Proverbial Wisdom – 5:1-14

My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: that thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: but her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.

Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house: lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel: lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;  and thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, and say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.

Proverbs 5:1-14 (KJV)

Like prior chapters, this chapter begins with, “Hey you, listen up…pay attention!” Of course, that was in my informal rendition of King Solomon’s words.  Whether you “attend unto my wisdom” or you “listen up”, you will benefit from paying attention to this Proverb.

By now, you should realize that you are in a mighty battle for your soul. Satan, that dastardly Prince of Darkness, is condemned to spend an eternity in hell and he is determined to take you with him. But you are wise—you will heed God’s warnings so that you will not fall for Satan’s wicked schemes.

You are putting on the whole armour of God and you are preparing for battle by studying God’s Word (Ephesians 6:11-18). You are listening, you are paying attention, and you are implementing. Yes, not only must you study God’s Word, but you must also implement the Word in your life.

“For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance.  You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like” (James 1:23-24, NLT).

This lesson, Proverbs 5:1-14, warns you to stay away from an immoral woman. Her lips may drip with honey (smooth pleasant words), but her trap will be bitter. Like a spider that weaves a web of sticky silk to catch its prey, the immoral woman weaves a web of sweet seduction to catch her prey. Stay away from her and do not get close enough to cast a shadow upon her door.

Sin is like an immoral woman. It beckons you with sweet promises, enticing you with trickery and lies. Just as Satan tricked Eve with deceitful words, he will also trick you. Once caught in Satan’s web of lies, you soon discover that sin’s consequences can be deadly.

Not only does this world abound with sexual seducers, it also abounds with spiritual seducers. Spiritual seducers, like immoral women, beckon you with sweet promises. These seducers may offer multiple ways to heaven, or they may even be brazen enough to claim that there is no hell. In their foolishness, they deny Christ’s words of warnings.

Some seducers willingly skip over major portions of Scriptures. Since they have not experienced nor do they understand the refining power of God’s Spirit, they may claim that all you have to do is verbalize two little words, “I believe.”  A true belief in something results in affirmative action. If you truly believe, then your actions will affirm that belief. You will bring forth fruit corresponding with your belief (Matthew 3:8).

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:19-20). 

As Jude 1:4-7 warns us, spiritual seducers have entered the church. These seducers increase their offering plates by issuing “hell-free zone cards.” In exchange for your money, they willingly turn God’s grace into licenses to sin. They feed you a doctrine with no strings attached, no obedience needed, and no spiritual rebirth required.  But understand that these deceitful doctrines also contain no light to dispel the darkness, no power to free the prisoner, no ability to transform the wicked, and no authority to resurrect the dead.

“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him” (1 John 2:3-5).

In order to escape a sticky web of sin, you need a Savior. Jesus is that Savior. He is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), He is the flesh form of the Word (John 1:14), He is the sacrificial Lamb of God (John 1:36), He is the door leading to the Father (John 10:1), and He is the Way…the only Way (John 14:6).

Since Satan wants to block your path to heaven, you can count on him to throw all sorts of temptations at you. However since you are wise, you will stay away from all tempting sources. Just as you would not walk close to the weak edge of a crumbling cliff, you will not walk close to a weak area of your resistance.

Nope…you are NOT going to let any sin snares trap you!

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

John 3:3, 5-6 (KJV)

Three Key Concepts:

1.  Spiritual seducers will entice the unwary with ear-tinkling doctrines.

2.  To escape a sticky web of sin, you needed a Savior.

3.  You must stay away from sources of temptations.

Proverbial Wisdom–3:13-20

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

Proverbs 3:13-20 (KJV)

Happy are you when you find Jesus for He is worth more than all the riches in the world (Matthew 13:44-46). Through faith in Him, you can live a blessed life and have eternal life (John 3:15-17). No worldly desires can satisfy your hungry soul like Jesus can—He alone is the Bread of Life (John 6:33-35). His ways are truth and eternal (John 1:14-17). He is the Prince of Peace and within Him, you can find peace (Isaiah 9:6). Happy are you if you retain the love of the Lord within your heart all of your days.

I couldn’t resist that short rewrite of our Scriptures for this week, but stick with me and you will discover why I did it.

In Part 4 of our journey through Proverbs, we discussed the saving power of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. When we believe in the saving power of His blood and repent of our sins, we are reborn through God’s Spirit. As long as we live and walk by God’s Spirit, we have access to holy wisdom. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things….” (John 14:26).  “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth….he will shew you things to come” (John 16:13).

