OUR UNDERSTANDING - PART 2

TUESDAY 29 AUGUST 2023

Our spiritual understanding is continually manifested as the necessary result, as well as evidence, of growing strong in the Word. So this understanding is not chained to any goodness in us, but to our fitness in engaging the Spirit of God for such manifestation. More below!

Reference: Psalm 119:32 New International Version (NIV) "I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding."

This Scripture lays it down as a rule that our Christian life is marked by continual growth as we eagerly pursue and act on God's commandments. When it becomes our constant practice, God is obliged to continue to increase our spiritual understanding. This spiritual understanding is the emblem of continual advancement as the result of persistent intake of the Word, and the active use of the divine knowledge bestowed upon us through ardent cogitation of the Word.

Spiritual understanding is the product of the Spirit of God. The Bible says, "The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord" (Isaiah 11:2 NIV). From the revealed sense of this Scripture, we can observe that there is such a "manifestation" known as the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding. This is why it's important to often pray in the Spirit before we study the Word of God. And specifically, we can ask for the Spirit of wisdom and understanding to guide us into the truth of the Word. In doing so, we experience a rapid increase in the expansion of our spiritual understanding, inspiring our faith growth.

Ephesians 5:18 says, "Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit..." (NLT). As often as you get filled with the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, you'll discover new things about the Lord, tailored with high quality realities of His Kingdom, and in turn, He will continually expand, enlarge, widen or broaden your spiritual understanding. By praying in the Holy Spirit for increased wisdom and understanding and building yourself up with the Word, you gain the direct testimony of the consciousness of the wisdom of God at work in you from a deeper level of understanding. That means, be intentional about asking for increased wisdom and understanding of the Word in your prayer times.

To instantiate this, in 1st Kings 4:29 (NKJV), the Bible reads, "And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore." This is so mind-blowing and exceptional because God didn't just grant Solomon wisdom, but also exceedingly deep insight and understanding beyond measure, like the sand on the seashore. Zero wonder He said, "Whatever it takes to gain Wisdom, do it. To gain understanding, do it! Never forget this! Never stray from what I am telling you" (Proverbs 4:5 The Voice). In addition, he says, "Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding" (Proverbs 4:7 WEB).

However here is the point I want you to drive home: Solomon specifically requested for wisdom and understanding. To that effect, God said, "behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you" (1 King 3:12 NKJV). And so in all his ways, he displayed supreme understanding, plus many other discerning forms of expression that I may not touch upon right now.

Lack of spiritual understanding will not be your portion. Such will never be your case, if at all, the Spirit of God and of Christ actively dwells in you. Beloved, as you gain skillful and godly wisdom from the Word by alacritous cogitation, pray also to acquire deep spiritual understanding, which denotes incisive interpretation and mature comprehension of the Word, via the accurate activation of spiritual discernment concerning spiritual realities. Stay tuned for part 3. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Matthew 13:10-11; Acts 10:44; 1 Corinthians 14:2; Colossians 1:9.

Guided Prayer: Heavenly Father, it is the Spirit of Christ in me that reflects a great treasure of divine wisdom. Therefore, as I get skillful in godly wisdom through the knowledge of the Word, I thank you for empowering me with spiritual understanding, profound discernment and sharp-witted acumen, in order to function with mature comprehension and extraordinary interpretation of the Word, which are expressive of the dominion of the Spirit in my life, in Jesus' Name, Amen.