James 1:5-6 New King James Version (NKJV)
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
I have often wondered why we do not see more prayer for wisdom and direction. God knows that our world is in desperate need of these two. The problem is wisdom and direction are somewhat taboo matters. Very few people are ready to accept that they lack wisdom. They worry that this is to be viewed as some form of handicap.
In a social media generation, we see more and more people looking to keep up appearances. We are more concerned about what people will think of us than who we really are. It is like scrubbing the front of your teeth and keeping them “
God encourages us to seek and in fact pursue wisdom. That is how desirable and perhaps somewhat elusive she is. Seeking wisdom and direction requires a combination of the presence of mind and humility.
You need the presence of mind to know that you cannot do everything in your own power. It takes the presence of mind to know that you do not have to do anything in your own power, that the Lord is willing to take the wheel.
Humility comes in the form of being able to then ask for help when you recognise that you are in need of it. The hardest thing to say is “help me.” We are taught from a tender age, to not show our weakness. We tend to forget that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. Which means by admitting when we are weak, and asking the Lord for help, we are one step closer to strength.
Proverbs 4:5-7 New King James Version (NKJV)
5 Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;
Love her, and she will keep you.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.
In the scripture above, King Solomon pleads with his child. He highlights the importance of wisdom. It is the “principal thing”, is what he has to say of it. Wisdom is not to be forsaken or forgotten. Get wisdom! Get understanding! And if you are to get everything else, be sure to have understanding.
Understanding is what shows you that not all wisdom is equal. The Bible warns us about the difference between divine wisdom and earthly wisdom. There is a form of wisdom that is carnal and demonic. One that seems right to a man but only leads to death. You should be careful not to fall into this.
1st Prayer for Wisdom and Direction
Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for your word. I thank you for wisdom that comes from above. Lord, I lack wisdom. You said to ask if you lack. So, here I am before you. Your word says that you give liberally without reproach. Father, grant me wisdom. Grant me understanding. There is a great need of it in my life, and in the lives of those around me. Wisdom is desperately needed in our nations, Lord. I am open and ready to receive from you. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Lamp to my feet
Psalm 119:105 New King James Version (NKJV)
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
Prayer
Lord, there is no foolishness in you. Every word that comes out of your mouth is wisdom. Direct my footsteps, oh Lord. May your word light up my path so I may never walk in paths of foolishness. The way that seems right to a man will never be a way that I take. For your word is a lamp to my feet. I walk in full light. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Trust in the Lord
Proverbs 3:5-6 New King James Version (NKJV)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall [a]direct your paths.
As simple as it may seem, trust is one thing that most of us struggle with. We are raised with that siege mentality. One that says “Each man for himself”. Trust seems like an abdication of that power. The power that we get from trying to control everything around us. Yet even when we have that power, we still lack control. There are entities that influence in realms that we cannot physically influence.
Prayer
Lord, I don’t want to live a life of trying to pull all strings together by myself. I choose to trust in you with all my heart. No matter how much understanding I have or that I think I have, I entrust my life to you. I will not lean on my own understanding.
Whatever I will do from here on will acknowledge you. Lord, direct my paths. Lead me lest I would be led astray. Guide me, least I would take a wrong path, for there is a way that seems right to a man. Preserve, oh Lord, that I would not be led to death. In the mighty name of Jesus. Amen
As always, we are eternally grateful to see more people picking up the mantle of prayer. Be sure to share this post through your social media pages and such. We are always looking for ways to do more. The area of prayer remains underserved. With you as a partner, we can change this. Consider becoming a PATREON. There are several benefits that come with it, beyond making a tangible difference in the ministry of prayer.
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