James 3:18 says, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” It is a spiritual blessing that is imparted when we ask.

James 1:5 says that if we lack wisdom, we can ask for it. He will give it to us liberally. Proverbs 2:7 gives us a qualifier. It says, “He stores up sound wisdom for the upright…” The fear of the Lord is reverential trust, and the beginning of wisdom. How do we walk upright? We shun compromise.

Intimate communion sets the stage for impartation. Psalm 25:14 Amplified says, “The secret (of the sweet, satisfying companionship) of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its (deep, inner) meaning.”

I have been meditating on Ephesians 1. This chapter is so full of delightful truths. I camped on verse 3 for several days. Anything that we have from the Lord is supernatural. It cannot be produced by man. Neither can the fruit of the Spirit. It is bestowed, gifted, or imparted by the Holy Spirit who indwells us.

John 15:16 says that He chose us. There was nothing on our part. Ephesians 1:4 says that He chose us before He ever laid the foundation for the world. We are predestined ~ chosen and appointed beforehand. 

We are made in His image for relationship. At salvation we are made holy and without blame. According to the good pleasure of His will, according to the riches of His grace, according to His purpose, according to the counsel of His will, and according to the working of His resurrection power.

Grace is God’s provision for every aspect of our lives. Ephesians 1:8 in the Amplified says of His grace, “Which He lavished upon us in every kind of wisdom and understanding (practical insight and prudence).”

It starts with His choosing us. Ephesians 1:4 says that He chose us before the foundation of the world. Verse 5-6 says, “Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.”

Chosen. Adopted. Accepted. Redeemed. John 1:16 Amplified says, “For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received (all had a share and we were all supplied with) one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift (heaped) upon gift.” I read this verse like a domino effect.

I was reading Psalm 99. In verse 6 Moses, Aaron, and Samuel were mentioned. Verse 8 says, “You answered them, O Lord our God; You were to them God-Who-Forgives, though You took vengeance on their deeds.”

Psalm 130:3-4 says, “If You Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who can stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.” Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”

Jesus’ death brought forgiveness of our past, present, and future sins. When He cried out, ‘It is finished!’ it meant that the full payment for our sins was complete. Yet, the consequences for our sins were not wiped out. What do we do with them? They are trials we must endure, because they are purifiers of our faith. 1 Peter 1:7.

Romans 12:16 Amplified says, “Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty (snobbish, high-minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourself to (people, things) and give  yourselves to humble tasks. Never overestimate yourself or be wise in your own conceits.”

The  NKJV says, “…associate with the humble…” Humble folks walk in grace ~ grace dwellers. Practically it looks like 2 Corinthians 9:8. It says, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward  you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” Though the context is finances, we can make personal applications ~ living with companions in grace.

Psalm 131:1 were David’s words we can implement. It says, “Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, nor with things too profound for me.” Trying to figure out things that we have no control over ~ mental gymnastics.

Romans 8:28 says that all things work together for good. When a new trial stops us in our tracks, do we balk or embrace it? If we balk, then we have a hidden lie that controls our life.

When the newly created butterfly emerges from the cocoon, it is really weak. Its body is swollen because it is full of liquid. In order for it to fly it has to go through a tremendous struggle.

When we begin our process of renewing our mind from an erroneous belief, there will be a struggle. In that struggle we will be ‘proved’ or tested so that the dross from the lie surfaces. The dross is discerned as we implant His word. It reveals it and crowds it out so that it has to come out of hiding. We then acknowledge the lie and renounce or disown it. The implanted word rushes in to fill that space. Our behavior changes because our belief system has become new.

Transformation through mind renewal is a divine exchange. Think of the caterpillar who spins the cocoon. Inside that dark night of the soul it melts. The butterfly is formed from that liquid. 

1 Peter 1:15 says to be holy in all our conduct. Verse 17 says, “…conduct yourself throughout your stay here in fear.” Amplified says holy reverence. When our behavior does not exemplify the Lord, we need to renew our mind in that area of behavior. Our belief system is faulty. 

What we do behind closed doors, when no one is watching, reveals our character. Are we the same visually as we are when hidden? 1 John 2:6 says, “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” Do your actions agree with what you say you believe? Inner transformation melts the old so the new can emerge.

When we look at the word perfect in relationship to God, we know that it cannot be improved upon. Psalm 18:30 says that His way is perfect. Verse 32 says, “It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.”

When we use the word perfect in relationship to our lives, it is an ongoing process. Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Romans 12:2 says to be transformed, “…by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” To renew our mind requires a change in how we think.

All actions are preceded by thoughts. In order to ‘prove’ the renewing, our actions will be a testimony of God’s perfect will.

The truth is that God is love, and His love dwells within us. When that truth becomes experiential, then we live as more than conquerors. Romans 8:35 asked questions. It says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

Conquering over the enemy’s plans against us is to be our lifestyle. We cannot be slack in this battle. Ephesians 6:10-18 is our marching orders. Every attack must be intentionally fought through proclaiming His truth through praise. Our military fortification in Nahum 2:1 thwarts the scatters plans. “…Man the fort! Watch the road! Strengthen your flanks! Fortify your power mightily.”

Paul answered in verse 37, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Let me take you to a verse. The rider is our Victorious Conqueror. Revelation 6:2 says, “…He went out conquering and to conquer.”

Have you ever felt isolated and alone? It was an attack against the truth. Romans 8:38 says, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers…” I want to stop right there.

Demonic lies infiltrate through fiery darts unawares, when truth is not our internal sentinel. Defeat comes when we forget that we are loved unconditionally. The moment we are saved, His love pours into our hearts. Romans 5:4.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says that we are to give thanks in everything. When we proclaim truth through praise, the enemy flees. Psalm 22:3 says that He is enthroned in our praises. Psalm 68:1 says, “Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; let those also who hate Him flee from before Him.” In 2 Chronicles 20:22 it says that when they began to sing and to praise the Lord defeated their enemies.