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Truth #1 – God Rules over All with Unlimited, Sovereign, Almighty Power

Is God able to do what you ask?

God's almighty power

Jeremiah said, “Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17, ESV)

That should take your breath away and leave you pondering how a being can exist who is this powerful. This truth is well beyond the understanding of our limited, finite minds, so do not be surprised as it boggles yours. Nevertheless, accept it, for Scripture teaches it unmistakably. And regularly meditate on this truth and the Scriptures that teach it because it is the foundation of established faith.

A stubborn problem

This truth was at the crux of one, highly emotional interaction Jesus had with a distraught father. The man’s son had experienced life-threatening seizures for years. The father loved his son and had enough faith to believe that Jesus might be able to heal him. He came with his son to the location where Jesus and his disciples were ministering, but Jesus was not available, so the disciples prayed over the boy, without success.

The father was disappointed and began to argue with the disciples. Suddenly Jesus came on the scene and asked his disciples: “What are you arguing about with them?”

The father spoke up, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.”

Can Jesus do it?

Jesus called for the boy.

“And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.

“And Jesus asked his father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ And he said, ‘From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.’”

Jesus could not let that statement pass by without objection. “If you can!” replied Jesus.

Imagine how laughable those words were to Jesus, through whom all things were created. I wonder if Jesus thought something like this: If you can! If you can! What do you mean, if you can! Do you know who I am? I was at the Father’s side as we together created every star and planet in the universe (John 1:1–2), and every animal that creeps on the earth, and every fish and bird and insect. I am the unique, eternal Son of God. I created the burning inferno you call the sun, and I maintain its fire and the light and life it gives to this planet.

If you can! Yes, I can! I am able. I am able to heal your son and do anything else my Father in heaven wants me to do. Nothing is impossible for him or for me!

And because nothing is impossible for us, nothing is impossible for the one who believes in us.

All things are possible

We do not know what Jesus thought, but verse 23 tells us what Jesus said: “All things are possible for one who believes.”

“Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’ And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.’

“And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, ‘He is dead.’ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.” (vv. 24–27)

God’s Almighty Power

Faith and unbelief are central to understanding this story, along with God’s unlimited power and those through whom his power works. Jesus brought all that into focus with his breathtaking statement, “All things are possible for one who believes.” (v. 23)

And the distraught father felt the weight of those words as he immediately cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief.” (v. 24)

Obviously all things are not possible for a human in himself. But when faith brings God’s power into the equation, everything changes, for all things are possible with God. That is what Jeremiah said, “Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17, ESV)

So a foundational truth for those who are established in faith is the biblical understanding of God’s ability. God rules over all with unlimited, sovereign, almighty power.

Scriptures on God’s Almighty Power

You will not believe that in the depths of your soul without God’s revealing it to you by his Spirit, and he does that as you meditate on his Word. So here are some Scriptures through which God can cause you truly to believe that he rules over all with unlimited, sovereign, almighty power.

“The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.” (Psalm 103:19)

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1)

Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.” (Matthew 10:29)

The angel who announced to Mary that she would conceive the Son of God in her virgin womb said to her: “Nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” (Matthew 19:26)

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36)

Genesis 2:4 says, “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.”

Ephesians 3:20 says God “is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us…”

Nehemiah prayed, “You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.” (Nehemiah 9:6)

Psalm 96:5 says, “All the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.”

Isaiah 44:24 says, “Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: ‘I am the LORD, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself.’”

Isaiah 45:18 says, “Thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): ‘I am the LORD, and there is no other.’”

Psalm 104.

Nature does not rule over God

Is God able to do what you ask?

Most people might say in theory God can do anything, but in daily life they show they believe God can do nothing that contradicts what are called the laws of science. It is hard for them to imagine that divine miracles occur, and they do not expect them to happen when they pray. In their minds, a miracle would be quite a challenge for God to perform. They believe nature controls God rather than God controls nature.

But Scripture declares and shows that God has unlimited power to do as he pleases in the earth. He created and currently controls all natural and supernatural processes, things, and forces. The “laws of nature” are simply God’s normal way of running the natural world. Nature is subject to God; God is not subject to nature. God is not limited, not distant and withdrawn, not subject to the laws of nature, not weak. Rather he is powerful, present, and working as he pleases.

Your faith will be as large as your view of God’s ability. Your faith will be established as you believe God rules over all with unlimited, sovereign, almighty power.

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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Established in Faith

When you are established in faith, you can truly know God and his ways.

established in faith

In the Fall of 2012 I was working full-time for a publisher and part-time as pastor of the church I still serve. One day my supervisor called me to his office and informed me that the company was laying off a large segment of its work force due to financial deficits and that I was one of those losing his job.

I had never experienced that before. You hear stories of people losing jobs and being devastated, and you wonder what you would do if it happened to you. As my supervisor explained the process of ending my employment and as I walked back to my office, my thoughts and emotional reaction surprised me. Although suddenly confronted with a long list of uncertainties and losses, my heart was calm. I was disappointed, sure, but not afraid. I felt confident that God was in charge, that he would provide for me and my wife, and that we were beginning an exciting new chapter.

Certainly I have not always been so assured. I recall a decade prior to this layoff driving for several hours with a friend to a meeting, and as the conversation moved to plans for the future, I admitted to my sense of financial insecurity. In other words, I was afraid and told him so. I did not see how I would have enough money for old age. For years I lived with foreboding about this.

Why? Because I did not adequately know God. Yes, I was a regenerated Christian, a devoted follower of Christ, a pastor. I knew God in the sense that I was born again and knew the Bible well and understood many truths about God accurately. But I did not know him well enough to trust what he repeatedly promised in Scripture about providing for my needs.

