PRAYING FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD -- Tomorrow:
"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness." (Colossians 1:9-11, KJV)
Devotion 13 of 32
" . . . in all wisdom and spiritual understanding."
Other versions read "through all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (NIV), and "with all wisdom and experience of the Spirit" (BBE).
IN
" . . . in . . . " The word "in" speaks of a "fixed position," or the area in which something is realized. For example, "redemption" is said to be "IN Christ" (Rom 3:24). That is, it cannot be realized anywhere else. "Christ" is the fixed, or determined, position and place where redemption can be experienced.
The Spirit will now establish a kingdom technicality. It is critical that we grasp what He is saying. He will lift the "knowledge" of reference out of the academic realm. It will be placed in the context of fellowship with God and Christ a fellowship into which salvation calls us (1 Cor 1:9; 1 John 1:3).
The spiritual qualities that follow are like containers in which "the knowledge of His will" is carried and made useful. That is, the genuine possession of "the knowledge of His will" is made known, or confirmed, IN "all wisdom and spiritual understanding."
This knowledge cannot be possessed or maintained independently of actual involvement in the will of the Lord. No one can possess, or become an able user of, the knowledge of God's will whose heart is not in the matter. In Christ, there is no such thing as operating, or living by, by rote, or automatically and without die thought and commitment.
ALL WISDOM
" . . . all wisdom . . . " Notice the use of the superlative "ALL." Our text is not speaking of some wisdom, a sampling of wisdom, or introductory wisdom.
The word "all" means of every kind, all manner of, whole, and thorough (STRONG'S). It deals more with the scope of wisdom than its individual components. Paul is not praying that the Colossians will become omniscient, but that they will be blessed with the vast panorama of spiritual wisdom.
"Wisdom" has to do with knowing how to navigate in a certain realm, and handle the things of that realm. For example, a wise wood craftsman knows the advantages of certain kinds of wood, how to produce articles from it, and how to use tools that have been made for woodworking. The kind of "wisdom" intended in this text relates immediately to eternal things. It has to do with being able to handle the truth of God, and take advantage of the precious resources that are found within the context of "wisdom and spiritual understanding."
DIFFERENT SPHERES OF WISDOM
There are different spheres of wisdom. Each of them depends upon a certain body of knowledge. The following represent areas that cannot yield a single Kingdom benefit. They are all impotent in things pertaining to life and godliness, and have no role whatsoever in the wisdom declared in this text.
1. "Wisdom of words" (1 Cor 1:17). This has to so with cleverness of speech, whereby men are manipulated by ingenious, but powerless, words.
2. "Wisdom of the wise" (1 Cor 1:19). These are those who are "wise" by the world's standards. They are the "wise" the world recognizes, and on whom it depends. This is not imparted wisdom, but is the result of human effort alone.
3. "Wisdom of this world" (1 Cor 1:20). This "wisdom" is confined to the temporal order. It is based upon the supposition that this world is primary, and that the only realities are those attested to by the senses.
4. "Wisdom of men" (1 Cor 2:5). This is wisdom that originates with man, and accrues to the glory of man.
5. "Wisdom" that is "earthly, sensual, devilish" (James 3:15). This is a wisdom that is actually perpetrated by the evil one, and promotes his own diabolical agenda.
None of the above use, or depend upon, the Word of God. None are related to the will or purpose of God. The life of God is not found in any of them, and they will all perish when the earth passes away. The base of knowledge that is employed in such wisdom is not eternal, and is frequently in obvious opposition to the wisdom of God.
What is more, these forms of wisdom cannot mix or blend with the "wisdom that is from above" (James 3:17). Having said that, a considerable amount of effort is being expended within the professed Christian community to merge these areas of wisdom with the wisdom of our text. All such efforts are vain, and actually militate against the purpose of God.
The term "all wisdom and spiritual understanding" refers to the wisdom that "comes from above" (James 3:17). It actually excludes the various forms of wisdom mentioned above, and is in no way harmonious or complementary of them. The wisdom of reference can only come from God. That is precisely why Paul PRAYS the Colossians may be filled with it – "filled" by God.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, grant be grace to purge from my life anything that hinders the appropriation of "all wisdom and spiritual understanding."