In March I had the opportunity to go on a short-term mission trip to Guatemala. I was with a group but hoped to get out and discover some things about the country on my own. I was disappointed to learn that would not happen. We were staying in a gated community and were not allowed to leave on our own. I was told, “Guatemala City is a dangerous place.”
It didn’t take long for that reality to sink in. Everywhere we went we had a police escort. On our first day at a public park I was amazed to see armed guards with shotguns every hundred yards or so patrolling the park.
I was told that thirty years before bandits roamed freely, robbing and kidnapping people. The security measures the government put into place worked, and crime is way down. But they have to be diligent.
Can you imagine armed guards with shotguns patrolling the park where you play with your kids or grandkids? The need for armed guards in quiet public parks seems unthinkable.
For many people something else that’s unthinkable is the thought of spiritual forces attacking your heart and mind to harm you. The scriptures say otherwise. We’re in a spiritual war with enemies looking for opportunities to attack Ephesians 4:26-27; Galatians 5:13. How do we know we are being attacked spiritually? How do we protect ourselves? Chapter Four of Proverbs gives this advice:
The word heart here refers to both your mind and your emotions. It is what you think and feel. We need to actively and intentionally protect our minds. Here are three key ways to watch or guard our hearts.
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