Why is wisdom supreme and the principal thing? Does wisdom come only with age and silver hair? Scripture places immense importance on wisdom.
Continue reading to find out what wisdom is, how we get wisdom, and how we apply it to our life.
Proverbs 4:7 (NJKV) “Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”
Proverbs 4:7 (CSB) “Wisdom is supreme—so get wisdom. And whatever else you get, get understanding.”
My Example of Wisdom
I am extremely fortunate God gave me the father he did. He gave his life to Jesus at 36 years of age, a year before he married my mother, and he was always deeply passionate about living for Jesus. While still a young boy, I realized that my father’s words carried substantial weight with others.
When there were discussions, my father would listen and never say much. Yet, after everyone else had spoken and aired their opinion, my dad would have his say. What he had to say usually made more sense than anyone else’s comments. In the end, they would usually decide to follow my father’s advice.
From an early age, I realized the value of my father’s wisdom. Until he went to live with Jesus just before his 90th birthday, my father’s wisdom was always available to me. It was my father’s example that caused me to want wisdom.
Sure, with age comes a certain amount of wisdom, but then I have met a lot of old fools. Before I talk about how to receive wisdom, let’s see what wisdom will do for us.
What Will Wisdom Do for You?
Proverbs 3:13-26 (CSB)
Happy is a man who finds wisdom and who acquires understanding, for she is more profitable than silver, and her revenue is better than gold. She is more precious than jewels; nothing you desire can equal her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left, riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant, and all her paths, peaceful. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who hold on to her are happy. The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding. By his knowledge the watery depths broke open, and the clouds dripped with dew. Maintain sound wisdom and discretion. My son, don’t lose sight of them. They will be life for you, and adornment for your neck. Then you will go safely on your way; your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; you will lie down, and your sleep will be pleasant. Don’t fear sudden danger or the ruin of the wicked when it comes, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from a snare.
This scripture from Proverbs provides us with an incredible list of promises concerning what wisdom will do for us. I don’t know about you, but they are promises I want in my life.
Look at the 9 benefits Wisdom provides us:
- Long life
- Peace
- Safety
- Riches
- Happiness
- Lack of Fear
- Honor
- Life
- Confidence
These are benefits I desire to have in my life. These benefits would affect my daily life. Every day I have need of one or more of these benefits.
If we want the benefits wisdom provides in our life, then we need to know how to receive wisdom. Let’s go back to verse five of Proverbs chapter three and learn how to receive wisdom.
How to Receive Wisdom
Proverbs 3:5-10 CSB
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight. Don’t be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. This will be healing for your body, and strengthening for your bones. Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
True Wisdom
True wisdom is the wisdom we want. The wisdom that is supreme. The wisdom that is our principal thing must come from God. Look at what James, the brother of Jesus, wrote.
Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense. (James 3:13–17 CSB).
Notice, the wisdom from above is FIRST pure. The wisdom that comes from our heavenly father is pure. It is untainted from the world’s system and culture. Our foe, satan, is unable to taint and tarnish God’s wisdom because God’s wisdom comes straight from His Spirit to our spirit. It isn’t filtered through this world’s system and culture.
The Fear of the Lord
Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Job 28:28 “He said to mankind, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom. And to turn from evil is understanding.”
Wisdom starts with the fear of the Lord. When the Bible tells us to fear the Lord, it doesn’t mean to be terrified of Him. The fear of the Lord for a believer is having a reverence, awe, and deep respect for God’s words, power, and authority.
The fear of the Lord doesn’t cause a believer to flee in fear – it leads the believer into loving Him.
To learn more about the fear of the Lord, read my post “Why is the Fear of the Lord Important to You?“
The Fear of the Lord recognizes two things:
1. God’s Word is Truth. John 17:17
2. God is righteous, so His way of doing things is always right. Psalm 145:17;
Matthew 6:33
Let me give you an example of God’s wisdom vs. man’s wisdom. There are many paths to wealth. There are many people in the world that can teach you how to be wealthy. Yet, when you look at how those people did it, there is always some kind of sorrow attached to it. The wealth cost them something. Their peace, their marriage, their family, their enjoyment in life.
