prey to the enemy when we leave our heart unguarded. 

David in the bible was a man of great strength, he was a great leader and pinned in the bible as a man after God's own heart.  Even he fell prey to not guarding his heart and taking another man's wife into his bed and having her husband killed after impregnating her.   When David walked out on the balcony and saw that a woman was bathing, instead of looking upon her he should have run back into his palace guarding his heart from lusting after her. But instead he left his heart unguarded and he had to reap the consequences of his sin.

David suffered for not guarding his heart:

-God said I will raise up evil against you in your own house- (and you wonder why your household is out of order).

-God said I will take your wives and give them to your neighbors- (reaping and sowing is real now your spouse is cheating on you).

-Nathan told David that his child conceived in sin will die- (our children may not be physically dying but when we live a life before them with an unguarded heart our sinfully lifestyle is killing them spiritually).

Ezek 11:19b says, He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down and without walls.'

So you ask how do I guard my heart?

God has answered that:

• When thoughts that are not of God pop into your mind do 2 Cor 10:4-5 and cast them down. God has given us his word as a weapon to cast down thoughts of infidelity , lust, adultery, fornication.  Use the word of God to bring into captivity those thoughts to the obedience of Christ.
• Remain in a prayerful state. Be positioned to converse with God about any situation.  Sometimes we can become anxious and desire the things of the world.  So always be willing to seek God about the things of this world that tempt you and have the propensity to leave your heart unguarded. 

Phil 4:6-7 Do not be anxious for anything but in everything by prayer and supplication make your request be known unto God…..and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

In a more practical sense,

•  Stop allowing the opposite sex to whisper in your ear when your spouse is not around.
•  Don't put yourself in situations that you may be tempted to sin.
•  Don't look upon others with lust. 
• Put up clear boundaries that say I am married and committed to God and my spouse.
• Don't allow vile videos and pictures to penetrate your mind (block people who post them).
• Don't reach out to your past on social media.
• Don't respond to temptation in your inbox or DM