Faith and knowledge

To the extent that we do not really believe what the Scripture says, we do not know him. True knowledge of God depends on faith. One can articulate the most intricate aspects of the doctrine of the Trinity yet find it difficult to joyfully say, “God loves me.”

This is why the subject of faith is so important for Christians who want to know God better. Our knowledge of God cannot exceed our faith. The quest to know God is far more about increasing faith than about adding theological information and answering our questions.

What Jesus expected

As you read the Gospels, have you ever noticed what Jesus repeatedly called attention to as he engaged with his disciples and strangers? He certainly talked a lot about love, obedience, righteousness, and truth. Nevertheless, though I have not tallied the occurrences, it seems to me he talked most about faith and unbelief. He regularly either commended people for their faith or admonished them for doubt. He expected people to have what we would classify as enormous faith. And he marveled when his disciples were afraid of drowning in a momentous tempest. He admonished them when they worried about going hungry in the desert although they had just two loaves of bread and a couple of fish and a crowd of 5,000 to feed. He bypassed others who doubted he could heal the sick and demon-afflicted.

Moreover, he taught things about faith that are, well, unbelievable. He said true believers would with a word be able to move mountains, perform miracles, replant trees in the sea, and receive whatever they ask. Not only can God do amazing things, so can we.

God’s will

This stretches one’s faith to the breaking point. Some Christians respond by reaching for that level of faith, though it is by no means easy (that is, unless you become as a child [Mark 10:15]) and it raises many questions. Others do not know what to do with these teachings. They might explain them away, regarding Christians who pursue such faith as unwise or unhinged, asking for trouble and disillusionment. Or they might accept the teachings, but shake their heads and regard them as personally unattainable. Some might say these teachings of Jesus are for those who have the special gift of faith.

Based on my reading of the Gospels, I do not think Jesus would say that. He expected big faith from everyone. Moreover, to limit strong faith to a spiritual elite is to relegate most Christians to a stunted knowledge of God, as described above, and the fear, insecurity, instability, weakness, and defeat that comes with it.

No, Jesus said, “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22). That is an imperative. Thus that is his will.

Scripture warns against being double-minded, saying to one who asks for wisdom, “Let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:6–8, ESV).

Hebrews 11:6 says, “without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Romans 14:23 says, “whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.”

Isaiah 7:9 says, “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all” (NIV). The RSV says, “If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established.”

The trouble with accepting unbelief

We cannot experience the Christian life described in the Bible without faith in what God says. So the idea that we should tolerate in ourselves an unbelief of anything God says in his Word is simply wrong. We must not be satisfied with anything less than believing all he says. Unbelief insults God, implying that he is not truthful, cannot be trusted, and is not Almighty. Being content with unbelief requires resisting Jesus, who is the “author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

Therefore we must not rationalize and excuse our own unbelief. Unbelief will creep and grow. It is Satan’s foot in the door. It is an invitation to the unmanageable power of fear and the ruin that accompanies it.

Established in faith

So we need to be established in faith.

To establish means to put on a firm basis, to make stable or permanent.

I live on the 20th floor of a high-rise. I have watched many high-rises built around us. Before the first floor is built, I have seen dozens of holes drilled deep in the soil and then filled with concrete. I have seen a quarter million tons of concrete, steel, and glass go into a tower one floor at a time. A high-rise is as established as a man-made building can be. It is heavy and has a big footprint. It is anchored to the ground with deep underground columns. A puff of wind will not knock it over, nor will a normal trembling in the earth crack it to pieces.

To establish something is to position it to endure. It is in balance, not teetering. It is grounded, not suspended in midair. It has a foundation. It is built on rock, not sand. It is consistent, not wavering. It is single-minded, not double-minded.

The 20 truths this series highlights will bring you to this place of established faith. Believing these 20 truths will make you an immovable, spiritual rock. And most importantly, you will know God as he is. You will know him in your experience, not just intellectually. And your Christian life will work the way the Bible describes.

How the Christian life works

The Bible describes the life of a Christian as one marked by peace and joy even in the midst of conflict; by strength abounding even in our weaknesses; by answered prayer even though for a long time we walk by faith and not by sight.

The Christian life does not work as the Bible describes without faith, without faith in everything the Bible promises, without faith in the worldview the Bible describes—a worldview in which God is almighty and responsive to the prayers of those who believe. That is not the worldview of most people in educated, Western cultures, for whom the idea of a God who can do miracles is inconceivable. If you want to know and experience God, you must abandon that worldview and fully adopt what the Bible says about God and his ways with us.

Each of these 20 truths plays a crucial role in the superstructure of established faith, so do not miss a week. You will learn to call these truths to mind before you pray and then pray with confidence. When you sense fear and unbelief slipping into your soul, you will call these truths to mind, and they will reestablish you in immovable confidence. You will learn to live all day, every day, established in faith—and thus knowing God better than ever before.

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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The Wisdom of Asking, Seeking, and Knocking

If you desire wisdom, the question is not whether God also wants you to have it, but rather whether you will ask, seek, and knock for however long it takes.

ask, seek, and knock

Jesus said,
“Ask, and it will be given to you;
seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives,
and the one who seeks finds,
and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”
(Matthew 7:7–8)

This is a lifestyle that Jesus commends to us, the asking, seeking, knocking way of living. He approves of this approach to daily life. It pleases him, and he responds to it, as shown in the Bible from beginning to end and in the ministry of Jesus to people who came to him asking, seeking, knocking. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Lord, let me recover my sight.” “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her.” “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”

For those of us who seek wisdom from God with specific questions, it is especially important for us to believe that and practice it. Those who desire wisdom need to ask, seek, and knock persistently. Those qualities need to be our mindset, our approach to life. Moreover, we must know that our gracious God delights in those who live this way.

