Godly Prevention
By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. ~Proverbs 16:6
Prevention is the means by which something bad or hurtful is inhibited or circumvented because of good actions. An example of prevention is scheduling an annual physical examination with your doctor to maintain good health. An old maxim says, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Proverbs 16 is a chapter on prevention. It exhorts us on the power of prevention. Notice with me three areas of prevention that are helpful to our Christian life.
There is the prevention from heartache.
Proverbs 16:3 tells us, “Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.” We desire to make the right decisions in life. Much heartache comes to us from making decisions without seeking the Lord’s counsel. This verse teaches us a great principle for preventing heartache in our life. Committing our works to the Lord means to roll out our desires, thoughts, and will upon the Lord. In other words, have complete faith in God. It is giving God our fears, footsteps, and future and allowing Him to establish for us our thoughts and path. It is putting God at the forefront of our life and in every step that we take in order to prevent a life of heartache.
There is the prevention for holiness.
Proverbs 16:6 says, “By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.” Holiness is a life devoid of sin. While we remain in this life, we cannot be sinless. However, this does not absolve us from pursuing holiness. First, we must realize that God is always merciful and just to forgive us of our sins. We must daily seek His mercy and be truthful in our confessions. By doing so, “iniquity is purged.” Second, the prevention of sin can occur when we live with a proper fear of the Lord in our life. The fear of the Lord keeps us in check. It reminds us that God is offended and grieved when we sin. It is a reminder of the consequences of sin. It is a proper means of prevention from living under the power of sin in our life.
There is the prevention from hostility.
Proverbs 16:7 says, “When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” Pleasing God is serving God with all of our heart. Pleasing God is doing the will of God from the heart. Pleasing God is living a life of faith. Pleasing God is living for His glory. When we please God, our enemies are at peace with us. This teaches us that pleasing God is a safeguard from the attack of the enemy. It teaches us that those who are against us have enough respect for our testimony that, even though they disagree with us, they do not seek to hurt us. When we are forgiving, instead of holding grudges and being unforgiving leads, our enemies are at peace with us. When coals of fire are heaped upon the heads of those who do us wrong, this results in them being at peace with us.
Proverbs 16 gives us the steps of prevention for our life. When we obey the Lord and keep His commandments, it leads to a life that has much prevention and the blessing of God. We are much better off when we live a life of godly prevention than a life of chance-taking and sin. Meditate on these verses of spiritual prevention, and make it your goal to be preventive instead of reactive.
Have a careful God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Job 8-10