God’s path to wealth doesn’t do that. Proverbs 10:22 “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.” (NKJV)
God’s way is the only way of doing and being right.
What is Wisdom?
The simplest definition of wisdom: Wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge.
Long ago I was taught: Knowledge is memorizing facts. Understanding is comprehending the significance of those facts. And wisdom is putting them into practice in my life.
You can have a head full of knowledge, and there are many that do, but if you cannot comprehend that knowledge, what good is it? And if you can’t apply that knowledge, that knowledge is useless.
It is wisdom that gives us comprehension and the ability to apply that knowledge. Wisdom will guide us into living our life the way God intends us to live.
Three Ways to Receive Wisdom
1. From God’s Word
Psalm 19:7-11 “The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise. The precepts of the Lord are right, making the heart glad; the command of the Lord is radiant, making the eyes light up. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are reliable and altogether righteous. They are more desirable than gold— than an abundance of pure gold; and sweeter than honey dripping from a honeycomb. In addition, your servant is warned by them, and in keeping them there is an abundant reward.” (CSB)
God’s Word is the first and primary method of receiving wisdom. God’s Word teaches us how God talks so we can recognize His voice in the next method. There is much wisdom to be found in the Bible. God especially concentrated wisdom in the book of Proverbs.
2. From God the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 1:17 “I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit, of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.” (CSB)
Acts 6:3 “Brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty.” (CSB)
John 16:13 “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come.” (CSB)
Wisdom comes from listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit in your spirit. This is important because I can’t find everything I need to know for my daily life in the Bible. For example, if I have to make a choice on where I am to work, it won’t be in the Bible. So, we need to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit daily. In fact, listening to the Holy Spirit was the prime requirement in choosing deacons for the early church.
3. From your elders
Job 12:12 “Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.” (CSB)
Why should we listen to our elders? Simply because they know stuff. Just make sure they are full of wisdom from the Holy Spirit, so their wisdom will be God’s wisdom.
God has not hidden His wisdom from us. He has hidden His wisdom for us.
1 Corinthians 2:6-12 “We do, however, speak a wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, because if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived— God has prepared these things for those who love him., Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, since the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except his spirit within him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God.“ (CSB)
God’s Desire for Us to Have His Wisdom
Proverbs 1:20-23 “Wisdom calls out in the street; she makes her voice heard in the public squares. She cries out above the commotion; she speaks at the entrance of the city gates: “How long, inexperienced ones, will you love ignorance? How long will you mockers enjoy mocking and you fools hate knowledge? If you respond to my warning, then I will pour out my spirit on you and teach you my words.” (CSB)
God’s desire for us to have wisdom is so great He has placed wisdom out where we live our life. Wisdom is in the streets. In the public square. She is at the city gates. Wisdom is at Walmart. She is at our workplace. Wisdom paces the halls of our schools.
Wisdom is not hidden. God has placed her in the midst of where we live.. He has made wisdom readily available to us.
Wisdom is not quiet. Wisdom isn’t silent. No, she is crying out to us louder than the surrounding commotion. She cries louder than any other voice we hear.
It is God’s overwhelming desire for us to have His wisdom that caused Him to place her where we live our life. He wants us to live our life wisely.
The Purpose of Wisdom
James 1:2-8 “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, 8 being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.” (CSB)
We need God’s wisdom most when we are facing trials and tests. Verse three tells us it is our faith that is being tested. Our enemy, satan, is the one that tests our faith. If he can get our faith, satan then renders us spiritually powerless.
According to Mark chapter 4, the parable of the Sower Sows the Word, satan’s purpose in testing our faith is to steal, kill, and destroy the Word of God that is in our heart. If he can get the Word, he can get our life. God provides us with wisdom so we can safely pass through all the trials and temptations.
