WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
MARCH 06, 2024
TOPIC: DON’T WALLOW IN IGNORANCE
BY T. O. BANSO
“How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance? How long will you mockers enjoy mocking
and you fools hate knowledge?” (Proverbs 1:22 Holman Christian Standard Bible).
Ignorance is a “lack of knowledge, understanding, or information about something” (Cambridge Dictionary). Ignorance manifests in many ways. It can hinder or limit one’s performance and prevent one from succeeding or excelling in one’s area of operation or field of practice. Sometimes an ignorant man is dangerous to himself and everybody around him. He can harm himself and others because of his ignorance.
God says in Hosea 4:6 that His people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. The antidote to ignorance, spiritual or any other form, is knowledge. Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is ignorance of God, crime runs wild; but what a wonderful thing it is for a nation to know and keep his laws” (Living Bible). Ignorance of God is spiritual ignorance. This kind of ignorance has an eternal consequence. Those suffering from it must be delivered. Otherwise, it will lead them to hellfire.
David says in Psalm 14:1, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good” (New King James Version). Atheists, those who say they don’t believe in God, are wallowing in ignorance no matter how educated they are. A wise person will not say that there is no God. Only the fool says that. David repeats this thought in Psalm 53:1, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good” (New King James Version).
God doesn’t want anyone to wallow in ignorance about Him. God doesn’t exist but He is! He is God and there is no one like Him. He says in Isaiah 46:9, “Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me” (New King James Version). Reading the Bible and other Bible-based materials and listening to the preaching of the Word of God will deliver anyone from spiritual ignorance, including the ignorance of God.
Paul acknowledged the role of the devil in spiritual ignorance thus: “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4 New King James Version). Note the phrase “whose minds the god of this age has blinded.” Sinners react the way they do to the Gospel because Satan has blinded their minds. He doesn’t want them to be saved. They must be delivered from his power.
Believers must keep preaching the Good News and interceding for sinners to be delivered from their ignorance and be saved. “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18 New King James Version). God doesn’t want the sinner to continue to wallow in ignorance but to come to the saving knowledge of Christ.
God doesn’t want sinners to wallow in ignorance, Acts 17:30 says these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. God tolerated man’s past ignorance but now commands everyone to put away idols and worship only Him. The men of Athens were religious. But they worshipped idols in ignorance, thinking they worshipped God. They even had an altar on which was inscribed: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD (verse 23).
Paul told them, “For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it—He is Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in shrines made by hands. Neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives everyone life and breath and all things” (Acts 17:23-25 Holman Christian Standard Bible). Note the phrase “what you worship in ignorance.” The Athenians worshipped God ignorantly. They didn’t know the God they worshipped.
Paul was also ignorant in the past. He said that before his conversion, he did all he did as a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man, ignorantly in unbelief (1 Timothy 1:13). There are still many sinners like Paul today living in ignorance and must be saved. That’s why believers must continue to preach the Gospel and intercede for those yet to see the light and come to Jesus. There is still time now for all sinners alive to be delivered from their ignorance and be saved.
Not only sinners can wallow in ignorance. Those who are already saved can also wallow in ignorance spiritually. They can be ignorant about many things. Paul told the Corinthians, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant” (1 Corinthians 12:1 New King James Version). Therefore, Paul took time to educate them on spiritual gifts. Knowledge would eliminate ignorance.
Many believers are ignorant of the Word of God or the promises of God because they don’t study the Word, meditate upon it, and do according to what is written (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3). You cannot replace the Word of God with prayer and vice versa. If you are ignorant of the Word of God, you cannot obey it or act upon it for your success. Jesus told some Sadducees, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?” (Mark 12:24 New King James Version). In other words, they were ignorant. Don’t be ignorant of the Word of God and God’s promises.
Ignorance of the will of God for one’s life is another kind of ignorance. Ignorance can make one labour as a fool (Ecclesiastes 10:15). It can make people operate outside the will of God for their lives and not employ biblical principles, which will hinder success. Every Christian must find out, embrace, and follow the will of God for his life, not do something just because everybody is doing it.
Believers should not be ignorant of the devices of the devil (2 Corinthians 2:11b). Christians should not be ignorant of spiritual warfare, for the Bible says we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). Christians must put on the whole armour of God so that they may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (verse 11).
The good news is that knowledge is available; knowledge can be acquired. Ignorance can be dealt with. Nobody needs to wallow in ignorance. But not everyone pursues knowledge, and, therefore, overcomes ignorance. Proverbs 1:22 says, “How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance? How long will you mockers enjoy mocking and you fools hate knowledge?” (Holman Christian Standard Bible). Note the phrase “How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance?” Do you love or hate ignorance? “Intelligent people want to learn, but stupid people are satisfied with ignorance” (Proverbs 15:14 Good News Translation). Whoever hates knowledge automatically loves ignorance. Therefore, whoever loves ignorance will continue to wallow in it.
Don’t wallow in ignorance. Seek knowledge – spiritual or regarding other areas of your life, including your marriage, business, career, or ministry. Don’t be content with ignorance! “To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge” (Benjamin Disraeli).
If you want to succeed in your profession, career, discipline, or practice, pay the necessary price to acquire the knowledge that will deliver you from ignorance and enhance your employability or entrepreneurial ability, efficiency, and effectiveness. “Wise people treasure knowledge” (Proverbs 10:14a New Living Translation). Are you wise? Don’t wallow in ignorance. Seek knowledge. Be teachable, and apply the acquired knowledge.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Holy Spirit, deliver me from all forms of ignorance. I shall not wallow in ignorance. I receive the knowledge, understanding, and information I need to run the Christian race well and succeed in life.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