A life of seeking wisdom

Each of these three ideas is important. They overlap, but are not the same.

At the heart of the mindset that Jesus commends, though, is seeking. Those who seek with all their heart ask and look and knock.

What Jesus commends and what therefore pleases God is an approach to life marked by exploration, learning, discovery—the quest for wisdom from Christ.

The opposite is complacency and self-satisfaction. Feeling we already know what we need to know. Being wise in one’s own eyes. A lack of curiosity. An unwillingness to think and experiment.

Mary the seeker of wisdom from Christ

Mary exemplifies a mindset of seeking more wisdom.

Luke 10:38–42 says, “Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’” (ESV)

Mary made a choice to put priority on seeking wisdom. She sat at Jesus feet and listened because she wanted wisdom and sought wisdom. Seeking requires effort, discipline, and the setting of priorities. Martha had other commendable priorities, but seeking wisdom was not as important for her as it was for Mary.

A seeker recognizes a golden opportunity, and a golden source, for learning when it comes. Jesus is golden. The Scriptures are golden. The presence of the Holy Spirit is golden.

The scribe who asked for wisdom from Christ

One scribe exemplifies asking Jesus his burning question.

“One of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, ‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ And the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.’ And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’” (Mark 12:28–34, ESV)

Studying the Law was this man’s life. For many years he had pondered the hundreds of laws contained in God’s covenant with Israel and recognized that while all God’s laws are important, some are more important, and some must capture the heart of all the laws. But which were these preeminent commands? Fear God? Serve God? Worship God? Trust God?

One’s burning question

When this sudden opportunity came to this scribe to hear Jesus, he recognized something extraordinary. But he didn’t stop at listening and admiring—he asked his burning question. And because he asked, he received an answer. And because he believed what Jesus answered, he received commendation from Jesus.

Seekers have the humility to ask. To ask questions is to admit you do not know everything. To ask questions of God is to show you believe he has the answers. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God.” To ask is to admit you lack.

Those who seek and ask please God. He enjoys those who are on a quest, who love and desire more wisdom, who want to learn and do something for God and with God. Seeking and asking from God glorifies him.

The thief who knocked

The condemned man nailed to the cross beside Jesus exemplifies a person who knocks at the door.

He did not begin that way. At first he joined the other condemned criminal in reviling Jesus (Matthew 27:44). But as he hung on the cross and beheld Jesus and heard his words, he had a change of heart. When the other criminal continued to rail at Jesus, the man “rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’ And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” (Luke 23:40–42)

This condemned man did not say, “if you come into your kingdom,” but rather, “when you come into your kingdom.” He believed. He believed what the sign said, the sign nailed above the head of Jesus. In spite of what was happening to Jesus, the criminal believed that he really was the King of Israel, and not just a human king about to lose any chance at reigning on the throne, but rather the heavenly King, the Christ who would someday rule as the King of God’s kingdom.

And he recognized the opportunity. He wanted something, and he recognized a door by which he might get it.

Knocking

Knocking at a door is a multifaceted metaphor. Doors keep unwelcome people out of a building, or they allow welcome people in. Doors can be locked, and doors can be opened. Thus doors can be opportunities, or disappointments.

But the man wanted in, into the kingdom, and so he knocked. This thief did not merely seek and ask for knowledge and wisdom. He asked Jesus to do something for him. He asked a favor and sought the Lord’s grace.

Such requests please and glorify God, and he smiles on them. Jesus opened the door wide, answering him: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). No instruction, but an open door into a world of wisdom.

Knocking on doors means asking for the opportunity to cooperate with others. Those who knock know they cannot obtain what they desire without others. It means asking for help, permission, entrance. It requires boldness, courage, initiative, assertion. You may be ignored and rejected, but your desire is strong enough to risk that.

We knock on doors on earth with people, institutions, and organizations, but if we do it prayerfully and seeking what we desire ultimately from God, we are actually knocking on heaven’s door.

Takeaways

1. Jesus wants, invites, encourages, and welcomes us to seek. He wants us to assume it is God’s will to answer those who pursue and persevere. God’s default attitude toward those on a quest is to answer, because he is gracious (Exodus 34:6).

2. Therefore there is something in our asking, seeking, and knocking for wisdom that pleases God. And there is something in our having and using wisdom that pleases God. Both fulfill his will and bring him glory.

3. Therefore the Father’s children are called to be inquirers, explorers, learners, discoverers, people on a quest for wisdom and entrance.

4. If you desire wisdom, the question is not whether God also wants you to have it, but rather whether you will have enough faith to keep asking, seeking, and knocking for however long it takes.

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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Pray for Wisdom When Doors Open

Do we need to ask God for wisdom when the way forward seems obvious?

When Doors Open

If we trust God and persevere, sooner or later he fulfills his promises. We come to a turning point when our hopes near their fulfillment. The company for which you have always wanted to work gives you a job interview. The person in whom you have romantic interest agrees to a date. The big-ticket item you have long wanted to own goes on sale, and you have saved enough to buy it. The university you would love to attend accepts your application.

At times like these, who needs to pray about it? Who needs special wisdom? The way seems clear. And we might fear that God will communicate something we do not want to hear.

But when David came to such a hoped-for turning point, he had a different approach.

When doors open

The turning point for him came when King Saul died in battle. For years the insanely jealous king had been trying to kill David. Suddenly there was a power vacuum in the nation. Who would be the next king? David had been a famous battle hero, the man who slew Goliath, the man who as a military commander had victories wherever he turned. When he returned from battle, the women sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, David his tens of thousands.”

