The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional: 365 Devotions through the Proverbs (71 page)

September 26

Spiritual Warfare

     
A wise man is strong;

     
Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;

     
For by wise counsel you will wage your own war,

     
And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.

“Wage your war.” Few of us women will ever fight on the battlefield. But be aware: there is a war raging around us. There is a battle raging to destroy our kids. There is a battle raging to destroy our concept of who we are as women, downgrading motherhood or virtue or respect for our husbands. There are battles and conflicts within our families, at work, in relationships, and even within ministries. Sometimes we definitely are facing war on many fronts. Now what we need to realize is that this is a spiritual war and must be fought, not with carnal resources, but with spiritual weapons and spiritual, godly counselors.

J. Vernon McGee gave this advice: “We need to know what the whole Bible says. We need to read Moses and Joshua and Samuel and David and Micah and Zechariah and Matthew and Paul and John. They are all our counselors. We can appeal to all of them at any time of decision.”

Second Corinthians 10:3-5 gives us wisdom that will make us strong and ready. “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (
NKJV
).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Many people misunderstand what spiritual warfare is. They think if their car breaks down or their kids lose their homework, it’s spiritual warfare. No. The enemy will only rattle your exterior circumstances if he thinks it will rattle you. Faith is a spiritual weapon. Obedience is a spiritual weapon against temptation. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Truth may not change your outward reality, but it can transform your inner reality. God’s truth shines light on the lie and helps you refocus on what is good and right and important.

One Year Bible Reading

Isaiah 48:12–50:11; Ephesians 4:17-32; Psalm 69:1-18; Proverbs 24:5-6

September 27

The Prize

     
Wisdom is too high for a fool;

          
in the assembly at the gate he has nothing to say.

Have you ever seen a child scoot a chair up to the counter so he can reach the cookie jar? The prize of a cookie awaits him. Even if he’s never seen it done, somehow he figures it out and does what it takes to climb up to get that cookie. This is called motivation. They say necessity is the mother of invention. But desire is definitely a key element.

God has set the prize of wisdom for living before us, available to everyone. James 1 tells us we can ask God and he will give wisdom. So then does the actual attainment require effort and some hard choices on our part? Is there some pain in the gain? Absolutely! Anything worthwhile is worth paying the price, pressing past obstacles, reaching higher, stretching past our lowest instincts and weakness of will. God shows us the way, but we have to choose to go the way. Foolishness has a price too, you know. Even though foolishness often gets the prize of instant gratification, the consequences always come due.

Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807–1882) was an Italian patriot, soldier, and hero who devoted his life to the cause of uniting Italy. Garibaldi had an incredibly committed volunteer army. His appeal for recruits was bold and clear: “Let him who loves his country with his heart and not with his lips only, follow me.” He told his men, “I do not promise you ease; I do not promise you comfort. I promise you hardship, weariness, suffering; but I [also] promise you victory.” He led others to the high road because he traveled it himself.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

And so the first and real question is, do you want to be a woman of wisdom? If the answer is truly, wholeheartedly yes, pause to picture a specific question or dilemma you are currently facing. Then take that need right now to God in prayer. Ask and believe he will give you wisdom and direction. Ask him for strength and courage. And then be ready. Be ready to take that final important step when he gives you insight—to apply it.

One Year Bible Reading

Isaiah 51:1–53:12; Ephesians 5:1-33; Psalm 69:19-36; Proverbs 24:7

September 28

Villains and Bullies

     
A person who plans evil

          
will get a reputation as a troublemaker.

For every great story there always seems to be a villain. My grandma called it “a snake in the woodpile.” Someone always has a bone to pick, an axe to grind, a grudge to nurse. In fourth grade we had both a playground bully and a sneaky little tattletale. They started young; I wonder if they ever grew out of it.

Your kids will have bullies on their playground too,and later at the workplace, in the neighborhood, and maybe in their families. I bet even the bullies have bullies.

Taylor Swift wrote a song that asks the big question “Why ya gotta be so mean? You with your words like knives and swords and weapons that you use against me. You have knocked me off my feet. . . . All you are is mean and a liar and pathetic and alone in life and mean and mean and mean and mean. . . . Why ya gotta be so mean?”

The question then is not, will we encounter people who are harsh and mean? The question is, what do we, can we, and should we do about it?

Paul the apostle was the target of slander campaigns, beatings, and plots to kill him. When he wrote to the Christians in Rome, they were already feeling the rumblings of persecution. In Romans 12:17-19 God gave him (and us) the answer: “ Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. . . . ‘I will take revenge; I will pay them back,’ says the L
ORD
.”

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

The good news for us is, what doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger. Having our feelings hurt can teach us to not baby our feelings. It can break us of trying to protect our territory or reputation or rights. We are much better off when we leave every part of our lives entirely in the good hands of our good God.

Let’s Pray

Lord, you are the God who sees all things. Forgive me when I get ruffled and angry when a bully threatens. Put a shield over my heart, a silencer on my tongue, and peace in my soul.

One Year Bible Reading

Isaiah 54:1–57:14; Ephesians 6:1-24; Psalm 70:1-5; Proverbs 24:8

September 29

Don’t Faint

     
The devising of foolishness is sin, And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

     
If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.

Maybe you’ve been the victim of someone’s divisive ways. Many women feel that their mothers-in-law are against them, always looking for a way to put a wedge in their families or to belittle them. A message now to that mother-in-law: this is foolishness. You are tearing down your own family. Please don’t do that. No one gains.

If you are the one hurt by someone’s sinful actions, do you feel that you’re going to faint, shrivel up, or just give up? I have felt like that many times; we come to the end of ourselves. In times like this, God has a promise and word picture for us in Isaiah 40:31, “But those who wait on the L
ORD
shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (
NKJV
).

John Wesley, founder of the Methodist church, had an unhappy marriage. His wife was jealous and vindictive. However, he often said that he attributed most of his success to his wife, for she kept him on his knees. Because he was kept on his knees, he was humble and useful.

     
The easy roads are crowded,

          
And the level roads are jammed;

     
The pleasant little rivers

          
With the drifting folks are crammed. . . .

     
But the steeps that call for courage,

          
And that task that’s hard to do

     
In the end result in glory

          
For the never-wavering few.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Through the years, I’ve had my share of troublemakers. I’ll be honest, I haven’t always handled it well. I’ve let the things they do and say get under my skin. I’ve imagined all the clever things I could say that would set them straight. But at some point I always realize that the greatest battle is not with the troublemaker. My greatest battle is always the war within me, in my thought life and attitudes. How about you? In reality we should thank those people. Yes—as it turns out, they are just one more tool God can use to mold us and draw us close.

One Year Bible Reading

Isaiah 57:15–59:21; Philippians 1:1-26; Psalm 71:1-24; Proverbs 24:9-10