“Guard your heart with all diligence for out of it spring forth the issues of life.” ~PROVERBS 4:23

The Lord has been telling me during this season not to allow the enemy to steal my joy. On the cuffs of that admonition, He in His grace, also reminds me that He has also been telling me to “not be nervous but to be expectant.” In all of this, with the ringing of the divine message saying, “guard your heart”, what came to mind was the image and scripture regarding the full armor of God.

FULLY ARMED

Reading the scriptures about the Armor the Lord calls us to equip ourselves with is how although He has instructed us to be fully dressed in this armor, He doesn’t tell us to fight. In fact, what He instructs us to do is to stand!

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” ~EPHESIANS 6:13 (See Eph. 6:10-20)

The Lord wants us to be fully armed and equipped to guard what He has already given unto us because the enemy is trying to come in like a lion to see if he can steal it.

So with that being said, I want to encourage you as well, as we stand together, to just be on guard, be watchful, be expectant, and be at rest. Christ has already given us everything He’s promised. We are receiving the manifestations of His word in due season. It is our job to completely rest in faith in Him as His promises unfold.

HOW TO GUARD YOUR HEART

How do we guard our heart? We do so by recounting all the things the Lord has already done for us, all the words and promises He has made and has manifested even as we’ve waited on others. From here we are able to see with greater clarity:

• His love for us
• His faithfulness (PSALM 89: 33-34)

We are also made more joyful when we recount what He has done.

The Lord tells us to put on His full armor and Stand (EPHESIANS 6:10-20). What are we standing for fully armed? We are Standing GUARD!

• Guard His promise
• Guard your heart
• Guard your joy
• Guard your Hope
• Guard your expectation

DON’T REFUSE HIM WHO SPEAKS

“See that you do not refuse Him who speaks…” ~HEBERWS 12:25

The Lord has spoken to us through His Word and given us rhema words specific for our personal lives and circumstances. And yes, His word contradicts what we see in the physical, but this is why we walk by faith! and to fight the good fight of faith which is to stand (I TIM. 6:12).

Don’t let what you see or feel rob you of what you are assigned to guard. Don’t refuse Him Who has spoken, but cleve unto Him as if your very life depends upon it because in all truth it does.

Our faith determines the roads we take and pave. The lack of faith also determines the ways that we miss.

Guard your hearts, friends, and be expectant, not nervous. His word is certainly coming to pass! (ISA. 55:10-13).

 

-Candice Coates is an author, blogger, and contributor to Ambo TV.  This article originally appeared on her website www.icameforthesoup.com.