Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Proverbs 9:10

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

(CSB)

Many years ago, I had a job that required visiting mine sites and conducting inventory.  On one such trip I visited a gold mine in Nevada that had a vain of gold so rich, visitors like myself could not even take a rock lying on the ground for the chances were, it contained Gold.  In fact, they had a practice of sifting through the slag pile of discarded rock and sand to insure they were not throwing away any of the precious ore. 

The craziness of this world that is on display daily on cable and network news, and the internet has one thing in common, it lacks wisdom and knowledge, leaving us lacking understanding of how things have gotten so out of hand.  Just acquiring knowledge is useless unless accompanied with understanding and wisdom in the application of knowledge in our daily lives.  Proverbs 9:10 provides biblical insight into this important process.

1)      Knowledge – According to Proverbs 9:10, knowledge is knowledge of the Holy One.  This knowledge begins with accepting Jesus as our savior.  However, this is the beginning of our knowledge of the Holy One and after our salvation, must continue with our learning more about Him through study of the Bible.  Jesus is our gateway to knowing God (John 14:6) for Jesus is God (John 1:1).  As Jesus reminded Philip in John 14:8-9, to see Him is to see God the Father. 

2)      Understanding – The very thought that God would come down to sinful humanity and not only live with them but also take on the death penalty for their sins is beyond our human understanding.  Agnosticism, derived from the Greek agnostos, believes understanding of God is impossible for humanity.  (1)  Left in this state, humanity would have no hope after the ascension of Christ for our source of knowledge and truth has left.  However, God does not want us to lack understanding of Him and His ways and is why God the Father sent the Holy Spirit after Jesus ascension (John 14:26, Acts 2:4).  This is a demonstration of the Trinity in action as God the Father becomes relatable to humanity through Jesus who cleanses us from sin, allowing individuals to have the Spirit of God with them and inside them (John 14:17).  However, focusing on the tongues part of Acts 2:4 causes us to miss the entire purpose of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, providing understanding. 

3)      Wisdom – Proverbs 9:10 teaches us that the gateway to wisdom is the fear of the Lord.  For those that do now know Jesus as their savior, this is a fear of judgment for sin (Romans 6:23).  However, once we accept Jesus as our savior, we no longer live under this fear of death in our sins for Jesus death has saved us and we have eternal life (Romans 10:9-10, John 3:16).  The fear spoken of in Proverbs 9:10 is a fear based upon the Holy One (Jesus) and understanding through the Holy Spirit.  Wisdom is practical application of this knowledge and understanding in our daily lives. 

Theology or learning abut God is not something reserved for those with degrees in theology but is something powerful when it occurs with ordinary people living in real circumstances.  (2)  Acquisition of theological knowledge through teaching and study coupled with understanding through the Holy Spirit opens the gateway to wise application of theology in one’s daily life.  Not only will this wise application enrich our lives but serves to demonstrate the power of God in our lives to those that have not accepted Jesus as their savior, creating a desire to know God through acceptance of Jesus as Savior. 

If you are reading this and have not accepted Jesus as your savior I invite you to do so now.  Romans 10:9-10 tells us that salvation comes through confession of Jesus as Lord coupled with the belief that God raised Him from the dead.  I invite you to pray with me now and make this confession,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

I now encourage those that just accepted Jesus as their savior and those that already know Jesus as lord and Savior to diligently gain knowledge of God through teaching and study of the Bible, ask for understanding from the Holy Spirit that lives in us because of forgiveness of our sins through Jesus, wisely applying this knowledge in our daily lives.  This is our greatest treasure and one, unlike my restriction from taking a rock from the mine, available to all of us.  May God bless those reading this posting. 

1. Flew, Anthony Garrard Newton. Agnosticism. www.britannica.com. [Online] Encyclopedia Britannica. [Cited: June 9, 2018.] https://www.britannica.com/topic/agnosticism.

2. Doster, Richard. Practical Theology. byfaithonline.com. [Online] ByFaith, January 14, 2013. [Cited: June 9, 2018.] http://byfaithonline.com/practical-theology/.

