Guard Your Heart
I’ve been thinking somewhat about Chuck Pierce’s word that Holy Spirit is going to re-circuit the minds of individuals and nations. This is truly an amazing word (you can read it in this previous post). Let’s look today at how important this is.
“Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23, emphasis added). “Watch” is translated from natsar, also a Hebrew word for “watchman.” Yes, as important as it is to be watchmen for others, we are also told to be watchmen for our own hearts, guarding what we allow to enter. The word “heart” in this verse is the Hebrew word leb. Although this could mean the physical heart, it is used “figuratively for the feelings, the will and even the intellect.”(1) This would include the soul - the mind, will, and emotions. As doorkeepers of our own souls, we must determine what is allowed in, for what we allow in determines who we become.
Proverbs 23:7 gives tremendous insight to the concept of guarding or watching over what we allow into our hearts: “For as [a person] thinks within himself, so he is.” “Thinks” (shaar) is a very important and interesting word. In fact, it is truly a watchman word. It does not actually mean “think;” that was a derived, figurative meaning. It actually means “to split or open; to act as a gatekeeper.”(2) The verse is actually saying, “Whatever a person lets into his soul, so he or she will be.” In other words, we are who we are because of what is allowed into our minds, causing a particular way of thinking. Each of us is the product of what we allow to access our minds and hearts. The context of the verse, in keeping with this reasoning, tells us to be careful with whom we associate. We are, indeed watchmen for our own souls - our minds and emotions. It is critical that we act as gatekeepers or doorkeepers of our hearts.
We, as human beings, are not controlled by that which is true. We are controlled by what we believe to be true, whether it is or not. Deceptions, lies, and distorted perceptions can control us, even though untrue. These are what the Bible calls strongholds - prisons in the mind (see 2 Corinthians 10:4) built by distortions and deceptions.
Even latent beliefs, buried deep in our subconscious control us, whether true or not. An article in Reader’s Digest stated:
“When people who fear snakes are shown a picture of a snake, sensors on their skin will detect sweat, a sign of anxiety, even though the people say they do not feel fear. The sweat shows up even when a picture is presented so rapidly that the subject has no conscious awareness of seeing it.”(3)
Once a concept or philosophy has embedded itself into the deepest recesses of one’s mind and memory, the belief center, the mind considers it to be true and functions accordingly. Again, what is believed to be true there WILL control the person, whether it is true or not. Thus Proverbs says, “So he [or she] is” (Proverbs 23:7).
This is why Proverbs 4:23 says we must guard our souls, carefully controlling what is allowed to enter. And though we cannot control everything placed there, we can do much to watch over what does and does not have access.
Then there is the information that came into our souls before we came to know Christ. Most people have allowed much unbiblical information into their before becoming Christians. Some have allowed great amounts of perversion and unclean thinking to be embedded into them. Still others have experienced great trauma, rejection, or other emotional wounds. All of these things can be used to shape our thinking, causing certain thought patterns and actions.
A person isn’t born again long before discovering that the new birth did not erase all that had been previously programmed into the mind and emotions. We can certainly guard what comes into our souls in the future, but what of the strongholds, wrong ways of thinking, fears, and other destructive patterns already there?
We must attack them with what God says - His Word. As mentioned previously, “watch” in Proverbs 4:23 is natsar, one of the Old Testament words for a watchman. But the word also means “to lay siege.” The concept is that when laying siege to a city, they were “watching” it to make sure no supplies were able to enter. By the power of Holy Spirit, we can lay siege to our minds. “The weapons we fight with...have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4 NIV). Ask Holy Spirit to re-circuit your mind, causing it to become synchronized to God’s Word. Ask Him to pull out or pull down everything placed there that is not consistent with God’s will and plans. He is going to re-circuit us!
Pray with me:
Father, You told us You are re-circuiting the minds and hearts of people at this point in time. You are doing this with individuals, but also with groups of people. You said the church would begin to think the way You think. We ask for this. We ask for the spirit of wisdom and revelation to be given to us, in order that we might be re-circuited with Your circuitry.
For many, this will begin with deliverance from wounds caused by unpleasant experiences; others will be freed from strongholds caused by words spoken to them; and still others will be re-circuited regarding untrue things they have been taught. Do this, please. Do as You showed Chuck Pierce: pull out the old circuit and put in a new one.
Then cause us to think Your thoughts. We want to think the way You think and say what You say. We want to be Your voice in the earth, Your mouthpiece. We want to speak words of healing and faith. We want our mouths to release the sword of the Spirit, pulling down strongholds and everything that exalts itself against You. Do this in us, we pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Our decree:
We decree that when the re-circuiting is complete, the church will be more in sync with the thinking of Holy Spirit than ever before in history.
Portions of today’s post were taken from my book Watchman Prayer.
Click on the link below to watch the full video.
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Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, s.v. 3820.
Ibid., s.v. 8176.
Daniel Goleman, “What’s Your Emotional IQ?” Reader’s Digest, January 1996, p. 50.
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