Guarding Your Heart in a World of Endless Media
Learning to protect our hearts and minds by being mindful of the media we consume.
As a christian there are things we are called to be cognizant of. When it comes to the media we consume whether it be TV, streaming, YouTube, social media, books, or anything else we’re called to be mindful, careful even. In Matthew 6:22-23 it says “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” It also says in Proverbs 4:23 it says “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
When I got serious about my walk with the Lord I felt the conviction to cut out all secular music and I felt lead to watch things that wouldn’t lead me astray. This is something every believer may face during their walk with the Lord but everyone must make their own decision. Well, recently I found myself watching a series of videos on YouTube of a gal playing a game that promotes crime and violence and I found myself being sucked into it. Almost like It was becoming a mini addiction. The enemy does that. It wasn’t until that night when I felt a strong presence of a demonic spirit in my room while I was trying to fall asleep and after a dream I had later during the night that I realized that I had opened the door for these demonic spirits to enter into my room. Now, I have the authority in Jesus name to demand them to leave and they must leave, (James 4:7) but I shouldn’t have opened the door for them to enter in the first place.
1 Peter 5:8 says “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” This verse is so true and John 10:10 says “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The devil is looking for ways to enter into our spaces and to influence us in our every day walk with God. We must do our part in making sure we’re not opening doors for the enemy to freely prowl around in our lives through the media we consume on a daily basis.
For some of you reading this, you may already have a strong boundary in place with the media you consume and that is great! But there will be some of you who will feel the gentle tug of the Holy Spirit calling you to let go and lay down some of what you’ve been consuming. For some, it may be an overnight process. You know, rip the bandaid off, for me it certainly was. But for others it may take some time and that’s okay too. Everyone has a different story and a different path to take. But I encourage you to take the nudging seriously and make the changes in your life.