Delighting in God’s Word (Part 21): A Vast Treasure of Wisdom

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 119:162

I rejoice over your promise
like one who finds vast treasure.

(CSB)

According to Kevin Breuninger writing for CNBC, the odds of winning the Powerball is 1 in 202.2 million and the Mega Millions is 1 in 302.5 million.  (1)  However, even with these extremely slim odds, millions play each week demonstrating the powerful lure of some great financial prize or treasure.  However, the greatest treasure available to humanity does not cost us anything and is available to us simply for asking and believing, this treasure is the free gift of salvation and redemption provided through the substitutionary death of Jesus (Ephesians 2:8, Romans 10:9-10, John 3:16). 

While this gift is free to us, it came at the cost of God sending His only Son to become human like us, live a sinless life, and die as the perfect sacrifice for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21).  However, unlike the lottery, this treasure does not have slim odds but is guaranteed through the Holy Spirit in our lives after accepting Jesus as our savior (2 Timothy 1:14).  If you are reading this and have yet to claim this treasure, I urge you to do so now by praying with me,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

The psalmist in Psalm 119:161-168 praises the value of the great treasure he has discovered in the Word of God as he waits expectantly for the appearance of Messiah.  Even though Messiah has already come, and we have the opportunity to enter into a relationship with God through Him, we too like the psalmist can rejoice in the treasure of the Word of God as we wait for Jesus’ second coming.  As the psalmist waits he,

1)      Does not fear powerful men but only God’s Word (Psalm 119:161) – While the author of Psalm 119 is unknown, this verse leads us to believe he was someone persecuted, perhaps someone alive during the exile of the Jews in Babylon or Persia.  However, the psalmist does not fear the powerful princes persecuting him and finds comfort in the Word of God. 

2)      Rejoices and treasures God’s promises (Psalm 119:162) – The psalmist values the promises in the Word of God as if they were some great treasure. 

3)      Hates falsehood but loves God’s instruction (Psalm 119:163) – The psalmist also values the truth contained in the Word of God while abhorring falsehood.  The source of lies is the Devil (John 8:44) with Jesus being the way truth and life (John 14:6). 

4)      Is consistent in his praise of God’s righteous judgments (Psalm 119:164) – Praising God seven times a day symbolizes one consistently expressing praise to God. 

5)      Has peace and stability through God’s instructions (Psalm 119:165) – The instability of the world and the world system is all around us.  How fortunate we are to have access to the stability of the Word of God and a personal relationship with God through Jesus. 

6)      Obeys out of love while hoping for salvation (Psalm 119:166-167) – No one forces us to obey God for obedience to God is voluntary.  We also do not obey to earn our salvation but receive it from a loving God who sent His son to die for our sins.  Obedience is not to earn salvation but an expression of love for God who paid a high price for our salvation, something we should highly treasure

7)      Obeys because God knows all (Psalm 119:168) – The thought that God knows all can be terrifying for those with sin in their lives but provides comfort for the redeemed.  While God indeed knows our sins, he also knows what we need and lovingly takes care of His children.

While winning a multi-million-dollar lottery prize would be a great treasure, the greatest treasure available to humanity is free for the taking for those choosing to accept Jesus sacrifice for our sins.  I urge anyone reading this that has not asked God to forgive their sins to do so by accepting the gift of salvation provided by Jesus.  For those that have already accepted this gift, I urge you to place a greater value on what you have in Christ through study of His Word, and prayer as you get to know the Lord better. 

1. Breuninger, Kevin. The odds of winning those record Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots are beyond slim. www.cnbc.com. [Online] CNBC, January 5, 2018. [Cited: June 4, 2018.] https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/05/odds-of-winning-a-lottery-jackpot-are-worse-than-you-expect.html.

Preparing for Revival: Know How to Engage

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Esther 4:16

“Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.”

(CSB)

In the previous studies on preparing for revival we have looked at the importance of prayer, the importance of knowing the enemy, and the importance of knowing the weapons God has provided.  Now, the time has come to engage. 

