Proclaiming God's Word To The Nations
 
 
Bible Daily Devotional from Proverbs
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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:

Proverbs 21:22 (KJV):
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.

Thoughts for the Day:

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.

Prayer for the Day:

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.