Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Godly Wisdom

Proverbs 18:15 

An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

In the KJV the word 'prudent' is used, which means, (according to Strong's No. 995): intelligent, discern, gain understanding of,  diligently consider, pay close attention, investigate. Plus a few more definitive words given, but we'll start with these in this study. 

Understanding what words mean is a one of the steps in being able to explain what the Bible tells us. The other is a saved and filled heart: saved by the blood of Jesus Christ and filled with God's Holy Spirit, who is described as the Spirit of God, or Wisdom personified. Godly Wisdom comes from God.

GODLY UNDERSTANDING

Daniel 1:17

As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

2 Chronicles 26:5 (referring to King Uzziah) 

And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.

Godly Understanding comes from seeking God's Wisdom with fear, a reverence, of God. Fearing God is more advantageous to one's soul and life than fearing anything that people may do to us. It is not a fear of consequences, but a loving respectful fear. 

Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

GODLY WISDOM IS GOD'S GIFT & INVALUABLE

Job 28:12-28

(12) But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

(13) Man knows not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

(14) The deep says, ‘It is not in me’; And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’

(15) It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

(16) It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

(17) The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

(18) No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

(19) The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

(20) From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?

(21) Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

(22) Destruction (Hades) and death (those who have died without godly wisdom)  say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears. (heard a rumor, a report of [it, wisdom])

(23) But God understands its way, and He knows its place.

(24) For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.

(25)  When He gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure,

(26) when He made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder,

(27) then He saw it and declared it; He established it, and searched it out.

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

Are we discerning Christians? Do we seek out, look for, the fear of the Lord that He may impart to us His Wisdom? Or are we too lazy, content to be barely saved, saved enough to attend church and/or become involved in church activities? 

Do we understand the times in which we live? If it came to choosing life in Christ or life without Christ, would we be able to choose Christ knowing that this choice means death? This is Wisdom: making an informed decision to follow Jesus Christ all the way to the cross, into the garden? 

John 8:28, 29 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own, but speak exactly what the Father has taught Me. He who sent Me is with Me. He has not left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.”

• Jesus lives His life in the Love of God in service to His Father. 
• Jesus speaks to us what His Father speaks to Him.
• Jesus does what pleases God

ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE

Proverbs 15:31

The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise.

Ecclesiastes 7:5

It is better to heed a wise man's rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.

Proverbs 4:7

Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.

Proverbs 16:16

How much better to acquire wisdom than gold! To gain understanding is more desirable than silver.

So just how do we acquire, get, this Godly Knowledge?

Isaiah 55:6

Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.

Psalm 119:105

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Job 23:11

My feet have followed in His tracks; I have kept His way without turning aside.

Psalm 119:157

Though my persecutors and foes are many, I have not turned from Your testimonies.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil in the Lord is not in vain. (KJV)

The ESV reads like this: So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Are you smiling yet? I am. I have joy inside me and it is overflowing to the outside of me. I am being poured into and the Spirit is pouring out of me. 

You Are My Joy

GODLY WISDOM

To acquire knowledge is to hear what the Lord God says to us in His Word through His Spirit. We must be willing to seek out God's face and submit to God's will, surrendering every aspect of our lives to His purpose. This is honoring God, this is blessing God. More than lip service or acts of kindness: it is a whole-hearted, God-fearing lifestyle. This is Godly Wisdom, too. 

 

Godly Wisdom is given to the heart of the born-again believer, not the brain. It is with the heart that we believe. It is in the heart that Jesus Christ, The WORD of God, takes up residence. It is from the heart that Wisdom speaks. It is the heart that makes the decisions, so the heart must be filled with The WORD in order to make wise decisions.

The heart of the born-again believer makes sound decisions, but the heart of the foolish makes unwise decisions.  God has given each of us the ability to choose. And He wants us to choose wisely, but we know that doesn't always happen. While we are in this world, we are tempted on every side to make wrong, unwise, decisions. But we don't have to stay in the consequences of those decisions, we can choose to make a decision to leave the unwise decision and seek out God's wisdom for our lives. 

