SATAN’S ATTACK ON THE SAINT’S SONSHIP GROWTH
Pro 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Pro 1:6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Pro 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Pro 1:9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
Pro 1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
As we progress through our sonship lives we come across many challenges and many ‘enticements’ that will come our way, and these things can work to ‘stall’ or ‘sidetrack’ our advancing on in the proper “path” for our Father’s will for us as “sons.” The first thing that we must realize is that the things that may come up in our lives to hinder us are more often than not brought on by ourselves, and no one else. And as we continue to “put off” the “old man” and his “enticing” ways, we are leaving behind many lustful and “enticing” things that we have grown accustom to having as the ‘loves of our life.
1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1Co 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
Satan has formulated a plan to cater to the “outward man” and all of his daily wants and needs, and these needs are not only in the form of the obvious sinful things like being hateful to one another, crime, fornication, etc., but it is the things that we have ‘fell in love with’ as we have grown and matured, and have depended upon these things to ‘get us through’ the course of this world.
1Co 3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
1Co 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
1Co 3:20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
It’s hard to imagine that a person would “deceive himself,” but this what we can do to ourselves when we follow this world and the men that run this system’s religious, economic, and social “paths” that they have paved for you to “walk” in. Satan’s “ministers” work to keep you on the wrong “path” (he not only has men preaching “another gospel,” but he has man ‘ministering’ this world’s ways; which he has charted for this world) and work to have you to “despise wisdom and instruction” of your Father. However the key factor in not deceiving ourselves when it comes to staying ‘on track’ in our sonship education lies in the son actually despising this world’s “wisdom and instruction,” and the son learning to “glory” in the Father’s business and in His “wisdom and instruction” for his education, and “despise” every “thought” that we will ‘bring up’ in our minds knowing “that they are vain.”
2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
2Ti 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
2Ti 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
2Ti 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
2Ti 2:23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
2Ti 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2Ti 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
The plain fact is that we can be ones that “oppose” ourselves in hindering our edification from advancing further like it ought. Basically we are “enticing” ourselves with this worlds lustful things that we ‘bring up’ within our minds, but when these things ‘come up,’ we need change our way of thinking; which is “repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” Moreover when we come to the realization that the things that we have trouble ‘putting off’ are things that we ourselves keep ‘bringing up,’ then and only then can we learn to finally put the old man “off” and all his enticing wants and desires.
Rod Jones