TODAY’S DEVOTION (FRIDAY 18TH AUGUST 2023)
“To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity;
To give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion — a wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,” Proverbs 1:2-5 NKJV
WELCOME TO THE 230TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF SIGNS AND WONDERS
Welcome to another time of refreshing. Indeed, a wise man will hear (or read) and increase knowledge. The purpose of hearing or reading is to increase our knowledge of a thing, and update our wisdom bank. That is how God designed our lives to run. Our lives run better when we know!
Any hearing or reading that is not increasing our knowledge and updating our wisdom bank, especially divine wisdom bank, is not good for us. Our lives will not run better with such knowledge. That is why these devotionals are important! They are to help us run our Christian lives better.
This is a platform God has set aside for us “To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding, to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity; from His throne room.
In the secular world, Education has a way of giving you an advantage over others in life. The same is applicable in the kingdom. Schooling in the things of God will give you an advantage over those who may have been schooled either in the things of men or devils.
For Instance, you will have a spiritual advantage over those who may have been schooled on raising, silencing, or breaking of altars; a money-making teaching in the church today. You will also have a spiritual advantage over those who may have been schooled on spirit husband and wife; a doctrine of shamanism.
You will definitely have advantage over those who have been schooled in the dark doctrines in Church today.
One may wonder if humans school themselves in the things of devils. Off course we do! Like we analyzed some times back, most of us in Church today know more about the names of evil spirits than the names of our GOD. We know more of the depths of Satan than the depths of our God.
I have come to realize that a Church member who is schooled in the things of God is superior to a preacher schooled in the things of men and devils. He can be used more effectively by God to execute redemptive purposes.
BEING SCHOOLED IN THE THINGS OF DEVILS BRINGS A CURSE UPON MEN’S LIVES. SADLY, SO MANY DO NOT KNOW THAT!
Jesus said in the book of Revelation that He will remove burdens from people who are not schooled in the things of devils. He called them “the depths of Satan.” Meaning those who are not schooled in His depths will never be free from satanic and demonic burdens.
God is a jealous God. We stir up His jealousy to consume us each time we get ourselves schooling in the things of devils instead of the things of GOD. He wants Himself alone to be known to us and not any other being. He said in His word;
“I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images.” Isaiah 42:8 NKJV
God will not share the glory of being the only being known to us and worshiped with any other being. That is why Jesus does not take away the burdens of those who are schooled in the things of Satan, or anything related.
The Bible says we should not be ignorant of the DEVICES of the enemy. It did not say we should not be ignorant of the ENEMY himself. I am yet to see a man or woman schooled in the things of Satan having rest because of what they know. But I have always seen people who sat down to be taught the things of GOD standing in great glory because of what they know.
In the spirit realm, the presence of the being whose revelation knowledge you have, will always cover your life. If you have the revelation knowledge of Satan, his presence will cover your life. If you have that of God, His presence will cover your life!
And don’t forget, the presence of Satan does three basic things; it kills, steals, and destroys, even when it appears to be helping. That is why those who learn about him do not have rest!
For instance, every deliverance minister I have seen who teaches about Satan and his works, is always in restlessness called warfare. They are always fighting. God will allow you to be fighting while He is watching, because you have no knowledge of Him. In fact, as an act of correctional judgment, He will even send strong delusions to you, to direct your warfare prayers so that you will keep believing the lie and be corrected through suffering.
YOU MAY NEVER UNDERSTAND THIS DIMENSION OF GOD UNTIL YOU READ 2 THESSALONIANS 2:7-11.
God gives people over to themselves, when they do not have love for truth. In other words, He sends strong delusions to them to believe the lie (the devil) and keep themselves exercising in it as a correctional judgment. When that happens, a lot of promises God made will not be fulfilled in our lives.
For instance, the Bible says, we shall tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the powers of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm us. But this promise is not even believed in some quarters, neither is it being fulfilled there.
