In review we went to the scriptures to find out how we avoid the big “D” – Deception. The Bible instructs us to be vigilant to guard our hearts. We noted that there are things to keep in and things to keep out of our hearts. We said lust was to be guarded against because lust is an element of our carnal nature and not the revitalized spiritual nature that Jesus Christ intended to bring into our lives. In fact, lust goes all the way to the beginning and the Lord placed it in the 10 commandments – thou shalt not covet. We said that we wanted to keep truth in our hearts and to cultivate a continual hunger for it.
The third thing we want to do is cultivate a hunger for wisdom and understanding. The two go work together. Proverbs 4:7 advises us that “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” In fact, you can’t be successfully led by the Holy Spirit without both. Why? My best analogy of wisdom and understanding is this: wisdom zooms out while understanding zooms in. Wisdom is seeing the big picture while understanding reveals the small picture. Wisdom also reveals to us the end at the beginning. Understanding works in the opposite – it speaks at the end and explains every step of the journey. Together they cover your journey in life – both cover your perspective in life where you’re going and where you’ve been. The Bible instructs us to not walk without both because they work together to guide our perspective. Remember, we’re looking for God’s perspective in all things working in our lives – not our own. We don’t want to walk independent from God. That’s the crucified life.
Both adjust our perspective and provide light for our journey. We must have God’s light – not our own. In order to acquire that light we must put to death the pride our carnal nature clings to. Deception always leads us to a place of pain and regret.
Wisdom is no laughing matter but instead has a way of laughing at us when we don’t listen to her counsel. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 1:20 [KJV]:
Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:
[v.21] She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
[v.22] how long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
[v. 23] turn you at my reproof behold, and I will make known my words unto you. [v.24] because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
[v.25] but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof;
[v.26] I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
[v.27] when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
[v.28] Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me;
[v.29] For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord; [v.30] They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
[v.31] Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
[v.32] For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them
[v.33] But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
So the point the Bible is making is that the voice of wisdom and understanding are always there, and in the end, wisdom will laugh at us if we don’t heed her counsel. But we must hunger for it or we will hear the laughter when we pay the price of following our foolish, carnal nature and not the counsel of wisdom and understanding.
But both are costly and many won’t pay the price. The price is a choice we all make. Pay now or pay later. We’ve all heard the saying that insanity is making the same choice with the same result. Many continue to follow their own counsel or the erroneous counsel of others they deem ‘wise’ but are merely self-seeking, crafty and advise on deceptive practices and it’s the stubborn refusal to correction as a way of life that a fool continues in his way.
If this blog is speaking to you today, please humble yourself and allow the Holy Spirit to come in and correct you. Pray this prayer with me: “Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread – today that bread is wisdom and understanding. I need your wisdom Lord Jesus. I need your understanding. Show me every area in my life that needs both to guide me. Help me to stay obedient to the gentle voice of your precious Holy Spirit who keeps me walking with your son, Jesus Christ who paid the price for me to walk in His glorious light. I thank you Father that you hear my prayer and seal this prayer in the might name of the King of all Kings and the Lord of all Lords – Jesus Christ. Amen.
Join me next time on How to Avoid Deception – Part 4: [https://vyzyn.org/how-to-avoid-deception-part-4/]
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