Lord, help me. Help me to lead a life that is pleasing to You. Help me to hear Your voice more clearly. Help me to see You in every decision I make and follow through in the doing of that decision. Lord, be my strength as I follow You. Give me Your wisdom that I may make decisions based on Your Word. In Jesus' Name, I pray, Amen. 

 

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Trust Your Commander

 1 Thessalonians 5:24

He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.

Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4103

Faithful: reliable, trustworthy, can be relied on

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 982

Trust: (you, we, I) put trust in; have confidence in, rely

A faithful people must be called by a faithful God, a God who can be trusted, a God who cannot lie, a God who leads the way.

GOD IS FAITHFUL 

Deuteronomy 7:9

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.

1 Corinthians 1:9

God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

2 Timothy 2:13

If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

TRUST IN GOD

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.

Isaiah 50:10

Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of His Servant? Who among you walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD; let him lean on his God.

God Doesn't Lie

Numbers 23:19

God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?

Hebrews 6:18

Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.

God Keeps His Promises

Genesis 17:7

And I will establish My covenant between  Me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto you, and to your seed after you.

Galatians 3:16

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, "and to seeds," meaning many, but "and to your seed," meaning One, who is Christ.

God Knows Where He Leads Us

Proverbs 3:6

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

John 14:6

Jesus says to him, "I am The Way and The Truth and The Life. No one comes to the Father, but by Me."

Hebrews 11:16

Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

John 14:2

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

MUSTARD SEED FAITH

All we need is a tiny bit of faith, faith the size of a mustard seed, to believe and to follow God. And we need to act on that faith. 

Luke 17:6

And the Lord answered, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."

Matthew 17:20

“Because you have so little faith,” He answered. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Mustard seed faith uproots trees and moves mountains. We just have to speak out our faith in God to see that He uproots the trees in our path, He moves the mountains that block our way. 

Mustard seed faith accomplishes in the spiritual realm what the heart believes and the faithful speak aloud. 

We pray for the impossible and God answers our prayers. We pray for the improbable to happen and God answers our prayers. We seek out God's Word to know our Leader better and see Him more clearly and hear His voice more softly. 

Mustard seed faith is strong faith. It may look tiny on the outside, but great things happen when we plant it in our spirits. It takes root. It grows. It buds, sprouts and rises above the dark places to spread its branches in the Sonlight, in the Day. Mustard seed faith multiplies a thousandfold. 

Matthew 13:31, 32

He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field. Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

Mustard seed faith sees souls saved, diseases shrivel up, bones healed, minds delivered and more. 

 

Faith, Trust, requires us to believe what we cannot see ahead of us. It is as if we walk blindfolded, but not blindly. For we know Whom we have believed and where He leads us we will follow. Faith requires us to be faithful to God. 

Let us place our trust in God that what He has promised He will do. Let us pray for His kingdom to increase. And let us answer the call He has placed on each of our lives to be saved, be filled and be of service in His kingdom. 

 

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Sanctification & Wisdom

 1 Thessalonians 5:23

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 37

Sanctify:  to make holy, consecrate, sanctify; I make holy, treat as holy, set apart as holy, sanctify, hallow, purify

To be sanctified is to separate one's self from that which is unholy and cling to that which is holy. This begins to happen when we first believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. It is both a spiritual thing and a physical. 

     The physical separation from wickedness happens when we choose not to do the things we did before we got saved. The spiritual separation from a wicked lifestyle happens when the Holy Spirit takes up residence in us and on us, leading us to a consecrated, set apart lifestyle. The Holy Bible helps us do just that. 

     Every study of God's Word should be bringing us closer to God, not farther. We must submit what we want to learn from it to what God wants to teach us from it. He is the Author after all. 

     I was an alcoholic drunk. I had blackouts. There are nights I don't remember how I got home. There came a time when I didn't want to drink any more. But I couldn't stop completely on my own. I got married, had kids, and went back to church. The kids got saved and I got saved again. And this time I heard about and saw the Holy Spirit in action. 

     But the enemy of our souls attacked me when I wasn't ready for it. Separation of the family, divorce and moving to another city. I started drinking again even though I didn't want to, until a new friend reprimanded me for drinking, questioning the why of it. My physical separation from sin had been temporary. I knew I needed more. Then the new church I was attending had a week-long revival. That's what I needed. I was working now and the job kept me from the revival until the very last night. 