Consistently throughout Proverbs, we are encouraged to seek wisdom and understanding. Once we discover them, we are to cherish them and hold them close to our hearts, living and speaking by their influence. But wisdom and understanding cannot be bought. “But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?” (Job 28:12).

Wisdom is not found within college classrooms, nor can understanding be attained through textbooks. All of our school years and all of the money that we expended in furthering our education, did not result in true godly wisdom and understanding. Instead, we accumulated a bunch of worldly facts.

I am not saying that education is a waste of time. Education is valuable! However, worldly knowledge cannot give eternal life, whereas, godly wisdom and understanding can. Godly wisdom comes from only one source, God…not from textbooks…not from college professors.

Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee says, “The Spirit of God does not open the Word of the God to lazy minds, but to those who are alert and want to learn and know the will of God and the Word of God.”

When people seriously desire to learn more about God and are willing to seek Him, God reveals Himself through His Word. He showers the hungry heart with wisdom and understanding.  However, it takes a sacrifice…a tremendous sacrifice of time!

Unfortunately, very few people are willing to sacrifice their time to study God’s Word. But these same people are willing to spend countless hours in a gym so that they can achieve a strong physical body. It would be to their benefit to spend countless hours in God’s Word so that they can achieve a strong spiritual heart. “Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next” (1Timothy 4:8, NLT).

Those who grasp, live, and walk by godly wisdom and understanding are blessed. The length of their days is increased and they receive riches and honor. They walk in ways of pleasantness and on paths of peace. Godly wisdom and understanding brings eternal life to all who retain them within their hearts.

Wisdom is powerful. Through wisdom, God created the heavens and the earth. He set the stars in the sky and He established the ocean boundaries. He created the lightness of day and the darkness of night. Contrary to many scientific theories, God created our orderly world. This did NOT happen by chance—rather it happened by the wise words of an orderly God.

Wisdom and understanding are powerful and are attainable through Christ Jesus.  Today, seek the Lord.

And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Job 28:28 (KJV)

Three Key Concepts

1.  True wisdom comes from God.

2.  The lazy heart has not godly wisdom.

3.  God fills the hungry heart.

Proverbial Wisdom – 1:20-23

Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Proverbs 1:20-23 (KJV)

Thank you for joining me on our journey through Proverbs. This is our fourth week in this series and I hope that you are enjoying these lessons as much as I am enjoying preparing them. With each new lesson, God blesses me with a deeper understanding of His Word. With God’s help, maybe I can share part of that understanding.

This week we are going to cover four short verses, but these verses hold a lot of information. So let’s just jump right in and get started.

Verse 20 immediately begins with the word wisdom. Later on, wisdom is associated with feminine pronouns. God equally values everyone, male and female, and both have equal opportunities to become wise. However, some cultures and faiths devalue females and treat them like a piece of property. In those cultures, women are given minimal rights and rarely are they consulted for advice. This is not God’s way.

God created women to help, or aid men—“a help meet” (Genesis 2:20). Further, the first woman (Eve) was created from the rib of man (Adam). She was a part of him and God instructed them to cleave together, “they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24, Ephesians 5:28-29). Men and women are stronger when they work together as one cohesive unit.  However, as usual, when runaway sin enters the scene, the cohesive unit is broken.

Remember back to part 1 of this series (August 5, 2011), in which we defined wisdom as utilizing and living all the facts that we have accumulated throughout our years. Upon further investigation, we discovered that wisdom helps us live godly lives with discernment; it improves our judgment by better morals, and helps us become holier in our words and actions. But how do we learn discernment, morals, and holiness?

Wisdom cries out to everyone (verses 20, 21). She lifts up her voice encouraging people to come and partake of her. She freely offers instructions on how to live a godly life, with improved judgment and morals. She calls out to anyone who will listen. Triumphantly, with much rejoicing and singing, wisdom boldly proclaims her truth throughout all the land.

In the streets, markets, and city gates, wisdom speaks encouraging people to come and partake of her joy. In essence, she is saying, “Come and taste…I can nourish your soul. I can give you more discernment, better judgment, and a holier life.”

“…Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38). The Holy Ghost was the river of living water (John 7:39).

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things….” (John 14:26).  “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth….he will shew you things to come” (John 16:13).

Is anyone beginning to connect the dots here?

When you truly believe in the saving power of the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ, humble yourself, repent of your sins, you are spiritually reborn. Your dirty, sin-filled heart is replaced with a clean, pure heart. Your sins are washed away and your heart is made habitable for a holy Guest. God’s Spirit is that holy Guest.

“But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the SPIRIT teaches you ALL things, and what he teaches is true…So continue in what he has taught you, and CONTINUE to live in Christ” (1 John 2:27, NT, emphasis added).  “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of MY SPIRIT upon all flesh….” (Acts 2:16-17, emphasis added). 

