Walking in the Fullness of the Holy Spirit Dr. Bob Abramson 06-07 - Wisdom from God Unrestrained, Unlimited, Endless 06 - Wisdom from God Solomon Let us begin by looking at King Solomon. He walked in the fullness of God-given wisdom and understanding as no others have. He was the wisest man who ever lived. 1 Kings 3:5 8-9a, 12 (NKJV) {5} At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, Ask! What shall I give you? Solomon: {8} And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. {9} Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours. The Lord: {12} 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. The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream. Then, He invited Solomon to ask for anything. Solomon could have asked for riches, power, long life or anything else. Instead, he asked for an understanding heart. God gave Solomon what he asked for. He provided Solomon with unrestrained, unlimited wisdom and understanding. (It could have been endless if Solomon had simply seen the value of being obedient to God and His Word.) In the beginning, Solomon exercised wisdom without equal. However, he turned from God and spent much of his life in the foolishness and disobedience of prideful living. It resulted in tragedy. 1
Point 16: Do not waste an opportunity to ask God for what you need that will enable you to make a difference for others. Then, use it wisely. Paul s Prayer for the power of God-given Wisdom for the Church at Ephesus: Ephesians 1:16-20 (NLT) Ephesians 1:16-20 (NLT) I have never stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, {17} asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. {18} I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people. {19} I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power {20} that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Key Points to Paul s Prayer, recorded in Ephesians 1:16-20 These are goals for walking in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Verse 17 Spiritual wisdom and understanding comes from the Father, through the Holy Spirit. Verse 18 We can know the hope that comes with being called into God s kingdom and adopted as God s children and heirs. Verse 18 We grow in the knowledge of God because of our spiritual wisdom and understanding. Verse 19 We can begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe. Verses 19-20 The power in us is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead. Let us look further into Ephesians 1:16-20. The purpose is to add to your understanding about walking in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and the wisdom it brings. 2
Verse 17: 1. Paul understood the value of walking in spiritual wisdom and understanding. He knew it has different characteristics than walking in natural wisdom and understanding. Accordingly, Paul prayed for the Father to provide the Ephesians (and subsequently all believers) with supernaturally sourced wisdom. Our heavenly Father gives us supernatural wisdom and spiritual understanding through the Holy Spirit. Then, we use are able to use this wisdom and understanding in partnership with, and by the direction of, the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, we will have no spiritual wisdom or understanding. There will be neither ability nor opportunity to walk in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. A vital part of this fullness (spiritual wisdom and understanding) will be lacking. 2. Growing in the knowledge of God requires that we exercise spiritual wisdom and understanding. Otherwise, we will have only natural wisdom and understanding upon which to rely. We will no longer grow in the knowledge of God. We will begin to lose the benefits of what we know about God. POINT 17: Spiritual wisdom and understanding are effective tools. Sharpen them in your time with God. Verse 18: Verse 18 informs us that Paul prayed for our hearts to be flooded with light. This ought to lead us to ask what this light is. 1 John 1:5 clearly establishes the answer for us, at its purest, foundational level. 1 John 1:5 (NKJV) Again: Ephesians 1:18 (NKJV) the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, New Living Translation says, flooded with light 3
1. Paul prayed for illumination (that we be flooded with light ) in our hearts. Specifically, he asked that our understanding of what we see, hear and know, would be enlightened by God s presence, as He works through the fullness of His Spirit in us. 2. Paul s prayer made clear to us that hope is within each of us to see. This hope will show us a clear picture of the Lord s promises. We are given an invitation to pause and meditate on them. Then, we are encouraged to press on in faith. 3. We have an inheritance through God awaiting us. It is rich in God s glory. Romans 8:14-17a (NKJV) Our inheritance through God is bright with His presence. It is in His hands right now! It waits for the time we will see it clearly. Our heavenly Father is called Abba. (This is an ancient expression of endearment that a trusting, loving child would call his or her father.) The Holy Spirit also bears witness that we are legally our heavenly Father s children and heirs by adoption. Do not deny yourself your inheritance because you lack faith, fail to be obedient, or neglect to claim it. POINT 18: Be wise and understanding about your rights and privileges as a child of God. Accept them, and the responsibilities that go with them. Verse 19-20 As children of God, we must be willing to carry out our responsibilities. Supernaturally sourced wisdom and power is part of our inheritance. We are responsible to appreciate this great gift to us. We should not settle for less than the fullness of this power. God makes this available to those of us who believe in Him. 1. The power of godly wisdom and understanding is that it liberates the child of God from limitations. The Holy Spirit delivers this power to us through revelation of the truth. Then, the truth sets us free and keeps us free. Freedom in Christ is our inherent right, as adopted sons and daughters of God. 4
