KNOWING

Scriptural Knowledge often is the starting point of Spiritual Knowledge. It is not all there is to it though. What Jesus prescribed is Knowing The Scriptures and Knowing The Power of God (how God works, in practice, concerning a thing), Matt. 22:29.

There are those, though, who know the power of God (how God works) concerning a thing before knowing the scriptures concerning it. It's like meeting a Person One-on-One and seeing Him at work before having the opportunity to read his profile.

Even the Scriptures, there is a question upon our knowledge of it. We shouldn't be too sure of ourselves, but probe and ask the Holy Spirit to help our understanding.

The disciples, up until the day of Jesus' Resurrection, did not understand that Jesus was to rise from the dead. Quite shocking! They had been with Him, and He had told them in different ways, yet they didn't get it.

"They still did not understand from scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead." John 20:9 (NIV)

"...for until then, they still hadn't understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead."
John 20:9 (NLT)

" At that time Peter and the other disciple did not know that the Scriptures said that Jesus would rise to life." John 20:9 (CEV)

What? What then did they think about His de? Did they think He was *"Gone too Soon* ", or " *Gone Forever* "? Who did they think He was? Another Youth in the block of Jerusalem who had an untimely death? Did they know that the Messiah was to rise from the dead? What did they know about Redemption? Nothing or Almost nothing? For the Resurrection is the key to Redemption.

Little wonder why He had to visit them for 40 days after His Resurrection to explain things to them pertaining to the Kingdom (Acts 1:3).

And to know the scripture is to know its intent and not just its content. Many are those who know the content of scripture. Scholars know it. Critics know it. Atheists know it. Satan too knows it.

In fact, the sophistication of Satan's temptation is to use the content of scripture against us. I mean that Satan's temptation can come armed with a reference of scripture as its backing. For in his temptation of Christ, it was quite a display of scriptural Knowledge, Matthew 4. How dare he attempt to tempt the Son of God outside of scripture? It would have been a joke. So with content, Satan shelled it out.

But Christ, not just knowing the Word in its intent, but being the very Word Himself, responded to Satan with all accuracy. Not just content for content, but intent for intent. The Son of God knew every intent and applicability of the Word. And so He showed Satan to be in the wrong.

Here we catch Satan - Not in the Content! But in his intent and application of the Word. Right quotation, wrong application! Right Content, but Wrong Intent! Offensive intent as a matter of fact!...While Satan presented scripture, Christ seemed to respond this way:

"Correct, but not here! Not in this case. Not Applicable in this situation!"

So if we know not the Father's heart and what the Spirit is saying through the Word, how can we outwit Satan?

#SpiritualKnowledge

© Faith Oluwagbesan