The Book of Esther gives us an example of how God works behind the scenes.  While the book of Esther never mentions God, we see Him at work throughout the book.  This is especially true with how Esther engaged when faced with the decision of whether to engage and save her people at great risk or take the safe way and sit back continuing to live in the comfort of her position as queen.  Esther chose to allow God to use her and her high position as queen to save His people.  Esther engaged by,

1)      Waiting on the Lord before getting involved – In the king’s search for a new queen, many young women gathered at the fortress of Susa to audition for the position of queen (Esther 2:8-9).  Among those women was the Jewish woman Esther (Hadassah) cousin of Mordecai (Esther 2:7).  In obedience to Mordecai, Esther did not reveal her ethnicity.  While our passion to share the Gospel with others makes us want to share the Gospel with everyone we encounter, when we do so without waiting on God’s timing, we come across as preachy.  In John 16:7-11 Jesus tells His Disciples it is good that He is going away for then the Holy Spirit will come and convict the world of Sin.  Before coming out with our evangelistic sword slashing back and forth we must wait on the Holy Spirit to lead us for then He can do His convicting work on the souls of those we want to see come to Christ.  Jesus also told His Disciples to wait for empowerment from the Holy Spirit before engaging in ministry (Acts 1:8).  Waiting on the Lord renews our strength to engage with God’s power and blessing, not depending on our own strength (Isaiah 40:31).

2)      When dealing with an unpredictable person, trust God – One could only approach the king if summoned.  To approach the king without his summoning them meant the death penalty unless the king extended his gold scepter granting the person permission to live (Esther 4:11).  Even though Esther was queen, the king had not summoned her for thirty days leading to unpredictability of how he might respond.  However, Esther trusted God and entered even though it might result in her execution (Esther 4:16).  While in nations like the United States we typically do not fear loss of life for our faith in God, we face possible loss of friendship or rejection.  However, in many parts of the world being Christian carries with it the possibility of death.  In sharing the Gospel with the unsaved we deal with unpredictable people who may reject us or in extreme cases turn us in exposing us to possible death.  In either case we must like Esther, trust God for the outcome.   

3)      When working through an unpleasant situation, trust the Lord – While Esther could have chosen to remain quiet living out her life in the comfort of her position as queen, she would have done so knowing it meant the total annihilation of her people, including Mordecai.  While this situation is unpleasant, Esther chose the unpleasant situation of engaging, facing potential execution.  While both situations are unpleasant, Esther chose to engage trusting God in the process.  The fear of engaging someone with the message of the Gospel is unpleasant but not engaging with the prospect someone will die without hearing the Gospel is also unpleasant.  We therefore must like Esther engage trusting God with the outcome.

4)      When standing against an unprincipled enemy, ask the Lord for courage – Moses has died and Joshua sits on the border with the Promised Land.  During his forty years serving with Moses he has seen how rebellious the people of Israel can be.  This situation has much uncertainty for the people currently occupying the land are unprincipled people.  However, God instructs Joshua to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9).  Perhaps remembering the scriptural account of Joshua about to enter the Promised Land, Esther courageously enters the throne room of the king rescuing Gods people.

While preparation for revival through prayer, knowledge of the enemy, and use of the weapons God has provided are important, we must also engage.  May we like Esther not fear engaging after preparation knowing that God has placed us in our position in life with the purpose of living and sharing the Gospel with others.  We may not have a lofty position as Esther did but God has placed us in our present position, so we can live for Christ and share the Gospel through our actions and words.  May we like Esther courageously engage in that mission.    

Delighting in God’s Word (Part 20): God’s Rescue, Redemption, and Righteousness

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 119:160

The entirety of your word is truth,
each of your righteous judgments endures forever.

(CSB)

God is a righteous God who hates sin.  The greatest tragedy of humanities fall in the Garden was its placing us at enmity with God due to sin in all our lives (Romans 3:23).  Left in this condition, humanity would have had no hope.  However, God is also a gracious and merciful God providing rescue and redemption for fallen humanity in the person of Jesus, God’s Son (John 3:16).  The message of the Gospel is God’s plan of rescue, redemption, and restoration of righteousness. 

