WISDOM FOR ALL AGES:
Most of the problems that we have in life, are not just
problems that we could not have done anything about or prevented from coming to
us, but problems caused by the lack of wisdom. A man might have spiritual power
or anointing like Samson, but lack of wisdom caused him to lose his life and
end his ministry prematurely. The Bible tells us that a wise man knows how to
keep his mouth-that was something that Samson did not know how to do.
A man might be very rich, may be by inheritance, or divine
belligerence, but lack of wisdom will cause him either to lose all of his money
suddenly, or die prematurely. Wisdom is therefore very important in the life of
any Christian who wants to live long and live successfully, fulfilling his
ministry, and in the end make heaven! Yes, that reminds me, a man may be a great
church leader with a large following, but will not make heaven because of lack
of wisdom. Divine belligerence, might
bring him a large following, but his lack of wisdom may turn him into a proud
fool that wants to run the church like an empire. He might even begin to add
witchcraft and cultism or occultism so as to control people. In the end he will
hear from the Lord Jesus-I never knew you!
Wisdom is therefore very needful, and the Bible tells us
that it is in fact the most important thing to have in your life as a
Christian. Let us see the importance of wisdom in Proverbs chapter 4 and verse
7, we read as follows:
7 Wisdom is the
principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get
understanding.
WHAT IS WISDOM?
Different people may want to define wisdom in their own
different ways, but the Bible has the standard definitions of wisdom that we
will use in this seminar. However, let us look at the Dictionary definitions of
wisdom, before we look at the Bible definitions of wisdom:
1: The Encarter Dictioneries defines wisdom as knowledge and
understanding! This is also called Philososphy!
Believe you me, this definition is out of place, because so
many Professors are very knowledgeable but are in secret societies and
cults-their names have already been written down in hell fire, so where is
their wisdom?
2 The Advanced Learners Dictionary defines wisdom as the
ability to make sensible decisions and to give good advice because of the
knowledge and experience that you have! This is one out of about three
definitions, depending on what sense you are speaking.
It is very important to note that Biblical wisdom has three
sides to it that separates it from these human definitions of wisdom. However,
one type of Biblical wisdom-of the mind, agrees in most places with this
definition by the Advanced Learners. It is important also to note that you
cannot talk about true Biblical wisdom, without talking about how that a man
relates with God and his word. Let us look as some Biblical definitions of Wisdom,
starting from Ecclesiastes chapter 8 verse 1:
8 Who is as the wise
man? A man who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A wise man’s wisdom
maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.
This shows that the Bible defines a wise man as a man who is
able to interpret anything accurately-this lines up with Dr Murdock’s
definition-That wisdom is ability to know
the difference! You will see later that discernment in the Greek word is
interpreted as wisdom in some scriptures-Binah, in Proverbs chapter 23 verse 4.
We can see this again in Ecclesiastes chapter 8 and verse 5, as follows:
5 Whoso keepeth the
commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both
time and judgement!
Therefore, discernment and understanding are very important
components of wisdom!
THE THREEFOLD NATURE OF BIBLICAL WISDOM
1.
The wisdom of the mind: This treats wisdom as
component of the soul-mix, involving the interpretation and accurate
application of knowledge; also you have understanding, shrewdness, prudence or
good sense, also called-practical wisdom.
2.
Wisdom as a person or an entity that creates,
leads, loves, guides, heals, and so on and so forth. Here, it is easy to see
that wisdom is a nature of divinity, manifesting from ever before there was
time, in the Word or Christ, and the Holy Spirit. This person clearly teaches,
guides and leads, as well as directs. He enriches, and empowers! This will be
our subject for day2.
3.
Wisdom as the power of God, given to those who
submit and yield to his word and to himself. We shall see how this supernatural
ability worked in the lives of Joseph, Daniel, David, Solomon and Christ. This
will be our subject for the last day-3.
WISDOM AS A COMPONENT OF THE SOUL
This does not actually mean that this wisdom
emanates from the soul, but it interprets things accurately through the mind.
All wisdom that is acceptable comes from the Holy Ghost, you will notice from
so many scriptures that you cannot separates the acts of a wise person from the
fruit of the Holy Ghost. We can begin to see this from James chapter 3 and
verse 13:
13 Who
is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good
conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
You therefore cannot separate wisdom in the
life of a man or a woman from the fruit of the spirit in such a person. This is
the reason Jesus said, by their fruit, ye shall know them.
A fool is one without God and the Holy
Spirit, this person, will never manifest the fruit of the spirit. Such a person
will definitely struggle to work works of God, or good works, whether in
character and behavior, or in manifesting the Acts of the Spirit.
THE
TWO TYPES OF PRACTICAL WISDOM
1: Earthly wisdom:
In James Chapter 3 and verse 15 we read as
follows:
14
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not , and lie
not, against the truth.
15
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish.
This human earthly wisdom from hell, is
full of strife, envy, is sensual and devilish. In the next verse you will learn
that where envy and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work.
This immediately, helps me to discern from
where so many successful people in the world, and even in the church (God will
judge at last!), got their wisdom from!
If it from God, yet the man of God is full
of strife and envy, and jealousy, then we wonder if a God is a liar. If
however, it is of the enemy or this fellow has now left the faith, he will be
full of strife, envy, jealousy and every evil work.
Secondly, we have the wisdom that is from
above, the wisdom of God and of the Spirit in verse 17 of James chapter 3:
2: Heavenly wisdom:
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first
pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good
fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
18
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
THE RIGHT USE OFTHE KNOWLEDGE (OF GOD’S
WORD).
Jesus exposed the secret of the difference between wisdom
and folly, and a wise man and a foolish man in the book of Matthew chapter 7
verses 24-26 as follows:
24 Therefore
whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto
a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.
25 And the rain
descended, and the floods came, and the wind blew, and beat upon the house; and
it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
This so amazing, your life and destiny will never, and can
never be destroyed by the enemy, if you will choose to live out the instructions
Jesus. This also means the instructions of God the father and the Holy Spirit
because they are all one. If you choose to ignore the words of Jesus concerning
holiness, purity, love for your fellow human beings, giving, preaching the good
news of the kingdom, and so many others, your failure is as sure as the noon
day coming! Look at it from the next verse:
26 And every one that
heareth the sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a
foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain
descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house;
and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Wisdom is therefore your ability to submit to the
truth-God’s word, and obey it. The Holy Spirit speaking through Solomon in
Proverbs chapter 4 and verse 20-22:
20 My son; attend to
my words, and incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not
depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life
to those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Therefore making a choice to fool around and ignore
studying, storing, mastering and living out daily the word of God, is the height
of stupidity and foolishness. If you study more carefully the Book of Proverbs,
you will notice that this instruction is repeated over and over and over again.
You can see this from the following scriptures: Proverbs1:8; 1:10; 1:15; 2:1;
3:1; 3:11; 4:10; 5:1; 6:20; 7:1, 19:27; 23:19, 23:26.
WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE AND LIFE
It is obvious that the type of
wisdom that we are talking about here must have information, or knowledge which
it will process before it can act to produce a result. You therefore can hardly
be wise in the things of the kingdom except if you know your scriptures. You
also must know the Spirit, otherwise you are wasting your n the Book of
Proverbs, the Greek word for knowledge was interpreted as wisdom in some places
because of this connection, but we must know that they don’t exactly mean the
same thing. For example in Proverbs chapter 23 verse 4:
4 Labour not to be rich, cease from
thy own wisdom. The word here is Binah
or knowledge.
