1 Thessalonians 4:10b -12 New American Standard

{10b} But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more,

{11} And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you,

{12} So that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.

What an awesome admonition from “The Holy Ghost.” A number of years ago He instructed me to really begin to live verse eleven. In other words I was to become intimate with that verse to the point of making it a part of my everyday life. That command from “God The Holy Ghost,” still holds tried and true for me today.

To study to be quiet connotes a deeper, more faithful relationship with “Holy Spirit.” To study to be quiet also means that you are silent enough to be teachable. In other words you have fasted from your opinion on any given subject. You have developed enough to let others influence the conversation.

Years before I answered the call into the ministry verse eleven was brought to my attention. Little did I know that by embracing this verse it would save me from a lot of heartache, and hardship. Holy Spirit was showing me things to come (John 16:13). The more allegiance I have to verse eleven, the more God is able to work in my life.

We must understand that He knows our future better than we know our past. He is our rear guard (Isaiah 52:12; 58:8). He saw where I was going to be in my future and gave me the ability to overcome any, and every obstacle, that would hinder my development.

Now there are some things we will face by virtue of the fact that we have an enemy, and we will have to defeat the storms of life. Overcoming the storms of life is simply wrapping ourselves in, and around the Word of God and doing it (Luke 6:46-49; James 1:22).

“IT’S NOT THE STORMS OF LIFE THAT DEFEAT US… BUT WHAT WE DO IN MIDST OF THE STORMS, THAT DETERMINES THE OUTCOME.”

Psalm 57:4-6 NKJV

{4} My soul is among lions; I lie among the sons of men Who are set on fire, Whose teeth are spears and arrows, And their tongue a sharp sword.

{5} Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let Your glory be above all the earth.

{6} They have prepared a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down; They have dug a pit before me; Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen.

Many can identify with this passage of scripture. At one time or another we have encountered people who used their, mouth’s and tongue’s against us. It was like a spear or an arrow intended to harm us –to do us in.

However, there is a key to the victory that David walked in. The same is appropriate for you and me. He exalted His God in the midst of an ugly and uncomfortable situation. He chose to let God take care of his enemies. He went about exalting God, instead of bellyaching and complaining about his enemies.

David knew what their intent was, but he didn’t let there intentions stop him from exalting the Lord his God. The pit that they prepared for David, they fell into themselves. Now, will you be the same as those who oppose you? Will you allow your tongue to become an arrow to shoot another person? Will you allow God to handle those who argue with and about you, or will you take matters into your own hands? Will you study to be quiet, or must you come to your own defense?

“WILL YOU ALLOW YOUR TONGUE TO SHOOT ARROWS AT ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL?”

STUDY TO ANSWER:

Proverbs 15:28 NKJV

{28} The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.

Your mouth is tied to your heart. The righteous are commanded to study how he or she would answer any given matter. It’s from the abundance of your heart that our mouth speaks (Luke 6:45).

That is why it is imperative for us to study to be quiet. When we study to be quiet we are contemplating what is in the midst of our heart. Some people never have a clue what is in their heart until they shoot from the mouth. After they have unloaded their tongue and lips, their heart is exposed. Sometimes that is good, and other times it is not so good, depending on the subject under discussion.

By observing to be quiet you have the ability to locate your heart. When you locate your heart, you will have the ability to determine whether you want to release it from your mouth. All of this is a slow process.

Studying in the realm of being quiet, as well as in the arena of knowing how to answer, are vital components in our walk with God. This spills over into our relationships with others.

EVEN A FOOL:

Proverbs 17:27-28 Revised Standard Version

{27} He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

{28} Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

These two verses speak volumes to us concerning the importance of our studying to be quiet. First of all the person who controls his words retains knowledge. By restraining your words, the knowledge that you have is kept deep within you to be utilized at a later date; by others and yourself. This is not exactly easy, especially if you are one that is given to his or her opinion. Opinions are like belly buttons; everybody has one.

My friend, it takes an enormous amount of discipline to hold back what you think about any given subject. The latter part of this verse let’s us know that retraining your words puts you in the category of having a cool spirit, and being a man or a woman of understanding, that’s exciting. It is increasingly difficult to determine if a person is a fool; until he or she opens their mouth.

Verse twenty-eight goes on to tell us that the fool is considered wise by virtue of keeping silent; by being quiet. In my years as a traveling minister I encountered many types of people — men, women, and children. I have had the opportunity of staying with people in their homes. Much of what I learned about people and myself was by the interaction that I had with them. A great deal of the time I could tell what kind of pastor someone was by the words he or she would speak, or wouldn’t speak. If they were a person of few words, or one who chose their words carefully we were in store for a tremendous series of meetings.

On the other hand I could usually tell how the pastor and his wife got along by virtue of their words to one another. Sometimes the pastor was demanding, and demeaning to his wife, and she would crumble under his scrutiny. Other times, I could tell if a pastor’s wife was hard to please. She may be a beautiful woman on the outside, but her words made her very unattractive; unwise — a fool. I learned a lifetime of wisdom in those years as a guest in someone else’s home.

You find out how a person is in the confines of their home. Needless to say I learned a lot about what it means to study to be quiet. I learned that I must be willing to fast my opinions. Let’s face it, our words speak volumes about who we are, or who we are not. – AWM

Copyright © 2010 Anthony N. Wade Ministries –All Rights Reserved. No part of this teaching may be rewritten or reproduced without the written approval of the author. EMAIL:hgflow@gmail.com