Even more important, years before this turn of events the prophet Samuel had anointed him with oil to be king. At this propitious point, how natural it would have been for David to rely on his own wisdom and pursue his personal desire.

But David had a better approach.

Even when the next step seems obvious, check in with God

Second Samuel 2:1–4 says:

“After this David inquired of the LORD, ‘Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?’ And the LORD said to him, ‘Go up.’ David said, ‘To which shall I go up?’ And he said, ‘To Hebron.’ So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. And David brought up his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron. And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.”

The takeaway from this story is, when turning points come that are the desire of one’s heart, we should still inquire of God for wisdom before we move forward. We need the Lord’s wisdom for matters like what to do, how to do it, and when to do it.

In David’s case, there were no surprises in what God revealed. It made sense to go into Judah because David was of the tribe of Judah; the people would probably look for a new leader; and they would be more likely to choose someone who is present. Furthermore it made sense to move into Hebron because it was a leading city.

Q & A

One further takeaway from this story is what it reveals about God’s answers to questions. God succinctly answered David’s questions and stopped. He gave two answers, each comprising two words (in English).

David: “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?”

The Lord: “Go up.”

David: “To which shall I go up?”

The Lord: “To Hebron.”

Of course, God works differently in different times and situations, but here at least he did not give many step-by-step instructions. He was willing to tell David which city he should move to, but he did not say that until David in his second question asked specifically. And that was the end of what God wanted to reveal.

The lesson for us is, pray for wisdom specifically. Begin at the beginning without making any assumptions. Then request specifics. In this way, you walk in surrender to the Lord and acknowledge his rule. In his time he will tell you as much wisdom as he wants you to know.

When we cannot wait

Of course in many situations if we do not feel that God has communicated further wisdom to us, we cannot wait. We have to decide and act. When that is the case, pray for wisdom and then make the decision that seems best in light of what you know of God’s will and the wisdom you already have.

Do not be surprised if God does not carry on a conversation with you in answer to your questions. He will communicate his wisdom to you in the way that is best for you, at the time that is best. Trust him and be patient.

However long it takes, in the end learning to seek God for wisdom will enable you to know and trust God more.

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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Pray for Wisdom by Inquiring of God in the Deep of Night

What is different when we inquire of God at night?

inquire God night

Yesterday morning I awoke around 2:30 and began thinking. I thought about things that regularly occupy my mind: the ministry of our church and what I am preaching and writing. My thoughts were so clear and focused that I gave up on sleep and prayed and thought productively until 4:30 and then got out of bed and went to my computer to record my thoughts and think more. I outlined this post.

It is not unusual for me to do some of my best thinking in the middle of the night, as well as some of my worst. I learned decades ago that fear is worst in the middle of the night. Psalm 91:5 refers to “the terror of the night.” Whether positive or negative, then, something about our mind and spirit in the deep of night is more intense, clear, and focused.

Thoughts of a different quality

During the night our human spirit seems to be more awake, active, even dominant as the mysterious world of our dreams unfolds. But I do not think such spiritual sensitivity is simply a matter of dreaming. Rather, I think our spiritual perceptions can be stronger at that time.

God spoke to David during the night. David said, “I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me” (Psalm 16:7, ESV). The NASB20 translates that, “Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.” So the Hebrew adverb  ’aph can be translated “also” as well as “indeed.”

The example of Jesus

Isaiah’s Servant of the Lord, namely Jesus, experienced the same thing. Isaiah 50:4–5 says, “The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward” (ESV). So the Father spoke to Jesus early in the morning.

Mark also records that. “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, [Jesus] departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, ‘Everyone is looking for you.’ And he said to them, ‘Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out’” (Mark 1:35–38). It appears that Jesus heard from the Father during that time of prayer that he was supposed to travel to preach elsewhere.

Choosing the Twelve

In Luke’s Gospel, the implication is unavoidable that God told Jesus whom to select as his twelve disciples during the deep of night.

Luke 6:12–13 says, “In these days [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles.”

Therefore the deep of night, or early morning, can be especially productive times to obtain the wisdom we seek.

All night is a long time

Long periods of prayer can also help. The verse above says Jesus prayed all night, which could mean I guess six to ten hours. If Jesus was focused most of that time on the identity of the twelve, that is a long time to receive just twelve names. With efficient communication, God could have voiced those names in less than a minute. But it lasted many hours.

By our measures God can be slow and long. When Moses ascended Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, he had to wait seven days before he could actually enter the cloud of glory. Exodus 24:15–16 says, “Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the LORD dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.”

It could be that it will require an extended time of prayer for you to receive the wisdom you seek.

Takeaway

The problem: We are busy and distracted in a normal day, and that makes it hard to get clarity, connection, and focus with God. We may fail to give God our undivided attention for a long enough time for him to do all he desires in us as he imparts wisdom. Moreover, our culture and technology condition us to want everything instantly.

The solution: To obtain the wisdom we need, sometimes we need to inquire of God deep into the night or in the dark of early morning.

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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Pray for Wisdom and Read Scripture

When we inquire of God for wisdom, the Bible helps us find answers.

Bible inquire God wisdom

When you seek particular wisdom from God, Scripture should play an important role.

Psalm 119:24 says, “Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.”

Therefore as you seek wisdom, God’s words can counsel you.

Likewise Psalm 119:98–99 says, “Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.”

Therefore God’s commands not only tell us what God expects of us, but they also make us wise, which is again what we seek. To get that wisdom verse 99 says you should engage with Scripture in meditation. Repeat it over and over, break it down word by word and phrase by phrase, imagine what the words picture, draw implications from its assertions, trust its promises, think of ways to apply it.

