For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, – Colossians 1:9

Notes:

In the passage above, The Lord teaches us the difference between spiritual wisdom and understanding, and natural wisdom and understanding.  The Lord desires us to have spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that we may know the things that are have been freely given unto us, and discern His will and purpose for our lives.  The difference between the natural and the spiritual is simply the source from where they come from. The Book of James divides these two sources for us:

The source of spiritual wisdom is:  

“…from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.” – James 3:17

This source of all true wisdom is actually Jesus Himself (who is from above, pure, peacable, gentle, etc.).  All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him and flow out of Him from the Father of lights.  Any wisdom we receive is simply a facet of Christ.

The source of natural wisdom is:

“..not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.”- James 3:15

When we receive spiritual understanding, we see with the eyes of the Spirit of God.  We cannot fully learn truth by ourselves, but we need Him to explain to us the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.  Jesus promised us that One like Himself, that is, the Holy Spirit (the Lord is the Spirit), would guide us into all truth after His ascension into Heaven.  This is one of the greatest truths of the New Covenant. However, when we continually walk in the natural, we become as the prophet Isaiah said and “will keep on hearing, but will not understand; and you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;”  

Willing to Take the Challenge?

If we lack spiritual wisdom, then the Word tells us too:

 “..ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.” – James 1:5-6.

When we need spiritual understanding, we should pray that God would:

“opens our eyes, that we may behold wonderful things from thy Law.” – Psalms 119.

However, If we claim that we see and know all truth, we actually are resisting God’s work in our lives through pride:  

Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘ We see,’ your sin remains. – John 9:41

We must therefore continually humble ourselves as a little child before the Lord, so that we may walk with Him as He so desires, and abound in His grace.   It is by operating in this child-like faith and child-like heart that we begin to understand the heart of the Father, which is the full expression of Christ Jesus the risen Lord.