     That's the night I got baptized in the Holy Spirit and began to sing in tongues. It was a totally new experience for me, and a wonderful one, at that. It was as if I had exploded in song. That began my spiritual sanctification process. I no longer had the desire to drink. When I was around it, I got nauseous. I am no longer an alcoholic. I am delivered. 

I neither drink nor do drugs because the Holy Spirit of God has breathed on me and set me on fire to serve God with my body, my talents and my gifts. My choice. It is not that I can't live a life of wickedness now, it is that I choose not to. I have turned my back on sin and my face on God. For I have chosen to live a sanctified life: a life that is set apart for God. A life that chooses to honor God and be a good and faithful servant in His kingdom. 

     If you think my testimony sounds awful, you need to acquaint yourselves with *other Christians who have been delivered from the sin in their lives. Examine yourselves. For example, John Bunyan was an illiterate tinker, having dropped out of  school to learn his trade (he learned to read after he got married). He was a 'ringleader of vice and ungodliness' (in his own words) during his youth, before he got saved and became the author of Pilgrim's Progress, a book second only to the Bible in its publishing and distribution. 

GOD OF PEACE

1 Corinthians 14:33

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Romans 16:20

And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

GOD SUSTAINS US THROUGH IT ALL 

1 Corinthians 1:8

He will sustain you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Malachi 3:2

But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner's fire, like a launderer's soap.

1 Corinthians 3:12-14

If anyone builds on this foundation (Jesus Christ) using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward.

CHRIST OUR WISDOM FROM GOD

1 Corinthians 1:30

It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.

WISDOM OF GOD FROM GOD

     The Book of Proverbs in the Holy Bible is called The Book of Wisdom. It is filled with pearls of great truth and nuggets of riches which can only help a man or woman grow into the person God wants us to be. These, too, help sanctify us. We read that Wisdom has a voice and calls out to us to listen to what Wisdom has to say. Wisdom informs us of right living results and wrong living results, sometimes in the same verse. 

Proverbs is written by King Solomon son of King David of Israel way back in ancient times, yet the very wisdom imparted is still crucial today. Wisdom from God, is after all, what King Solomon asked God for when God asked him what he wanted after Solomon became King. 

1 Kings 3:1-15 tells us of Solomon's dream, in which God asks him what he wants and Solomon replies, "Discernment, an understanding heart that would know how to judge and rule over God's people." 

James 1:5

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

BEING HOLY IS A WAY OF LIFE

Holiness is a command from God to us. 1 Peter 1:15. 16 reiterates Leviticus 11:44, 19:2, 20:7, 26; Deuteronomy 7:6, 14:2. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Our conduct in this life should be impeccable. 1 Peter 1:17  "Since you call on a Father who judges each one’s work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners."

     Sanctification requires a submissive heart which surrenders its rights to God's desires,  God's will. Wisdom directs our hearts to seek out God and inquire of His will for our lives. We cannot be fully functioning Spiritual Warriors unless we do both. Without a set apart lifestyle, we are hypocrites. Without godly wisdom we are ignorant wretches. 

     This is what we have been studying every day since the beginning of this year. I had thought the new study Being Born Again Is A Lifestyle would be January's study. Little did I know that I would still be studying such a message even now and perhaps into the end of this year or into the next. I am merely the pen, the conduit, which the Holy Spirit flows through, which God wields when He writes with me. 

     And subdivided from the main study have come separate studies within the mainframe study. Such as Arming The Spiritual Warrior, this month's study. I'm having fun both learning the Word and applying the Word to my life. Aren't you? 

Take My Life

*Deeper Experiences of Famous Christians by James Gilchrist Lawson (1911) 

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- How To Walk Like A Warrior

 1 Thessalonians 5:22

Abstain from all appearance of evil.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 568

Abstain: to hold back, keep off, to be away, be distant; to have one thing by separating from (letting go of) another

For a Christian to abstain from evil is to eschew evil in every form, whether by what we are seeing, what we are hearing, what we are saying or what we are doing. As has been said, the born again Christian may be the only Bible those around him or her see. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that we walk an upright life, which can only be accomplished if we obey God's Word daily. 

