Daily Devotional
Betty Miller shares her daily devotionals which are based on the book of Proverbs in the Bible.
The Wisdom of God
Verses for the Day:
22 A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of
the confidence thereof.Proverbs 21:22 (AMP):
22 A wise man scales the
city walls of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
This scripture in
Proverbs tells us that a wise man can take a city and bring down the
mighty stronghold of any enemy. When he accomplishes this, he destroys the trust the
enemy had in his stronghold. We can apply this analogy to the "spiritual
warfare" of the saints the Bible speaks about. What is "spiritual warfare?"
Spiritual warfare has become a subject
much discussed and preached among Christians today. At the present hour,
the Holy Spirit is emphasizing this subject to the church. Warfare means
waging an assault against an enemy. God and His people are at war
against Satan and his followers. Since this warfare is in the invisible
spiritual realm, it is called "spiritual warfare." We must have an
understanding of the spiritual realm and be able to recognize the enemy
and his tactics, if we are to obtain victory.
The place to begin our warfare is on a
personal level. Unless we're victorious in our personal lives,
we'll never be able to help others gain their needed victories, much
less be able to battle spiritually for our cities and nation. We must
learn to rule and reign in our individual lives by casting down the
flesh or carnal desires and yielding to Christ in all things.
To win our spiritual battles, we must be aggressive against our
enemy, Satan. We cannot be passive. We must take the initiative. Ours
must be the offensive position, rather than the defensive. Truly God is
calling His people to rise up and war against their enemy. We're
in a war. Note how the Bible describes our warfare:
2 Corinthians 10:3-6:
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
(for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God
to the pulling down of strongholds;) casting down imaginations, and
every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and
having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience
is fulfilled.
This passage points out that our warfare is a
spiritual one. Then the next verse asks, "Do ye look on things after the outward
appearance?" (2 Corinthians 10:7a). That's a good question: Are we looking on
things after the outward appearance? If so, we're missing the reality
that we live in a spiritual realm with an ongoing battle in that realm.
We cannot be relying upon the appearance of things in the natural
because it is the spirit realm that is influencing the natural realm.
Thus, even though we're flesh and blood, we're not to walk after the
flesh, but rather after the spirit. "That the righteousness of the law
might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit" (Romans 8:4). God wants His people to see with the eyes of the
spirit and not look after the outward appearance.
If we walk close to
Him, totally yielded, He will give us discernment to see in the spirit
realm. Then we can truly understand what's going on. Looking at
things with the natural eye will never suffice. "But as it is
written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit
searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth
the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the
things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have
received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God;
that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which
things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but
which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with
spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of
God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:9-14).
Spiritual
discernment is crucial. As God gives us spiritual eyes, we'll see things
correctly. For example, in the church, we'll see one another in the
proper light as brothers and sisters in Christ. Instead of focusing on
one another's faults and shortcomings, we'll be set to help each other
overcome any weaknesses. We'll help through supportive prayer and by
showing love and kindness to one another. Spiritual discernment will
open up our awareness of the spirit realm. What is the spirit realm? It
is a realm made up of two kingdoms, one of darkness and one of light.
While God rules the kingdom of light, Satan is master over the kingdom
of darkness. We can do mighty things for God, as we take the
enemy's strongholds and bring them down through prayer and fasting.
Dear Heavenly
Father, Help me to be a strong warrior for You and not shrink back from
spiritual warfare. You told us to "submit unto You, and resist the devil and he
would flee" in James 4. So, first Lord, I voice my submission to You, to do Your
will. Now, we know the devil flees at Your Word ,so I say to the enemy:
"Satan, I resist you in the name of Jesus and command you to leave me, my family
and this ministry. You are a defeated foe, and you have no authority in my life,
so therefore you must flee with your temptation, your division, your sickness,
and every evil thing you would try to bring against me and those that I am
praying for. I declare that no weapon formed against me shall prosper! Be gone
in the name of Jesus!" Thank You, Lord, that You gave us victory over the
devil and all of his evil plans. Amen.
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