Counsel with God

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

COUNSEL WITH GOD

Prov 20:18

18 Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance.

NIV

Alright which one of us is going to wage war? This has to be about governments or monarchs striking out in war without deliberations and counsel of cabinets or advisors. But just because that insert, “If you wage war” is there, does it mean the whole of this saying is about war?  Perhaps that is included in order to make the point. Making plans, or as the Hebrew word means, purpose, without consideration from a trusted advisor would be injurious to our lives. We look back at King Saul and his wars and we find that God was angry with him and ultimately removed Saul from being king because Saul acted in disobedience regarding his actions during war with the Amalekites. What this shows us is that in our life purpose or plans we need to seek the counsel of a trusted advisor. Who can we trust to give us the best counsel for our life’s war against the enemy? We are in a war, in fact, we know a war wages within us. Those things we want to do, we do not, and those things we do not want to do, we do.

Rom 7:21-25

21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!

NIV

The only counsel which is wise is the Word of God. How could we make life plans based on our own heart and mind? We know it has nothing good to offer but a path that leads in the wrong direction. Whenever we consider a life choice if we use our own judgment it will usually, if not always, be based in our own desires, what we want. Should we not counsel with God before any life choice? Should we not seek God’s word or to hear the voice of the Spirit before making any change, any advance, any retreat? What makes us think we have the ability to choose the right one? We have heard some believers say, “Well God gave us a mind, we should use it”. True enough, he did give us a mind so that we could make the right choice and listen to his commands, his counsel, and his advice before acting on our own, as Saul did. If God removed Saul because he acted on his own rather than waiting for Samuel to offer sacrifices and seeking the guidance of God concerning war, is it possible he would remove us because of a similar offense? Surely we are in the age of grace, we are in Christ and have nothing to fear from God. We are at peace with God, but it would be wise for us to give credence to his word before making any plans and especially plans on how we go to battle with the enemy of our soul. God has provided us with the weapons and the plan, let us counsel with God.