Page 93 - The Prosperous Way _ (APRIL 2024 v3)

WALKING IN WISDOM

which you work. Understanding gives you the ability to accurately
assess a person, or a situation, or the environment that you are
operating in so that you can make sound, sensible decisions. The Bible
says that understanding will shield, protect and guard you (Proverbs 2:7-
8 &11).

Since understanding is more a matter of accurate observation, unlike
wisdom, what a person understand is often known internally but left
unspoken. So then, we find advice in the Scriptures such as:

 The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves, but a fool’s
heart blurts out folly. (Proverbs 12:23)
 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and
whoever has understanding is even-tempered. (Proverbs 17:27)
 Whoever derides their neighbour has no sense, but the one who
has understanding holds their tongue. (Proverbs 11:12)

GAINING WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING

Naturally, the question that follows is how do you gain wisdom and
understanding? The primary ways in which the Bible tells us we obtain
wisdom and understanding are through fearing (or reverencing) God,
by obeying the Word of God, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, by impartation,
through experience and counsel, and by prayer.

1) The fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom.
Job 28:28 very simply states: ”Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is
wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.” This is one of
many Scriptures that say very much the same thing—the fear of
the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. I believe that wisdom starts
with the reverential fear of the Lord because it takes courage to
do what is right, according to the Scriptures. Proverbs 28:1
declares that “the righteous are as bold as a lion.” It takes inward
strength to not just hear the Word of the Lord but to actually do
as you are directed. This is why in Joshua Chapter1, the Lord
repeatedly instructs Joshua to be strong and very courageous in
order to do everything according to the Word of God. That
strength to do according to the commands of the Lord comes
from our reverence for Him. Therefore, the psalmists writes:

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