Derek Prince writes in Rules of Engagement,
“I believe that the hardest test we are likely to face—and the one we are least likely to pass—is success.”[1]
He then offers the answer based on 1 Corinthians 7:25,
“I saw it to be faithful; I must be totally dependent on the Lord’s mercy. I cannot rely on anything else: my academic background, my spiritual gifts, my past achievements, my years in Christian service. There is only one thing that can keep me faithful: the mercy of God. I must make it the central purpose of my life to be consciously and continually dependent on God’s mercy. I must be on my guard against anything that would blur or dull my sense of dependence. Particularly, I must be watchful for any form of pride, which is, in essence, self-dependence.”[2]
Why is it so difficult to “succeed” in Christ?
Our Adamic nature constantly cries out for attention. At its root is the prerequisite to the fall: pride. Thus, there is an embedded tendency in our nature to claim any triumphs that, in turn, bring attention to ourselves. Not only will pride try and hijack successes, but it will also attempt to put itself in place for recognition, both now and in the future:
“They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, ‘What were you discussing on the way?’ But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest” (Mark 9:33-34 NASB);
“Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. And He said to her, ‘What do you wish?’ She *said to Him, ‘Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left’” (Matthew 20:20-21 NASB).
Since, as believers, we are not immune to pride’s tempting, it is crucial to have a discerning eye for truth and a humble heart to reject pride’s beguiling practices.
The Lies of the Gibeonites
Satan is a liar, and the father of lies (cf. John 8:44), and human nature is such that many people find it easier to tell lies than the truth. With tongue in cheek, the American political leader Adlai Stevenson said,
“A lie is an abomination unto the Lord—and a very present help in trouble.”[3]
Warren Wiersbe articulated wonderfully how the Gibeonites told several lies in their attempt to get out of trouble and why they succeeded:
Lie 1—they said they were “from a very far country” (Josh. 9:6, 9) when they lived twenty-five miles away.
Lie 2—they lied about their clothing and food. “This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is” (v. 12, NIV).
Lie 3—they also lied about themselves and gave the impression that they were important envoys on an official peace mission from the elders of their city.
Lie 4—they also called themselves “your servants” (vv. 8, 9, 11) when they were the enemies of Israel.
Lie 5—these four lies were terrible enough, but when the visitors said they had come “because of the name of the Lord” (v. 9), it was blasphemous. Like the citizens of Jericho (2:10), the people in Gibeon had heard about Israel’s march of conquest (9:9–10), but unlike Rahab and her family, they didn’t put their faith in the Lord. These men were wise enough not to mention Israel’s victories at Jericho and Ai, for that news couldn’t have reached their “far country” that quickly. Satan’s ambassadors can lie more convincingly than some Christians can tell the truth![4]
Why the Gibeonites Succeeded
The reason is simple: Joshua and the princes of Israel were impetuous and didn’t take time to consult the Lord. They walked by sight and not by faith. After listening to the strangers’ speech and examining the evidence, Joshua and his leaders concluded that the men were telling the truth. The leaders of Israel took the “scientific approach” instead of the “spiritual approach.” They depended on their own senses, examined the “facts,” discussed the matter, and agreed in their conclusion. It was all very logical and convincing, but it was all wrong. They had made the same mistake at Ai (chap. 7) and hadn’t yet learned to wait on the Lord and seek His direction.
The will of God comes from the heart of God (Ps. 33:11), and He delights to make it known to His children when He knows they are humble and willing to obey. [5]
A Discerning Eye
The natural discernment was open to all who could see the sky. However, this was an illustration that followed Jesus’ spiritual discernment as He discerned the insincerity of their request (cf. Matthew 16:1). One key in the discerning process is to really “see” what is before you. What stood before Jesus were not men desiring truth from Him but His failure. This is the first time the combination of the Sadducees and Pharisees, who truly disliked each other, spoke collectively to Jesus. It seems their hatred for Him overshadowed their hatred for each other, or as A. T. Robertson said, “Hate makes strange bedfellows.”[6] The point is, if what you suddenly see before you are too good to be true (in the text, a unity of dissenting parties), it probably is and needs to be a noted concern.
Discernment is a Holy Spirit gift (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:10). Classic New Testament examples of this gift in operation are seen in Acts 5 when Peter “saw” the deceit in Ananias and Acts 16 when Paul “saw” past a true testimony (yes they were servants of the most high God and yes they showed the way of salvation) but given falsely.
That is why it is imperative to spend time with the Word, to leave the milk and hunger after the meat of the Bible. “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14 ESV). The picture is of mature believers who were fully trained athletes ready for the contest because of their spiritual discipline. Being trained and spiritually sensitive, they could discern truth and error when given the choice.
As we move closer and closer to the coming of the Lord, there will be more and more false teachers and doctrines of devils to discern regularly. As we encounter our spiritual battles, we must be able to discern the good from the evil, both through the Word and Spirit, as mature believers and the supernatural gift of discernment.
[1] Derek Prince, Rules of Engagement: Preparing for Your Role in the Spiritual Battle (Grand Rapids, Mich: Chosen Books, 2006). Page 52.
[2] IBID, page 58.
[3] https://www.azquotes.com/quote/1308403
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be strong (106–107). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[5] Ibid
[6] A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Public Domain, 1930).
