10/10/2023 – Overcoming the Enemies of Wisdom – Part 1
Proverbs 1: 1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding, 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity; 4 To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion— 5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, 6 To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
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God is our good Father, and He wants to give us every good thing; but God wants to bless us the right way. One of the preferred way God blesses His children is by giving us wisdom – Godly wisdom to overcome our enemy, to serve Him and to fulfill our purpose.
Wisdom has many enemies. The book of Proverbs reveals these enemies and provides teachings that can equip us to overcome them. The first enemy of wisdom is simplicity. The simple is the person who lives a life where wisdom does not yet reign. This is a dangerous state, because the simple are easily fooled. But God seeks the simple to offer them wisdom. If anyone is humble enough to admit that they lack understanding, God offers wisdom from above, wisdom unto salvation!
But the most dangerous enemy of wisdom is foolishness. The Bible calls fools those who deny the existence of God, and those who live as if they will never have to give God an account for their lives. Fools should know better, but they choose to act against reason, logic, and evidence.
Our sinful nature is foolish. Even the great philosopher Socrates said that in the brain of the wisest man there is a corner where a fool sits.
Sin is completely irrational. When we sin, we choose to act against what is right and what is good for us. A sinner can destroy a marriage and a family to yield to a selfish desire. A fool lives as if death will never come and God will never judge.
Only the wisdom of God can overcome foolishness and lead us on the path of righteousness. The Bible promises that if we ask God for wisdom, He will provide it abundantly. Pray for wisdom- it is one of our greatest needs.