"For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all Wisdom and spiritual understanding."

Colossians 1:9

 

In the Scripture, light sometimes has to do with Knowledge. In 2 Corinthians 4:6, apostle Paul wrote: "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Now, notice that apostle Paul could have said: "to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." But the reason he used the word "light" there is simply because when knowledge comes, light has come. Anytime the knowledge of something dawns on you, what it means is that light has come to you.

 

Download Podcast: WALKING IN THE LIGHT OF THE WISDOM OF GOD

 

To walk in the light of the Wisdom of God is to walk in the knowledge of His Will in all Wisdom and spiritual understanding. Job asked a fundamental question in Job 28:12, it says: "But where can Wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?" To be able to answer this question, it is pertinent that we examine the different kinds of Wisdom that are available to mankind.

 

The first kind of Wisdom is the Wisdom that comes from God. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, 7-8 describes this Wisdom to us. It says:

 

"And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of Wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. ² For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. ³ I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. ⁴ And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human Wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ that your faith should not be in the Wisdom of men but in the power of God. ⁷ But we speak the Wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden Wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, ⁸ which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."

 

So from that passage above, we can clearly see that there is what is known as the Wisdom of God. Apostle Paul said that this Wisdom of God is hidden to the rulers of this age, because had they known the Wisdom of God, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, the Wisdom of God is not hidden to as many that would long or ask for it. James 1:5-6 tells us: "If any of you lacks Wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind." So the Wisdom of God, even though hidden, is made available to as many that would ask God for it. That tells us that you can actually walk or operate in the Wisdom of God if you so desire it.

 

The second kind of Wisdom is demonic or devilish Wisdom. This Wisdom as we know it, originates from the devil. The devil has Wisdom, but the Bible describes his Wisdom as 'cunning'. What does it mean to be cunning? To be cunning is to be 'deceptive, trickish' et cetera. Genesis 3:1-5 gave us an insight into the devil's manipulative and trickish Wisdom. The Bible says: "Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” ² And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; ³ but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” ⁴ Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. ⁵ For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

 

From that passage, we saw how the devil manipulated Eve through his deceptive Wisdom and make her and her husband, Adam, to go against God's commandment. What the Wisdom of the devil does is to trick people out of God's plan and will for their lives and therefore, it is not the right Wisdom to exhibit or long after. The Wisdom of the devil will always put you into trouble. Even if it appears that you are winning, and you are having your ways and recording breakthroughs in your endeavors using the Wisdom of the devil, at the end of the day, that Wisdom will land you into some unimaginable trouble. The Bible says in Proverbs 14:12: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." The Wisdom of the devil leads to death and I am sure, you don't want to follow it.

 

The third kind of Wisdom is the Wisdom that originates from man. This kind of Wisdom is highly perceptual, and it comes from much learning; education, and what we can readily see in our environment or our world. As good as this Wisdom may appear to man, it is not sufficient. As a matter of fact, God said in His word that He will bring such Wisdom to 'nothing'. 1 Corinthians 1:19, 26-31 shows us something in this regard. It says:

 

"For it is written: “I will destroy the Wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh (Did you see that? Their Wisdom is sensual), not many mighty, not many noble, are called. ²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence.

 

The Wisdom that originates from man brings about undue glory to the man. This is what makes certain men and women proud, and don't give honor God. Have you come across people who think they know so much and yet, they no nothing? Talking about the philosophers of this age, the professors of this age; such people, God's power cannot work on their behalf. Proverbs 30:12 tells us that there is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness. When you think you are pure, the precious sacrifice of Jesus' blood cannot atone for your sins. When you think also that you know, not knowing that you are ignorant, you excuse God from revealing Himself to you. I mean, this was what we examined on Monday during the disciplers' convocation meeting.

 

Verse 30-31 of the same chapter shows us further: ³⁰ But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us Wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— ³¹ that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord." Most times too, the Wisdom that originates from man could also come from the devil. When you look at certain inventions today, you would see the handprints of the devil all over it, and sometimes you wonder, how could someone have sat down to bring about such a deadly invention? The devil also ministers his Wisdom to certain men and women who have yielded and surrendered themselves to be used by the devil.

 

The fourth kind of Wisdom is the Wisdom of this world. Another phrase the Bible used for it is "the Wisdom of this age." Concerning this kind of Wisdom, the Bible says it will come to nothing as well. 1 Corinthians 2:6 and 1 Corinthians 3:18 shows us this. The Bible says: "However, we speak Wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the Wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing." This part made me to remember something that the Psalmist wrote about the rulers of this age and their Wisdom. Psalms 2:1-4. The Psalmist wrote:

 

Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
²The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
³“Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”

⁴He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.

 

This is what it means when the Lord says the Wisdom of the rulers of this age will come to nothing: "He who sits in the heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall hold them in derision." Sometimes you wonder, how come there is no peace in the world? How come the United Nations and all the world bodies could not bring about the needed peace in the world? It is because they have refused to seek Wisdom from God. And so, most of the times, their meetings or their decisions fail to solve the many problems that the world is facing. Finally on that note, 1 Corinthians 3:18-23 shows us further the disposition of God to the Wisdom of this world. It says:

 

"Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. ¹⁹For the Wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; ²⁰and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” ²¹Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: ²²whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. ²³And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s."

 

Characteristics of God's Wisdom

Since we are examining Walking in The Light of the Wisdom of God, and we have already established the four kinds of Wisdom, it is important that we examine the characteristics of God's Wisdom so that we can know what it look like.

 

"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of Wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. ¹⁵ This Wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷ But the Wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

James 3:13-17

 

The first thing we will see here in verse 13 is that good conduct are a product of Wisdom. In other words, bad conduct are a product of lack of Wisdom. How you carry yourself, how you do the things you do will show to a greater extent whether you have Wisdom or you are bereft of Wisdom. Verse 14-16 also shows us something that is not consistent with having Wisdom. It says "if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts", it is a sign that you lack Wisdom. It says you "don't need to boast or lie against the truth", there is no Wisdom in you. It says further: "For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there." Did you see that? The Wisdom of God does not envy, it is not self-seeking, does not bring about confusion and it does not produce evil thing.

 

Moving on to verse 17, it then began to show us the characteristics of the Wisdom of God, and they are:

- Purity: The Wisdom of God is seen in Purity

- The wisdom of God is seen in peace

- The wisdom of God is seen in gentleness or gentility

- The wisdom of God is Yielding: The Wisdom of God leads you to yield unto good and righteous things

- The wisdom of God birngs about Mercy and Good fruits: The Wisdom of God makes you produce fruits unto righteousness

- The Wisdom of God is not partial

- The Wisdom of God is not found with hypocrisy

 

I believe you have been blessed!

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Obayomi Abiola Benjamin!

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