Its manifestation is rare in the lives of those with the depths of Satan. That is why they consider it okay to suffer counter attacks after prayers. Not knowing that it’s not really counter attacks, but a sign that God is not pleased with their spirituality.
If you study the Bible carefully, you will discover that when God is not pleased with a man, He will give him over to his enemies. His enemies will no longer fall helplessly before Him.
Some time ago, I read the story of a deliverance pastor in Nigeria who was good at going to people’s villages to uproot charms, and what they call evil altars. HE WAS AN INSTRUCTOR IN THE THINGS OF SATAN. He knew the names of all kinds of devils and what they do.
So, this day He was returning from what they call a deliverance ministration. He had followed a particular family home to uproot a shrine. On his way back he had a terrible accident and lost his leg. When the family heard that, they said that was a sign that they were really delivered.
Friend, in erroneous deliverance circles like theirs, Christians believe that when you have a terrible attack after what they call warfare sessions, it’s a sign that you really touched the enemy.
But like we shared earlier, Jesus says we shall tread upon serpents and scorpions and nothing shall by any means touch us! If something is touching us, it’s a sign that we are not in His will or ways!
Knowing about the devil basically to cast him out of people and places is destructive. I have come to discover that, it is not what you know about the devil that will cast him out of people and places. It is the Glory of God in your life and what you know about God, that will cast him out of people and places.
ALSO, TO OBTAIN PERSONAL DELIVERANCE, YOU DO NOT NEED TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE DEVIL OR THE EVIL SPIRITS UNDER HIS COMMAND.
You only need the knowledge of the glory of the LORD in your life as the waters cover the sea. Because it is not what you know about the devil that will cast him out of your life, or stop him from harassing you. It is what you know about GOD; the knowledge of the glory of the LORD in your life. The Bible says,
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14 NKJV
In the Spirit realm, it is the knowledge of the Glory of the LORD that unleashes the moves of God in a man’s life, not the knowledge of His problems or enemies! The Bible made it clear that, they that know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits. The exploits are usually sourced or activated by the revelation of the glory of God within their spirits, resulting in rest and blessings in their lives.
Thinking of having rest from our enemies, David said,
“Blessed is the man whom you instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law, that You may give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked” Psalms 94:12-13 NKJV.
This scripture contains a secret that many in the Church do not see. If we can embrace the wisdom of God in it, the enemy will no longer be a thing of concern in our lives. God will be given all the attention He deserves in our lives, and the devil will be so ignored that he will pack himself and all his devils back to hell in anger.
From what David said, it’s clear that the easiest way to dig pits for our enemies is not always to pray against them but to sit down and be instructed or schooled by the LORD! Those who are schooled by the LORD will never be defeated by their enemies.
While they sit down to be taught, portals of Heaven will be opening over them, angels will be ascending and descending to dig pits against their enemies.
THE POWER OF GOD WILL BE PRESENT TO HEAL AND DELIVER.
There are no words to describe what your life will gloriously become when you make the feet of Jesus your dwelling place. That was what Mary chose when Jesus visited their home; a mystery Martha never understood.
The Bible says Martha was more concerned with getting food ready for Jesus, like many of us are today; trying to be involve in one Church thing or the other. But the feet of Jesus, is the place the end time Church is being called to, not any other thing.
His feet represents the place of being schooled in the things of God. Mary chose that place and Jesus said that was the better choice. He will prefer Himself being known than any thing we consider important.
Friend, I believe the message of today’s devotional has been passed. I pray that you pick every word shared and improve your walk and talk with God in Jesus precious name. AMEN!
LET THIS SCRIPTURE BE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR YOU TODAY!
Now while they were on their way, it occurred that Jesus entered a certain village, and a woman named Martha received and welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was listening to His teaching.
But Martha [overly occupied and too busy] was distracted with much serving; and she came up to Him and said, Lord, is it nothing to You that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me [to lend a hand and do her part along with me]!
But the Lord replied to her by saying, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; there is need of only one or but a few things. Mary has chosen the good portion [that which is to her advantage], which shall not be taken away from her. Luke 10:38-42 AMP