When Christians think of wisdom, one name comes to mind: King Solomon. We are told in 1 Kings 10:24 - The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. Queen Sheba traveled to test his wisdom, and he answered her questions with ease, leaving her "overwhelmed" (1 Kings 10:5). So much so, all she could do was praise the Lord (1 Kings 10:9).
King Solomon received the capacity to display great wisdom from one source - God. And till this day, true wisdom can only be obtained from the Lord. Anything that resembles it but was obtained outside of God is a counterfeit, and it will fail. The Apostle James tells us that such worldly wisdom is "earthly, unspiritual, demonic" (James 3:15). Alas, that is the type of wisdom that dominates the world because most people, including Christians, do not realize that they need God for true wisdom.
However, Proverbs 4:7 teaches, [t]he beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. We are, therefore, to prioritize the seeking of God's wisdom. Fortunately, we can start by studying the Bible and calling on Jesus to open our minds so we understand its contents (Luke 24:45). When we develop a habit of spending time with the Word, we realize there's so much more we need to learn. Plus, there's no need to think that our request for godly wisdom will be ignored because we are told in James 1:5 - If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
Many of us Believers shy away from seeking godly wisdom because we don't want to do the things that open the door to receive it. This may require fasting and waiting to hear what God has to say. Also, godly wisdom may not fit the conventional way of doing things. This tends to be because we forget that God's ways are very different from how people operate (Isaiah 55:8). We've been conditioned to prefer human wisdom, which makes more sense to us, especially when we have not yet been fully submitted to and/or transformed by the Holy Spirit. Human wisdom will entice us to be petty, seek revenge (rather than let God defend), or do some other devious thing that is contrary to God's will.
Nothing should keep us from seeking godly insight. Consider some of what Proverbs 8 says can be obtained from wisdom: true power, justice, riches, honor, wealth, prosperity, insight, life, and great blessings. Ecclesiastes 9:16 warns that wisdom is better than strength, while Ecclesiastes 7:12 says that wisdom is a shelter that protects the lives of those who have it. The wisdom of God will never fail those who faithfully seek and apply it. And since God knows everything, there is nothing we get from Him that will not prove to be a benefit. This is why the Bible explains that every good and perfect gift comes from Him alone (James 1:17).
Reasonable Christians should not ignore the need for God's wisdom. It can make the difference between life and death. The latter was the case for King Saul, who sought insight through ungodly necromancy (1 Samuel 28). That means the palm readers, horoscopes, tarot cards, and other occult sources cannot be a part of the Believer's approach to finding knowledge. This is not to suggest that Believers should not read books or learn from others. But when seeking the unsearchable things of life, such as desiring to know the future, the occult and/or New Age spirituality are not the way to go. After all, God said in Jeremiah 33:3 - Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come (NLT). Why not walk in the fear of the Lord and godly humility to genuinely ask Him? It will be His delight to reward your obedience.
Be aware that God grants wisdom so that He, not human beings or things, will be glorified. When Daniel received secret knowledge, he praised the Lord and did not extol himself (Daniel 2:20-23). Even Nebuchadnezzar, who worshiped other gods at the time, was so stunned that Daniel knew the dream he'd had that he also praised God. Further, if you seek and receive godly wisdom, I implore you to not only praise the Lord, but also to testify and appreciate Him by living your life for Him. God teaches His people not to return kindness with evil. Disregarding the Creator of the universe after He's answered you would be a sign of ungratefulness. King Asa tried this, and it didn't work in his favor.
Remember that the Lord said that His people were destroyed by a lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). This wasn't because they had no access to wisdom; it was because they rejected His wisdom. They turned away from God, serving false gods, and the outcome was severe. The consequences remain dire today for those of us who claim to be children of God but turn our backs on Him, the source of all knowledge. This is a dangerous risk we cannot afford if we aim to reach heaven. Keeping eternity in mind, we should desire God's 'more', and wisdom is one way to experience this. I pray we will all seek godly wisdom, calling on the Lord to reveal the unsearchable things and teach us what we need to know, IJN, Amen. Join us for today's fellowship hour at Noon EST. We will worship God with our praises, pray for people, and pray to receive and accept God's wisdom all the days of our lives. See you then!
To learn more, please read: