Prophetic Word/Teaching: True Wisdom
A couple weeks ago, I did a post on Instagram and Facebook about wisdom. But, since then, the Holy Spirit has continued to press the subject on my heart and continue to give me more revelation as it is very important right now for His Church to be walking in true wisdom and not a false version of it.
I also mentioned this briefly in the “open eyes” word earlier this week - in regard to how the enemy will always disguise evil as good and darkness as light. Which is exactly why we need to have discernment and WISDOM to be able to know what we should be doing!
But, the very first thing that I feel the Lord so strongly stressing to His people right now is where true wisdom is found. Wisdom does NOT come from man. It does not come from a man’s understanding or intellect. In fact, wisdom is not even natural to man. He has to ask God for it (James 1:5).
But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man does not know its worth, and it is not found in the land of the living.
-Job 28:12-13
Wisdom is not found in the land of the living. Period. It does not matter how “smart” or “savvy” or “insightful” a man is. He cannot be wise without receiving it directly from the Lord.
In times like these, it is very easy to assume we know what God would have us do. To the point where we can even think or convince ourselves that He is the one guiding us. But, in actuality, we are going off of our own reasoning and understanding. It’s more what we think God would want us to do, than actually what He wants us to do. Because we know how God generally works or how He’s worked in the past (which is why we cannot formula-ize God!), we assume we know what’s best. Except in actuality, we are going off of our own understanding and/or the recommendations of our fellow man.
It’s a very fine line and can be difficult to discern, especially in times of turmoil or stress. But, this is exactly why we need to be fully surrendered and completely emptied out of ourselves, so we can hear the voice of God louder than our own and the ones in the world around us. The reason why Proverbs 3:5 tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding,” is because He will tell us to do things that won’t make sense to us. In the moment, we may not understand why. Or we might have to face great opposition in following His directions. But, we can’t rely on our own understanding or choose the path of least resistance. We need to ask God for HIS wisdom and follow it regardless.
On a simple scale, the disciples didn’t understand why Jesus told them to put the nets down in the water one more time, but they did it anyway. On a grander scale, Abraham didn’t understand why God told him to sacrifice the son He had blessed him with, but he did it anyway. Joseph assumed he should quietly divorce Mary because it seemed like the obvious thing to do, until God told him otherwise. Jesse assumes he shouldn’t even present his youngest son David to Samuel because he’s too young and small, but God chooses him anyway.
When we assume we know what God wants us to do or how He’s going to work, we not only impose our own understanding on His ways, but we get ourselves off-track in the process. (It’s why the Lord has pretty much made “assume” a curse word between me and Him!)
Fools base their thoughts on foolish assumptions,
so their conclusions will be wicked madness- Eccl 10:13
Yes, when we assume we know what’s going on or how to handle things, it’s as good as “wicked madness.” In fact, the next verse in Ecclesiastes goes on to say, “…they chatter on and on. No one really knows what is going to happen; no one can predict the future.” (Eccl 10:14)
When we listen to the advice and assumptions of man, we are going along with madness. Because no matter what they say, they actually have no idea what is going to happen. Only God does. Which is why we must go to Him for direction!
In fact, God doesn’t mince words when it comes to listening to those who receive their revelations from other men or themselves, as opposed to receiving it from Him…
One wise person is stronger than ten leading citizens of a town!
-Eccl 7:19
Better to hear the quiet words of a wise person than the shouts of a foolish king.
-Eccl 9:17
Just because someone is in a position of leadership or power, does not make them wise. And the Lord wants His people to wake up and remember that! Again, He’s had me do several posts about Daniel and the lion’s den, the Hebrew boys and the furnace and basically, the whole story of the disciples in Acts. Over and over again, God’s instruction/wisdom went exactly against what man was telling them they should do. The only difference today is that it is being shrouded in the deception of “doing right” (see the “Open Eyes” post for more on that).
“Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than Him?” -Acts 4:19
“We must obey God rather than any human authority.” -Acts 5:29
We need to remember to live by God’s wisdom and not man’s because now more than ever, there is going to be a great divide between the two. The days of the Church being able to follow God and “placate man” are over. We are swiftly coming into times where a choice will have to be made who we follow - man or God. And wisdom plays a huge part in that because it is what allows us to understand what God wants us to do.
“Be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.”
-Eph. 5:15
In the original Biblical Hebrew, there is a distinction made between intellect and wisdom. A person who is wise exercises good judgment out of fear of the Lord. Whereas, a person who uses their intellect and relies of their reasoning skills is not necessarily virtuous. Meaning, you can absolutely be intelligent without being wise.
Because again, wisdom comes from adhering to the laws and will of God, not man.
“And this is what he says to all humanity:
‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom;
to forsake evil is real understanding.’”-Job 28:28
Intellect would’ve told the disciples not to bother with the nets. It would’ve told Joseph to divorce Mary. But, God doesn’t operate through intellect. He operates through wisdom.
So, how do you know who is truly wise and who is truly receiving their direction from the Lord?
Well, for one, you can bet they’re going to stand out from the world. Everything about Jesus and His Church is different. We are set apart, chosen, not of the world. So, especially as we move forward in these end times, the wisdom of God will stick out “like a sore thumb” in comparison to the world. Which is why the Bible tells us not to conform to what we see around us.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
-Romans 12:2
Wisdom will also challenge you in a way conforming won’t. Going along with the world is easy. It’s what’s expected, what “keeps the peace.” Not to beat a dead horse… but again, if the Hebrew boys had just bowed, it would’ve been easier. No fuss, no furnace. If Daniel had just followed the order and not prayed, he would’ve avoided the lions altogether.
But, God’s ways are not the world’s ways and those with wisdom understand when they are being tested and when there’s a choice to be made.
It won’t be all rainbows and sunshine. In fact, it will most likely present you with a challenging situation. But, it’s a good challenge. Meant to wake you up and bring you back into God’s ways and His will!
“The words of the wise are like cattle prods—painful but helpful.”
-Eccl 12:11
And it’s exactly what God is using in these times to separate the wheat from the chaff. Because when the rubber hits the road, some will conform to the world and choose it over Him. And we have been given the free will to do just that.
But, the Lord does not want His people to be deceived into thinking they are being “wise” when they’re not.
Which is why we need to go directly to Him for wisdom and not depend on it from a man. Jesus paid the ultimate price for us so we could have an intimate, one-on-one relationship with God. So, He wants to guide us, direct us and keep us out of harm like the Good Shepherd that He is!
Because wisdom isn’t just something to put in your tool belt. It’s not just something to add to your resume. Wisdom is having direction from the very Creator of the Heavens and Earth and it can literally mean the difference between life and death.
“Wisdom and money can get you almost anything. But, only wisdom can save your life.”
-Eccl 7:12
In a time when we are being bombarded with deceptions, lies and agendas, it has never been more important to turn directly to the Lord for guidance. It has never been more crucial for God’s people to live by faith and not by sight.
The world is changing at an alarming rate and the Lord does not want His people to be swallowed up and carried away by the tide. If we just latch on to whatever we’re being told on TV or what everyone else is doing, we’ll be lost.
The ONLY way we can know what God is doing and how He wants us to proceed is to go to Him.
Don’t assume you know what God wants you to do. Don’t just go along with what you’re being told to do - even by people in the Church. Go to God. Ask for His wisdom. Wait on it, receive it and walk in it boldly.
Because when the Day of Judgment comes, we will have no one else to answer to but Him. All those people we were worried about pleasing or fitting in with or following will be nowhere to be found. And it will just be us answering for what we did and how we lived.
Seek God.
Seek wisdom.
Seek truth.