Moreover, ask the Lord where to read Scripture to find the answer to your inquiry. That guidance can come in various ways. He might guide your heart in that very session of prayer, or he might do so a month or a year later. He might create an interest in reading a particular book of the Bible. Or as you follow your annual Bible-reading plan, he might providentially bring you to that place in Scripture where the needed wisdom lies. If you maintain your faith and your inquiry, your eyes will fall sooner or later on Bible verses that help answer your question, and you will recognize them as such.

How Scripture imparts the wisdom we seek

Therefore, when you ask God for wisdom on any matter, read the Bible with that question in mind, search Scripture for what it says on the subject, and meditate on relevant passages.

This is important for four reasons:

1. God might have spoken directly to the subject in his Word, and if not, he has given relevant principles.

For example, if a man asks for wisdom about how to improve his marriage, he can find specific help in Ephesians 5:22–33. On the other hand, if a woman asks for wisdom about how to protect her dog from catching ticks, she will not find anything in the Bible on that specific topic, but there might be relevant principles.

2. Setting your mind on Scripture brings the presence of God within.

Regardless of whether the Bible speaks to the question, whenever we read Scripture long enough with humility, faith, and reverence, our awareness of his presence increases. Our fellowship with God becomes more real, and the mind of Christ prevails in our mind. God’s presence and the wisdom we seek go well together.

3. Whatever Scripture says shapes you with wisdom in general and thus makes your mind a good environment for wisdom.

A heart filled with wisdom is a conducive place, a suitable environment, for the revealing of further wisdom on any specific subject. When you saturate your mind with Scripture, your mind develops an ecosystem of wisdom where further wisdom finds rich soil for growth.

4. Reading Scripture sanctifies you.

Jesus said, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).

Sanctification puts you in a right place with God and thus better able to receive from him.

The Bible tells several stories of people who sought information from God even though they had no intention of having a holy relationship with God. The results were negative.

For example, 1 Samuel 28 tells how King Saul inquired of God when he and his army faced an overwhelming enemy. But Saul had long been far from God and hardened in heart, so the Lord did not answer.

Still, Saul wanted information about the future, so he went to a fortune teller to see if she could contact the dead for the help he wanted. He had reached the ultimate, muddy bottom of his pathetic life, and he died in battle hours later.

(For other examples of people who inquired of God for information while rejecting God’s will for their lives, see Jeremiah 42; Ezekiel 20:1–32 [especially v. 31], and 1 Kings 22:1–40.)

Because we sin in many ways, we always need God’s counsel not only for our specific inquiry, but for the general sanctification of our lives. Holiness makes us better receivers of wisdom.

Takeaway

When we pray for wisdom, we should approach Scripture as our counselor and be open to all God wants to say to us, not just the answer to our question.

We should desire the full light of Jesus in his Word, both the street light and the focused laser beam. The way to have eyes that see and ears that hear God’s wisdom is to hunger for all he says, in all ways, about all things.

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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Pray for Wisdom with Reliance on the Holy Spirit

When we pray for wisdom with reliance on the Holy Spirit, he imparts wisdom to us normally from within, in a way that seems like our own thoughts or feelings, but with divine clarity and calm.

pray for wisdom with reliance on the Holy Spirit

As you seek wisdom for everything that matters to you, it is helpful to reflect on which member of the Trinity actually illumines your mind with that wisdom.

Jesus said, “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26, ESV).

First John 2:20, 27 says, “You have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge…. The anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.”

Pray for Wisdom with Reliance on the Holy Spirit

The One who imparts wisdom to you is God the Holy Spirit. His presence on you and in you is called “the anointing,” and thus in one sense his presence resembles oil smeared on your skin.

But his anointing goes deeper. His anointing is not merely on the surface. It “abides in you” (1 John 2:27). First Corinthians 6:19 says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?”

1 Corinthians 6:17 says, “He who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.”

So the God who teaches you is not distant, out there somewhere external to you. Rather, he is as near to you as he can possibly be. His Holy Spirit has united with your human spirit. He now indwells you. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. He has anointed you as if smearing you with oil or pouring into you as into an oil jar.

As you seek wisdom for what matters to you, this means the divine person who will reveal that wisdom is as near as your own beating heart. And when you receive that wisdom, it will typically seem as though you conceived it yourself, rather than it coming like a voice from outside.

Your ceiling

Because you as a Christian have the Holy Spirit, your ceiling for wisdom is not your IQ—whatever that is in the physical human brain and immaterial spirit, and whatever it is that determines it. Rather, your ceiling is the divine knowledge of the Holy Spirit, which is unlimited.

First Corinthians 2:11–12 says, “No one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.”

The Holy Spirit is able to reveal wisdom and knowledge to you in a way that also gives understanding. He is not limited like a human teacher, who can only explain and illustrate and so on, and then it is up to you to comprehend. A human teacher cannot get inside of your mind and actually enable you to understand—actually turn on the lights. But the Holy Spirit can do that.

The Holy Spirit understands the deepest thoughts of God, and he enables us to understand what he wants us to know.

What God is willing to teach you

Moreover, the Holy Spirit does not limit what he will teach about.

First John 2:27 says, “His anointing teaches you about everything.”

John 14:26 says, “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

This verse highlights what it means to have inside of you the Holy Spirit himself.

“the Helper” – Do you need help? Do you feel your limitations? Do you lack wisdom? The Holy Spirit lives in you in order to help you. He knows you need help and wants to give it to you. You are not asking him to do something outside of his divine role.

“whom the Father will send in my name” – The Holy Spirit cooperates with the other members of the Trinity to help you. He applies to you all the unlimited resources of the Sovereign Father and his beloved Son.

“he will teach you” – Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit himself will teach you. Trust him and be patient. He is the master teacher, along with the Father and the Son the most competent instructor in the universe. Place yourself in his competent hands as a teachable student.

