Day 32: The wisdom of a serpent

Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

Matthew 10:16 NKJV

Hello beloved of The Lord, you’re blessed and highly favoured.

This is a formal message from the Master Jesus, when He sends His disciples on mission. He has just given them the power to cast out demons and heal the sick. Throughout this chapter, Jesus gives a series of warnings on the troubles the disciples are sure to encounter on the mission, but reassures them that He is with them and that despite all these things all will be well.

It is in this context of adversity that Jesus paints the image of the sheep in the midst of the wolves. This is an image whose outcome is known in advance to be to the sheep’s disadvantage. However, Jesus gives this advice, which is supposed to help His disciples, to be cautious like snakes.

What is the serpent’s prudence, you may ask? Prudence in this text in Greek is the word phronimos and it means (wise, full of common sense, wise). This is the same word used by Jesus in the parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25, where 5 of them were wise (phronimos). The characteristic of the latter is that, unlike the foolish ones, they anticipated the possibility that the bridegroom wouldn’t come that fast. That waiting might not be so easy, that there might be darkness. They anticipated the danger and difficulty ahead and prepared themselves accordingly.

Another example is found in Matthew 7, where Jesus speaks of the man who built his house on the rock and the man who built his house on sand. When the storm came, the first man’s house stood firm, but the second man’s house collapsed. Jesus describes the former as prudent, because he built his house carefully on hard ground, knowing that the future might be difficult. And this man, according to Jesus, did so by hearing the word and putting it into practice.

The serpent’s wisdom, then, comes down to using God’s weapons (Ephesians 6:11) to stand firm against the wiles of the devil that may arise on the way to the promised land or in the realization of the vision.

God is The One who guarantees our success, but the speed at which we succeed depends on our prudence and wisdom.

Prayer:

• Lord of hosts, strengthen us in this mission, give us prudence, using all the weapons of the Spirit to resist temptation and the wiles of the devil. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Assignment :

• In carrying out the mission, the pursuit of the vision, never separates yourself from the armor of God.
• Every morning take your shield of faith, your sword of the Spirit, your belt of truth, your helmet of salvation, your breastplate of righteousness, and your shoes of the zeal of the Gospel, and go with it to school, to work, to the market, in the taxi and everywhere you are. Never part with them. The adversary lurks and is cunning, so be wise.
  

Further reading : Ephesians 6:11-18 NKJV

Looking for a local church in Yaounde Cameroon?

I recommend to you Living Word Fellowship International Church of Bishop Christian Raymond Ngwu and Rev. Laurentine Ngwu. The Church is situated in Yaoundé Mvog-ada near Camwater, Church services on Sunday 8am to 12:30 pm. Right now we’re praying every morning from 5:30am to 7:00am during this prayer/fasting 40 days season

Looking for a local church in Douala Cameroon?

I recommend to you Four Face Center of his excellency Dr. E. Paul Mbuagbor and Rev. Leslie Mbuagbor (son and daughter of Daddy Bishop Chris Raymond Ngwu). The church is situated at “salle de fête arena Bonamoussadi” and church services hold every Sunday 5pm.

Thank you for reading and God bless you

Dr. Louis Serge Tang Nlend