In Psalm 119:153-160 the psalmist begins with asking God to consider his affliction expectantly asking for rescue due to obedience to God’s instructions.  While we have all sinned (Romans 3:23), God’s rescue through the provision of His only Son as a substitutionary sacrifice for sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) is complete.  The power of this rescuing sacrifice means humanity has redemption, and not condemnation from God (John 3:17).  This makes it possible for believers in Jesus as their savior to put on the breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14), not a righteousness emanating from our own hearts due to our good works but the protective righteousness of Christ protecting our hearts.  The psalmist goes on to,

1)      Ask God to champion his cause (Psalm 119:154) – Our salvation is not according to our works but the work of Jesus on the cross (Ephesians 2:8-9).  The psalmists asks for a champion, a champion we now have access to in Jesus Christ. 

2)      Acknowledge the lack of salvation for those not studying God’s Word (Psalm 119:155) – Our initial salvation comes through the Holy Spirit as we hear the message of the Gospel.  Upon hearing these words, the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins, giving us an opportunity to either reject or accept God’s gift of salvation from our sins.

3)      Praise the many compassions of the Lord (Psalm 119:156) – It boggles the mind to think that a righteous God would have compassion on his sinful creation and send His only Son to die and forgive sin (Romans 5:8).  We therefore have no need to fear death from God’s judgments due to sin but instead can experience God viewing us as righteous through Christ (Philippians 3:9). 

4)      Continue having faith in God’s Word despite much opposition (Psalm 119:157) – It is unrealistic to believe accepting Christ means an end to opposition in the world in which we live (John 16:33).  However, Ephesians 6:16 reminds us of our shield of faith which wards off these attacks of oppression.  Any opposition to following Christ pales in comparison to the benefits of a personal relationship with a righteous God who loves us. 

5)      Have disgust at those continuing to disobey God’s Word (Psalm 119:158) – The disgust at those rejecting God’s gift of salvation does not come from a feeling of superiority over them for not having the intelligence to realize the benefits of receiving this gift from God but instead a disgust of sorrow, especially when the unbeliever is someone close to us that we love.  We must allow this disgust to motivate us to continue praying for our lost loved ones, praying that the convicting power of the Holy Spirit will convince them to accept Jesus as their savior.

6)      Asking for life according to God’s faithful love (Psalm 119:159) – Some may see it as extremely bold and dangerous for a sinful person to ask God for life, after all the penalty for our sins is death (Romans 6:23).  However, Gods rescue and redemption plan through Christ totally forgives us of this death penalty.  In fact, to receive salvation we must ask (Romans 10:9-10), essentially asking for life (John 3:16). 

7)      Praise the eternity of Gods truth and righteous judgments (Psalm 119:160) – While the world around us is constantly changing, the truth of salvation and its provision of righteousness through Christ never changes. 

God is righteous and hates sin, but he loves sinners and has provided a way to receive forgiveness of sins through accepting Jesus as Savior.  If you have not already done so, I encourage you to pray with me now to receive the gift of rescue and redemption from God by praying with me now,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

You have now experienced redemption and rescue from a righteous God.  Out of love and appreciation for God providing this gift of salvation, I encourage you to learn more about God through personal study of the Bible, regular attendance at a church teaching the Bible, and associating with others that have experienced salvation through accepting Jesus as their Savior.  May God bless your new life in Christ.  

Preparing for Revival: Know Your Weapons

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Ephesians 6:13

For this reason, take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.

(CSB)

This Monday is Memorial Day in the United States, a day when we pause to honor those that paid the ultimate price of their lives in defense of the United States.  I, and many of my readers support a strong military, viewing it as the means of providing safety and security for the nation and its citizens.  While the military is comprised of dedicated individuals who will sacrifice themselves if necessary in defense of their nation, those like myself that support the military support providing them with weapons that make it possible to defend the nation without sacrificing their lives. 

God has provided His people with an arsenal of weapons listed in Ephesians 6:13-17.  In previous postings to this blog, we studied each of these weapons and I would encourage those reading this to review them by conducting a search using the word armor.  In this posting we will be looking at how each weapon assists us in preparing for revival. 

