One would be surprised that even in the humble profession of a Christian Counsellor or even as a Christian Psychologist, I still find myself entwined not just with political events but even with worldwide historical events. With all the hurricanes, the wars, rumors of wars, financial collapses and recessions, I remember a verse that can be useful for my meditations. Well, until I recently discovered how wrong I was with my prior interpretation of it. I am speaking of the famous phrase in The Bible: “Guard your hearts!”
Mind you, this article has nothing to do with fears and anxieties.
Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV)
Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard,
for out of it flow the springs of life.
Proverbs 4:23 (AMP)
At first glance, it is easy to misconceive the phrase “Guard your heart” as an instruction to stay strong and not to succumb to fear. I’ve heard preachers before interpreting this verse as: to not let the heart fail and give way to fears and anxieties. Some even preach that failing to guard the heart is connected to getting a heart attack because one allowed fear to creep in their soul. So, above all your guarding, guard your heart! They say.
I’ve always thought that it has been about standing strong against fear and so I attempted to include Proverbs 4:23 into “The Fear Not Challenge” (it’s a social media challenge I gave myself; aiming to find and share all the verses in The Bible that tells us not to be afraid).
In this exercise, I’ve always been weary of producing the wrong verse and so I’ve learnt to always check the verse in its main context. Guess what? I was surprised (or disappointed) to see that from the context of Proverbs 4 that Proverbs 4:23 has nothing to do with fear management. All along to “guard your heart” meant being vigilant on falling into the path of the wicked (context starting v14).
The instructional use of Proverbs 4:23 is about being more alert regarding the tricks and the traps of the enemy. In the previous article, I wrote about the Brutality of Life (LINK). It was all about how life can be cruel to the point that it destroys people. And so, in being vigilant about the enemy’s ways, I am starting of with one truth regarding the enemy:
The enemy, the devil, call it whichever you like: the world, evil, the wicked, seeks to destroy God’s people. This is the only way it can hurl something back to The Almighty God and “hurt Him”; and this is by hurting the ones God loves the most. Here is the devil ruling in this world doing what he does best. Make no mistake, this devil, this evil character is here to devour you (1 Peter 5:8). As such, there is no such thing as a smooth life for the believing Christian. We are all made targets for these devices.
I’ve always been a fan of the Screwtape Letters, but here I’m going to share my own categories of attacks by the enemy. Methods I have witnessed as a Christian myself and as a Christian Counsellor who seeks to help people out one by one.
I’ve more or less grouped these enemy devices into 3 categories:
1. Distractions and Vanities
The enemy will throw on us trivial things designed to make us run in circles thereby wasting time and energy to do anything else. Just the other day, when I was aiming to work on my next book and planning to upload more Christian Counselling videos in YouTube, I realized that my credit card was hacked and is being used by these imps to siphon out small amounts of money multiple times, every month. It took me an entire evening to dig out my past statements and sort things out. It’s not settled to this very day.
2. Lies and Threats
The enemy will throw at you lies and threats designed to wear you out through anxieties. This is one reason why most people stay away from the daily news. It’s full of doom and gloom reports where most of which we have no control of. Rumors of wars here and there affecting the economy, deadly virus being cooked up in a lab somewhere has escaped once again, etc.
Before I forget and be distracted by the enemy, I want to take this opportunity and space to pray for the victims and the survivors of hurricanes Helene and Milton in the U.S. May The Lord send them the supplies, the comfort, and the grace they need to conquer this disaster.
This is a time when the saying “ignorance is bliss” becomes true. Because the enemy which prowls around as a roaring lion will make sure that you quiver and react in fear. Why? Cause people in fear are less effective in doing God’s work. Why give to the poor when a recession is already at play?
3. Sin
The most subtle and yet the most prevalent one are the temptations thrown at us to commit myriads of sinful thoughts and acts. We live in a time when adultery is normalized, pornography is everywhere, drug use is even encouraged by some governments.
We are all created for a reason and all of us have a meaning, a purpose, a calling from our Creator; Who, even though infinite, never wastes a breath that comes out of Him (Isaiah 55:11). How much more for the calling of His highest creation? This truth delivers chills down the enemy’s spine as they clamor to make sure that we, children of The Most High, forget about our true nature by keeping us distracted, weary, or dead.
Have you ever asked yourself how the world will look like if it is ruled by the people of Jesus Christ? If true Christians are the ones controlling the world’s wealth and resources? There will be no wars, there will be no lack; orphanages and hospitals will flood in abundance as babies and children are cared for and protected. Adults will be living in peace, caring and ministering to one another. Oh how the devil hates these visions!
It’s time to attack and destroy these Christians. For love should not prevail.
The devil is here to spread more lies, to push more divisions, to create contentions. Remember how the serpent got Adam and Eve kicked out of the Garden? Remember how the devil pushed Cain to kill his brother Abel? That same lying tongue will convince you that your wife is against you, that your husband doesn’t care about you, your life will be happier if you divorce your husband…. and among everyone else, it was king Solomon who was aware of this saying: Guard your hearts!!!
Check what you’re doing right now and ask yourself, how is this sowing to God’s Kingdom? What on earth am I doing spending my hard earned money on vanities? Have I been distracted by the enemy?
Go for God’s calling. Go for God’s direction in your life. Guard your heart.
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