Spiritual Wisdom

And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
Numbers 13:30-31 (KJV)

The men and women who came to the border of Canaan had seen the mighty hand of God move on their behalf. His providence was evident every morning of their lives. Manna from God fed them and water flowed from rocks to quench their thirst. They had crossed the Red Sea when God parted the waters. They had heard the voice of God and watched the mountain tremble at His presence. Imagine their excitement as they waited for the twelve spies to return and share what they had seen in the land that God had promised them. When the first cry was heard and they ran to greet them, imagine the astonishment at seeing grape clusters so big it took two men to carry them. What joy! Spontaneous celebration must have broken out in the camp.

The first words spoken by the twelve spies were such that a roar must have swept through the multitude.

“We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.” Numbers 13:27 (KJV)

If only they had stopped there! But we know the rest of the story. Ten of the spies began to speak of the problems that they would face.

“The people that live there are strong.”

“They live in walled cities.”

“There are giants in the land.”

Caleb rose up and tried to still the people with positive words by saying they were more than able to overcome but his ten companions weren’t finished.

“We aren’t able!”

“They are stronger than us!”

“We are like grasshoppers in their sight.”

“This land will eat us up!”

The people of God who had been eating at God’s table, telling stories of His great deliverance from the Egyptians, and remembering how God had spoken to them at Mount Sinai were soon infected with these negative words. Like a virus it spread through the camp until everyone was infected and their rejoicing turned to complaining, their hope turned to despair, their victory turned to defeat.

This is perhaps one of the best examples in the Bible of the transference of spirits and it didn’t stop there. We are susceptible to this attack of the enemy today. Listening to the negative reports and rubbing shoulders with those that are overwhelmed by the sight of the enemy will destroy our faith.

These men must have been friends and brothers of the Israelites. When they were picked to go and spy out the land these men were akin to the deacons in our church, trusted, faithful leaders who were well liked and respected. What went wrong? These men began to look through natural eyes at the problems they faced. They spent too much time “spying” on the enemy and not enough time humbling themselves before God. Too often we are guilty of trying to understand this world and its problems when we should be standing on the promises of God.

In the natural these men might have been perfect for the job of facing the enemy and spying out the land but spiritually they were poorly trained and ill equipped. This is why the Scripture warns us not to put a novice in charge. Worldly wisdom is not Spiritual wisdom, human strength is not divine strength, and our intellect is a poor substitute for the Word of God. Instead of choosing the best warrior the Israelites would have been wise to choose men full of God that had learned to rely on Him.

It might have started with just one of the spies who noticed the stature of the inhabitants of the land. They were huge! Comparisons were made and then the walled cities were found and the strength of the enemy was magnified. Soon more of the spies were overwhelmed by the task at hand and begin to complain. By the time they returned to give their report ten out of twelve were convinced they couldn’t do what God had told them to do. Then those ten transferred their doubts and fears upon the multitude until they were ready to give it all up and go back to Egypt.

The promise of God was not enough! God’s people were overcome and ended up dying in the wilderness because of their unbelief until a new generation came forth to take God at His Word. When we allow people to speak into our lives who are filled with this world’s wisdom and knowledge we are opening ourselves to the faulty reasoning that breeds doubt and fear. Like a virus these things can spread through the body and bring sickness and death.

The teachers we listen to and the friends we choose will make a difference in our lives. What if the Israelites had chosen to sit at the feet of Joshua and Caleb, men of God, men of wisdom, men of honor and integrity, who trusted God.

“The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.” Numbers 14:7-9 (KJV)

All twelve men had entered the land and saw the same exact thing but these two men were full of faith and trusted God for the victory. It really is important that we open our hearts and lives to the right people. In this world that we live there are multitudes of words being spoken all around us. Radio, Television, The Internet, Social Media, Home Groups, even at the water cooler there is someone who is going to speak into your life today. Choose wisely.

Choose Wisely

Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:  Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. Proverbs 22:24-25 (KJV)

Have you ever heard the expression “Like Father, Like son”? Or perhaps the old saying, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”? There is a great spiritual truth to be gleaned from these colloquialisms. Let me illustrate.

Have you ever attended a church and observed the “group thought” process that takes place. When the Pastor speaks it is not just his words that penetrate the hearers but his attitude. If the pastor loves people and reaches out to them then the church will do the same. If the pastor is judgmental and condemning then the church will do the same. If the leadership of an organization strives for excellence then you will see that same passion rising in the rank and file. These examples serve to illustrate the spiritual truth of transference. We become like those that we allow to speak into our lives. Actions speak louder than words!

This is important because even if that person is teaching the Bible and saying the right things the spirit behind the words comes attached. A humble and contrite spirit or a proud and haughty spirit can both speak the same words. The words become the wrapping around the gift. In our Scripture today we are warned to avoid angry men. Why? Because we will learn their ways, they become a snare to our soul.

Often demonic activity is cloaked in religious activity. STOP! Did you catch that? Why would Satan want to teach a Bible Study? Why would he want to run a charity? Why would he pastor a church? Perhaps that is exactly the audience that he wants to influence. Consider this message from Paul,

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (NIV)

We are warned that Satan puts on spiritual clothes and infiltrates our meetings. He comes with a negative spirit tearing down those around him. He finds fault with what the preacher says or does and believes he knows better. He speaks judgment and calamity on those around him. He gathers to himself those of like mind. Bitter, angry, rebellious! Not openly but privately and ever so subtle. This spirit of antichrist exists to infect like a virus among the saints. Hiding in the body until it bursts forth in death and destruction.

When a Father has an angry spirit he will spread the spirit but the fruit is not always what you might think. An angry father will produce depression in his family. This is the transference that takes place. The wife will be depressed, the children will be depressed and the home will become a place that everyone wants to avoid. The wife will look elsewhere for peace and the kids will find other people to fill that void. Open rebellion will soon break out in the home, daughters will seek love in the arms of strangers, and sons will grow disenfranchised and angry. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. You can tell a lot about Mom and Dad by watching the children and you can tell a lot about pastor by watching his church.

The Bible tells us to guard our heart in Proverbs 4:23. Consider this,

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)

When Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit He said that, “from our innermost being would flow rivers of living water.”

The heart is where the good and the bad flows. Words aren’t processed in the heart but spirits are! When we receive a word there is more than language, more than syllables, entering our being. We are receiving the spirit from which these words are spoken. Subtle nuances of speech, laughter, body language or the life lived by the speaker insert themselves between the lines and add themselves to us. Our heart receives the language, often unspoken, and so begins the spiritual warfare.

The viruses that spread through our body are the best example of how this warfare takes place. When we are around those that are sick the virus cannot be seen but it invades our being as only a microscopic organism so small it can’t be seen with our natural eyes. The virus immediately begins to multiply and attack the good cells in our body and it is not long before the effects of the invisible war within our body is evident. We still don’t see the virus but we can sure see the results and those results can kill us if we don’t deal with the cause.

Jesus came that we might have life and that more abundantly. When He took our sins and suffered the death of the cross Christ ushered us into a life full of His abundant grace. We were “born again” and our Spirits were once again made alive in Him. Don’t allow anything to harden your heart or quench the Spirit of God in your life. That means knowing those that labor among you and walking in Christ’s Spirit. Remember the words of Paul as he wrote to the Corinthian Church.

"Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 (NIV)

Now that’s just good advice.