1)      Belt of truth (Ephesians 6:14) – In John 18:38, Pilate asked Jesus “what is truth?”  This is in response to Jesus replying to Pilate’s previous question “You are a king then” in John 18:37 with Jesus stating that He came to testify to the truth.  Unknown to Pilate, truth was standing right in front of Him for in John 14:6, Jesus had declared that He was the truth.  Those who have made Jesus their savior have this truth in them plus we have the Bible, God’s Word which declares the truth.  As we prepare for revival we must begin to understand that we wear truth as a belt holding all things together for those without Christ in their lives are bombarded with post-modern philosophy in their education and entertainment (1) (2) claiming there is no absolute truth.  Those we meet that are devoid of truth in their lives will try to convince us that the Bible is not the absolute authority and that there are other ways to know God and why we must wear our belt of truth. 

2)      Breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14) – Righteousness in the armament of the child of God is a breastplate that covers vital organs.  Notice it is not something emanating from the believers heart but a covering over believers hearts which are sinful (Romans 3:23).  Our righteousness is Christ’s righteous that we can wear because of what Jesus did on the cross and not according to our own efforts (Ephesians 2:8-9).  When we begin sharing the Gospel with others, they may point out unrighteous behavior in our lives.  When they do our biblical response should be yes, we all have sinned and is why we need a righteous savior, Jesus, to die for us, providing a breastplate of righteousness to protect us.

3)      Sandals of the Gospel (Ephesians 6:15) – Gospel shoes telling us to prepare to take the message of the gospel with us wherever we go and to share it in our words and how we live our lives everywhere we go.

4)      Shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16) – John 16:33 reminds us that in this evil world even God’s people will have trouble with the promise that Jesus has overcome the world through His death and resurrection.  This overcoming faith is our shield against the attacks of Satan as we participate in sharing the Gospel and making Disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). 

5)      Helmet of salvation (Ephesians 6:17) – Our salvation helmet protects our thoughts against doubts about our salvation.  While Romans 3:23 reminds us that we have all sinned, we also have 1 John 1:9, our spiritual 911 line to remind us that Jesus has forgiven our sins.  It is important to protect our knowledge of the completeness of our salvation through Christ so that doubts about our salvation in Christ do not relegate us to the sidelines instead of staying on the field, taking part in revival. 

6)      Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17) – This sword is a two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12) with one edge surgically removing areas of our life that need removal and the other edge cutting down the obstacles of Satan in sharing the Gospel with others.  To use this sword effectively, we must learn the Word of God and apply it to our lives revealing what needs changing as well as a tool against Satan like Jesus used it during His temptation (Matthew 4:1-11). 

While these weapons are important, Ephesians 6:18 reminds us to pray so we remain prepared for any attack that may come our way.  This Wednesday’s posting reminds us of the importance of time in the prayer closet.  As we begin preparing for revival, we must not only have the right weapons and know how to use them, we must also remain spiritually and mentally motivated through quality time with God in the prayer closet.

Next Saturday we will learn how to engage in revival. 

1. Sanbonmatsu, John. POSTMODERNISM AND THE CORRUPTION OF ACADEMIC INTELLIGENTSIA. socialistregister.com. [Online] Socialist Register. [Cited: March 31, 2017.] http://socialistregister.com/index.php/srv/article/viewFile/5851/2747.

2. Saugstad, Andreas. Postmodernism and the Media. bolesblogs.com. [Online] November 20, 2000. [Cited: March 31, 2017.] https://bolesblogs.com/2000/11/20/postmodernism-the-media/.

Delighting in God’s Word (Part 19): The Power of Closet Time with God.

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Psalm 119:147

I rise before dawn and cry out for help;
I put my hope in your word.

(CSB)

Time to clean out the closet.  I am not talking about throwing out old junk or clothes that we no longer wear, I am talking about cleaning out the closet of prayer.  The prayer closet is not a junk closet and needs occasional cleaning out, just as the Temple did when it was unused for a time during the time of King Josiah (2 Kings 22:5).  In fact, just as workers found the neglected Book of the Law in the Temple during restoration (2 Kings 22:8-13) causing King Josiah to come to grips with the sins of the Nation of Israel, we will discover valuable insights and motivation as we spent time with God in our prayer closets.

