“Wisdom is the principal thing: therefore get wisdom…” This truth stands at the heart of God’s Gift of Wisdom: Using God’s Counsel To Your Advantage. The book teaches that all true wisdom comes from God and that it is available to those who diligently seek Him through Jesus Christ.
According to the author, the Seven Pillars of Wisdom provide the foundation for a stable and complete life. These pillars were given so that believers can be firmly established in God and guided by His counsel in every circumstance. The Seven Pillars of Wisdom are the fear of God, the knowledge of God, the understanding of God, the power of God, the righteousness of God, the judgment of God, and the faithfulness of God.
The book explains that wisdom possesses seven pillars because God desires His people to have completeness and stability. Just as pillars support a house, these spiritual foundations support a believer’s walk with God.
The Seven Pillars of Wisdom are not separate ideas working independently. They build upon one another and help believers grow in their relationship with God. Through them, a person can receive guidance, strength, understanding, and assurance.
The first pillar is the fear of God. The author teaches that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” This fear is not terror but a healthy respect, honor, and reverence for God.
The book identifies four reasons for fearing God:
By placing God first and honoring His commandments, believers position themselves to receive His guidance and blessings.
The second pillar is the knowledge of God. The author explains that believers must know God in order to abide in His will and truly love Him.
This pillar serves three important purposes:
Knowledge of God strengthens believers and helps them remain rooted and grounded in His Word. It equips them to resist false teachings and confidently share the gospel with others.
The third pillar is understanding. The book describes understanding as a God-given gift that allows people to recognize differences and discern spiritual truths.
Understanding comes through God’s revelation. As a believer’s relationship with God deepens, so does their understanding. The author points to Solomon’s request for an understanding heart as an example of seeking God’s wisdom.
A good understanding brings favor and helps believers walk according to God’s counsel.
The fourth pillar is the power of God. The book teaches that genuine power belongs to God and is given through the Holy Spirit.
God’s power enables believers to:
The author emphasizes that believers must remain in fellowship with God and dedicate themselves to His service in order to operate in the fullness of His power.
The fifth pillar is the righteousness of God. According to the book, righteousness comes through accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The author explains that no person can be made right with God through personal merit. Righteousness is found through faith in Christ and His atonement for sin.
Some of the blessings connected to this pillar include:
The sixth pillar is the judgment of God. Judgment is presented as the ability to make sound and careful decisions.
The book teaches that believers should judge certain matters, such as their own conduct and situations within the body of Christ. At the same time, they should avoid judging motives, appearances, and matters that belong to God alone.
Three qualities support godly judgment:
When believers seek God before making decisions, they are better prepared to walk in His will.
The final pillar is faithfulness. The author describes faithfulness as the completion of wisdom. A faithful person remains dedicated, reliable, and steadfast in service to God.
Jesus Christ is presented as the greatest example of faithfulness. Through His obedience and sacrifice, He demonstrated perfect faithfulness to the Father.
Believers are called to be faithful with:
Faithfulness allows the other pillars to remain active and effective throughout a believer’s life.
The Seven Pillars of Wisdom provide a practical framework for receiving and applying God’s counsel. Through the fear of God, the knowledge of God, the understanding of God, the power of God, the righteousness of God, the judgment of God, and the faithfulness of God, believers can become stable, complete, and firmly established in Him.
As the book teaches, wisdom is a gift from God. By embracing the Seven Pillars of Wisdom and applying them consistently, believers can grow in their relationship with God and walk according to His counsel every day.
