On Guard
We are wise to guard our lives- to protect ourselves from the strategies of the enemy. There are a number of things we should guard, or watch over.
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23 (New Living Translation, NLT)
The Bible tells us to guard our hearts; what we allow to flow in and out. What flows out of our hearts determines our lives. Let peace flow out to live in peace. The issues or forces of life are to flow out. We must set boundaries in our lives to protect our hearts- determining what gets in and what we keep out. By this, we protect our hearts and keep our hearts right with God.
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. II Corinthians 10:5 (New International Version, NIV)
We are to guard our thoughts, casting down wrong thoughts and thinking on right things. Our thoughts are to be thoughts of the Word- thoughts that are above the world’s system of thinking. Right thinking leads to right speaking, which leads to right actions. Thoughts determine what we’ll be and what we’ll do in life. We win or lose in life with thoughts.
The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. Proverbs 10:11 (KJV)
Words are something else we are to guard. When we guard our words we guard our lives. Words determine our joy, peace, health, quality of life, victory or defeat. The quality of our relationships is affected by what we say.
The steps of a [good and righteous] man are directed and established by the Lord, And He delights in his way [and blesses his path]. Psalm 37:23 (Amplified Bible, AMP)
We must guard our steps, being cautious about how we walk and who we walk with. Our walk speaks of our actions; our lifestyle. When we walk with God, our lives are godly. We must be on guard against running with the wrong people. When we allow God to order our steps, we end up in the right place doing the right things for the right reasons with the right people.
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (KJV)
Our finances is another thing we are to guard. To guard our finances, we tithe, give, save, invest, and avoid careless spending. We can believe God for our needs to be met rather than going into debt. Finances are necessary for doing the work of the Kingdom, so we need to use wisdom with money.
A dear friend will love you no matter what, and a family sticks together through all kinds of trouble. Proverbs 17:16 (The Passion Translation, TPT)
We must guard our relationships. We are to love those God has placed in our lives. As we love people, we show them we value them. If we gain money and fame but lose our families, we have lost much more than we gained. When we put others first, it lets them know they are important to us. Family is important and we must do all we can to love our families and guard against strife and division. Friends are also important, but many friendships are for specific seasons. We are to value our friends and guard against offense and unforgiveness. And if the Lord moves them out of our lives after the end of a season, we can bless them and allow them to move on to whatever God has for them.
There are many more things we could list- so many things to guard and watch over. Our lives are in His care and He will lead us to guard over the things that will ensure our lives head in the right direction. The Holy Spirit leads and guides us into all truth, and all we have to do is follow.