While the prayer closet may not be a literal closet as it was in the movie “War Room,” it symbolizes a special place where believers in Jesus go to be alone with God, free from distractions.  Unfortunately, for many of us the fast pace of our society and its busyness has cluttered the closet making going into the closet to pray impossible.  To unclutter the prayer closet we must look at what dominates our time and determine if it is beneficial to our walk with God.  If it is not, we should throw it out of the closet, so we have time to pray, even if it is just for a few minutes each day.

In Psalm 119:145-152, the psalmist provides a glimpse into his own prayer closet, giving us a picture of what should be in our prayer closet.  In the psalmist’s prayer closet we see,

1)      A direct line to God (Psalm 119:145-146) – When in the prayer closet the psalmist has a direct line of connection to God where he cries out from his heart expecting an answer and salvation.  The connection is clear due to his obedience to God.  Any disobedience in our lives represents clutter in our prayer closet in need of removal. 

2)      A place to start the day (Psalm 119:147) – For those that are not morning people, the thought of rising before dawn is unthinkable unless it comes with massive amounts of coffee or some other form of caffeine.  However, making the effort to rise a little earlier to spend time with the Lord helps set a Godly tone for the day.  For the psalmist it made possible placing his hope in God’s Word.

3)      Meditation on the promises of God encountered in the prayer closet (Psalm 119:148) – In the prayer closet the psalmist encountered God and the promises in His Word.  However, he did not leave those promises in the closet but instead took them with him throughout the day.  My family and I recently began the practice of journaling during our time of personal devotions.  I journal special promises or thoughts from reading the Bible and write them down.  I take this journal with me and when I have a break throughout the day, take time to meditate on what I read during my time in the prayer closet.

4)      A place of love, life, and justice (Psalm 119:149) – In the prayer closet we encounter a just God, but also a God who loves us and sent His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins.  While God is a just and holy God and we are sinful, through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross we have complete forgiveness and expectation that God hears our prayers from the prayer closet.

5)      A place of safety (Psalm 119:150-151) – Just a casual look at the news of the day reveals the fact that we live in an evil and dangerous world.  However, God is near and always with us providing safety.  In the prayer closet, however, the connection with God is unhindered by worldly cares, making us even more aware of the nearness of God and the safety He provides.

6)      A glimpse of eternity with God (Psalm 119:152) – John 3:16 reminds us that our reward is eternal life.  While we know this with John 3:16 being the most quoted verse in the Bible, are we fully aware of what it means?  In the prayer closet we have a glimpse of eternity with God as we spent uninterrupted time with God in prayer and His Word. 

While we as disciples of Christ are not of this world, we still must live and work in it.  As such we cannot help but have ourselves dirtied by being in the world and its pollution.  Through time in the prayer closet, we have an opportunity to spend quality time with God our creator and have him wash off the worlds pollution and empower us to live as lights in a dark and polluted world. 

Please join me in finding a personal prayer closet and committing to spending time in it to become empowered lights in a dark world.  This does not mean a commitment to hours each day in the closet but beginning with only five minutes a day.  A quality time of five minutes a day will not stay five minutes for long as we discover the benefits of spending quality time with God our creator. 

May God bless everyone reading this.

Preparing for Revival: Know the Enemy

By:  Dale Weckbacher

John 10:10

A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

(CSB)

While this may come as a surprise to some, not everyone accepts the loving gift of salvation offered by a loving and gracious God.  One reason for this is that the Gospel message has an enemy who has one purpose, to steal its message from those that need it, so he can kill and destroy them by having them continue to live in their sin.  However, as the second half of John 10:10 reminds us, Jesus came to give those accepting Him as their savior abundant life.  This is exactly why we need revival, so others can experience eternity with God and escape the penalty of eternal death. 

