Released Through Theresa Harvard Johnson, January 2012
Word of the Lord
This morning, Father said this to me: “Tell my chosen that it is urgent that they GUARD THEIR HEARTS.”
Proverbs 4:20-27 CJB says, “20 My son, pay attention to what I am saying; incline your ear to my words. 21 Don’t let them out of your sight, keep them deep in your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to their whole being. 23 Above everything else, guard your heart; for it is the source of life’s consequences. 24 Keep crooked speech out of your mouth, banish deceit from your lips. 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze on what lies in front of you. 26 Level the path for your feet, let all your ways be properly prepared; 27 then deviate neither right nor left; and keep your foot far from evil.”
Prophetic Insight
Evil is all around us. This morning as I had my quiet time with the Lord, He continued to remind me that, “WE ARE NOT TO LET OUR GUARD DOWN.”
In know way is the Lord saying be paranoid or enter into suspicion, but He is admonishing us to lead WISE LIVES. While many are declaring in this hour that our focus should be on the blessings before us, we should also be mindful that we are STILL preparing for the return of Jesus Christ. For those who are in THIS TYPE of preparation, we must allow Ruach Hakodesh to lead us into that place of blessing with our EYES WIDE OPEN.
There were three areas Father brought to my attention. This isn’t new to you, but I believe it is relevant to this season. These three areas of “GUARDING” include walking in a heightened place of:
- Seeking God concerning His will for every relationship in your life. This includes CURRENT relationships, those that are just budding and relationships on the way.
You see, there are people who are STILL in our lives that could be toxic. There are intimate relationships that are attempting to form in our lives that have the potential to break proper boundaries. There are those relationships that are COMING… that we must trust the Lord in either protecting or severing before they come our way. By using the term intimate, I am referring to any relationship that attempts to move us into covenant fellowship and brotherhood.
I have intensified my personal prayers in this area. Father showed me this morning that many of us IGNORE the toxic warnings as pastors, leaders and mentors when He begins to reveal them. As a result, many get sucked in by emotion and outward spirituality. It is imperative that GOD BUILDS the relationship. We should never TRY to “MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.”
This place of “guarding” is a place of wisdom saturated in the Holy patience of our Father. YOUR HEART is precious to the Lord. The scripture says that it is the VERY ENTRANCE of His Word… and if it is BREACHED, we are open to the onslaught of the enemy.
Father asked me this question. He said, “If there is anyone in your life Theresa that you think about or meditate on more than men… then you’ve placed an idol before me. You’ve let your GUARD down. Love me more…”
My constant prayer: “Father, I only desire the relationships in my life that YOU desire me to have. Let every INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP that I have give you glory. Father, I pray, that I make no man an idol and that you sever the relationship before a man makes an idol of me. Teach me to keep my eyes stayed on you. Teach me to GUARD my heart.”
The main area of attack that leaders in the body of Christ face is in the area of relationships. What happened to Jesus — the betrayal, the scattering of the disciples — will happen to us. Such is the Kingdom on earth. The only thing that matters is this: “Can we keep our eyes on our King, Yeshuah.”
- Guarding Your Mouth. Proverbs 21:23 CJB says, “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps himself out of trouble.”
In the midst of these relationships that come into our lives, we must be mindful of our speech. We must RELEASE Holy Spirit to help us “talk when necessary” and “be silent” when necessary. For me, this hasn’t always been easy. But I have LEARNED and I am still LEARNING that we should follow the pattern of our Lord and let our words be FEW, and our aswers be YES and AMEN.
Mike Murdock said this once: Saying the right thing at the wrong time, is STILL saying the wrong thing.
Matthew 12:36 CJB says this, “Moreover, I tell you this: on the Day of Judgment people will have to give account for every careless word they have spoken…”
Just in this New Year, we have seen some prominent leaders say some things that THEY CANNOT take back. It has gone into the ear of the people… and those leaders have paid a HIGH PRICE.
Our adversary is shrewd, and Father is REALLY PRESSING THIS FACT: “The people of God must stop giving the enemy GROUND & AMMUNITION. Guard your heart.”
Pray this prayer: “Ruach Hakodesh, teach me SELF-CONTROL. Humble me that I may speak in wisdom. Teach me the POWER of Holy silence.”
- Represent yourselves well. Read Ephesians 4 in its entirety. Then, meditate on Ephesians 4:30 CJB which says, “Don’t cause grief to God’s Ruach HaKodesh, for he has stamped you as his property until the day of final redemption.”
People of God, how you live behind closed doors and before the eyes of men matter. Nothing is hidden before the Lord. There is no excuse for ending up in scandal, dragging our families through the mud with us.
Father showed me that when we have RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM, He will keep us in RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with others. HE WILL teach us to bridle our mouths. HOLINESS AND SANCTIFICATION will be our passion… and even when we are accused, HE WILL KNOW that we have been accused falsely. He will rescue us…The adversary is YET ON THE PROWL, seeking whom he may devour. The Lord is calling US… to stand like Job when He comes — not just claiming him when we are going through. WE MUST KNOW that our hands are clean.
