God’s Strategy For Civil Conguest #3 - Serpents

Jesus said (Matt. 10:16):

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

Most Christians understand that they should be “innocent as doves,” but when was the last time that you heard a sermon on being “wise as serpents”? Probably never! Why not?

Most preachers and thereby most congregations are not in the battle of advancing Jesus’s “Kingdom,” His government over their cities. But this was the message they were to bring, and the context was in direct reference to civil government. The very next verse Jesus said (Matt. 10:17:

“But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts.”

Jesus is not talking about witnessing to your next-door neighbor but going to the cities in Judea and the judgment on any city that rejects His Kingdom message over their city (Matt. 10:15):

“Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment, than for that city.”

But notice the first word that Jesus said in verse 16: “Behold!” This word can express alarm. But what’s the big alarm about? Jesus was saying if we go out to advance His Kingdom we will be “as sheep in the midst of wolves!” That should be alarming to any sheep! How long do you think a sheep can live in the midst of wolves? Seconds!

Any Christians that engage in replacing secular government with God’s Kingdom government will be eaten alive… unless they know how to “be wise as serpents.” The only way you won’t die, much less be successful, is to apply “serpents’ strategy” -wisdom of snakes - according to Jesus.

As a young boy, I used to live in rural Texas where there were many rattlesnakes. I learned a lot practically about the “wisdom of snakes.” As I thought about the wisdom of a snake, three things came to my mind:

* They don’t make noise.

* They are not very visible.

* They only rise up and strike when in striking range for success.

A snake is easy to kill if you can see it ahead of time. But sheep are easy prey for wolves as soon as they are identified as sheep. Applying the wisdom of a snake is the only way sheep can survive among wolves, much less win in a city against wolves.

Why do you think Adolf Hitler made all Jews wear large, bright, yellow armbands in public? Hitler wanted all Jews to be publicly and easily identifiable so that they would be marginalized and stigmatized.

Satan wants Christians to always be publicly identifiable so they can be opposed. Of course, in many situations we should be bold and identify as ambassadors of Christ. But in certain situations, we need to remember what Jesus said and use the wisdom of serpents - not be open about our motivation and purpose. And we should not let the wolves make us feel guilty if they don’t always know what Christians are up to. Jesus was clandestine when He needed to be (John 7:6-10).

Many college professors hide their hatred for Jesus and have nefarious agendas against our country, God, and the Bible. But once they have permanent tenure their radical bias is often exposed. After tenure, using the wisdom of the snake, they will then “strike” and with success. Jesus said (Luke 16:8):

“The children of this world are wiser than the children of light.”

Yet naïve Christians often think they must be open about their Christian identity and purpose when doing anything for the cause of Christ, and then “glory” in suffering loss in not accomplishing the mission.

In political mission for the Kingdom of God, there are times it will be counterproductive to wear the “yellow arm band” for Christ. Realize, this one verse is the ONLY verse Jesus gives to his disciples as strategy to win in advancing His political kingdom message where there will always be wolves.

The Apostle Paul said (1 Cor. 9:24):

“Run in such a way that you may win.”

Read what radical political leftists have circulated with their members on university campuses across the nation, written from a French Marxist group, titled The Coming Insurrection:

“Visibility must be avoided but a force that gathers in the shadows cannot avoid it forever. Our appearance as a force must be reserved for the opportune moment. The longer we avoid visibility the stronger we’ll be when it catches up with us. And once we become visible, our days will be numbered. Either we’ll be in a position to break its hold in short order, or we’ll be crushed in time.”

As Jesus said (Luke 16:8):

“The children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light.”

Often Satan and his agents follow principles of Scripture better than Jesus’s “children of the light.” But the “children of the light” who are wise will heed what the Bible says (Prov. 21:22, 24:5):

“The wise conquer the city of the strong and level the fortress in which they trust!”

“The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger!”

Solomon said (Eccl. 7:19, 9:15):

“One wise person is stronger than ten leading citizens of a town!”

“A poor, wise man knew how to save the town, and so it was rescued!”

The Apostle Paul knew what we are coming against (Phil. 3:18):

“For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again… many live as enemies of the cross of Christ!”

Jesus said (Matt. 11:12):

“And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it!”

This is why Jesus said (Luke 16:8; 18:1-8):

“Use the wisdom of this world with the unrighteous.”

“Be persistent with the unrighteous.”

To conclude, Jesus said (Matt. 10:16):

“In the midst of wolves, be wise as serpents! “

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