Journey of the Heart ~♥~

Few of us have made it through life without dealing with controlling people. They're your boss, spouse, parent, child. They make life difficult and crush the weak. Always demanding their selfish desires be met. Sometimes their goals are altruistic but their motivation is from the flesh or a controlling spirit. Even though some people are perceived to be more controlling than others, the truth is, we all can be controlling at some time or in some situations. It is a battle we all must learn to overcome.

I have read many books on controlling people. There was a time in the church when many were trying to cast out a "controlling/Jezebel spirit." The problem is, they are all focused on symptoms and behaviors. I have heard it said, "there is nothing you can do about the controlling spirit in the church." Yes, it is everywhere. I believe no one has found a solution because they approached it as a behavioral problem or a spiritual problem. Not that those issues don't need to be dealt with, but we must begin at the root of the problem...the heart.

The heart is the center most part of our being, our innermost thoughts and feelings. It controls our personality, emotions, behaviors, and attitudes. Proverbs 4:23 says, everything you do flows from your heart. The Lord searches our hearts night and day. What will He find there? A heart surrendered to God and the call of the Holy Spirit or a heart divided...tangled up in the the things of this world and the desires of the flesh.

The heart determines the path we will follow. A heart surrendered will follow the narrow path. A heart consumed with self and evil intentions will follow the broad road. A heart divided will follow the broken road. That is the road I have found myself on many times. I know I am not alone.

Whenever we become self absorbed, we open ourselves to the wrong spirit, which only leads to destruction. Praise God...we have a savior who died for our sins! We have a Heavenly Father who waits with open arms for the prodigal son to return home. No matter how many times we fall He is there to pick us up and make us whole again!
"The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

The unguarded heart has big flashing signs "open doors...come on down" and that is exactly what the enemy will do when you do not understand how imperative it is to keep your heart guarded. Proverbs 4:23 says "Above all else" nothing you do is more important than guarding your heart because everything you do flows from your heart. The heart is the center most part of our being, our innermost thoughts and feelings. It controls our personality, emotions, behaviors, and attitudes. Now the most important question is...

Who is controlling your heart?

A guarded heart is under the control of God, submitted to Christ, surrendered to the will of the Holy Spirit. Always being vigilant, always aware, ready to push back and destroy the enemy whenever he approaches. For me, I understood the need, had the desired, but was clueless about the process. Picturing myself as a guard made about as much sense as picturing myself in metal armor clamoring around going to shoo the devil away. Analogies are good for the enlightened, but can leave simple folk, such as myself, scratching their heads.

Simply put, guarding your heart is about discipline. Yep, anyone who has ever tried to loose weight knows how difficult that can be in the flesh. Here's the good news...we are not in this alone. I for one am not capable of prolonged acts of discipline. So, it is really about surrender. Surrendered to God, to say, "I can't do this alone, Jesus Take the Wheel, help me have the discipline to guard my heart. Help me to be disciplined enough to take every action, thought, and word captive so that it is pleasing to You."

I have made more mistakes than I care to remember. I personally must remain in prayer to guard my heart against romantic feelings. Not only for myself, but for others. I know the schemes of the enemy... "been there bought the t-shirt"...and really have a heart for the lonely. Especially when you are recovering from a divorce. Your heart is torn into and the unhealed heart is desperate to be made whole... looking for someone to fill the void.

I have learned it is easy to get distracted and caught up longing for something outside of God's plans...even if you believe it is God's plan. If God has a spouse for you, He will speak to the other person as well...if not...I am sorry you have been deceived. If you are married God is not going to bring someone else in your life, even if they are more "spiritual." These are all schemes of the enemy. Nip it, the first thought of what if, I want, or we could really do something for The Lord together.

It is our responsibility to not only take control of our actions, but our thought life. If you can't... pray. If you still can't... that is why we need the body. Other believers holding us up, standing in the gap, when the enemy has taken control of an unguarded heart. When the enemy takes control of an unguarded heart it becomes a source of defilement. You should not be too proud or embarrassed to ask for help. Whether it is controlling your thoughts, habits or your TONGUE!

"He [Jesus] went on: 'What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.'” Mark 7:20-23

Many people think guarding their heart means keeping people away and putting walls around yourself so no one can get in. They build walls and put up barricades thinking, if I don't let anyone close, I am not going to get hurt. It only serves to distance yourself from God and people, because before long that wall is going to turn into a hard heart. It is also the lazy way out. They put up walls dust of their hands and think that's that. Unfortunately, the enemy knows you are not paying attention and sends in his minions to crawl right over that wall and attack.

A guard is someone who stands on watch keeping an eye out ready to take action whenever the enemy approaches. It is a defensive position of one assigned to protect. That is what it means to guard your heart. Always being vigilant, always aware, ready to push back and destroy the enemy whenever he approaches. They also yield and open the gates for their Lord and comrades. Then they are back keeping watch. Keeping watch to protect from all the little things that can keep us distracted and big things that can destroy your heart.

The enemy can approach in various ways. Little ways by keeping us busy, entertaining things that undermined your faith, situations and people. The guard stands vigilant not to let the enemy in and ready to push back the arrows that try to kill and maim. The enemy sends arrows of anger, pride, worthlessness, lust, strife, control, greed, impatience...and anything contrary to the Love of God. If you are not vigilant these things will begin to manifest in your life.

I have learned nothing can get to your heart like romantic feelings. After all it is "love"...what could be wrong with "love"...we are called to "love"...right? We are called to Agape love, but so many people do not understand the difference. Preston has many blogs on the subject. Still... reading, understanding, and applying is a process. We are wired to desire a mate. We are bombarded with romance and Fairy Tales. The enemy barely has to wink to get our feelings, mind, and spirit confused.

I thought "love" makes the world go round and to be loving was to open your heart to everyone. Wrong! The guard opens the gate for their Lord and comrades...not the enemy! We open our heart to receive the salvation of Jesus Christ, to find comfort in the arms of The Father, to grow in the presence and knowledge from the Holy Spirit. We open our hearts with Agape love in fellowship with believers and binding the wounds of the injured we met along our path. We do not open our hearts to people, situations, or THOUGHTS that will divert our path or damage our heart.

The enemy knows if he can get to your heart he can keep you from the fullness of a relationship with Christ and the body. Are you guarding your heart? It took me years to understand. Not only was there no guard on my heart. I had big flashing signs "open doors...come on down." That is something I have learned the hard way, by not keeping watch... not understanding how to keep watch or how to guard my heart. It is a process I am continually learning.

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it" Proverbs 4:23.