Ecclesiastes 9:16 gives a good summary of what is being conveyed here, “wisdom is better than strength”. This was Solomon’s conclusion to a story he told of a great and powerful king who tried to overtake a city, and was defeated by a single man who lived in poverty, yet possessed wisdom. The wise man that Solomon speaks of here in Proverbs not only makes his way into the city of the mighty, but he has torn down the towers or structures in which the cities’ confidence lies. This man has been observant, and has planned his attack well. He doesn’t waste his time and energy on fruitless pursuits; neither does he try to fight the mighty when they are at their strongest. Rather, this man tears down the source of confidence that gives the city hope and strength, and then he takes the rest. So, what does this have to do with you and life? Well, for starters I want you to think about how prepared you are to face life today. What inward or spiritual enemies are you likely to encounter; when and where do you suppose they will show up? The wise individual can answer these questions and will have a plan to conquer these enemies before they are encountered. In 2 Corinthians 10:4, Paul speaks of spiritual our spiritual warfare as “pulling down strongholds”, which is the exact same idea as “casting down the strength of the confidence thereof” in our passage in Proverbs today. Paul goes on to make it clear that these strongholds are our thoughts and imaginations that must be brought under the obedience of Christ. This takes time in the Word, personal observation, a plan of action, and prayers for wisdom.