We must live a separated life, a sanctified life: our lifestyles must align with God's Word and we must choose to be obedient to Him. Every. Single. Day. It helps me to greet Him when I first begin to wake, even before my eyes are open. "Good Morning, Lord." "Welcome, Holy Spirit." Being aware of the fact that God is with us, with us at all times. My evening prayers usually end with me falling asleep before I say Amen. 

Walk Righteously

Isaiah 33:15

He that walks righteously, and speaks uprightly; he that despises the gain of oppressions, that shakes his hands from holding of bribes, that stops his ears from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil.

Psalm 15:2-5

He who walks with integrity and practices righteousness, who speaks the truth from his heart, who has no slander on his tongue, who does no harm to his neighbor, who casts no scorn on his friend, who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath, who lends his money without interest and refuses a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

Ephesians 15:2

(Paul writing to the church in Ephesus)

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another. 

Walk The Way

Deuteronomy 5:33

You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.

Galatians 5:24, 25

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit. 

2 Corinthians 5:7

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 Corinthians 4:18

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Follow God Faithfully 

Every army has a Commander-In-Chief, even a spiritual army.

John 7:16, 18

“My teaching is not My own,” Jesus replied. “It comes from Him who sent Me.  If anyone desires to do His will, he will know whether My teaching is from God or whether I speak on My own. He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is a man of truth; in Him there is no falsehood."

Psalm 25:9, 10

Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He shows sinners the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way. 

Psalm 27:11

Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path, because of my oppressors.

Isaiah 30:21

And whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: "This is the way. Walk in it."

Where He Leads Me

Psalm 23:3

He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. 

Psalm 119:35

Direct me in the path of Your commandments, for there I find delight.

Psalm 61:2

From the ends of the earth I call out to You whenever my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 40:2

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

You know what that miry clay is? Sin. It attempts to cling to us even after God has delivered us from its clutches. It stains our garments and threatens to hold us back from what God is accomplishing in us. But God. 

He (God) brings us (they whom He has saved) up out of a horrible pit (death the result of sin) out of the miry clay (sin), and sets our feet upon a rock (the Chief Cornerstone), and establishes our goings (directs our path wherein we are to walk). 

Let us pray that you and I may continue to walk where God leads us. Let us listen for His voice that we may obey Him more faithfully. Let us walk, live the life that is pleasing to God, with respect to His Word and His Way, in joy and love. Let us choose to walk like warriors: heads up (with honor), looking forward (towards the unseen destinations), uprightly (with integrity and honor), shield in hand (by faith). 

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Spiritual Discernment

 1 Thessalonians 5:20, 21

Do not treat prophecies with contempt, but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4394

Prophecies: the gift of communicating and enforcing revealed truth; divinely-empowered forthtelling (asserting the mind of God) or foretelling (prediction)

Forthtelling is speaking what is current. Foretelling is speaking what is to come. 

Discernment Is Godly Wisdom

Isaiah 8:20

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:7, 8

For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness. Anyone, then, who rejects this command does not reject man but God, the very One who gives you His Holy Spirit.

The Benefit of Prophecies

1 Corinthians 14:3

But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, encouragement, and comfort.

1 Corinthians 14:12

It is the same with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, strive to excel in gifts that build up the church. 

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 1381

Test:  I put to the test, prove, examine; I distinguish by testing, approve after testing; I am fit. By implication, to approve. To show something is acceptable (real, approved); put to the test to reveal what is good (genuine). Allow, examine, discern. 

If the word(s) being spoken lines up with the Word that is known and received by the Spirit as Truth, then that prophecy or prophecies is to be accepted as fact. What builds the church up spiritually and draws us closer to God in Christ is going to be prophecies. What tears the church down and apart is not always from God, but from the enemy of our souls, the devil, Satan. 

Test All Things (Spoken)

1 Corinthians 14:29

Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 

1 John 4:1

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world. 

In order to know whether or not the word(s) being spoken is from God, we must first know the Word of God and be hungry for it. Therefore, we must read our Bibles every day and seek to know what the Word means. Praying and asking for the Author's disclosure to us of godly wisdom, godly discernment (more than just knowing right from wrong, but Good from Evil). Praying for retention of knowledge (what we learn) and allowing the Word to grow in us, that we may become ever more fruitful in our service to God.

