A WISE MAN SCALETH – Proverbs 21:22
Proverbs 21:22 A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
When David faced Goliath, he went after the strength of the enemy. By defeating Goliath, it discouraged the enemy from continuing the fight. The lesson from this verse not only has application for fighting a war, but it also has an application for your spiritual life.
The spiritual battles that we face are great. We serve a God who requires us to live in accordance with HIS law. However, Satan desires to do everything in his power to tempt us to violate the perfect law of God. You do not have to yield to sin. Remember, greater is HE that is in you then he that is of this world.
When you are doing spiritual warfare, you need to take the battle to the enemy. You can wait until after you sin and then ask God for forgiveness, but God has a better plan. You can wait until you are in the middle of a temptation to desire that you must do spiritual warfare. However, a wise man will not wait until Satan comes and draws the battle lines; instead, a wise man understands that God desires him to take the battle to the enemy.
In the Sermon on the Mount, when Christ was teaching his disciples how to pray, one of the elements of the prayer was to pray that God would not lead you into temptation. Temptation is all around you, but you need to first start your day on your knees preparing yourself for the temptations that Satan is going to bring your direction.
You have heard of the prayer of Jabez. Many people pay attention to the first request that God would bless him. However, as a Christian, the third request of Jabez, that God would keep him from evil is every bit as important as the first request if not even more important. Jabez prayed that God would keep him from evil so that Jabez did not have to deal with the guilt of knowing that he violated the perfect will of God.
Paul taught us in Ephesians 6 that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. Paul used the analogy of the armor of a soldier to remind us of our duty to God to be prepared always for whatever Satan throws our direction. A soldier who left his armor at home and then marches off to battle would not be very wise. So too, a Christian who starts his day without first ensuring that they are ready to take on the enemy is equally foolish.
The armor of a Christian is truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, the Bible, and prayer. A wise man who attacks the city is first going to put on his armor so that he is protected. How do you think you are going to be able to defend yourself from the attacks of Satan, let alone go out and take back ground that does not belong to him if you do not daily prepare yourself? You must stop and take the time to fill your heart and soul with the things of God so that when temptation comes, you will not only not yield to the temptation, but you will go on the offense and start winning souls or start making disciples.
You must take the time every day to add knowledge of the ways of God. As you fill your heart and soul with the things of God, God will direct your paths and bring people into your life who HE desires you to work with. If you are just living your life according to your own principles, you will not go out and make a difference in this world. It is when you win souls or disciples others that you follow the principles of this scripture and take the battle to the enemy.