KNOWLEDGE VS. THE HOLY SPIRIT

Knowledge is wonderful and we all seek and desire knowledge.  Adam and Eve sought knowledge above the spoken Word of God and Spirit of God and that was the fall of man.  They relied on “self” through deception, perhaps they thought if God knew what was good and evil why shouldn’t we?  Really, are we God?  Unfortunately much of this is still taking place today because how things appear is not necessarily the truth.  What is true might not be truth.  God wanted to protect us from evil back then and The Lord still wants to protect us from evil.  There is nothing wrong with wanting to better yourself but we must be discerning when it comes to knowledge of spiritual things.

We all go through refinement, trials and tribulations edifying us and refining us into the likeness of Christ Jesus.  There is much knowledge and revelations to be achieved in the “refiners fire”!  We have all endured many trials, tribulations and hardships and quite frankly may endure a few more.  

Are we to forget what we have learned, achieved and overcome?  Absolutely not, yet this is not to be our sole determining factor in our discernment or decision-making.  Head knowledge is not necessarily spiritual knowledge and what happens in the natural is usually founded or rooted the spiritual. 

The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians that we do not wrestle and war against flesh and blood. (Natural/Physical) What appears in the natural is spiritually motivated.

11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
(Revelation 12:11 KJV)

We must embrace what we have learned and overcome in our natural lives and submit these things to the Lord in spirit and truth towards the application of our current problems and situations.  While there were many great battles in the bible and great hero’s such as Moses, Isaac, Jacob and David each great victory had a unique application towards that victory.  Many of these battles were fought and won utilizing an unconventional manner after seeking the Lord.  We must seek the Lord in our battles and this is more critical with each passing day in the troubled world we live in.   

Imagine Moses with the Israelites at the Red Sea and only relying on human knowledge.  I am sure Moses may have entertained thoughts such as we can’t swim as we will surely drown.  If we turn around many will die and others will likely be enslaved again.  Yet in the midst of trial and tribulation Moses raises his head towards heaven and seeks the Lord.  The Lord tells Moses to put his staff in the water and the Lord parts the sea!  Can you imagine if Moses relied on only what he had formally known from personal experiences?  

The point I wish to make is that it is easy to fall into extremes when it comes to discernment.  Some people rely to much on personal experience or head knowledge never submitting such things to the Lord for truth, revelation and application.  We are not to forget our victories, trials and tribulations as everything works out for the glory of The Lord, nothing goes to waste in the Kingdom of God.  Often these experiences help us to understand what others are currently going through that we ourselves have overcome by the grace of God.

We still occupy and live in this world even though we are no longer of this world.  You can’t forget what you have learned here on earth. However our battles are not carnal or fleshly and everything should be submitted to the Spirit and The Lord.

If we follow the beliefs of man we are likely following the “fall of man” and not the Lord.  The method of your personal victory may not be the method the Lord desires for me or someone else.  What is visual in the natural surely looks different in the spiritual.  What you hear in the natural is different than what you hear in the Spirit.  For example have you ever talked with a friend and asked them how they are doing and they tell you they are ok but you discern in their voice that they are not well or struggling?  What you heard didn’t match with what you discerned.

Satan is the master of deception.  If he tempts you one way and you overcome him, he will likely try a different method the next time.   An old method of victory might not be your current method of victory.  It is important to submit what you have learned and experienced from prior situations along with your current situations seeking the Lord for revelations and application.    

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches:He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:for without me ye can do nothing.

(John 15:5 KJV)

We can do nothing without Christ Jesus and the Victory is His not ours.  So if the victory is the Lord’s then the battle must also be the Lord’s!  We must submit to the Lord.

The enemy would love nothing more than to eliminate your discernment and decision making when confronted with new situations, trials and tribulations.  While I believe most things are “black & white” are we deceived into believing we know all things or do we seek He who knows all things Christ Jesus.  Surely we will face new trials and tribulations as we achieve personal and spiritual growth. We must seek The Lord on these matters.

The grey area is real and that is when we process what doesn’t appear right, true or Godly in nature.  This could very well be a time frame to process and submit maters to the Lord for truth and revelations.  Many people will attempt to force you into rash or hasty decisions and this may very well be control, manipulation or intimidation which is ungodly.  

We were created with free will and the Lord desires to lead us not control us.  The Lord is looking for willing vessels not controlling vessels.  Take the “grey areas” and submit these things to the Word of God and the Spirit of The Lord and seek truth and revelations.  Anyone who desires a spontaneous answer is likely masking control, dominance and manipulation.  God created us with free will to worship, praise and love Him.  

Jesus said His people perish for a lack of knowledge.  He was referring to spiritual knowledge.  

27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you:but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

(1 John 2:27 KJV)