“all things” – Things like understanding the Bible; overcoming stubborn sin; managing your work, body, emotions, ministry, and finances; organizing your home and possessions; overcoming challenges and problems; and having a healthy marriage, single life, family, and relationships of all kinds.

“bring to your remembrance” – He not only teaches what you do not know, he helps you remember what you have forgotten.

How George Washington Carver learned to help poor farmers

George Washington Carver’s scientific work on behalf of poor farmers is an example of the Holy Spirit’s willingness to help those who depend on him with anything they need to know. A Christian and botanist who lived from 1864 to 1943, Carver taught at the Tuskegee Institute in the years after the emancipation of slaves in America and devoted his work to helping former slaves become self-sustaining farmers.

One significant challenge they faced was poor soil depleted of nitrogen by generations of planting cotton year after year. To address that need Carver taught the necessity of crop rotation. In alternating seasons, farmers needed to plant crops like peanuts and sweet potatoes, which restored nitrogen to the soil. But peanuts were not a profitable crop, and farmers balked. Carver realized he needed to create demand by discovering new uses for them.

So he prayed for God’s understanding, and then he went into his lab, which he called “God’s little laboratory,” and followed God’s leading.

Over time he identified more than 300 uses for the peanut and published 105 food recipes using peanuts.

To demonstrate the value of his discoveries, writes Glenn Clark, “He himself took a plot of land that was 19 acres of the worst land in Alabama to experiment on to find what could be done to improve production. The first year it brought him a net loss of $16.25 an acre. After his first year of scientific treatment and cultivation it showed a profit of $4.00 [an acre]. Within another year the profit was $40.00 an acre and every following year brought better returns.”1

For perspective, at the time, in the South “most of the farmers contrive their best to live on an average cash income of $310 a year per family of five persons.”1

Quotations from George Washington Carver

Carver said:

“As I worked on projects which fulfilled a real human need, forces were working through me which amazed me. I would often go to sleep with an apparently insoluble problem. When I woke, the answer was there.”

“Believe. The promises of God are real. They are as real, as solid, yes infinitely more solid than this table which the materialist so thoroughly believes in. If you would only believe, O ye of little faith.”

“God is going to reveal to us things he never revealed before if we put our hands in his. No books ever go into my laboratory. The thing I am to do and the way of doing it are revealed to me. I never have to grope for methods. The method is revealed to me the moment I am inspired to create something new. Without God to draw aside the curtain I would be helpless.”

“There is no shortcut to achievement.”

“Start where you are, with what you have. Make something of it and never be satisfied.”

“Anything will give up its secrets if you love it enough. Not only have I found that when I talk to the little flower or to the little peanut they will give up their secrets, but I have found that when I silently commune with people they give up their secrets also if you love them enough.”

Honors

That Carver helped poor farmers, accomplished extraordinary things, and had enormous positive effects on his fellow Americans both black and white is beyond question.

After Carver died in 1943, “President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated $30,000 for the George Washington Carver National Monument west-southwest of Diamond, Missouri, the area where Carver had spent time in his childhood. This was the first national monument dedicated to an African American and the first to honor someone other than a president.”2

Among many more honors and recognitions, “in 1977, Carver was elected to the Hall of Fame for Great Americans. In 1990, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. In 1994, Iowa State University awarded Carver a Doctor of Humane Letters. In 2000, Carver was a charter inductee in the USDA Hall of Heroes as the ‘Father of Chemurgy.’ In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed George Washington Carver as one of 100 Greatest African Americans.”2

(Lawrence Elliott’s biography on Carver inspired me: George Washington Carver: The Man Who Overcame. It is probably available at your library.)

Life principle

When seeking God’s wisdom, people often look for external guidance of some sort, such as a voice or a sign, or for dramatic guidance that is unlike their normal experience. But it is God the Holy Spirit who imparts wisdom to you, normally from within your human spirit, in a way that will usually feel like your own thoughts or feelings, but with divine clarity and calm.

God wants to help you if you will persevere. The Holy Spirit is your helper. Like Carver, we can learn to work with him. He will teach us what we need to know.

A Prayer: Lord, teach me how to work with the Holy Spirit. Teach me how to receive wisdom and help from him. Holy Spirit, I need and request your help in ________. In Jesus’ name, amen.

1. Glenn Clark, “The Man Who Talks with the Flowers,” (Kindle location 568 of 638)

2. Wikipedia, “George Washington Carver”

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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Newsletter for December, 2021

Merry Christmas! May this newsletter be my holy kiss to you (1 Thessalonians 5:26) for this happy season.

I’m looking forward to having all our family with us this year for a downtown Chicago Christmas.

Happenings

Since my last newsletter the biggest event for me and my family was the joyous marriage of my son Aaron to his fiancé Lucia. We will never forget how beautiful the wedding was and how blessed we were to have family, church members, and friends sharing this special time.

Aaron and Lucia have attended our church for years, but it was the virus lockdown that altered their schedules enough to where they got interested in each other and took time to do things together. In all things God works for the good!

Lucia, Aaron, Nancy, CBL

The picture below is of my four sons, from the left: Brian, Aaron, Ben, and Mark (I do not yet have photos from the wedding of them with their wives and children).

Amplify Conference

Another important happening for me over the last six months was an evangelism conference I attended in October. It is an annual event sponsored by the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, called Amplify.

What made this important to me was its relationship

(a) to one of the driving passions in my life, which is leading others to faith in Christ,

(b) to the main thing for which I have been inquiring of the Lord for several years, which is how to do evangelism successfully, and

(c) to the topic I have been writing about on the blog since August: How to Get Wisdom for Everything That Matters to You.

