Many who attempt to dispute the truths of the inerrant Word of God call them contradictions, verses that seem to negate each other, and thereby making not only them invalid, but the entire Scriptures.
I call them truths that some have not the Spiritual discernment to understand yet, or mysteries that the Almighty has yet to reveal to us.
I offer you three verses today for your contemplation, two may seem to you to stand against the first one.
“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.” (1st Cor. 3:18)
The other two are these, “The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.” (Prov. 21:12)
And “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2nd Cor. 2:11)
We are to use our armor given to us by the Almighty to stand against the wiles of the devil, but if you do not know what they are, you will not be able to do so. To know how to resist the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life you must understand them as well, the one who does not will fall into these traps on a regular basis.
The man who studies the house of his enemies studies the ways of those who are the Spiritual darkness we are to combat when called upon, and no one who does not study them will prevail against them. “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
Perhaps some of you reading this have lived the life of the man who pens these words, a life of self-indulgence, of debauchery, of purposeful evil intent. If so, you have firsthand experience with our adversary, for you served him well. “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1st Cor. 6:11) You have experience as an enemy of the Almighty, who by grace through faith called you to Himself.
If you are not wise in the ways of the world, the world will eat you up, every diversion will attract your attention, every calamity will cause you to fear, the power of our adversary may overpower you. To know and understand the ways of the world, Satan’s world, is to be prepared for battle, whether it be in conversation with one of the wicked at the local market, or in a cell awaiting your execution for following Him whom they hate.
If you do not know your enemies’ tactics, your enemy will defeat you.
Satan was a liar from the beginning, you have been blessed to know the truth, as much of it as the Lord has decided to reveal to you at this time and our Father does not send into the hottest part of the battle those he has not prepared for it. Satan knows these truths else he would not be capable of lying about them.
The truths you know today are sufficient for the placement in the battle the Almighty has set you in. The question for you is this, how close to the front lines do you want to be?
There is no shame in any form to the one who desires to stay in the back, but know this, if the Lord desires to put you closer to the battlefront and has prepared you to go there, and you refuse, there will be questions on your day of accounting that you may not want to answer.
The battle-hardened soldier serves well, for he knows the enemy best and trusts in the knowledge that his Commander has placed him where he can do the best for His glory. If you are serving Him, where you are is where you are to be.
But there is more, there is always more.
