Four Imaginary Imprisonments (Part Five) | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

We're halfway through the four imaginary imprisonments.  Hopefully, the posts on apathy and mediocrity have been very thought provoking and challenging.  As we move into the second two imaginary imprisonments, it is my prayer that the Holy Spirit continues to enlighten us all on how we have been affected by the presence of these imaginary imprisonments in our lives.  

Imaginary Imprisonment #3 | IGNORANCE

Ignorance is simply a lack of knowledge.  Since we're all ignorant of some things, ignorance in and of itself is not a sin.  But we must understand that what we don't know could very well kill us.  So it's important that we become knowledgable people because ignorance can be VERY frightening.  We know that GOD has not given us the spirit of fear (according to 2 Timothy 1:7), but it sure is easy for fear to arise when we lack knowledge.  This is why we must tap into what GOD has given us to combat fear: the spirits of power, love and sound (or clear) thinking, which all work cooperatively with knowledge.  Let's consider our own lives: when we're in the know, we feel capable of operating in a position of power, love and mental soundness, right?  Then let's aim to consistently be informed and more aware, which is what the Bible terms "walking circumspectly".

Realize it or not, lacking knowledge carries some pretty heavy consequences.  Many of us are familiar with the beginning of Hosea 4:6, which speaks of GOD's people being destroyed for a lack of knowledge.  Reading further into this verse of scripture, we see that a lack of knowledge displaces those who are ignorant from operating in their ministerial roles.  This displacement may not be a physical removal from an office or position, but the scripture says GOD will reject them.  In other words, ignorance will cause GOD to ignore our service to the point there is no manifestation of His power when we minister.  And many of us have had the unpleasant experience of witnessing people minister WITHOUT GOD's presence or anointing.  When GOD doesn't add His "super" to our "natural", it's disastrous.  But GOD will not manifest the glory of His presence amidst ignorance, so it's imperative that those who are in the service of the King are knowledgeable because the Bible has made it clear that Heaven will not respond to ignorance in ministry.

Continuing further into Hosea 4:6, we see that ignorance has generational implications ("seeing thou has forgotten the law of thy GOD, I will also forget thy children").  Being oblivious to GOD's way of doing things removes His covering from the fruit of our increase, when we fully consider the principle and extend our perspective beyond children to include everything we produce.  Ignorance has this way of attaching itself to us and perpetuating itself over and over again through everything attached to us. When we lack knowledge of how GOD intends for us to live, our actions are based upon our own understanding.  Leaning to our own understanding, as it says in Proverbs 3:5-6, hinders GOD from directing our path.  And when we're without GOD's direction, we subject ourselves and everything in our care to the attack of the enemy--the one whose mission it is to kill, steal and destroy.  

To Be Continued...