One of the biggest lessons I’ve been learning this year is the necessity to actively guard my heart and mind. When you start to pay attention to all that has the potential to be input into our minds and the power of our thinking, it becomes quite clear the need to guard your mind and heart.
Today, I’m going to share how to guard your mind, bible verses about guarding your mind and heart, 13 practical ways to guard your mind daily, and provide encouragement from God’s Word that we can receive His perfect peace and walk in step with Him as we actively pursue guarding our hearts and minds.
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Guard Your Mind and Heart
Is it really necessary to guard your mind and heart with all diligence?
You know how quickly it is to go into a tailspin of thinking negative, doomsday thoughts, right? One minute you may be perfectly fine and then a single thought morphs into a massive mountain of fear and dread and before you know it, guarding your mind and heart is out the window!
So, why is it important to guard your heart and mind? What does the Bible say about guarding your thoughts?
The bible tells us in Proverbs 4:23 that above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Colossians 3:2 tells us to “set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.”
We’ll dive into more guard your mind scriptures below, but in these two verses alone we can see the clear directive that we must actively guard our mind and heart. What has become so clear to me this year especially is not just that we’re commanded to do this, but that it has to be a priority.
How do you guard your mind?
How do you guard your mind against worldly thinking? What does it mean to guard your mind? This year I’ve found myself questioning almost everything and the one question I go back to is, “is it true?”
Philippians 4:8 tells us, “Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”
Related: How to Think About Such Things
It can be challenging sifting through what “is true” of the world. With so many distorted agendas, biases, profit-driven motives, sometimes deciphering what is indeed true or factual can be downright hard!
God’s Word however is always true.
We will never have to question its authority, its legitimacy, or its purpose. This brings such great comfort because it is God’s Word that you can always rely on to help actively guard your mind and heart, along with His Spirit working within you.
Guarding your mind and heart takes intentionality.
We must be intentional in taking time to fill our mind with God’s Word and allowing God’s Spirit to transform our thinking. In addition, it requires filtering out any unwholesome shows, sites, social outlets, music, etc that completely counters our pursuit of God-honoring living.
This might seem obvious, but it’s shocking how influential these outlets can be especially when we’re not paying attention to their reach, influence, and impact. Sometimes asking the simple question, “Is this building me up in the Lord or not?” is all it takes to get our attention and see what we should be guarding our heart and mind against.
Practical Ways to Guard Your Mind and Heart
As faithful followers of Jesus, we’ve been given a brand new heart. We also seek to live in accordance with the Spirit and have our minds set on what the Spirit desires. We’re told this leads to life and peace (Romans 8:5-7).
So how can we be intentional in guarding our hearts and minds? What can we do daily to guard our mind from worldly thinking and remain in step with God’s Spirit? Below are some practical ways to daily guard your mind and heart:
1. Guard Your Heart and Mind – Consider the input.
Are you flooding your mind with things of this world or God’s Word? What can be adjusted to change the balance so that you are protecting your mind and heart? Are you setting your day up in God’s Word? Are you armoring yourself through His living Word by spending time with Him daily or are you allowing all forms of worldly input to dictate your emotions and invade your thoughts?
Related: How to Start Reading the Bible Daily
2. Guard Your Heart and Mind – Filter Information.
Is information filtered through truth? Where does it stand in relation to God’s Word? We’re guarding against lies and filtering only truth. It’s Truth that leads to life and peace.
3. Guard Your Heart and Mind – Dwell.
Are your thoughts dwelling on earthly thinking, or as Philippians 4:8 instructs on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy…”
4. Guard Your Heart and Mind – Recognize attacks.
Fear and anxiety are attacks to thwart you. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and a sound mind.
A spirit of fear has no place with God. I love the line in Natalie Grant’s song, “Your Great Name” that says, “Every fear, has no place, at the sound of Your great name. The enemy, he has to leave, at the sound of Your great name.”
The name of Jesus conquers all things! No attack is too great, no fear is too strong against the powerful name of Jesus.
5. Guard Your Heart and Mind – Prayer and Promises.
Remember the power of prayer and God’s promises. Philippians 4:6-7 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and mind as you live in Christ Jesus.
Amen!
