[x_custom_headline type=”left” level=”h4″ looks_like=”h4″]Thankfulness for people has a way of knitting your heart together with them. This is one of the reasons why I believe that it is crucial that we become more thankful for the people that God has placed in our lives. And thanksgiving is also an important key to additional blessings.[/x_custom_headline]
[x_blockquote cite=”Ephesians 1:15-16 KJV” type=”left”]“15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;”[/x_blockquote]
I’d like to draw your attention to the phrase, “making mention of you in my prayers.” The reason that this is such a powerful phrase is because it indicates that Paul is literally asking God for things on their behalf. He is actually calling out their names before the throne of God.
And now in the very next verse, Paul makes it clear to the Ephesians what He is praying over their lives.
[x_blockquote cite=”Ephesians 1:17 KJV” type=”left”]“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:”[/x_blockquote]
The people of Ephesus were used to addressing their prayers to empty idols made by the hands of men. And the Ephesian people were exposed to these idols every day. So, Paul wants to make it abundantly clear that he is not praying to an idol, but to the Heavenly Father, the Almighty God, the Father of glory.
And then Paul specifically prays for them that they would have the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him – the Lord Jesus Christ.
The word WISDOM in this verse means, wisdom that is not naturally attained, it means special insight. In fact, the Holy Spirit wants to give you special insight into the Word of God, and into the plan of God, that you could not obtain any other way than through Him.
F. F. Bruce wrote, “Men who know many things are all around us; men of spiritual wisdom are so rare that they are worth far more than their weight in gold.”
The word REVELATION means, something that has been veiled or hidden for a long time and then suddenly, almost instantaneously, becomes clear and visible to the mind or eye.
It would be like having a very beautiful scene right outside of the front window of your home, but you never saw it because your curtains were always drawn closed. Then one day you pulled back the curtains and there it was. Until you pulled back the curtain, you were completely unaware that such a beautiful view had been there all of the time.
This is the way receiving revelation from God works. It is as if the Lord suddenly pulls back a curtain, and almost instantly you begin to see and understand what you had not seen nor understood before.
Paul is praying that we will have this same anointing of wisdom and revelation which the Holy Spirit placed upon Jesus, to come upon us. Isaiah prophesied about this. Here is what he stated by the Holy Spirit.
[x_blockquote cite=”Isaiah 11:2 KJV” type=”left”]“And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;”[/x_blockquote]
So then, is this wisdom and revelation that was on Jesus available to you and me today? Of course, it is. If it weren’t, then why was Paul inspired by the Holy Spirit to pray it over us, and then present it to us as a promise in the New Testament?
The fact of the matter is this wisdom and revelation is available to every believer who will receive it, to help them grow and know God more intimately.
One sure way to grow in the wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of God is through the avenue of study. The truth is, not too many years ago the Body of Christ was much better at studying than they are today. Because of this practice, believers experienced much more wisdom and revelation being distributed to them by the Holy Ghost.
I’m sorry to say that the larger portion of the Body of Christ does virtually no studying today at all, and it is evidenced by the lack of wisdom and revelation previously experienced by the Church. To illustrate, take a close look at this verse in 2 Timothy below. From this, you will see that study in not optional for a believer.
[x_blockquote cite=”2 Timothy 2:15 KJV” type=”left”]“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”[/x_blockquote]
Taking in knowledge is a discipline on our part. In fact, this verse makes it clear that we should be ashamed of ourselves if we do not study. However, even though study is hard work, the Holy Spirit is available to help us when we do. Once we do our part, the Holy Spirit brings the wisdom and revelation we need.
It is God’s desire that we have a spirit of wisdom and revelation. So, if we choose to be diligent in God’s Word, we will discover more of God’s wisdom, and much deeper revelation is being provided to us continually by the Holy Spirit.
