"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life" (Prov 4:23, NLT) Yesterday we discussed that the three important things to do in order to win any battle are 1) know your enemy 2) know the battleground 3) formulate a winning strategy. The striking question remains: In the battle of life, where is the battleground? The answer to that question is both simple and straight forward. The battleground is our mind. So when we talk about mastering the battleground, we are definitely and invariably talking about understanding how your mind works and the areas through which the enemy may attack you. You have to understand that when the devil attacks you through your finances, your health, your job, etc; it is just a deflection tactics. The main thing he is after is your mind. So to win the battle, you must understand your mind - the battleground! .
The message of Prov 4:23 is one of the most critical messages in the Bible. In it, the Holy Spirit summarises the principle for becoming victorious in all battles of life. He says, "Guard your heart". Protect your heart. Don't allow the enemy to enter it. Don't allow evil thoughts, defeatist thoughts, poverty thoughts to enter your heart. According to the Goodnews Bible, "your life is shaped by your thoughts". The mind is the battleground for life's battles. If you must win, you must guard your mind with all dilligence. If the enemy is able to overcome or defeat you in your mind, then it doesn't matter what else you do, you will fail. Your life is shaped by what goes on in your mind. If you are victorious in your mind, you will be victorious anywhere else. The battle belongs to God, and for Him to fight for you you must give Him your mind. You mind must be firmly fixed on Him through faith. You must never allow any form of defeatist thinking to erode your mind. Guard your heart. You can't win, if you have already lost in your mind.