What you give access to directs your life.

Acts 16:14
One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. But I have come that you may have life and life to the full.

When you go shopping, one of the first things you look for is the sign that says “OPEN.” That sign tells you the door is unlocked and that people can come in. It signals access. If the sign is on, people know they can walk through the door, look around, and enter that space.

In many ways, our hearts work the same way.

Our heart is either open or closed to outside influences. What we allow access to will eventually influence what we think, what we believe, and how we live.

In Acts 16, we read about Lydia. Scripture tells us that the Lord opened her heart so that she paid attention to what Paul was saying. God gained access to her heart, and that moment changed the direction of her life.

God sent Jesus into the world to gain access to our hearts as well—so that we might be saved and so that we may experience the abundant life that Jesus promised.

But God is not the only one trying to get access.

The enemy is also working tirelessly to gain access to your heart. Why? Because he knows that your heart is where the direction of your life flows from. Proverbs reminds us that the heart determines the course of our life.

The enemy works through deception. He uses influences, ideas, and voices in the world to try to get inside your head and ultimately your heart. If he can gain access, he can begin influencing your thoughts, your beliefs, and your actions.

But more than anything, he is after your identity.

The enemy knows that if he can influence how you see yourself, the rest of your life will follow. Identity shapes how you interpret life. Whether someone sees themselves as a victim or a victor, strong or weak, capable or incapable—those beliefs begin to shape how they live.

The enemy knows that if he can get into your heart, he can influence the way you view your roles, your relationships, and, to use some terms popular today, your gender, your orientation—everything. And when identity becomes distorted, good people can become confused and deceived into believing and living a lie.

This is why Proverbs tells us to guard your heart above all else.

Your heart is the gateway to your life. What enters your heart eventually flows out into the rest of your life—your decisions, your beliefs, your relationships, and your direction.

But here is the reality we must remember.

God wants access to your heart so He can bring life, direction, and purpose.

The enemy wants access so he can steal, distort, and rob you of the life God intends for you.

What you give access to will always influence the direction of your life.