We have a whole book in the bible dedicated to Wisdom. In fact, we are urged to get Wisdom. Proverbs 4 v 5 - "Get wisdom, get understanding" and verse 7: "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding".
Last time I posted about waiting for our "suddenly" - when God intervenes in our trials. But it got me thinking about how important it is to be in step with the Spirit of God, and to use Wisdom in all situations. Sometimes we are faced with things that look like the right thing, that look like a good thing, or even a "God thing". However if we jump straight in without seeking God's Wisdom, we may head for trouble. Paul and Silas were in prison, and they were doing the right thing - praying and praising God. Then came their "suddenly":
" Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the very foundations of the prison were shaken; and at once all the doors were opened and everyone’s shackles were unfastened" Acts 16 v 26
If you were suddenly given a way out of your trial or bad place in your life, you'd take it, right? If you'd been praying and waiting on God, then all of a sudden, a release manifests, you would think it was God. I would. Paul and Silas had been doing this very thing - praying, praising God, then suddenly an earthquake loosed their chains and opened the doors. This is an answer to prayer, surely? Get up and run, guys!
But they don't get up and run. They are in tune with the Spirit of God. They move as He moves, and here lies the difference in living in true victory. People who overcome, people who operate in the complete will of God don't think of themselves first. Even in the midst of severe trials! These sort of people bring life and true transformation into people's lives by the Holy Spirit and the agape love of God.
Paul and Silas did 3 very important things we need to learn to do too. Let's break them down:
- Prayed & praised - No matter how bad the situation, they looked not to the outward, they looked to God. Battered, bruised and bleeding from the beating they had endured simply for doing God's will, they sat in that dark, filthy prison cell and gave thanks to God. The other prisoners heard their heart and it was 100% sold out to God. What a testimony! No one can evangelise or give any better testimony than they gave that night.
- They listened to the heart of God, and didn't think of themselves - as those prison doors opened, and the severity of the earthquake broke their chains, they didn't race out of the prison. Even if a part of them wondered if this was done especially for them, they didn't move until they knew it was from God. If they had assumed it was God, they would have left behind a man so full of fear at the consequences, that he would have committed suicide. That soul would have been lost forever. However, as a result of using Godly Wisdom, they stayed put, the prison guard did not take his own life.
- They let the God in them be bigger than themselves - because of their sensitivity to the Spirit of God, by staying put, the prison guard saw that something was different about these men. They allowed the God in them to be seen, and the guard wanted what these men had. There and then, he gave his life to Jesus because of the obedience of Paul and Silas. In fact, Paul declared that not just the jailor, but his whole household would be saved!
By not acting on impulse, by using God's Wisdom by the Holy Spirit, Paul and Silas not only prevented a suicide, but they brought a man and his whole family to eternal life! The other prisoners would more than likely been affected too, perhaps coming to Jesus themselves at some point, although I am speculating here. Nevertheless, Paul and Silas' conduct, their devotion, their love, their steadfastness acted as a witness and a testimony to God.
Not every opportunity that presents itself in our lives will be good for us. Even if something looks like an answer to prayer, sometimes it just might not be quite what we think. Because life is unpredictable, because life is complicated, and because we are frail humans with limited understanding, knowledge and wisdom, we must seek God's Wisdom in every area of our lives.
Every day, in every area of our lives we need to be seeking God's Wisdom and direction. Every means every - the big stuff and the little stuff. Proverbs 3 v 6 says "In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths."
In ALL your ways. When we don't do this, we're not obeying His will as we're not giving everything to God.
The more we do this though, the more sensitive we will become to His promptings.