Hold Fast To What Is Good

Romans 12:9

Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. 

1 Thessalonians 5:22

Abstain from every form of evil.

Proverbs 3 

My son, do not forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep my commandments;

for they will add length to your days,

years and peace to your life.

Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you;

bind them around your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart.

Then you will find favor and high regard

in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge Him,

and He will make your paths straight.

Be not wise in your own eyes;

fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

This will bring healing to your body

and refreshment to your bones.

Honor the LORD with your wealth

and with the firstfruits of all your harvest;

then your barns will be filled with plenty,

and your vats will overflow with new wine.

My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD,

and do not loathe His rebuke;

for the LORD disciplines the one He loves,

as does a father the son in whom he delights.

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,

the man who acquires understanding,

for she is more profitable than silver,

and her gain is better than fine gold.

She is more precious than rubies;

nothing you desire compares with her.

Long life is in her right hand;

in her left hand are riches and honor.

All her ways are pleasant,

and all her paths are peaceful.

She is a tree of life to those who embrace her,

and those who lay hold of her are blessed.

The LORD founded the earth by wisdom

and established the heavens by understanding.

By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open,

and the clouds dripped with dew.

My son, do not lose sight of this:

Preserve sound judgment and discernment.

They will be life to your soul

and adornment to your neck.

Then you will go on your way in safety,

and your foot will not stumble.

When you lie down, you will not be afraid;

when you rest, your sleep will be sweet.

Do not fear sudden danger

or the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

for the LORD will be your confidence

and will keep your foot from the snare.

Do not withhold good from the deserving

when it is within your power to act.

Do not tell your neighbor,

“Come back tomorrow and I will provide”—

when you already have the means.

Do not devise evil against your neighbor,

for he trustfully dwells beside you.

Do not accuse a man without cause,

when he has done you no harm.

Do not envy a violent man

or choose any of his ways;

for the LORD detests the perverse,

but He is a friend to the upright.

The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,

but He blesses the home of the righteous.

He mocks the mockers,

but gives grace to the humble.

The wise will inherit honor,

but fools are held up to shame.

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- The Spirit

 1 Thessalonians 5:19

Quench not the Spirit.

*Strong's Ex. Con. No. 4570

Quench: extinguish, suppress, thwart

To put out the fire.

It is impossible to accomplish the task(s) which God has given us without the guidance of His Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:12 "We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us." In Revelation 22:17 the Spirit and the Bride are calling the lost souls to repentance together, "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." 

No one can give us what only God can give us. And that includes His Holy Spirit. Matthew 25:8 "And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves." The oil is the Holy Spirit. We must have Him with us when Christ returns for His church. We cannot share Him, the anointing which God gives each of us individually, with each other. Acts 2:3 "And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them." He will leave this earth, when we leave this earth. 

Who is the Holy Spirit? 

He is the Spirit who helped create the world from the beginning. Genesis 1:2 "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."

He is the Spirit which guided the hearts, the mouths and the hands of the men who wrote, put into print, the Holy Scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Peter 1:20, 21 "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

He is the Interpreter. 1 Corinthians 2:13 "And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words."

He is the Comforter. {*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3875 Consoler, Helper.}

John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and will bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you." John 16:7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you."

He is the baptism of Godly power. Acts 1:5, 8 "For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” "But you will receive power, the Holy Spirit having come upon you, and you will be witnesses for Me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth."

He is the convictor of sin. John 16:8-11 "And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see Me; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world has been condemned." 

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3076

Grieve: distress, vex, cause to sorrow, to experience deep emotional pain, 

How do we quench the Holy Spirit? By not listening to Him. Ephesians 4:30 "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Isaiah 63:10 "But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit. So He turned and became their enemy, and He Himself fought against them." By insulting Him. Hebrews 10:29 "How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace?"

Don't put out the Holy Spirit of God. Listen to Him and follow His lead. Let Him lead us to the cross, to the garden and into the eternal presence of God. 

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- More Than Gratitude

 1 Thessalonians 5:18

in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2168

acknowledging that "God's grace works well," i.e. for our eternal gain and His glory; to give thanks – literally, "thankful for God's good grace."