If you continue to walk by the Spirit of the Lord and not by your flesh, you will be wise.

But look back to our opening verses. Wisdom issues a warning to three types of individuals: the simple, the scorner, and the fool. The simple are naïve and easily manipulated; as such, they often drift back and forth between opinions. Evil can easily persuade and entice the simple man.

Scorners insist on mocking people who try to give them wise counsel. They laugh at their rescuers, refusing to consider true words. You could say that scorners are hell-bent in following their own wicked ways. And hell was the right word to use for the scorners.

Lastly, we have the fools. Fools hate knowledge…they simply refuse to learn. They are prideful, opinionated, and set in their own ways.

“Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken” (Jeremiah 6:16-17).

Wisdom still cries throughout all the land. She speaks from the pulpit, through the Bible, from an evangelist, and on the street corners. Wisdom even uses our electronic gadgets to make her voice heard. Continually she cries out over the internet through websites, twitter, face book, and blog sites. She says, “Come…ask wisdom of me. I will freely give to all man…just come.” 

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

 James 1:5 (KJV)

Three Key Concepts:

1.  Wisdom invites everyone to partake of her.

2.  The Holy Spirit will give you wisdom.

3.  The simple, the scorners, and the fools refuse wisdom. 

Holiness – Dig Deeper

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

2 Peter 2:20-21

Hello Everyone!  I am glad that you have decided to join me in this wonderful expedition of digging into God’s Word. Today, we are going to dig deep so grab your gloves, shovel, and flashlight. Oh by the way, don’t forget to grab your Bible. You’re going to need it in this dig.

This week, we’re going to span a large time-period in biblical history; all the way from Adam’s fall in the Garden of Eden, up until today— the here and now. Really, our time span begins before Adam, back to the time when one-third of God’s angels fell into sin.

But first, we need to establish in our minds that God, the Creator of the heavens, the Earth, and us, is holy. He is a holy God (Leviticus 11:45, 1 Peter 1:16).

Next, we need to establish that God created man in His own image. Thus the original man (Adam) was initially created holy (Genesis 1:26-27). Even before God created man, He created the holy angels. Everything that God created was holy. “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good…” (Genesis 1:31, emphasis added).

God’s creation was not only good, but it was very good! So what happened? What turned God’s very good creation into a fallen, degenerate creation?

The short answer is sin. Sin caused the fall of some angels and the fall of mankind. Although sin can be enticing and may look pleasant to the eyes, it is not (Genesis 3:1-6).

In fact, sin can be so enticing that even an anointed cherub fell. The fallen cherub, who we know as Satan (Lucifer), esteemed himself to be as a god. He thought that he could rise above all of God’s creations; thus, he succumbed to the sin of pride and he fell (Isaiah 14:12-14, Ezekiel 28:12-17). Along with him, Satan took one-third of God’s angels (Rev 12:4).

Because of their sin, some of the fallen angels were immediately cast into hell. The remaining fallen angels will be cast into hell at a later time (2 Peter 2:4, Jude 6, Revelations 12:7-9). But remember, we already established that these angels were originally created holy. Sin entered their hearts and they chose sin over holiness; thus, they became separated from God.

God is holy and He does not fellowship with sin (Isaiah 59:2, Romans 8:7-8).

Later in biblical history, we have Adam and Eve. They too, like the fallen angels, initially were holy but then they also chose to disobey God. They succumbed to sin and broke their fellowship with God. No longer could they walk and talk with God in the cool of the morning (Genesis 3:8).

Sin is devastating and its consequences far-reaching. Adam’s fall created within all of mankind a sin nature. Consequently, his fall separated you from God—now that is far-reaching! “When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned” (Romans 5:12, NLT).

But God is merciful. Although sin invaded His once holy creation, God provided a way that you can overcome sin. That way is through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He was the holy Lamb for all of mankind. All you have to do is believe in Him (John 3:16, Romans 5:15-21).

Once you believe in the gift of God’s Son (Jesus), then God cleanses your sin-contaminated heart. You regain the wonderful opportunity to fellowship with Him. However, this lesson is not about the history of the fall of the angels and mankind. It goes deeper.

When you believed in the blood sacrifice of Jesus, you were rebirthed into a holy creation, just like the holy angels and the first man (Adam). Now go back to the beginning of this lesson to see what happened to their holiness. They lost it because they chose sin!

Don’t worry, I am not getting into the age-old discussion of “once-saved-always-saved.” nor the potential “backsliding” of man. I am going to focus on God’s Word. If you want to delve deeper into those age-old arguments, then read Security: The False and the True, by W. T. Purkiser, or Bible Holiness by E. P. Ellyson. Both of these books deal with those issues.