Since finding wisdom for successful evangelism is a focus of my life, when I saw an ad for the conference, I said, I should go to that. Although I did not want to take two full days out of my schedule, it does not make sense to pray daily for wisdom on a subject and not pay attention to what others who have been successful at it are saying. God often answers our questions by speaking to us through other people and their content in books, videos, and so on.

The conference was outstanding, definitely worth my time. I came away with numerous resources that I am confident will help us. And I believe this was one piece of how God is answering my prayer for wisdom to successfully lead others to faith in Christ.

Fun stuff

We bought a bread machine, and I’m using it weekly. Cuisinart model CBK-110P1, where have you been all my life! I appreciate being able to control what ingredients are in my bread, the fresh-baked taste, and the smell of bread baking in the kitchen for hours.

Reading list

Contagious Faith: Discover Your Natural Style for Sharing Jesus with Others, by Mark Mittelberg

George Washington Carver: The Man Who Overcame, by Lawrence Elliott

Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson

Acting the Miracle, edited by Piper and Mathis

My Favorite post

How to Get Wisdom for Everything That Matters to You, posted August 2, 2021

You can read the posts in this all-important series one month at a time here:

August

September

October

November

December

Thank you for reading. I’m praying for you! Merry Christmas!

Brian

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Pray for Wisdom Using This Method

You will be more successful at praying for wisdom if you have a method that keeps you on track and on target.

a method to pray for wisdom

Here are five practical guidelines on how to pray for wisdom that will keep you on track and on target.

1. Journal

For those who dislike writing, Hosea 14:2 says something important about seeking God: “Take with you words” (ESV). Words are important to God. He gives what you ask for. Your request should not be a shifting, constantly moving target.

So write exactly what you want God to answer, modify it along the way as needed, but settle in on your inquiry. Then you will know when he answers, and you will be able to give him thanks as he deserves and share your testimony for the encouragement of others and the glory of God.

If you do not keep a journal, your inquiries will lose focus, and most of them will be forgotten and abandoned when persistence is required. The journal is therefore the key to taking an inquiry fully from the question to its complete, life-changing answer.

My journal for inquiring of God for wisdom is a file on my desktop computer as well as a note in my Evernote app because I work at my computer all day and I want the flexibility of a Word processing application so all the entries for a single inquiry can be in one place. But you may want to buy a spiral notebook or a high-quality, blank journal. Whatever you use, dedicate it to this purpose because as your ability grows in praying for wisdom successfully it will revolutionize your life, and you will inquire of God more and more.

2. Collect your inquiries

I have dozens of requests for which I am awaiting God’s wisdom.

To develop a reliable method of inquiring of God you need to have a good number of questions both major and minor on many concerns. If you focus only on one problem area, you might have trouble for a while getting a breakthrough to success in that area and getting the experience you need in praying for wisdom successfully. So collect prayers for wisdom about work, marriage and family, your finances, questions about the Bible, giving order to your house, and more.

3. Grid

For each inquiry, begin with the following information:

  • Your precise inquiry

For example: Lord, please give me your wisdom about how to work smoothly with my supervisor.

  • Dates inquiry begun and completed

For example: November 11, 2021 – January 14, 2022

  • Dates inquiry answered partially or fully

For example: Partial answers on November 11, 2021 (page number 14), November 13, 2021 (page number 16), December 3, 2021 (page number 22), January 10, 2022 (page number 27). Summary of full wisdom received on page 28

  • The wisdom received

For example: I need to give my supervisor more feedback on my projects at regular times during the process, especially when problems arise, so that she is not surprised with bad news when something is due. (Wisdom received on November 13, 2021)

  • Lessons learned about inquiring of God

For example: In this inquiry I received the most wisdom when I prayed and journaled early in the morning before going to work.

4. Time

Depending on how important an inquiry is to you and how much time is available, you can vary the amount of time actually praying, listening passively, and thinking before God:

  • 15 seconds – 3 minutes
  • 5 – 20 minutes
  • 1 hour
  • Half day
  • Full day
  • 2 – 3 full days

5. Elements

The more time you take, the more of the following helpful elements you can include:

  • You might want to fast.
  • Begin by setting a time frame. This helps you persevere especially if you plan to pray for a long time.
  • If you have not done so already, write your question.
  • Establish your faith. Quote and meditate on Scripture promises such as James 1:5 and Matthew 7:7–8 until your faith is firm.
  • Confess and repent of sin.
  • If you are distracted by unrelated concerns, clear your mind by casting those burdens on the Lord.
  • Surrender to God. Express your love toward him. Dedicate this inquiry to the glory of God.
  • Worship and give thanks, in particular for his infinite knowledge and wisdom. Meditate on Christ as the one “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3).
  • Pause and quiet your mind. As you are quiet, write any thoughts pertaining to your question that may be from God.
  • Read Scripture.
  • If you have the gift, pray in tongues.
  • Again state your inquiry to God.
  • Wait on God until you can wait patiently and with a quiet spirit.
  • Listen.
  • Think and write for as long as thoughts flow.
  • Thank God for the wisdom received.

Again, use only the elements above that you have time for.

Conclusion

I encourage you to develop by practice a method of seeking God for wisdom that works for you. Keep practicing until your method is proven and effective.

That does not happen in a few days or weeks, because as we have seen, God does not answer all of our inquiries quickly. Moreover, some of our inquiries will be large in scale and significance, the kind that usually do not get answered overnight or in one brief installment. On the other hand, other inquiries will be relatively minor and receive answers in one session of prayerful waiting on the Lord.

All this can be a lot of work! But one gift of wisdom from God can change your life completely.

