The only wise foundation for living life as Sons and Daughters of King Jesus is to live a Kingdom Lifestyle – which is to be LED by the Spirit of God. IF we are living led by the Spirit of God we will then live in the GIFTS of the Spirit (POWER) and the FRUIT of the Spirit (WISDOM).
Kingdom Wisdom
The Lord’s Wisdom for Us:
- In the New Testament “the fruits of Wisdom” are the same as the fruits of the Spirit.
- People are destroyed for lack of wisdom.
- Wisdom is precious and its value ranks far above the value of rubies. Wisdom should be sought after and hunted for like valuable treasure.
- Wisdom teaches us when to say “NO” and when to say “YES.”
- Wisdom is one of the chief names of Christ.
- Wisdom is for the person who wishes to live in reverence for the Lord – hence the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
On Earth and in Heaven
As Kingdom people we live in two places – on earth and in Heaven, seated with Christ. The two places are different, so we live in the tension of two realms, or the tension of two truths. There are extremes in these tensions. We will find that if we are too heavenly minded we are not impacting earth sufficiently. If we are totally earthbound we are not impacting lives for eternity.
Each day we are to keep our mind on things above. However, while we are living in this body on earth, there are ways we live as human beings that are WISE and GOOD and GLORIFY God.
Sample of Wise Living Practices
It is wise to:
- “Don’t work, don’t eat.”
- It is wise to have a job. Work is a blessing. Earning money to care for yourself and for others is a way of living that is loving and wise.
- Live within your means.
- Get out and remain free from debt. Our entitlement culture says we need “more, more, more,” which is a form of narcissism.
- Take care of your body.
- We each have only the body that is given to us. On earth, it is the home of Jesus for the Holy Spirit makes US His temple.
- Take care of your relationships.
- Good relationships have good boundaries.
- Honor others, love well, and give others freedom.
- Control your emotions.
- Do not let your emotions control you, and do not leave issues and problems unresolved. Deal with them!
- Live daily with humility and repentance, which will lead to a transformed mind.
- Enjoy the gift of life, and remain thankful.
The Embodiment of Wisdom
Wisdom is embodied in many ways, including the following:
- Technical skills of special ability to create something
- Knowledge and ability to make right choices at the right time
- Ability to solve big problems (like world hunger and suffering)
- Godly and upright living
- Interpretation of mysteries and dreams
- Prudence in intercourse with men
- Strategy to govern the world
- Skill in imparting truth
- Knowing things human and divine through experience and revelation
- Discernment and Understanding in our daily lives
Wisdom Makes Life Better
We want to live in a way that pleases the Lord and that attracts others to Him. We also want to live in a way that makes life better for our family, our city, our nation. We are wired to make life better! We accomplish this by living in Godly Wisdom (fruit) and Supernatural Power (gifts). We need both. Wisdom is the setting for power. Wisdom allows us to reign in life and to display His power.
| Wisdom | Without Power | We Dry Up |
| Power | Without Wisdom | We Blow Up |
| Wisdom | WITH Power | We Grow Up |
-Iain Allan
How Do We Grow in Wisdom?
We are told to acquire wisdom, to gain understanding.
- Live in the prerequisite stated by the Lord– The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10
- If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5
You can ask for wisdom! - Study what the Bible says about wisdom, and align yourself with it (Proverbs)
- Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20
Live with wise people – a companion of fools suffers harm. - Suffer and endure trials well. The greatest wisdom can often come through redemption of these times.
Live in this fruit of His Life in you. If you do not forsake wisdom she will guard you. If you love her she will watch over you.
The Wisdom of Solomon
Proverbs 22:24 – “Do you see a man skilled in his work (wisdom)– he will stand before kings. He will not stand before obscure men. “
Solomon remains the wisest man ever, and his wisdom impacted the whole earth. Bill Johnson gave a sermon recently on wisdom/reigning in life as the setting, and therefore the opportunity, for God’s supernatural power, goodness, and reality to be displayed with great impact. Wisdom is the backdrop for God’s power to be revealed and encountered.
Bill pointed out that Solomon’s wisdom, discernment, breadth of mind, and the way he lived turned kings to the Lord. His fame and His God became known in all the nations. During His reign, and due to God’s gift of wisdom, this is what occurred during his reign:
- Jerusalem was impenetrable. No adversary or misfortune impacted Jerusalem, for the city was possessed by God
- Eating and drinking were in abundance. Everyone had more than enough.
- ALL the people and the servants were BLESSED!
- Silver was as common as stones in the city
- Solomon had rest and peace on every side.
During the reign of Solomon it was a time of Heaven on Earth, as a result of creative Kingdom wisdom displayed.
Why this Focus on Wisdom?
The desire to do this wisdom for life series came from Cindy’s experience in counseling and pastoring as she watched many individuals reject wise living and “reigning in life” because of wounding. Many wounded people have reacted to circumstances by barely making it in life. God did not create us to barely make it. He created us with a drive to live and thrive. We are not responsible for what happens to us in this life, but we ARE responsible for our reaction to what happens to us.
Grow in Wisdom
For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. Luke 21:15
The Bible states that the benefits of wisdom are long life, peace, and favor with men.
As a body, the church should be a light to others, a “city on a hill”, with wisdom, resources and strategy to care for her own, for cities, and for nations.
Individually, we are called the LIGHT of the WORLD! Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. We need to follow Him in that. There is no place to remain in hiding, and no value in holding back. We are meant to stand before Kings in order to display the wisdom and the power of the one true KING.
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