Proverbs 3:29
“Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.”
It said, “Devise not evil…” Don’t think evil against thy neighbor! Don’t practice evil against thy neighbor !!
WHO IS THY NEIGHBOUR? Anybody next to you in your workplace, in your business, in your employment, in your relationship is your neighbour. It said:
“Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.”
As scripture tells us in Proverbs chapter 16, verse 29-30,
Verse 29,
“A violent man enticeth his neighbour, And leadeth him into the way that is not good.”
‘A neighbor dwelleth securely with thee.’ That’s what the scripture is telling us. And a neighbour expects you to shield him, to protect him or her, and not to expose him or her to evil. But, “A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.”
SO, WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTED TO DO? Don’t lead your neighbour astray. Anybody that comes close to you is your neighbour. You know the truth of the word of God, don’t lead him or her astray. Lead him into the truth. Purpose for him to walk in the truth.
So, that is why it is telling us here: ‘practice no evil against thy neighbour.’ When you are not showing your neighbour the truth, the way, the life that is in Christ: you are devising evil against your neighbour. So, the scripture is telling us here: “Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.”
NOTE THIS:
A violent man, a violent woman enticeth his neighbour, to lead him astray, or her astray; to lead him in the way that is not good: the way of disobedience to the word of God. Check yourself whether you are leading your neighbour astray - outside the word of God. You are devising evil without you knowing.
We will continue in that verse 30; It says:
“He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.”
You know, sweet-talking the neighbour into evil, into going astray from the word of God. Remember, it started with: “Withhold not good from your neighbour…” Now, it is now telling you: Don’t devise evil, Don’t lead your neighbour astray, Don’t lead him to walk against the word of God. It will not help you.
Micah chapter 2, verses 1-2 tells us this,
“Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds…”
People bring woe to themselves and after start blaming God. If you are devising evil and devising iniquity, you’re bringing woe to yourself not God.
This Micah chapter 2 Verse 1 is telling us expressly:
“Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.”
You see again, because it is in the power of your hand, instead of doing good, you’re devising evil. So:
Don’t devise evil upon your bed.
Don’t work wickedly.
Don’t practice evil.
Purpose to do good, because you have been created in Christ Jesus for good works.
He goes further with this kind of people, especially those who are in authority, that take over people’s lands and properties, and withhold their labour wages. He said such ones,… in verse 2 of that Micah chapter 2,
“And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.”
He says: Verse 3,
“Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.”
HEAR THIS:
When people are devising evil, they are sowing evil for themselves. For whatever you sow, you shall reap. So, leave the wicked leaders, those who are in authority: who are devising evil, coveting fields of others and taking it away; like King Ahab and Jezebel took away the field of a child of Israel, and they ended up dying in an evil way. What you take violently, you’ll also return it violently.
So, that’s why it’s encouraging us: “Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.” So, we are supposed to shield and protect our neighbours. We are supposed to take our neighbours to the truth of the gospel: to teach them the way, the truth, and the life, for them to walk in it; not teaching them to walk disorderly; not teaching them to stray from the truth.
It said: “Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.”
Verse 30 says:
“Strive not with a man without a cause, if he have done thee no harm.”
Don’t enter into quarrels for no cause. God does not encourage that. In fact, Christ does not in any way encourage us to be on a revenge mission. Many people think that they can fight their own cause; but God can fight your cause better than you can. Jesus, speaking in Mathew chapter 5, from verse 38, He said:
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:”
That’s revenge mission.
Verse 39,
“But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
Oh! It’s difficult to do? Yes! If you are not yielded to the word of God, if you have not made the word of God your necessary food, if you have not made the word of God the foundation of your life: it looks difficult.
Verse 40,
“And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.”
Is it impossible to practice? No! It’s very possible. If you have made this world your hope, it’s impossible to practice. And of course, if your hope is only in this world, you are of all men most miserable. Jesus continued in that verse 41:
“And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Verse 42 “Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.”