2. Walking in God s power enables us to experience God-pleasing success in our lives. As this happens, we are able to remove what would not please God from our ways of living and embrace what would please Him. In time, we will progress to be fully pleasing to Him. This process is called sanctification. It is the process of maturing in Christ. Paul knew we could have the unrestrained, unlimited, endless ability to grow in Christ and please the Father. Paul encouraged us to make this our aim, in every circumstance. It was his desire and his prayer. 2 Corinthians 5:9 (NKJV) - Colossians 1:9-10 (NKJV) Questions for Discussion 1. How would you define the term power? 2. What does rich in glory mean to you? (See item #3, under Verse 18.) 3. How does more of God s wisdom and understanding in you make you free of things that have limited you? 4. What are limitations could most Christians eliminate by having more of God s wisdom and understanding? 5. Why would fruitfulness be eternal? If it were not eternal, would it really be fruitful? (As we continue through the lessons, we will add to the eighteen points we have already established.) 07 Extraordinary Wisdom from God Solomon Let us look again at King Solomon. Solomon: 1Kings 3:9 Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. An understanding heart provides full access to God s wisdom. You can see this in the way Solomon judged between two women who claimed to be mother of the same child. 1 Kings 3:23-28 (NKJV) 5
POINT 19: Use the wisdom of God to make wise choices. As you do, you will have the correct and proper results. As long as Solomon conducted himself with the wisdom of God, he had great success. The people for whom he was responsible were safe and prosperous. Solomon made a difference in the quality of their lives. We know that, later in life, Solomon traded his position of wisdom and favor with the Lord for that of a fool. If you desire to mature in Christ and be an influence to those around you, do the following four things: 1. Stay humble and make the fear of the Lord your lifetime partner in all that you do. In his later years, Solomon sadly reflected on the foolishness of his own life. He must have remembered the following proverb he had written, with great regret. Proverbs 1:7 (NKJV) - Romans 12:3 (NKJV) Philippians 2:5-8 (NKJV) 2. Be diligent to learn and apply the wisdom you will find in Word of God. This will assure you of God s favor and blessings, and you will fulfill your life s journey before Him to its fullest. 2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV) 3. Be led by the Spirit. This will require you to hear Him, in whatever way He speaks to you. For this to happen, you will need to form the habit of listening throughout the day. It will be especially vital to listen in the midst of important decisions you will make. Solomon practiced this in the beginnings of his reign, but later listened to other voices that led him into sin. Be sure you listen to the right voice and reject the wrong ones. 4. Determine to run your race all the way to the finish. This will keep you positioned for every victory and blessing that God has for you. The Apostle Paul understood this and never lost sight of it. He was a properly positioned finisher. He completely fulfilled the will of God for his life. We can do the same. Philippians 3:13-15 (NKJV) 6
What a contrast! Solomon s ending led to tragedy and sorrow. Paul s ending led to triumph through the growth of the Gospel. Paul has touched countless people with his words. His epistles are a source of unusual, extraordinary wisdom for us all. POINT 20: Constant wisdom and understanding can be yours when you follow the Word of God. The Wisdom of James Acts, Chapter 15 records a dispute that arose among the early Christians at Antioch. The disagreement was whether a Gentile Christian man must be circumcised. Paul and Barnabus, along with some others, decided that they should go to Jerusalem to ask about this question. After they had arrived in Jerusalem, the apostles and elders gathered to discuss this question. Then, Peter gave his testimony of what the Holy Spirit had done at Cornelius house. Peter said that there was no longer a difference between Jewish and Gentile believers. Salvation through grace was for anyone who desired to be saved. It was not dependent on works. (See Acts 15:7-11 and Ephesians 2:8-9). James, the leading apostle, was filled with the wisdom of God. He made it known how the dispute would be solved. He began by quoting from Amos 9:11-12. Using these Scriptures to validate his authority, he then provided the solution that would agree with and fulfill the Scriptures. Here is the biblical account. Acts 15:13-18 (NKJV) {16} After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up; {17} So that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the LORD who does all these things. {18} Known to God from eternity are all His works. {19} Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, {20} but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. James quotes Amos. 7
In Verses 19-20, James announces his wise decision with these specific instructions: 1. The Gentiles were to abstain from anything polluted by idols. 2. There was to be no sexual immorality among them. 3. They could not eat anything that had been strangled. 4. They could not eat anything that was prepared while still containing blood, nor consume blood itself. The apostles and elders wrote of this decision in a letter and sent it to Antioch. It was received and obeyed. When the Christians at Antioch read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement (Verse 31). James showed his extraordinary God-given wisdom in selecting these four instructions. Each was prohibited in the Hebrew Scriptures. Each had been associated with worshiping or sacrificing to idols. There would be no room in Christianity for this behavior. It was offensive to God. It dishonored God. To continue doing anything prohibited in these four instructions was a sin. It would have been a testimony against the holiness and grace of God. Like all sin, each carried consequences and ultimately, judgment. James was an example of walking in the extraordinary wisdom of God. He had unrestrained, unlimited access to the Lord s wisdom, and he used it. His decision became a standard doctrine for all Christians, then and now. Look at James 3:13-17. It shows the clear contrast between earthly foolishness and sensuality, and godly wisdom and understanding. James 3:13-17 (NKJV) A Comparison of the Two Kinds of Wisdom Verse Characteristics of Earthly, Sensual, Demonic Wisdom Characteristics of Wisdom that is from Above 13 Good conduct, the meekness of wisdom (Meekness is not weakness, but it is wisely exercised strength.) 14 Bitter envy, self-seeking, boastful, lying 15 Does not come from God 16 Confusion and evil 8 This chart continues on the next page.
