SPIRITUAL WISDOM AND INSIGHT

‭Ephesians 1:16-17 NLT‬
[16] “I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, [17] asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.”

What does Paul mean by ‘spiritual wisdom and insight’? I think he means the way we apply the knowledge and understanding the Holy Spirit has given us (of God, Jesus, and what they mean to us as we learn and receive the truth) through the Word, to the way we live.

Knowledge and understanding alone will not change our lives. We need the spiritual wisdom and insight that help us to apply these truths to our daily thinking and behaviour.

How can the knowledge of the facts about God and Jesus, and the understanding about what they have done for us, change us from selfish sinners to beloved children of God? Something must happen inside us to effect the change.

‭Romans 12:2 NLT‬
[2] “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

We also need the spiritual wisdom and insight to apply these truths as we navigate every test and trial along the way, to understand what is happening to us, why it is happening, and how to respond God’s way by applying His Word to each situation.

There are always two ways to deal with the adversities we face day by day. We can either react out of our old fleshly nature or we can choose to apply God’s wisdom from His Word. If we remember that wisdom is “doing what works”, then we must choose to do whatever helps us to achieve God’s goal for us…

‭Romans 8:29 NLT‬
[29] “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.“

This isn’t easy because we have an old nature that rebels against God’s way but… we also have the Holy Spirit in us who helps us overcome our old nature, and reinforces and grows God’s nature in us.

Paul says that step one is to change the way we think. What we say and do always follow what we think (believe). If we think that doing the wrong thing will work, we will do it.

The Bible is full of instructions about the wrong and right way to behave. For example, how must we respond to insults, or offences? Must we retaliate or must we forgive? We know the answer. Retaliation keeps hostility going; forgiveness brings an end to the issue.

So, we can ask for and apply the spiritual wisdom we and others need to overcome the obstacles we face along the way. Instead of escalating conflicts with others, or adding more sinful responses by our own reactions, we can grow in grace by applying the instructions of God’s word in difficult situations.

We have the Helper, the indwelling presence of God, who will give us insight to understand what is happening, wisdom to know how to respond, and the power to choose right, do right, and defuse whatever threatens to derail us if we ask Him. All we need to do is ask in faith.

‭James 1:5-6 NLT‬
[5] “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. [6] But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.”

The outcome, when we respond to difficulties in the right way, is amazing. We get to know God better! Imagine that! We get to know His character and His ways by working with Him instead of against Him in His desire to make us more like Jesus…

… And He works in us by showing how good He is in all our circumstances. He works good for us in EVERYTHING to get us where He wants us to go.

‭Romans 8:28-29 NLT‬
[28] “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. [29] For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”