How to Protect Your Spirit

Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Having a good spirit is critical to living a victorious Christian life. You will not live the victorious Christian life when your spirit is defeated. Therefore, you must do everything in your power to protect your spirit so that the peace of God reigns in your life. In Philippians 4, God shows us how to protect our spirit so that we can have a spirit that has the peace of God ruling in it. Let me share what this chapter reveals about how to protect your spirit.

First, protect your spirit by being a rejoicing Christian. Verse 4 says, Rejoice in the Lord alway. You will only rejoice if you purposely think about the things to rejoice about. You cannot be a rejoicing Christian when you don't have control of your mind. The rejoicing Christian controls their thought life and chooses to rejoice in everything God has placed in their life. To protect your spirit, you must get control of your thought life and choose to rejoice in all things that God has allowed to be placed in your life.

Second, protect your spirit by being a praying Christian. Prayer is where you find the peace of God in your life. Having a consistent prayer life is a great way to put a shield around your spirit so that worldly influences cannot damage or destroy it. Start your day by praying, and you begin your day protecting your spirit.

Third, protect your spirit by thinking on the right things. Verse 8 shows what the believer is to think about. You must not allow the world to dictate what you think about, but you must choose to think on the things that are pure, and honest, and are of a good report. Do not allow social media and the negative feeders of your life to dictate what you think upon. If you will protect what feeds your mind, you can protect what you think about, which allows you to protect your spirit.

Fourth, protect your spirit by being content with what you have. You cannot have a good spirit when you're always wanting something that you do not have. If you will accept that God has supplied all of your needs, you can be content with what you have. Stop looking at what others have and be content with what God knows that you need. Protecting your spirit is done by living a simple life and being content with everything God has given to you.

Fifth, protect your spirit by being optimistic in your endeavors. Philippians 4:13 says, I can do all things through Christ…. An optimistic mindset protects your spirit. When you have an “I can” attitude, you will have a positive spirit as well. It is critical to always believe you can do something through Christ if you are to protect your spirit. Nothing will overwhelm you and destroy your spirit if you believe you can do all things through Christ.

Sixth, protect your spirit by living to help others. Verse 14 says, Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. My friend, take your eyes off yourself and start living to help the needs of others, and you will discover a great spirit. Nothing will give you a great spirit like living for others, and knowing that God used you to meet another’s needs.

Protecting your spirit is critical to God using you mightily. Place these six guards in your life, and you will find that you will have a victorious spirit.