Proverbs 9:10 NKJV
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
INSIGHT
-Understand in Hebrew is written as Sakal which means to give attention, be prudent, act wisely and ponder upon a matter. Understanding is a Spirit that originates from the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 11:2 says that, “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord.” Jesus operated under the enablement of the Holy Spirit when He became flesh and dwelt among us. We also note that wisdom proceeds from the fear of the Lord and the knowledge of God, understanding. James 3:13 ask, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” We note that humility and the fear of the Lord are inseparable and when put into practice they develop us in wisdom. We get understanding from the Holy Spirit who guides us as we reading and study the Word of God, pray and fellowship with other brethren. The Holy Spirit helps us to establish and cultivate a relationship with Him as He reveals His divine purpose for our lives.
PRAYER
How awesome is Your name Oh Lord in all the heavens and the earth. How majestic is Your name in all the earth, You have set Your glory in the heavens. All the heavens and the earth rejoices in Your awesome wonder. We thank You dear Jesus for enabling us to see this day. We know that many did not get this privilege, we honor You Abba Father. May You heal the hearts of those who are bereaved and settle their hearts with Your peace that surpasses all human understanding. May You heal all those who are sick and suffering among us. May You guide us throughout this new week and give us Your Spirit of understanding that we may apply it in every area of our lives. We need You Lord in our lives, families, businesses, jobs, churches, government, nation and entire world. We need Your understanding in every level of decision making precious Holy Spirit, may You anoint us afresh and fill us. We submit to You with humility in our hearts that You may always lead us and guide us now and forever. Amen
Further reading: Proverbs 22:4, James 3:13-18
Proverbs 14:29 NIV
“Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.”
INSIGHT
-One who has a short temper often gets into trouble, and ensnares those around him. The Bible warns against making friends with hot-tempered people, or associating with those who are easily angered, for you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared (Proverbs 22:24-25). When Dinah was raped by Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, his brothers Simeon and Levi, who were short tempered did not wait for their fathers decree on the matter and acted outrageously. They killed all the men in Shechem and this exposed their father Jacob to his neighbors, the Canaanites and Perizzites (Genesis 34:1-30). When their brothers received a blessing from their father, a curse was pronounced upon them as indicated in Genesis 49:5-7 saying, “Simeon and Levi are brothers their swords are weapons of violence. Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel.” When we receive patience; a fruit of the Holy Spirit, we obtain understanding and are able to tame our anger and remain calm as we wait on God’s guidance.
PRAYER
Dear Almighty Father, we come before Your throne of mercy today to obtain grace and mercy to help us during our time of need. We exalt You and worship You Lord for who You are and all You have done unto us. We thank You and pray that You fill us with Your uncommon peace, Your peace that surpasses all human understanding. May You fill us with Your understanding that we may have proper reasoning and judgment because of Your peace that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. May You grant us Your fruit of patience that we may wait on Your guidance and discern Your voice. May You cleanse us and sanctify us with Your precious blood from all iniquity and trespass. We surrender our nation, community, workplaces and families unto You that You may grant us Your peace and patience. We pray for our leaders and security forces that You may fill their hearts with Your patience amidst violent situations. We pray for all those who are going through hardships and challenges that You may fill them with Your peace and faith in You dear Lord Jesus. We pray this believing and trusting the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Further reading: Proverbs 15:18
Proverbs 11:12 NIV
“Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense, but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.”
INSIGHT
-The way of wisdom is the pathway of love and respect. When one despises or ridicules his neighbor, it is not evidence of superior wisdom and discernment, but lack of understanding. Proverbs 10:19 discloses that, “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.” Men and women of understanding recognize there is a time and place to hold back one’s tongue and desist from any form of outrage. They know when love and respect should compel them to hold their peace. God’s gives us understanding to enable us guard our lips and therefore acquire a preservation of life and avoid destruction by His grace (Proverbs 13:3).
PRAYER
We sing to You Lord a new song and make known Your goodness in all the earth. We sing to You Lord and praise Your name; proclaiming Your salvation day after day. We sing to You Lord and declare Your glory among the nations, Your marvelous deeds among all peoples. In our distress we cry to You Lord, knowing that You hear us and You will deliver our souls from lying lips and deceitful tongues. May You fill our hearts with understanding that we may restrain our lips and avoid destruction. May our speech always be filled with wisdom together with all our leaders. May You teach us to love and respect You and one another, as You have called us. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forever more. Amen
Further reading: James 3:5–6, Psalms 10:7-9
Jeremiah 9:23-24 NIV
“This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.”