17 Pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits No partiality - No hypocrisy (We can relate these final two qualities to the argument in Antioch, which James solved in Acts, Chapter 13.) James finishes his thoughts on God s wisdom with a reference to the argument concerning Gentile believers following the Law. James 3:17b (NKJV) But the wisdom that is from above is without partiality and without hypocrisy. Wisdom from God is meek, pure, peaceable, gentle and willing to yield. James lists two final characteristics of wisdom that help us to understand how it works in us. James says that God s wisdom is full of mercy and good fruits As you can see, God s wisdom shows no prejudice against anyone who calls Jesus Lord, nor should you. Ask God for personal revelation from this paraphrase. Then live according to its extraordinary godly wisdom. Here is my paraphrase of it. God s wisdom is unrestrained and unlimited in its mercy. It accomplishes His will, which is to provide us with an endless supply of potential for fruitfulness throughout our lives. This fruitfulness will be eternally evident in the believer who walks in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Finally, God s wisdom shows no prejudice against anyone who calls Jesus Lord, nor should you. Be a testimony to the love that God has for His creation. Three Very Important Principles from Romans, Chapter 8 Romans 8:5-6 (NKJV) 1. Live the way the Holy Spirit wants you to live. You will have to think spiritually, regardless of the carnal temptation to do otherwise. If you want the fullness of God s wisdom, measure your thinking against how the Holy Spirit asks you to think. 9
Always trust His instructions. Give them priority over all carnal thoughts. Sometimes, common sense has to defer (or give way) to God s kind of thinking. (This will be the subject of the following session.) Form the habit of thinking in a disciplined, wise and discerning way. Resist the temptation to second-guess yourself. Trust God. Think with God s kind of thinking. This may not take you where you prefer to go, but it will keep you safely on track to fulfill the will of God. It will lead you to life and peace. 2. Live without fear because you have a privileged, family relationship with your heavenly Father. Fear is an emotion that tries to challenge, disrupt and overcome wise, godly thinking. When you are led by the Spirit of God, you have access to unrestrained, unlimited, endless wisdom. It will help you to overcome specific situations that would tempt you to fear. Let us move ahead a few verses to Romans 8:14-17 (NKJV) 3. Be led by the Holy Spirit. You will have assurances that cannot be shaken. You will be assured that God will lead you in all circumstances. You will be assured of your eternal future. You will be assured that the Holy Spirit will bear witness and confirm that you are a child of God. When you need to, you can cry Abba. You can powerfully demonstrate your inheritance as a child of God. This means you can walk in the favor, grace and constant wisdom of God. You will enjoy all the benefits of your inheritance as a joint heir with Jesus, forever. Fear and even death will lose their dark uncertainty and painful sting. You can walk in the fullness of what this means for you. POINT 21: God s kind of thinking - unusual thinking, makes sense for a Christian. 10
Questions for Discussion 1. What is the greatest value of personal diligence? 2. What is the greatest value of personal wisdom? 3. What makes being willing to yield qualify as wisdom from above? Define willing to yield as part of your answer. 4. What is the difference between common sense and God s kind of thinking? (Remember, much of the time, common sense is God s kind of thinking. However, at other times, it is not.) (As we continue through the lessons, we will add a final point to the twenty-one we have already established.) 11