DEACON 11
Knowledge and Intelligence
I did not quite know what to expect when I found out the topic of this talk, but I was certainly surprised when he finished…
“Sun Tzu said in The Art of War that war was very important to the State for it is a matter of life and death and the State’s possible ruin. And that it should never be taken lightly or neglected. Are we engaged in such a war as spiritual beings? I do not know. You tell me.
“The great Chinese general, Sun Tzu, went on to say that what generals and leaders need to defeat the enemy, and to win the war, is knowledge of what the enemy is doing. Of course this is only one of the things needed, but it is the one I will focus on today. What I am talking about is what is called Intelligence in military terms. And it is of vital importance in a war. Sun Tzu also stressed that this knowledge is not gained through any supernatural means, that it must be gained from men, by men, in other words, from spies on the ground.
“A wise leader will develop and nurture local spies who know the terrain, the customs and the idiosyncrasy of the people there. And as well spies within the structure of the enemy’s forces, these are the inward spies. The leader, or general must also have converted spies. These are the spies of the enemy which have been captured and flipped, turned into double agents. Finally there are the so-called doomed spies. These spies the leader allows to be captured by the enemy in a planned act and they will then act like the had flipped and inform false information to the enemy. When this spy ring is functioning perfectly and smoothly, the general, or leader will surely have all or most of the information he may need to win the battle and the war.
So, it is all about knowledge. And in the case of strategising a winning strategy, be it in a war or in business or in your personal life, knowledge is power. And knowledge must be gained, it does not simply appear magically. As a matter of fact, in order to use spies successfully to your gain, you must be well aware of the difference between fact and fantasy and also the gap that exists between honesty and falsehood, or double-dealing. One must possess intuitive perception to a high degree not to be tricked by one’s own spies.
But reference knowledge, the prophet Hosea said, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge…” (Hosea 4:6). And this is God speaking through the prophet. God rejected the priesthood of the Israelites because they failed to keep up the knowledge that God had given them. Knowing is understanding and through understanding one learns the truth. Jesus said the truth shall set us free, (St. John 8:32).
And we are in a spiritual battle. The enemy wants to influence your mind to make you do certain things, i.e. to have an effect on your actions. That is why it is important to have foreknowledge. And in truth, do not be surprised to find that your greatest enemy is yourself. As Chief Yellow Hawk of the Sioux Nation said: “…I seek strength not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy, myself. Make me ever ready to come to you, with clean hands and straight eyes, so when life fades as a fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame.” Seek the strength from God, but also from your own intelligence and resources, e.g. your spies.
So, as you now may be more able and willing to see, war, in any of its manifestations, is very important, not only to the state, but to you.
Francisco Bravo Cabrera – 04 APR 2025 – Valencia, España
CHEERS
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