SUNDAY NIGHT WITH EKURWE
11 September 2022
Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” (NLT)
Since the fall of man in the garden of Eden, the devil has been studying only one object–the heart. He understood that it is the place that determines and influences everything else in a person’s life. Once your heart’s affection is directed, your life course is skewed in that direction. He battled for a man’s heart because he knew that life issues are manufactured there, and once he manages the process route, the direction of the person’s life will not be difficult to control. All-knowing God did not leave us in the dark about the significance of the heart and how to preserve it. The heart is a fragile place, and it is also the wellspring of life, and we are supposed to guard it to put out all schemes and tricks of the devil that will tempt us and gain entrance to it.
As much as God is ready and capable of shielding us from all the damaging onslaught of the devil, we have a role to play because we are created with a choice and right to choose the master we are to be loyal to.
First, get to know your own heart. Everybody has their blend of personality and temperament; the better we understand the strength and weaknesses of our personality and temperament, the better we can guard our hearts. We need to know our specific sinful desire and the areas we are vulnerable and easily prone to fall. For example, suppose it is covetousness, selfishness, envy, pride, bad temper, cruelty, sexual perversion and so on. In that case, we need to consider the particular sin that we find attractive and avoid avoidable opportunities that are commonly presented. We must identify our spiritual weakness and the likely spot we find standing for God and His command difficult. We need to learn when to either walk away or flee.
Let us look at the scenario recorded in the gospel of Luke. This situation seems disrespectful and discouraging, bringing out a personality trait that, under normal conditions, one may not know they are locked in the hearts of James and John. The issue of anger and insensitivity– if they were acknowledged and well recognized as their weakness, as soon as the provocation from the Samaritans came, they would be more careful and watch their reactions closely. “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them.” (Luke 9:51-55 NIV) The Lord rebukes them because they have a graceful spirit that is supposed to love the people opposed to them and constitute themselves as their enemies.
The Psalmist recognized his responsibility to keep himself in correct shape even though the help of God was available. The Grace of God does not remove our choices or responsibilities. “All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees. I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.” (Psalm 18:22-23 NIV)
We should make an effort to study our nature, get to know the kind of person we are really, and never try to justify or excuse any of the weaknesses we discover. When you know the weaknesses of your own heart, you are better equipped to avoid entering into temptation. The devil is ready to lead you to where he can take advantage of your weaknesses; he will never lure you to your area of strength but always to your weakest point.
Secondly, we should intentionally guard our weaknesses. Knowing your weaknesses is not enough; you must also know how temptation will take advantage of your weakness. Particular occasions, company, individuals, and places make temptation stronger. For example, if a person has a weakness in gossip, there are certain people and places you should try to avoid. In reality, no two persons will have to prevent exactly the same thing because we have varying points and issues of weakness. That is one reason why we must be careful not to judge other people’s liberty. While one person must go all out to avoid what gives temptation an advantage over him, that same thing may provide no seed of temptation in another person. One needs to know his particular ‘allergies’ that bring temptation and seek to avoid them.
It is not possible to avoid every occasion of temptation. If we are careful, we shall only plan to avoid all we can, and when duty brings us into an occasion of temptation–we must trust God to keep us.
Keep a date with us next Sunday.
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