(October 08, 2025) Angeline Selvakumari shares solidly from many scriptures…

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

I trust and hope you are doing well by God’s grace. Some of us may not feel at our best right now, but reading this important article is an encouraging  step of faith. Remember— God is still in control. It is not over until He says it is over.

For the past few weeks, the phrase ‘Guard yourself’ has been constantly on my heart. I began to study and reflect on it, and I would like to share some of those thoughts with you.

The Bible teaches us to guard ourselves. To guard means to protect, to be alert, cautious, and aware of what is happening around us. Let us look at a few important areas where we must guard ourselves.

1. Guard Your Heart
‘Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life’ (Proverb 4:23NLT).

The Hebrew word for heart is leb which refers to the seat of our emotions, thoughts, and feelings. It is the place from which we think, reason, and make decisions. That is why the Bible emphasises guarding (natsar… protect, keep) the heart— because the condition of our heart shapes the direction of our entire life. 

Our heart defines who we are. It is the most complex organ of our being— difficult to understand, and often beyond our own grasp. This is why David prayed (Psalm 139:23-24) , ‘Search me, O Lord, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts’ because the heart can be complicated, deceptive, and indecisive. Only the Creator can truly search it, expose its hidden wickedness, and cleanse it.

God not only sees the sinfulness of our heart but also the pain and scars it carries. As David’s Psalm 26:2NLT declares: ‘Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.’ Our motives and actions do not always align. What seems right and pure to us may appear entirely different in God’s eyes, for ‘the Lord weighs the spirit.’

Scripture reminds us: ‘But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve’— (Jeremiah 17:10NLT). This is why we must be careful about what influences our heart.

The Bible further urges us to ‘Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life’ (Proverbs 4:23). Similarly, Proverbs 23:7NKJV teaches ‘As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.’

Dear children of God, be cautious and alert about what enters your heart— through social media, the books you read, the movies you watch, or the conversations you engage in with friends. Every influence matters because your heart ultimately shapes the direction of your life.

2. Guard Your Mouth
When we say mouth, the tongue is also included— and it is a powerful weapon.

‘The tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire… It can set your whole life on fire…’ (James 3:5-6NLT).

What comes out of our mouth can either build up or break down a person. That is why it is crucial to understand the power of our words.

Many times, we speak in anger and then excuse ourselves by saying, ‘I didn’t mean it.’ Too often, we take for granted the people we love the most— using them as an outlet for our anger, frustrations, and disappointments. Sadly, this often comes out as harsh and hurtful words.

How many times have we misdirected our anger toward someone powerless to fight back?

Proverbs 21:23NKJV advises us that ‘Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles’ The psalmist also prayed a beautiful prayer: ‘Set a guard, Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips’ (Psalm 141:3NKJV).

Let this be our prayer too. Let us be mindful of every word that comes from our mouths.

3. Guard Your Steps
Ecclesiastes 5:1 warns ‘Guard your steps.’

Every step we take shapes our destiny. Therefore, it is vital that we walk carefully— paying close attention to where we place our feet and the direction in which we are headed.

It’s important to remain alert about where we go and for what purpose we go. Too often we take our own strengths and weaknesses for granted, not realising that just one wrong step can lead us far from where God wants us to be! Sometimes, it may even take years to return, costing us precious time and robbing us of God’s blessings along the way.

Therefore, it is wise to submit our plans to God and align them with His will. As Proverbs 16:9NLT reminds us, ‘We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.’ Our God is the Alpha and the Omega— He knows the past, the present, and the future. He sees both our successes and our failures. When we entrust everything into His hands, we can rest assured that His plans are always good, for He loves us deeply. He gave His life for us, rose again, and now calls us to trust in His sovereignty.

Let this be our prayer: ‘Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me’ (Psalm 119:133). To all my young friends, I urge you— commit your ways to the Lord in your youth. You will never regret it.

4. Guard Your Ambition
There is a very thin line between ambition and greed. Ambition can be healthy, but greed is destructive. Jesus Himself warned, ‘Beware! Guard against every kind of greed’ (Luke 12:15aNLT).

Oxford Dictionary defines greed as ‘an excessive desire for more wealth, possessions, or power than a person needs, or a strong desire for more food or drink than is necessary.’ Notice the words excessive, strong desire, and more than what is necessary. These are what distinguish greed from ambition.

The Bible teaches us to be content, which is the very opposite of being greedy or constantly wanting more. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’ (Hebrews 13:5).

Our contentment is not based on having everything we desire right in front of us. Rather, it comes from knowing the God who holds the entire world and all its wealth in His hands. He has the power to control every situation and to work all things for our good. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us. He will never abandon us halfway, but will faithfully see us through— so we can trust Him completely.

If God did not spare His only Son but gave Him up to free us from the bondage of sin and curse, will He not also provide for every need in our lives? ‘He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all— how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?’ (Romans 8:32).

