A SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION
by Lemuel Niere
“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of
wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him” Ephesians 1:17
Can your remember a time in your life where you had a "light bulb" moment? That’s the time when a new revelation dawned on you from God that you’d never seen before?
Would you like to receive guidance from the Holy Spirit to help you make some important decisions today or for the betterment of the church? If so, the apostle Paul’s prayer to the Ephesian church in Ephesians 1:17 is an important scripture to apply in your and my life.
The word “wisdom” in this verse is the Greek word sophias. It is an old Greek word that was used to describe insight or wisdom not naturally attained. In other words, this is not natural human wisdom—this is special insight. The word “revelation” is from the Greek word apokalupsis. It refers to something that has been veiled or hidden for a long time and then suddenly almost instantaneously, becomes clear and visible to the mind or eye.
It is like pulling the curtains out of the way so you can see what has always been just outside your window. The scenery was always there for you to enjoy, but the curtains blocked your ability to see the real picture. But when the curtains are drawn apart, you can suddenly see what has been hidden from your view. That moment is what the Bible calls a “revelation.”
Now apply the meaning of those words to the realm of spiritual truths. The truths we now grasp and enjoy were always there in the realm of the Spirit, but they were veiled—hidden from us. It wasn’t the time for these truths to be revealed yet, so they remained obscured from our sight, even though they were always there. But when the right time came and the Holy Spirit removed the veil that obstructed our view, our minds instantly saw and understood.
Do you still remember times in your past experience when you suddenly saw something in the Bible you had never seen before? That truth has been there all along, but it had been hidden to your eyes. Then suddenly one day, it was as if someone pulled the covers off that verse, and it literally jumped off the pages in front of you. You saw it! You understood it! You had a revelation!
It is a fact that truths remain hidden until God chooses to reveal them to us. This is why the apostle Paul prayed for God “to give” the Ephesian church a spirit of wisdom and revelation. Like the Ephesian church we need wisdom beyond our own human understanding. Special insight that is not naturally attained, Then Paul clarified what he meant by adding the word “revelation.” One Bible expositor said the verse could be better translated to “give unto you a spirit of wisdom, even revelation!”
Let’s ask God to give us a “spirit of wisdom and revelation.” God has all the answers you need, and they’re not as far from you as you may think.