A Common Mistake
Here’s a common mistake believers make when they are learning to operate by faith: The instant they’re faced with tests and trials – when there is a mountain in their life that needs moved – or any type of negative situation, the first thing they do is start praying, quoting scripture, and making faith commands.
What they neglect to do is check their spirit for the leading of the Lord or rake any time to hear from Him. If it is sickness they are dealing with, they start saying, “I am healed by the stripes of Jesus according to 1 Peter 2:24.”
If it is finances, they need they say, “God, I need $500.00 now. My needs are met according to Philippians 4:19.”
You might think, “What is wrong with that? Isn’t that what we are supposed to do?” Yet the negative situation remains. You are still sick. The financial problem remains. What went wrong?
It’s certainly not because, as critics claim, the prayer of faith doesn’t always work for everyone. It does! Jesus settled that in Mark 11:22-23. After commanding us to “have faith in God,” He said, “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. (CSB)
Notice, Jesus didn’t say faith will work for some people. He said that it will work for anyone. This is a spiritual law. Just like the natural laws of physics, such as gravity, work for anyone and everyone, spiritual laws will work for anyone. This means that anyone that has faith in God, the law of faith will work for. It will operate for anyone the same way it worked for Jesus.
The Law of Faith
It means our words of faith can have the same effect on the ungodly conditions in our lives, for example, that Jesus’ words had on the fig tree His disciples were staring at while He was teaching them the law of faith.
“But Richard, you still haven’t explained why it’s a mistake for me, when I’m facing a problem, just to pray whatever comes to mind. Especially if I have scriptures to back me up. Isn’t that just following the example set by Jesus?”
No. Jesus didn’t just pray whatever came to mind. He didn’t react to situations by just spouting of every Bible verse and faith confession He could think of. He said only what He heard the Father say. As a result, His prayers were always answered, and His words always came to pass.
Jesus said, “I am in the Father, and the Father in me,” He said. “The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who lives in me does his works.” (John 14:10 CSB).
Because this is the way Jesus operated, he didn’t sound like we often do. In the case of the fig tree, Jesus didn’t spout a bunch of scriptures and pray a long prayer. He spoke nine simple words, then walked away.
Jesus was confident His words would work.
You can learn more about the Law of Faith in my article HERE.
Faith Begins Where the Will of God is Known
We must know the will of God before we can have faith. That’s why it can be a mistake to be too quick to pray and start quoting scriptures the instant you’re confronted with a problem. Even if you have a general knowledge of God’s will in certain areas, there may be something God wants you to know about the specific situation you are facing.
He may want to show you what opened the door to the problem or give you instructions about how to deal with it. So, unless you’re facing an emergency that requires an instant response, it’s best to take time to seek God’s wisdom before you pray the prayer of faith.
For as Proverbs 4:7 says, “Wisdom is the principal thing.”
Stop and take time to seek God’s wisdom before you address whatever the situation is. In doing this, you will find greater success when you do pray the prayer of faith.
To learn more about where faith begins, read my article HERE.
The Challenge
Take a situation in your life or a decision you must make and find the will of God concerning that situation.
How To Find the Will of God In 7 Easy Steps
- Set aside anything that is unnecessary and devote that time to finding the will of God. That means television, secular reading, hobbies, and whatever else isn’t vital and necessary. Devote all your remaining time and energy to finding the will of God.
- Set aside all your prayer time to seeking the will of God in this situation or decision. Believe in faith that God will handle everything else you would normally pray for.
- Search the scriptures and write down every verse that pertains to the situation or decision you are seeking the will of God about.
- Meditate on those scriptures.
- Listen for that still small voice inside of you.
- Do all five steps until you find the will of God.
- Follow the peace. The number one key to hearing the will of God is following the peace inside you. You will feel an inner peace concerning what you should do.
Do these seven steps and you will always find the will of God for your life.
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