Dear brothers and sisters, take heart: God is Jehovah Jireh— our Provider. He is able to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory. Hold on to Him, trust Him, and He will bless you with His heavenly abundance.

One of the greatest dangers we must guard ourselves against is the love of money, ‘For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil’ (1Timothy 6:10). Scripture also reminds us, ‘Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income…’ (Ecclesiastes 5:10). A heart set on wealth will never be truly content.

Please understand— money itself is not the problem! We need money to live, to work hard, and to provide for our families. But when the pursuit of money comes at the cost of our spiritual life, our family, or our commitment to God’s kingdom, it becomes dangerous. If a job demands that you sacrifice time with God, neglect fellowship, or compromise your walk with Him, it’s time to prayerfully re-evaluate that job.

5. Guard Your Entrustments
The apostle Paul  advised Timothy to ‘… guard what has been entrusted to your care’ (1Timothy 6:20).

Think about the things God has entrusted to you! Be careful to protect them from outside influence. It could be your family, your work, your finances, your calling, your anointing, or your ministry— guard them with your life!

• Let’s not be like the servant who hid his one talent.
• God desires that we multiply what He has placed in our hands.
• Treasure what you have and use it faithfully.
• At the same time, it is important to pass on what God has entrusted to you.
• Scripture says: ‘Entrust to reliable men (people) who will also be qualified to teach others’ (2 Timothy 2:2).

Dear friends, we are called to teach others what God has done for us— our children, the next generation, and those around us. Leave behind a legacy that will continue to glorify Him.

6. Guard Your Focus
Many people begin well, but somewhere along the way they lose focus. Consistency is the key to finishing strong. Whether it is reading the Bible, praying, serving, or doing good deeds, faithfulness day by day matters.

Recently, I met a young man who told me he loves his walk with Christ but struggles to maintain balance. Some days he feels so close to God that he spends hours in His presence— reading the Bible, praying, worshiping, and listening to gospel songs and messages. Yet on other days, his mood is so low that he hardly wants to open the Bible or even think about it. He asked me how to handle this struggle.

Perhaps some of you feel the same way. I told that young man that this is a trap, and you must not remain in it. The only way out is through an intentional choice— to keep going, to stay faithful, and to press forward no matter how you feel.

Sometimes, you will need to act intentionally— because you feel like it, but because it is necessary. At times, it may seem as though we are only pretending, but in reality, we are practising. Consistency requires discipline, and discipline must be intentional; otherwise, we will miss the mark.

That is why the Bible teaches us that whatever we begin, we must also complete— because only then can we receive the reward for our efforts. ‘Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward’ (2John 1:8NLT).

May the Lord strengthen us to run the race faithfully. He will enable us to finish the work He has called us to, so that we may receive our reward when He returns with the sound of the trumpet!

7. Guard Your Vigilance
Finally, scripture teaches us to guard ourselves against those who resist the kingdom of God. Paul warns Timothy: ‘You too should be on your guard against him because he strongly opposed our message’ (2Timothy 4:15).

Often, because the Bible teaches us to love everyone and to be patient— ‘If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone’ (Romans 12:18)— we may end up tolerating, both in the church and in the community, those who undermine the unity of the body of Christ. Yet here, we see how Paul firmly admonishes anyone who works against the word and the work of God.

He is also teaching us to guard ourselves, to be watchful, and to remain vigilant against false teachings. In these last days, as the Bible has already warned us, many teachings are being presented to satisfy people’s minds and desires rather than to declare the truth. Preachers often avoid speaking the truth for fear of ‘offending’ their congregations. As a result, compromises are seen at every level.

I often marvel at the boldness of Peter when he declared, ‘We must obey God rather than human beings!’ (Acts 5:29). The question is:

• How many leaders and believers today are willing to make such a statement?
• Do we have the courage to stand against all odds?
• Can we boldly say, ‘I won’t accept this person or this decision because it is against God’s word’?

It is in this very context that God calls us to guard ourselves in these last days.

Dear friends, we have reflected on seven areas where the Bible instructs us to guard our lives. My prayer is that God will grant us the wisdom and the courage to protect ourselves and to stand firm on His word— for His coming is very near.

God bless you all!

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Pastor Angeline Selvakumari is Honorary Editor–in–Chief Echo of His Call, India’s Spiritual Newspaper, and newly appointed  Head and Chief Functionary of  EOHS offices. In furthering Echo of His Call ministries, established 1969, her father, Dr S Selva Raj broadcasts 5–minute YouTube messages in English, Tamil, Hindi and Telugu daily, trusting the Lord to provide for the costs. Link: sam@echoofhiscall.org  (Meaningful links: Dark Times- Dark Troublemaker/ Dr Michael Youssef’s in-depth new book Winning the Invisible War— LTW.org/ Berean’s Satan’s Subtleness/ https://connectingwithyou.net/2025/09/29/Does our Definition of Good Match God’s/)
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