Instead, I want to give you Scriptures that will help fortify your heart and keep you from falling. I don’t want you to make the same mistake that Adam or the angels made. Let’s turn on our flashlights and look at God’s Word.

If you are a reborn child of God, then you have God’s Holy Spirit within you. He can enable you to remain holy (Romans 8:8-9). He will shine a bright light of truth and bring Holy Scripture into your remembrance (John 14:26). Follow His light and abide in His truth (John 15:1-8). Do not grieve or resist Him; instead, obey Him. Allow Him to keep you sealed unto the day of your redemption (Acts 7:51, Ephesians 4:30).   

Hang tight to God’s Word because you will be bombarded with false doctrines. Some of these doctrines will appeal to your itchy ears and will sound true, at least on the surface. Nevertheless, they do not wholly agree with God’s Word; as such, they are doctrines of deceit and of devils (1Timothy 4:1). Therefore, heed God’s Word and His warnings and do not succumb to the teachings or cares of this life (Luke 21:34). Put on the whole armour of God and stand strong (Ephesians 6:11-18).

To summarize, your reborn holiness will be attacked; therefore, remain in constant obedience to God. Become steadfast! Walk in the light of His Word and His Spirit. Do not resist or grieve His Spirit. Lastly, put on the whole armour of God.

   

Whew…that was deep! I don’t know about you but I plan on digging deeper until my Lord returns. I want my holiness perfected through God’s Sprit.

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV)

Three Key Concepts:

1.  Everything that God created was initially holy.

2.  All of mankind and one-third of the angels chose to sin.

3.  Your newly born holiness will be attacked.

He’s Not in That Tomb

Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph… and he had been waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock.

Luke 23:50-53 (NLT)

Happy Easter! This is the day that we celebrate the fact that Jesus did not remain in the tomb. Although His body was beaten, slain, and laid in a tomb, He arose. Death could not defeat Him!

When writing this week’s blog, I initially began listing some of the details that led up to the crucifixion of Jesus. I intended to include a variety of Old Testament Scriptures that foretold His death. But I hadn’t written for very long, before I stopped. I knew deep within my heart that I wasn’t writing what I should; therefore, I returned to prayer.

Yes, it is important that you know that Jesus was God and that He was the Word of God. You also need to know that although He was a king, Jesus became a humble servant for all mankind (John 1:1-17). He was despised and rejected (Isaiah 53:3). He was wounded and crushed for your sins (Isaiah 53:5). He had done no wrong, yet He was crucified like a common criminal (Isaiah 53:9, NLT). He was beaten, abused, and killed, but on the third day, He arose. He overcame death (Luke 24:5-6).

Although all of those preceding facts are important, it is more important for you to know that Jesus Christ was, and still is, the pure, spotless, blood sacrifice for your sins.  His death and resurrection bought a fresh beginning for you. All you have to do is believe in Him and accept His gift of life. That is what this lesson is about.

Each year around springtime, we celebrate Easter. During spring, the days become longer and sunnier. Tender flower bulbs begin sprouting and poking their heads out from under the dirt. Spring showers come and begin washing winter’s impurities out of the air. Everything appears brighter and cleaner in the spring, and many people associate springtime with new life and new beginnings.

Christ’s death and resurrection bought a new life with a new beginning for you. His blood sacrifice can wash the impurities of sin out of your heart. He can bring light into your darkness (John 1:4-9), and He can give you hope when you feel hopeless (Ephesians 4:17-21). He can comfort you when you mourn. He can heal you when you are sick in body, as well as, the sick in heart. He can free you if you are held captive to sin. He is the Redeemer and He is the Restorer.

All of this sounds wonderful, but how does this happen and what does it mean to you?

For these answers, let’s look to Acts 2:38. When some men, who were under conviction for crucifying Jesus, wanted to know what they should do, Peter replied, “Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (NLT). That gift, the Holy Spirit, changes lives.

The admonition of turning from your sins, turning to God, and being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins, is an important message. However, sometimes it is hidden under a neat little package of Easter ceremonies. Of course, you love chocolate Easter bunnies, eggs, and candy. But unfortunately, chocolate bunnies, eggs, and candy, cannot bring you life. Instead, all they can bring you is a few extra pounds on your hips and waist.

When you turn from your sins, repent of those sins, and turn to God, you become filled with the Holy Spirit. Things that you once loved, you will begin to hate. And things that you once hated, you will begin to love. Under His guidance (the Holy Spirit), you start to evolve into a new and different person (Galatians 6:14-15).  You have a fresh, new beginning as you begin poking your head out from under all of your dirt…the sin in your life.

