.png)
Guard Your Heart
Grow Your Faith
Week 4 ~ Hebrews 3:12-19
Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. 13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. 14 For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. 15 Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.” 16 And who was it who rebelled against God, even though they heard his voice? Wasn’t it the people Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And who made God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it the people who sinned, whose corpses lay in the wilderness? 18 And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed him? 19 So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest.
I. Heart Check (v. 12)
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” ~ Proverbs 4:23
“Unbelief is not the inability to understand, but the unwillingness to trust.”
~A.W. Tozer
II. Lift Each Other Up (v. 13)
Why Encouragement Matters:
Encouragement Strengthens Faith
Encouragement Fuels Spiritual Growth
Encouragement Provides Strength in Difficult Seasons
Encouragement is a Spiritual Lifeline
“Distance creates distortion.” ~ Jon Bjorkman
Becoming an Encourager:
Speak Life
Use Grace-Filled Words
Be Intentional and Specific
Pray Together
Share Scripture & Inspiration
Show Up When It Matters
3. Hold On Tight (vv. 14-15)
"Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another." —Walter Elliot
How Do We Hold On Tight?
Spiritual Disciplines – Prayer, Bible reading, and worship strengthen our faith, grounding us when life feels uncertain.
Supportive Community – Surround yourself with people who encourage and challenge you in your faith journey. We’re not meant to go through trials alone.
Remember God’s Faithfulness – Reflecting on how God has provided in the past builds confidence for the future.
4. Learn from the Past (vv. 16-19)
"The history of Israel is a mirror in which we see the dangers of unbelief and the necessity of trusting in God's promises."—Matthew Henry
"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
~Philippians 4:6-7
Apistias ~ unbelief, untrusting, unfaithfulness
“How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22 The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” 23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” 24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” ~ Mark 9:21-24
So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest. ~ Hebrews 3:19
How is your heart?