That’s still talking about doing good to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it. When you have it, and you think you can afford to let it go, do it. So, Jesus is discouraging us from revenge mission. He said:
“…it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
Many people think they can fight on their own power. But the Bible tells us: ‘The weapons of our warfare they are not carnal, they are mighty through God in pulling down every stronghold and every high thing that tries to raise up its head against the knowledge of God.’ [Ref: 2 Corinthians 10: 4-5] When we yield ourselves to the word of God, remaining in the foundation of the word of God, the word of God has the power to fight for us.
So, “Strive not with a man without a cause, if he have done thee no harm.” Strive not! That’s why the scripture encourages us in 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse 24-26, it says:
“And the servant of the Lord must not strive;” – If you are a child of God; you are not to strive, you are not to quarrel.
It said:
“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men,”
NOTE THIS:
“Do good to all men” - including your enemies. Live peaceably as much as it lieth with you with all men. When I say ‘all men’, it includes ‘all women’. Be gentle unto all men! No exception, no discrimination. It said: “the servant of the Lord must not strive”. Are you a child of God? Desist from striving.
Desist from quarreling, and fighting. Rather, be gentle, ready to teach; be patient, ready to show that person who is quarreling with you, through your meekness, and showing them what the word of God says, your desire is to be at peace with one another; because you have been called as an ambassador of Christ, ambassador of peace. That’s what it’s saying there: Verse 24,
“And the servant of God must not strive; but be gentle, unto all men, apt to teach, patient,”
Verse 25,
“In meekness”– that’s in humility– “instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;”
Because when you don’t join in the strive, in the fighting, in the quarreling; and you are patient, you are gentle, you are humble - you show your humility by demonstrating what the word of God says: indirectly, you are teaching that person who has come to strive with you. That may open up for him or her to repent. Is it difficult to do these things? No! It’s because people are not taught the truth, so, they are not practicing the truth.
They just choose what they want to do and what they don’t want to do. But here, we teach you the truth! We encourage you to practice the truth, because when you practice the truth, you will see the benefits in your life. The problem with the present church is that people are not taught the truth. And that’s what Jesus commanded. He said: “Go and make disciples of all men, teaching them to observe what I have taught you. Behold I am with you, even unto the end of the ages.” [Ref: Matthew 28: 19 – 20]
When people are taught this truth:
There will be peace in families,
There will be peace in the churches,
There will be peace amongst one another.
But, because people are not taught the truth,… it's just not enough to say, ‘Oh, I love you; I love Jesus; I love God’; and you will dance’, and sing without knowing how to love God.
This is the way to love God. It said:
“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,”
Verse 25,
“In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves;”
Because those who strive: they are opposing themselves, they are fighting within themselves. That’s where strive comes. It comes from your heart, from your mind. They are fighting within themselves. And when you demonstrate the love of God, it can bring them into repentance. That’s what that word of God is saying. They can acknowledge the truth that you are representing the truth. And they can come into repentance. Verse 26, it says:
“And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”
Such ones who are striving, the devil have already taken them captive. And through this truth, they can be recovered from this darkness that has blinded their eyes. As you are hearing the Word today, my desire is that you will be recovered from the captivity that the enemy has held you.
“Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.”
That’s why the scripture tells us in Hebrew chapter 12 verse 14:
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:”
You want to see the Lord in your situation, in your family, in your business, in your employment: ‘Follow peace with all men!’ No exception!! …and holiness. It said, “…without which no man shall see the Lord:”
You want the visitation of the Lord in your present situation: follow peace with all men, and holiness; presenting your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto the Lord, which is your reasonable service. Because without it, you will not see the Lord, you will not see the visitation of the Lord.
I encourage you; this is Word of Wisdom for you:
“Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.”
That is why you should follow peace with all men, and holiness, so that the Lord will visit you at the appointed time. As you do this, remain blessed. God bless you all.