In the Art of War, Sun Tzu states, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”  (1)  While our salvation is secured through the finished work of Jesus on the cross, the work of spreading the Gospel and bringing about revival involves engagement in a spiritual war (Ephesians 6:12) and as such requires not only knowing our identity but also knowing our enemy.  To know our enemy we must understand His,

1)      Tactics – Beginning in the Garden of Eden, Satan has used the tactic of deception, causing doubt in God’s love for humanity and instead creation of a belief God is withholding the good stuff from us (Genesis 3:5).  Even today, Satan plants the belief in people that becoming a Christian means the end of any fun or enjoyment in life.  The truth, however, is that Christians still enjoy sports, a good movie, good music, and even time with friends.  What changes is that as God transforms our thinking (Romans 12:2) the types of entertainment change with us no longer finding enjoyment from vile forms of entertainment offered by the secular world, replacing them with more wholesome forms of entertainment.  Christians also learn how to treasure God more than anything else and while not completely eliminating secular entertainment from their lives, learn how to make God the number one focus of their lives while still enjoying life.  God gave us His best, His only Son (John 3:16) and is not withholding any good thing from His children (Psalm 34:10). 

2)      Power – There seems to be an uptick in television programs and movies on the paranormal with paranormal activity now finding mainstream acceptance.  (2)  Paranormal television programs and movies show the power Satan can have over the lives of individuals but these secular programs fail to remind us of the words of 1 John 4:4, reminding us that God’s power within us through the Holy Spirit is greater than any power of the enemy.  As we become participants in the work of sharing the Gospel, we will encounter the power Satan has over the lives of people and may experience doubts about our power to overcome it.  1 John 4:4 reminds us that while we do lack the power within our own abilities to overcome Satan’s power, we have within us the power of the Holy Spirit and as we rely on that power, can overcome Satan’s power.  These paranormal programs make discovery of paranormal activity within the supernatural realm but do not mention the solution to ending Satan’s power over individuals, the introduction of the presence of God into one’s life through acceptance of Jesus as their savior. 

3)      Desperation at knowing his future – While we find comfort and peace in knowing Scripture, Satan also knows Scripture but instead of finding peace and comfort, shudders (James 2:19).  Satan knows his ultimate fate, leading to the question, why doesn’t he just give up or go away?  The truth, however, is that Satan is the ultimate egomaniac and even though he knows his future, wants to egotistically make the lives of Christians he is powerless over miserable, (3) relegating them to the sidelines in the work of spreading the Gospel instead of engaging as participants.  Satan is also working to insure as many people as possible join him in his eternal prison of hell which is where we as willing participants in the spreading of the Gospel enter in. 

We have an enemy in our efforts to bring revival through sharing the Gospel message.  Our enemy knows of his defeat at Calvary but still egotistically tries to use fear and deception to prevent the Gospel message from going out.  As children of God, called to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20), we must not give in to Satan’s devious tactics and instead understand and rely on the greater power within each of us (1 John 4:4, John 10:10).  However, for one to experience this power in their lives, they must accept God’s gift of salvation by accepting Jesus as their Savior.  If you have not already done so, I invite you to pray with me know and accept Jesus as your savior,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

You now have the power of the Holy Spirit in your life, a power that overcomes any power of Satan over your life.  I now encourage you to learn more about this wonderful power by study of the Bible and by finding a church that teaches the Bible.  I also encourage you to share this post with others as well as telling others about what has just happened in your life. 

May God bless everyone reading this.

1. Tzu, Sun. Sun Tzu > Quotes > Quotable Quote. www.goodreads.com. [Online] [Cited: May 13, 2018.] https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/17976-if-you-know-the-enemy-and-know-yourself-you-need.

2. Saldi, Henry Hanks and Nicole. Paranormal activity finds mainstream acceptance. cnn.com. [Online] CNN, October 27, 2010. [Cited: May 19, 2018.] http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/10/27/ghosts.go.irpt/index.html.

3. Alcorn, Randy. Why Does Satan Bother Us When He Knows the Ultimate Outcome? www.epim.org. [Online] Eternal Perspective Ministries, February 2, 2010. [Cited: May 19, 2018.] https://www.epm.org/resources/2010/Feb/2/why-does-satan-bother-us-when-he-knows-ultimate-ou/.