Just as Christ rose from the dead, you can rise from the death of sin. You can have a new life with fresh opportunities. You can be reborn through the Spirit of God, because Jesus, “…carried your sins away in His own body on the cross so that you can be dead to sin and have eternal life (1 Peter 2:24, NLT).

Join with me and let’s begin preparing our hearts for the return of our Lord so that we can have eternal life.  

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

1 Peter 1:18-19 (NLT)

Three Key Concepts:

1.   The death and resurrection of Jesus bought a fresh beginning for you.

2.   If you accept God’s gift of His Son, you are resurrected from sin’s death grasp.

3.   Once you accept God’s gift, His Holy Spirit enters you and begins cleansing and preparing you for eternal life.

Stand Your Ground—The Battle Belongs to God

And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.

Luke 24:49 (NLT)

After a long hard week, I am ready for a Bible lesson that will replenish my strength. How about you?

Sometimes when I have faced many lions (battles) throughout the week, I yearn to be engulfed in God’s love. Similar to how a baby kangaroo, a Joey, snuggles down deep into his mother’s pouch; I want to snuggle down deep into God’s love. In other words, I want to do a free-fall into His arms and say, “I’m tired. Can you take over?” Do any of you know what I am talking about?

Have you ever had a week where you felt like Satan had smacked you up side your head, pushed you past your limit, and sucked you into his wicked game?  You became distracted and before you knew it, you were ensnared in one of Satan’s senseless diversions. You don’t have to put up with this—you have rights!

It is time to go on strike and demand your rights. As a child of God, refuse to let Satan victimize you any longer. Unfortunately, you will continue to encounter him in this wicked world, but you don’t have to become his victim. “…He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God” (Ephesians 2:2, NLT).  

James 4:7 says, “… Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.”  I don’t know about you, but I am certainly ready for him to flee. Far too long, I have given him free rein in some areas of my life. Now I am ready to stand my ground and say, “Shoo, go away devil. Get out of here!” But simply verbalizing those words doesn’t work—I know because I’ve tried it! Therefore, I need to go a little bit deeper into God’s Word for the solution to this devil problem.

In Luke 24:49, Jesus said that He would send the Holy Spirit as God had promised. Once we received the Holy Spirit, we would then be filled with power. The original word for power was “dunamis”— a dynamite power, or a miraculous power.

Consequently, as children of God, we have a great power within us…The Holy Spirit. This Power can miraculously explode and vaporize all of our large boulders of problems into small particles of dust. But how do we light the fuse to that dynamite power?

Let’s go back to James 4:7 and take a closer look at the section on resisting the devil. The first part of that Scripture says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God.”  The following section, James 4:8, says, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

Did you notice that the Scripture on resisting the devil is sandwiched between messages that require something of us? We can’t pick and choose the messages that we want to listen to and ignore the rest. If we want to be successful in resisting the devil, then we must obey all of the messages.

From the other messages, we learn that we have to submit to God (V. 7), draw closer to Him (V. 8), and repent of all sin (V. 8). After we do this, then we can resist the Devil and he will have to flee. The fuse to the dunamis power will have been lit.  But all of this sounds very similar to another Scripture, “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

God promises that He will do the healing; as such, we need to turned everything over to God. We don’t have to fight Satan on our own. It is not our fight!  “But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse Satan of blasphemy, but simply said, ‘The Lord rebuke you…’” (Jude 1:9, NLT).  

Further, Ephesians 6:12 says that we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Since our weak flesh and blood cannot victoriously fight against any wicked spiritual powers, we just need to step aside and let God fight on our behalf.  Besides, God says that vengeance belongs to Him and He will repay those who deserve it (Romans 12:20).

Our part in this fight against evil is to remain standing by putting on the whole armor of God. “Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm” (Ephesians 6:13, NLT, emphasis added).   

Satan is attempting to wear us down by his constant badgering; however, we can stand firm because we have within us a dynamite power that, hopefully, we have lit. “…as I depend on Christ's mighty power that works within me” (Colossians 1:29, NLT).

Although Satan constantly tries to wear us down, you and I can remain standing when we put on the whole armor of God and are accessing the power of God. We have to light the fuse to the dunamis power. I don’t know about you, but I am going to strike a match and light my inner dunamis power!

“Don't be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed,“O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened his servant's eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.

2 Kings 6:16-17 (NLT)

Three Key Concepts:

1.   Satan strives to wear us down.

2.   God’s Holy Spirit empowers us to stand firm through all battles.

3.  We must turn all battles over to God—the fight belongs to Him.