6. Guard Your Heart and Mind – Fall on His grace.
Renewed hearts are what we are guarding and protecting. God’s grace abounds and His forgiveness is promised when we come to Him with a repentant heart. Meet God’s mercy in Psalm 51 and pray Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.
7. Guard Your Heart and Mind – Give thanks.
Thank the Lord that His Spirit works within you and that you are never left to yourself to navigate this life. Giving thanks shifts our thoughts beyond ourselves. Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
8. Guard Your Heart and Mind – Seek accountability and encouragement.
As a body of believers, we have brothers and sisters to walk this journey together. We each can offer encouragement, scriptures, and build each other up in the Lord, especially in times of struggle and doubt.
9. Guard Your Heart and Mind – Memorize scripture.
Saturate your mind with promises from God’s Word. Scriptures take root in our heart and God’s Spirit uses this to build an armory of protection when we’re faltering to rely on what we know is true. Consider these verses to memorize and hold on to:
- Psalm 18:1-2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
- Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
- Isaiah 43:1-2 Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.
- Ephesians 3:20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Related: Powerful Memory Verses To Learn
10. Guard Your Heart and Mind – Turn to praise.
Praise invites God’s presence and strengthens us as we pour our admiration to the Lord. It turns our hearts and minds from what is worldly to what is heavenly! Praise brings power and fiercely battles evil thoughts and attacks.
Psalm 63:3-4 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
Related: Prayers of Praise and the Power of Worship
11. Guard Your Heart and Mind – Armor Up.
Ephesians 6 tells us to put on the full armor of God. Why? So that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. (vs 11)
12. Guard Your Heart and Mind – Remember God’s faithfulness.
Pause to consider God’s faithfulness in your life, in the lives of those around you, as well as stories from the bible. The past of His faithfulness helps guard us today. Be reminded of His promise that He is always faithful, even when we falter.
13. Guard Your Heart and Mind – Take a day.
If the news or social media negatively influences your emotions, stirs anxiety, or causes stress, take one day off and instead replace that time with:
- God’s Word
- Praise and worship music
- Start a gratitude journal
- Color scriptures
- Read Follow Me by David Platt, or Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray or Tramp for the Lord by Corrie ten Boom.
Then let me know how that day goes!
Guard Your Mind Bible Verse
The following guard your mind scriptures show the importance of protecting your heart and mind. As followers of Jesus, we are daily being sanctified into being more like Christ. As our minds are being renewed, we must guard against resorting to old-thinking and shield against worldly attacks that aim to deter living in pursuit of God’s heart.
Proverbs 4:23
Proverbs 4:23 is one of the most referenced verses for guarding your heart and mind. It says:
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Colossians 3:1-2 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Guard Your Heart With All Diligence
It is certainly clear the importance and diligence it takes to guard our thoughts and heart. Sometimes we may take a passive approach until the waves of stress and chaos overwhelm us.
Take action today and diligently train to be proactive in guarding your mind and heart.
Recently, I was derailed and felt myself faltering. I could feel my thoughts wandering far off course and slowly creeping into a downward spiral that was kick-started by fear with worry close behind trying to sneak its way in.
The powerful words from Psalm 18:1-2 brought me back to my shelter and renewed my strength.
I love you, Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.
I was reminded of the fortress, rock, and shield that protects me. It’s the very same place of safety that protects you. It’s where our mind and heart are kept safe and secure by the Lord.
I believe that when we are convinced of our safety and security in the palm of God’s hand we find rest in the shield of His protection.
At times this protection is challenged by what takes place around us but nothing in this world, no matter how terrifying or challenging, can shake an unshakable God.
So with all diligence we must guard our mind and hearts and know that we can always find refuge in Him.
Guard Your Mind and Heart
When I think of God’s heart for us, His children, He’s always setting us up and instructing us for His perfect protection, security, and peace. Just as we instruct our children on the do’s and don’ts of life, it’s for their protection and safety that we fight to preserve. Any danger or anything that reaches us has all been filtered through God’s mighty hand.
This brings great comfort in considering the Father’s great love for us and anything that aims to threaten us. So take heart! As you guard your mind and heart, you’re burrowing into His unshakeable refuge and care!