INSIGHT
-Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom nor evangelical wisdom and knowledge, understanding of natural things, and riches, for such wisdom is brought to nothing, and all these originate from God. 1 Corinthians 1:25 says that, “the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength”. The true and saving knowledge of God has been made known through the gospel of our Lord Jesus and faith in Him, as we are guided by the Holy Spirit. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds each one to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding and in all our ways submit to him, and he will make our paths straight.
PRAYER
Show us Your ways Lord, and teach us Your paths. Guide us in Your truth and teach us, for You are God our Savior, and our hope is in You all day long. Everlasting Father we thank You for Your goodness and Your faithfulness upon our lives. We bless Your name Lord for You are our great I Am, great High Priest, and Sure Foundation. You are the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the same yesterday, today and forever. We thank You for this far that You have brought us and the far that You are taking us. You are indeed our good God, we surrender all unto You that You may take over everything that concerns us. May You reign in our hearts, lives, decisions, plans, purposes, families, businesses, jobs, education, wellbeing, health, marriages, churches, nation and entire world. We submit all our plans and our ambitions unto You Holy Spirit, may You make all our crooked paths straight. May You release our breakthroughs in all spheres according to Your plan and purpose for our lives dear Savior. You are the Vine dear Jesus and we are the branches, may You empower us to make fruit for without You we can do nothing. May You forgive us all our trespasses and enable us to forgive those who offend us, dear Jesus. May You reign Lord our King of glory. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forever more. Amen
Further reading: Isaiah 30:21, John 14:26
Acts 8:26-31 NKJV
“Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.”
INSIGHT
-The spirit of understanding instills in us the comprehension of deep things of the Word of God and His kingdom. When the Ethiopian eunuch could not understand the text that he was reading, the Lord send Philip to break down the gospel of truth to him. Like the eunuch, we are limited by the knowledge or reality that we are taught or exposed to. Apollos had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John (Acts 18:25). Jesus in Luke 24:45, opened the minds of His disciples so they could understand the Scriptures. Let us continually ask Jesus to open the minds of our understanding, that we may know Him more and seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.
SUMMARY
Understanding is a critical component of comprehending truths in the kingdom of God. The Lord is the author of understanding. Ecclesiastes 11:5 says that, “As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.” Understanding is knowing God and submitting to His wisdom and strength (Jeremiah 9:23-24). Understanding is knowing when to speak, and what to say. Understanding is to holds one’s tongue and not talking uncontrollably (Proverbs 11:12). When one is angry they tend to talk especially evil words. The Bible in Ephesians 4:26 reminds us that even when we get angry we should not sin. One way we can sin is pronouncing vulgar, cursing, deceitful, oppressive and abusive words (Psalms 10:7). The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit (Proverbs 18:21). Understanding exercises patience but one who is quick-tempered displays folly (Proverbs 14:29). Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles (Proverbs 21:23). Understanding is keeping calm in humility and the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10). Wisdom is fruitless unless we have the spirit of understanding. Proverbs 4:7 notes that, “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” God gives one the spirit of understanding as He wills. He gave king Solomon a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like him before, nor shall any like him arise afterwards (1 Kings 3:12). The fruit of peace given by the Holy Spirit of God perplexes the understanding of men and guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Understanding can be good. Good understanding leads us to gain favor from God, but the way of the unfaithful is difficult (Proverbs 13:15).
PRAYER
The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. May You fill us with Your Spirit of understanding and wisdom that we may serve our purposes well in Your kingdom. May You open the eyes of our understanding dear Lord Jesus in order that we may know the hope to which You have called us, the riches of Your glorious inheritance in Your holy people. May You touch our eyes afresh that we may no longer see men as trees and sources of hope, but look to You Lord, our hope of glory. May You release Your favor upon us and guide us in every decision and plan. May You bless us and keep us Lord. May You make Your face to shine towards us and be gracious unto us. May You turn Your countenance towards us and give us peace. Amen
Further reading: Daniel 9:2, Psalms 119:130