WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
JUNE 24, 2025
TOPIC: IGNORANCE, A RECIPE FOR FAILURE IN LIFE
BY T. O. BANSO
“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance” (1 Peter 1:14 New International Version).
Hosea 4:6a says God’s people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Ignorance is destructive. An ignorant man is a dangerous man, both to himself and everybody around him. Nobody will argue that an ignorant man, holding a firearm, is a danger to those around him, and even himself. Peter told the Jews and their leaders that they killed Jesus in ignorance (Acts 3:17).
In life, the probability of an ignorant person failing is extremely high. Ignorance manifests in many ways. A lack of the right or adequate knowledge and skills necessary to excel in one’s area of operation or field of practice in life can limit one’s performance and hinder one’s success. If you want to succeed in your profession, career, discipline, or practice, you must acquire the training or knowledge that will make you a force to be reckoned with.
Nobody will leave a highly competent, efficient, and effective professional to patronise a mediocre person, except if he is looking for a cheap service. And, of course, such a fellow may end up being penny-wise, pound-foolish. Don’t be ignorant in your field and hope to succeed. “Wise people treasure knowledge” (Proverbs 10:14a New Living Translation).
Many are ignorant of the Word of God, of the promises of God because they don’t study the Word and meditate upon it to do according to what is written (Joshua 1:8). You cannot replace the Word of God with prayer, and you cannot obey the Word of God you are ignorant of. It won’t work.
Many people are not yet saved because of their ignorance. The Bible says the understanding of the Gentiles has been darkened, and they are separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts (Ephesians 4:18).
Some have established their righteousness, which can’t save them. “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:3-4 New King James Version).
Ignorance of the will of God for one’s life is another kind of ignorance. Some are labouring as fools. “The labor of a fool makes him so weary that he does not even know how to go to a city” (Ecclesiastes 10:15 New American Standard Bible).
You should find out the will of God for your life and pursue it. It is what you get done in the pursuit of it that is success. It has nothing to do with what others are doing. It is about what God has called you to do. Praying for the Ephesians, Paul said, “I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance” (Ephesians 1:18 New Living Translation).
Ignorance of the devices of the devil is another kind of ignorance that will hinder someone’s success. Paul said, “Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:10-11 New King James Version). Note the phrase “we are not ignorant of his devices.” You should not glorify the devil, but you should not underrate his intelligence! He has wiles or devices, which you should not be ignorant of. Don’t let him take advantage of you.
These wiles or devices are neither hidden nor new; they are things he has used before, and he is still using them because they are still working for him! They are well documented in the Bible. Study your Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you.
Satan is man’s enemy, and, like a thief, his ministry is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10a). He doesn’t want any Christian to succeed. He wants Christians to return to their old way of life and continue in sin as in the days of their ignorance. But Peter wrote, “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance” (1 Peter 1:14 New International Version).
Some Christians are ignorant of spiritual gifts. Paul told the Corinthians that concerning spiritual gifts, he did not want them to be ignorant (1 Corinthians 12:1). What you’re ignorant of cannot benefit you. Similarly, some Christians are ignorant of spiritual warfare. As Paul said, we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). You must be ignorant of spiritual warfare. We live in a wicked, fallen world.
Some think they know, but they don’t know. It is one thing not to know and another thing not to know that you don’t know. The religious leaders in the days of Jesus were blind, but they didn’t know. Therefore, Jesus couldn’t heal them. If someone is amid warfare and does not know, he is already defeated.
Many don’t succeed because of ignorance. Wisdom helps one to succeed. “If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed” (Ecclesiastes 10:10 English Standard Version). Ignorance of what, where, when, how, and when will stagnate someone’s life. You need wisdom to go forward in life. Only fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7b).
Wisdom will always prevail over ignorance. If you want to succeed in life, get wisdom. “Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom. And whatever else you get, get understanding” (Proverbs 4:7 Holman Christian Standard Bible). Don’t tolerate ignorance in your life.
How to overcome ignorance
1. Give your life to Jesus and fear the Lord. The first step to overcoming ignorance is to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and invite Him into your life. Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). Also, 1 Corinthians 1:30 says Christ Jesus has become for us wisdom from God. Jesus in your life is wisdom, and He will empower you to overcome ignorance.
To fear the Lord means to reverence Him. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10 New International Version). In this scripture, the Amplified Bible explains the fear of the Lord as “worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome.” Also, Job 28:28b says, “The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding” (New Living Translation).
2. Study, meditate on, and obey the Word of God. The Bible is full of wisdom. Feeding on it and obeying it, especially the teachings of Jesus, will make you wise and overcome ignorance. ”Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8 New International Version). 2 Timothy 3:15 says the Holy Scriptures “are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (New International Version).
3. Fellowship with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Helper (John 14:16). The Bible says when the Spirit of truth (the Holy Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He has since come. He will teach you what you don’t know. Ask Him.
4. Pray to God for wisdom. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5 New International Version). Ask God for wisdom. He will give it to you.
5. Pursue the right knowledge. “The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin” (Proverbs 10:14 New International Version). Ask questions about what you are ignorant of and expose your mind to educational and informative resources.
6. Walk with the wise. “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm” (Proverbs 13:20 New International Version). Proverbs 14:7 says, “Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips” (New International Version). Associate with the wise, not fools, and accept corrections (Proverbs 12:1; 15:32; 15:31-32).
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. 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, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising 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 must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church 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 ignorance; teach me what I don’t know; let me understand more what I already know. I shall not be ignorant of the devices of the devil in Jesus’ name. Holy Spirit, flood my heart with light. Wisdom is supreme; therefore, I receive wisdom and understanding. I shall not labour as a fool and fail 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.
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