Moreover as you learn to pray for wisdom for everything that matters to you, you will come to know how to walk with God in handling the day-to-day challenges of life, and you will trust him more than you ever have before. You will prove to yourself and others that nothing is more relevant to daily life in this world than truly knowing God.

God “rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6, NIV). If an earnest, extended time of seeking does not yield the wisdom you need, do not be discouraged. You have planted a seed that will yield its fruit in God’s due season. (See Pray for Wisdom Without Presuming How God Will Answer and Pray for Wisdom Patiently and Pray for Wisdom with Determination and Pray for Wisdom with Faith.)

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

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Pray for Wisdom When Wisdom Fails

What should we do if we pray for wisdom, implement the wisdom we receive, and then the wisdom fails?

Pray for Wisdom When Wisdom Fails

The story we examine today smashes assumptions. Nevertheless it yields important lessons about praying for wisdom.

The assumption it breaks into pieces is, if God guides me what to do, the results will immediately be golden. In the story we now examine, success came after several failures, and yet each time Israel had inquired of the Lord.

Civil war

Judges 20:11–35 narrates a civil war among the twelve tribes of Israel. One of the cities of the tribe of Benjamin had committed great evil, and the other eleven tribes gathered their armies to punish them.

Verses 12–13 say: “And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, ‘What evil is this that has taken place among you? Now therefore give up the men, the worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and purge evil from Israel.’ But the Benjaminites would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the people of Israel.”

The result was war.

Day 1

Before entering into battle, the army of Israel prayed for wisdom. “The people of Israel arose and went up to Bethel and inquired of God, ‘Who shall go up first for us to fight against the people of Benjamin?’ And the LORD said, ‘Judah shall go up first.’” (Judges 20:18)

So it seemed that Israel was good to go. God had answered their prayer and told them a crucial element of strategy: which tribe should lead the attack.

Judges 20:19–28 says, “Then the people of Israel rose in the morning and encamped against Gibeah. And the men of Israel went out to fight against Benjamin, and the men of Israel drew up the battle line against them at Gibeah. The people of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and destroyed on that day 22,000 men of the Israelites.” (ESV)

So the result of the first day of battle is a defeat for Israel, a devastating defeat. We are not told why here, but the wider context of the Book of Judges explicitly states and shows that the entire nation had fallen into depraved apostasy: “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6 and 19:25). Although in the present situation Israel had done two commendable things—they inquired of the Lord and came against Benjamin because of its sin—this defeat is most likely God’s punishment upon Israel for their backslidden state.

The war continues.

Day 2

“ [22] The people, the men of Israel, took courage, and again formed the battle line in the same place where they had formed it on the first day. [23] And the people of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until the evening. And they inquired of the LORD, ‘Shall we again draw near to fight against our brothers, the people of Benjamin?’ And the LORD said, ‘Go up against them.’ [24] So the people of Israel came near against the people of Benjamin the second day. [25] And Benjamin went against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed 18,000 men of the people of Israel. All these were men who drew the sword.”

Again Israel suffers a devastating defeat. Yet this defeat came after God had answered their inquiry and told them, “Go up against them.” Again we are not told why Israel lost the battle, but verse 25 says it was not because they were poor soldiers. These were “men who drew the sword.”

God never has to explain his actions, and in this account he does not. But the rest of the Book of Judges does make sense of it: the entire nation has fallen from God and deserves to be judged.

The war continues.

Day 3

“ [26] Then all the people of Israel, the whole army, went up and came to Bethel and wept. They sat there before the LORD and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. [27] And the people of Israel inquired of the LORD (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, [28] and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, ministered before it in those days), saying, ‘Shall we go out once more to battle against our brothers, the people of Benjamin, or shall we cease?’ And the LORD said, ‘Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand.’”

And that is exactly what happens. Israel employs a different strategy, and this time they prevail against the tribe of Benjamin and the wicked city of Gibeah.

Notice that verse 28 says for the first time that God would give Benjamin into the hands of Israel in this battle, which means he had not done so in the previous two battles. That explains why Israel had been defeated twice. Benjamin deserved to be punished for protecting a wicked city, but so did the entire nation for its apostasy.

Takeaway

This story has valuable lessons.

1. We should not assume that God’s wisdom will bring direct and immediate success every time. We should not assume that praying for wisdom will give guidance that will be a foolproof, failproof silver bullet, making everything easy, answering every question, solving every problem, providing perfect success from that moment forward. That can happen, but we should not be disillusioned if it does not.

2. We may not experience immediate success because God has other larger purposes he is pursuing. Our situation is part of a much larger picture. For instance, God may be disciplining or teaching us (see Hebrews 12:5–11). But there are many other purposes God may be pursuing.

3. If received wisdom fails, we should not conclude that praying for wisdom does not work. We must not lose confidence in God’s promises, in God or his Word, in our ability to recognize God’s wisdom when it comes. We should keep humbling ourselves before him, repenting, and praying for wisdom.

In the story, Israel increased the intensity of its inquiry each time: on the first occasion, “The people of Israel arose and went up to Bethel and inquired of God.”

On the second occasion, “the people of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until the evening. And they inquired of the LORD.”

On the third occasion: “…all the people of Israel, the whole army [which suggests not everyone had come to Bethel the previous two times], went up and came to Bethel and wept. They sat there before the LORD and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.”

4. God might at times lead us through failures and setbacks to reach success, but he is using even those setbacks to accomplish his mysterious purposes.

5. When you implement the wisdom you believe is from God, if it does not bring the result for which you hoped do not be disillusioned, quit, and fall into unbelief. Rather, keep praying for wisdom and using your understanding of it. In this way you acknowledge him in all your ways and receive the promise of Proverbs 3:5–6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)