(Prov 22:17 & 18 AMP) Listen (consent and submit) to the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge; for it will be pleasant if you keep them in your mind [believing them]; your lips will be accustomed to [confessing] them.
This morning we continue our series, “Unlocking the Power of Proverbs – Walking in the Wisdom of God.” While we have been doing a verse-by-verse study of this book, I had to join these two verses today, because they were joined when Solomon originally penned them, under the unction of the Holy Spirit. The Lord Himself speaks through Solomon in first person and tells us to listen to the words of the wise. The Amplified translation adds the words “consent and submit,” so that we can get a clear understanding of what the Lord is saying. The Father does not want us to merely listen to the words of those He has imparted His wisdom into, He literally wants us to give way to them. To consent is to agree with and to submit is to yield to. When we receive divine wisdom – whether in the pages of the Bible or from the lips of Godly people – we are to: 1) agree with what God is saying, and most importantly 2) yield to the wisdom.
When we chose to submit to what God is saying, especially when it is contrary to what we had been doing, it means that we are willing to actually CHANGE! Reading the Bible, going to church and hearing a good sermon, attending a great Bible study, or having a prolonged session with a Godly-wise person are all great, but they won’t accomplish much in our lives if we are not willing to apply what we learned. Information without application does not instigate change. We must be willing to turn the corner from information to application. We must be willing to take what we have learned and put it in action. We must be willing to DO what we have HEARD! James said, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”
The reality is that we will never submit or give way to divine wisdom if we are not willing to transform our thinking. When we come to God our soul is already conditioned to think, feel, and choose a certain way. Most of us came to God with a soul that was not conditioned to think, feel, and choose in ways that are pleasing to Him. Dr. Finace Bush says, “This new man in and old body needs a new mind!” Paul said it this way, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Rom 12:2).
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. When you came to God you already had a mindset established.
2. When you receive divine wisdom (in the Bible or through others) it often stands directly against what you believed (your beliefs, values, ideals, attitude) in the past.
3. When there is a conflict between what you believed and what God is saying to you, you must make a choice to either stand by your old beliefs (even though they are clearly against God’s way) or to submit to the process of mind renewal so that you can give way to transformation.
4. The more you are willing to submit to (yield, give way) to God’s instruction over your old beliefs, the faster you will become the man/woman God has designed and destined you to be!
Closing Confession: Father, I won’t fight the process. I know that I came to You with a system of values, beliefs, and ideals that were not all consistent with Yours. Day-by-day, as You expose me to Your wisdom, both in Your Word and through others, I declare, by faith, that I will submit and yield to it. Whenever there is a conflict between what I used to believe and what You are telling me, I shall yield to You every time. I welcome the process of mind renewal. I want to be changed. I want to learn to think as You would have me to think. I want to see things the way You do. I want to take Your side on every position. I want to be more and more like You. I submit to the process and I shall be changed! I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
