Posted on 02/23/2022 10:36:02 PM PST by Pilgrim's Progress
“A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength” (Proverbs 24:5).
He knows who and what his enemies are, so he increaseth strength. He gets ready for the day of adversity. That is what a man is doing when he studies his Bible. There will come a day when you need to know some things to get you or keep you out of trouble. You need to learn things in order to know things, and you have to know things in order to use them in the day of adversity.
You are preparing yourself and anyone you have an influence over to be prepared for the day of adversity. The Christian has wisdom and strength for the spiritual warfare.
“A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength,” if a Christian has any sense, he won’t be satisfied with what he is, he will want to grow. Don’t ever quit growing. Continue to grow spiritually.
In this regard, here are some verses:
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:10-18).
“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds)” (II Corinthians 10:4). It won’t do you any good to practice up on physical things for the spiritual battles, what you need to do is to become proficient in the spiritual armor and spiritual weapons. Now, even these spiritual weapons and spiritual knowledge is not going to help you if you do not learn to separate yourself.
“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (II Timothy 2:3-4).
This modern “feel-good” Christianity knows nothing about a hardness in Christianity. Everything is soft and non-offensive (except to the Bible believer). Don’t judge anybody, and don’t worry about doctrine as long as we love one another. Hardness is found in making a stand for truth: “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear” (I Timothy 5:20).
A Christian will never truly get victory in this life as long as the affairs of this life entangle him. It is hard for a Christian to do it because, so few Christians are doing it. If you really take a stand and other will not take the same stand, you are looked at as being weird. When one church preaches hard truth and other churches do not—people get quite a shock when they visit. They are not used to hardness and specific truth.
“This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck” (I Timothy 1:18-19).
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