Proverbs 4:23 says “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”  What does it mean to guard your heart according to the bible? The heart is a powerful thing and what is inside our hearts is what controls our desires, our attitudes and our outlook in life. So how we guard what is inside our hearts is essential to our life as Christians in this world. If we can guard our heart from the external factors that influence it, then we can walk in the ways of God and not according to the desires of our hearts.

Mark 7:21-22 says ” 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.” The heart of all mankind has a tendency to sin. This is our sinful nature and we constantly struggle with what goes on in our hearts as Christians. Paul said in Romans 7:23 says “But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.” As Chrstians we are always at war with what is in our mind and what is in our mind comes from what is deep within our hearts.

So what is the solution to make sure that our hearts are guarded and protected from our own sinful nature? The answer is the peace of God. Philippians 4:7 says “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  The peeace of God comes from knowing Jesus Christ and trusting that that no matter what happens in our lives we can still have joy when we know that our Joy lies in knowing Jesus Christ and  having a relationship with him and not in our circumstances. If we have the peace of God in our lives then even if we battle with the sinful desires in our heart. The spirit of God will be in the midst of the battles in our hearts telling us the right thing to do. It is up to us to interpret when the spirit of God is guiding us to make sure we pick the right thoughts in our minds . By doing this regularly we will be able to guard our hearts from sin and other evil thoughts.