II - THE MANIFOLD WISDOM OF GOD

Pastor Carolyn Sissom \ August 8th, 2016 (7336 views)

THE MANIFOLD WISDOM OF GOD – Part 2

 

 

Sunday Evening Service

 

 

July 4. 2010

 

 

Preached by:  Pastor Carolyn Sissom

 

  

THREE KINDS OF WISDOM:

 

  (1)   Earthly wisdom---or human wisdom.  1 Cor. 1:17, Paul states that man’s wisdom makes the cross of Christ of no effect: “Preach the gospel---not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”  (NIV)  the wisdom of man makes sense to your physical senses and human reasoning---it feels good, looks good, and seems rational, but it is not the wisdom of God and it will lead you down the wrong path.  Proverbs 14:12:  “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”  It is dictated by the desires of our flesh, intellect, or the people around us.  If we are to walk in God’s fullness, we must “… (Prov. 23:4 Amplified) “Labor not to be rich; cease from your own human wisdom.” (Col. 2:8) “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”(2)   Demonic or satanic wisdom.  James 3:15 NLV “This is not the kind of wisdom that comes from God.  But this wisdom comes from the world…and from the devil.”  He says this wisdom is sensual and devilish in nature.  You will operate according to this type of wisdom, “if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts”.  (James 3:14)  This is a dangerous sort of wisdom.  “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” (James 3:16)

(3)   The third kind of wisdom is the wisdom of God.  “We speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.  But we speak the wisdom of God…” (1 Cor. 2: 6-7).  It is the wisdom of God that brings victory.  You will recognize God’s wisdom because “the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17).  It is available to every believer: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach…” (James 1:5).  When the wisdom of Heaven is in operation, any other type of wisdom is immediately exposed as foolishness.  The key to victory is to gain access to and operate from the wisdom of God.  This is our first line of defense against the false, devilish wisdom of the political spirit operating in anti-christ.

 

  

God’s original intent is that, through the Church, His manifold wisdom would be made known to principalities and powers.

 

  

What is the definition of manifold?

 

  1. Many and varied; of many kinds; multiple: our manifold failings.2. Having many features or forms: manifold intelligence.3. Being such for a variety of reasons: a manifold traitor.4. Consisting of or operating several devices of one kind at the same time. 1. A whole composed of diverse elements.2. One of several copies.3. A pipe or chamber having multiple apertures for making connections.4. Mathematics A topological space or surface.tr.v. man·i·fold·ed, man·i·fold·ing, man·i·folds 1. To make several copies of, as with carbon paper.

2. To make manifold; multiply.

 

  

The Key Word Bible for Wisdom is #4678 Sophia – The knowledge of how to regulate one’s relationship with God.  Wisdom which is related to goodness.  When one is wise unto God, he is phronimos (35429), prudent with others and knows how to regulate circumstances.  $4680 applied to God and man, both in respect of true, spiritual and heavenly wisdom and also of false or worldly wisdom.  (1 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 5:15; prudent, to make wise, instruct.

 

  There are many folds of God’s wisdom.  With every twist and turn, a new facet of God’s wisdom is revealed.  It is never ending.     

As a young boy, Jesus begins walking in the wisdom of God.  Luke 2:52…”Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”    At the same time, Herod Antipas is rising to power and getting into position to oppose Him.  Yet all the while, God is using Herod to fulfill His purpose for Jesus.  This is the wisdom of God.  The Lord is taking the wise in their own craftiness.

 

  

Paul explains in first Corinthians 2: 7-8 that the wisdom of God is a mystery in order to confound the enemy: …The hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

 

  

If the rulers of darkness had been aware of God’s plan, they would never have crucified Christ.  The strong man played right into God’s hand.  He enabled Jesus to fulfill His destiny on earth by allowing Him to be crucified so that you and I might receive eternal life and fulfill all of the will of God.

 

  

Whatever the Lord calls us to do, we will have the grace required to accomplish it.  With God’s wisdom comes His grace. Another blessing is that we are to be good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Peter 4:13).  If God is the one calling and anointing you, then “your life is hidden with Christ” (Col. 3:3).  Any enemy opposing us will come against the sovereign hand of God before it can ever touch us.

 

  

Embrace wisdom by trusting the Word of God and resting in the knowledge of Christ.  Don’t be wise in your own eyes, but fear the Lord. (Prov. 3:7) “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One understands”.  (Prov. 9:10).

 

  Acts 2:46: “…We conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and Godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God…(2 Cor. 1:12).  Paul instructs the Romans to “be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil” (Rom. 16:19)   Wisdom requires us to be simpleminded regarding what is evil---your mindset about it needs to be like a child’s, very black and white.  Remember, “…Not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called” (1 Cor. 1:26) 

 

 

We can be assured that the craftiness of worldly wisdom will be put to shame for “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise…” (1 Cor. 1:27).  God used what seemed to be foolishness to confound the wisdom of Herod and all of the rulers throughout history to have set themselves against Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.

 

  

Prov. 24: 3, 5-6:  “Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established…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.

 

  

We don’t war against flesh and blood.  We war against principalities, powers, and rulers of wickedness in high places. 

 

  

It is through the spirit of wisdom, counsel might, knowledge,  understanding and the Fear of the Lord that we will be in a position to overcome the political spirit.  How can we access and harness that wisdom? By abiding in christ.  We have inherited the mind of christ.  We have exchanged our human wisdom for God’s wisdom.  “You are in Christ Jesus, who became for us the wisdom from God…” (1 Cor. 1:30).

 

  

Ps. 104:24: O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all, the earth if full of your riches.”

 

  

Neh. 9:19:  “ You in your manifold mercies forsook them not in the wilderness;

 

  

Neh. 9:27:  “You delivered them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them; and in the time of their troubles when they cried unto you, you heard them from heaven; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviors, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.

 

  

Ps. 51:6) “You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will  make me to know wisdom.” (Ps. 51:6)

 

  

We cannot be careless when it comes to handling God’s wisdom any more than we can be cavalier in dealing with the lethal weapons of modern warfare.  Wisdom will not promote itself.  Wisdom is humble because it comes at a very high cost.  Once we are walking in wisdom, you will not hear boasting.  “Keep sound wisdom and discretion; so they will be life to your soul and grace to your neck” (Prov. 3: 21-22).  “I wisdom dwell with prudence, and  find out knowledge and discretion” (Prov. 8:12).

 

  

Discretion means that we know how to keep our mouth shut even though we may be better informed that others.  Discretion means that we don’t reveal certain things until the appointed time.

 

  

As the servants of Christ, we are the stewards of the mysteries of god.  There is a reason that God keeps His wisdom hidden---but at the same time, in all “wisdom and prudence.”   We must be faithful “as those entrusted with the secret things of God” (1 Cor. 4:1 NIV).

 

  

We must therefore be faithful, “as those entrusted with the secret things of God (1 Cor. 4:1) NIV)

 

  

So what is this Hidden Wisdom?

 

  

Carolyn Sissom, Pastor

 

 

Eastgate Ministries, Inc.

 Teaching from The Political Spirit by: Faisal Malick, Chapter 7, God’s Secret Weapon.