Wise as Serpents

When Jesus commissioned the twelve to go out before Him, He told them, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves." (Matthew 10:16) 
Wisdom is defined as, the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; the ability to use knowledge correctly. Although wisdom is defined as such, we must understand, as there is God's Kingdom of light and life, there is also Satan's kingdom of darkness and death. This means that wisdom can come from only one of these sources.

The Holy Spirit through the Apostle James tells, us, "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But 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 3:13-17)

So we can see, the wisdom that is in the world is not from God, but "earthly, sensual, demonic." This simply means, that every person on planet earth, that is not born again, uses earthly, sensual, demonic wisdom to use their knowledge correctly. However, the truth is, as they use this type of wisdom to promote their knowledge, the results are, bitter envy and self-seeking in their hearts, they lie against the truth and their world is filled with, envy, self-seeking, confusion and every evil thing. Simply look at any society, people group or person who does not know God or His Word, and we clearly see that these things are quite evident. For example, creation, God's wisdom, whereas, evolution is, earthly, sensual, demonic wisdom. For the believer, "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." (Hebrews 11:3) For those who are not of God, there is still debate, vain discussions and differing opinions of how everything came into being.

The Apostle Paul's letter to the church at Colossi reveals another interesting point concerning wisdom, "...that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." (Colossians 1:9) The Holy Spirit tells us through Paul, that believers can be filled, (to make full, to fill up, to fill to the full) with the knowledge (precise and correct knowledge) of God's will (His will is His Word and His Word is His will) in all wisdom (from above, which is pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy) and spiritual (things of the Holy Spirit) understanding (the correct use of knowledge, moreover, the knowledge of His will, His Word). PTL

Think about this. If believers have God's ability and His wisdom, and we do, and if we were to let them loose, what limitlessness there will be in the church as well as in the believers ministry. It is not a problem of education, but of letting God loose in us, liberating Him in us so He can reveal Himself through us to others. Again, the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God..." (1 Corinthians 1:30) Simply put, Jesus has been made wisdom from God to and for every believer.

Going back to the Apostle James, we see, "And if any one of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives with open hand to all men, and without upbraiding; and it will be given him.
But let him ask in faith and have no doubts; for he who has doubts is like the surge of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed into spray. A person of that sort must not expect to receive anything from the Lord such a one is a man of two minds, undecided in every step he takes." (James 1:5-8 WEY) However, I summit to you, that you have the knowledge of the life of God that is in you. You have the knowledge of the power and authority of His Word. You have the knowledge of your legal right to use the Name of Jesus in your combat against spiritual forces. You have the knowledge of the fact that God is actually in you, because you have the wisdom of God in you! So, now you are going to use these mighty facts to bless humanity. Amen!

The Holy Spirit, the greater one Who is in us, is no longer imprisoned, but is now set free to use us as He pleases. We are no longer hidden. People know who we are. The Father is glorified, the Name of Jesus is Magnified, the Holy Spirit is working mightily through us and the Word of God is growing and prevailing mightily. So, declare with me, "I have let God loose and have given Him the freedom to do through me the works that He did through Jesus to bless the world." "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19)