I love that definition. So much more than gratitude. More than a simple whispered, "Thank You." It is to say, "THANK YOU, GOD, FOR SAVING ME BY YOUR GRACE. For LOVING ME BEYOND WHAT I CAN EXPRESS. THANK YOU GOD, FOR YOUR MERCIES ON ME. THANK YOU GOD, FOR MEETING MY NEEDS WHEN I COULDN'T."

It is the expression of thankfulness which the Samaritan leper gave Jesus when Jesus healed him. Luke 17:16 "When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back, praising God in a loud voice. And fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks: and he was a Samaritan." 

Of the ten leprotic men, nine were happy to be healed, but only one was overjoyed and ran back to the One Who had healed them, falling down at Jesus' feet and worshiping Him. In Luke 17:19 Jesus tells him, "Then Jesus said to him, “ Arise, go your way: your faith has made you whole.” It was the man's faith in God, in the Word spoken by The WORD, that made him whole, complete. It was this faith that brought him running back to Jesus to give Him thanks. Being more than healed, he was filled with more than just a simple, Thank you, but THANK YOU, LORD!

It is more than gratitude, it is abundant gratitude, overwhelming gratitude. It is a thankfulness that cannot be measured by mere words but must be accompanied by thankful actions. 

Saying grace at mealtimes is more than thanking God for the food; it is THANKING GOD FOR HIS ABUNDANT BLESSINGS. Even when we have but a little on our plate. Even when we have nothing. We are THANKING GOD IN FAITH FOR HIS PROVISION. 

Even when we know what is about to happen to us, we BLESS GOD, we THANK GOD, for more than the meal that is at hand. In Mark 14:22-25 Jesus institutes the breaking of bread and the drinking of wine in remembrance of Him. It symbolizes the breaking of His body, when He was tortured and nailed to the cross and the pouring out of His blood, which would be shed for the sins of the whole world (from Adam and Eve to the last man or woman who would believe in the name of the LORD JESUS CHRIST for their salvation).

Mark 14:22-25

And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is My body. And He took the cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And He said unto them, This is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. " (cf. Matthew 26:26-29; Luke 22:14-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

And why are to we to GIVE THANKS in such a way? Because it is GOD'S WILL FOR US IN CHRIST JESUS. Many a seeker has asked, What is God's will for me, for my life? Well, here is one part of God's Will for our lives: A HEART FILLED WITH OVERFLOWING FAITH IN GOD'S GRACE. 

Only a born again believer can offer this thanks, for that person is IN CHRIST JESUS and CHRIST JESUS IS IN US. Though God's will is for everyone, not everyone will want to live it; therefore, they cannot give thanks to God for His grace. 

Overflowing THANKS TO GOD comes from a heart that believes in the GRACE which GOD has offered through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. He Who died on the cross, rose from the dead and sits at the right hand of the Father died for you and for me. All we have to do is believe this. Speak what we believe out loud for all to hear and we are now IN CHRIST and CHRIST IS IN US. (John 17:20, 21)

As Paul writes to the church in Galatia, Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me."

Hallelujah! Praise The Lord! Rejoice! How can we not have a Thankful spirit? Our hearts should be doing cartwheels, jumping for joy; it's that smile on our faces that reaches to our eyes. JESUS CHRIST LIVES and HE LIVES IN ME! 

HE LIVES 

by Alfred H. Ackley

(1)

I serve a risen Saviour, He's in the world today

I know that He is living, whatever men may say

I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer

And just the time I need Him He's always near.

--chorus--

He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today

He walks with me and talks with me

Along life's narrow way

He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart

You ask me how I know He lives?

He lives within my heart!

(2)

In all the world around me I see His loving care

And though my heart grows weary I never will despair

I know that He is leading, through all the stormy blast

The day of His appearing will come at last!

--chorus--

He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today

He walks with me and talks with me

Along life's narrow way

He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart

You ask me how I know He lives?

He lives within my heart!

(3)

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian Lift up your voice and sing

Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ, the King

The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find

None other is so loving, so good and kind!

--chorus--

He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today

He walks with me and talks with me

Along life's narrow way

He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart

You ask me how I know He lives?

He lives within my heart!