Your prayer for wisdom, knowledge, understanding and favor is a right and good petition, and we gladly stand with you in faith before the throne of grace. The Scripture says, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally, and we have this comfort, that Christ is made unto us wisdom and in Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Worldlings do not understand the terms on which we are linked with Christ, but to us He is alive and our familiar Friend, and we look to the Lord Jesus Christ for all things.
You have done wisely to go to your God in prayer. Though we may not have sufficient grace to be at ease in mind, we have wisdom enough to go to our God and spread our case before Him as Hezekiah spread the letter before the Lord, and in due season He gives an answer which more than satisfies. God would beat us down as to this fleshly wisdom, and when He has laid us low, then He will make us to stand as prevailing princes. The death of self dependence is the joy and triumph of faith, and this often comes through waiting upon Him. Pray then not only for knowledge in the mind, but for grace to walk in the light of what you know.
You ask for favor, and for miracles and blessings. We pray that you may know favor in its truest form, the sweet savor of the merits of the Savior, which is so sweet a savor to the Father that we strive in vain to reach the knowledge of it. When He turns in a way of grace to His people, He then seems to be flying on the wings of the wind, for He comes with all His soul most heartily and richly to display His favor and His love toward the objects of His choice. He rests in His love and rejoices over His people with singing when He is at work for their salvation. The greatest miracle of love is this, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and that He has loved our soul from the pit of corruption. Wonders of grace belong to Christ.
You pray against principalities and powers of darkness in high places, and for abounding glory. We do indeed fight with darkness, for the powers of darkness will always endeavor to conceal the cross of Christ, and that wrath has brought men into darkness so that they love darkness better than light. Yet light springs out of that darkness, the eternal Light of the undying Son of God, who having risen from the dead lives forever to scatter the darkness of evil. If you would triumph over darkness, set yourself in the presence of the Sun of Righteousness, for there is no place so well adapted for the discovery of sin and recovery from its power and guilt as the immediate presence of God. Some of us also have sat in darkness, gloomy, thick, Egyptian night, but when Jesus came to us that darkness fled away and now we walk in the light of God as He is in the light, and we have fellowship with Him. To them that are in darkness He still says, Show yourselves, rise and come forth into the light and enjoy it.
Let us pray together for you now.
O Lord our God, we thank You that we may come with thanksgiving in the name of Jesus Christ, through whom alone is salvation. Grant to this dear soul wisdom that comes from above, knowledge and understanding to discern Your will, and favor that is found in Your presence. Let Your word be a lamp to the feet and a light to the path. Scatter every work of darkness, and let the power of Satan and his hosts be broken by the cross and resurrection of Christ. Show Your miracles of love and Your abundant blessings according to Your sovereign goodness, not for our own glory but that Your glory may be seen and abounding over all the world. Keep this one walking in the light, growing in grace, and resting in Your rejoicing love. All this we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, with thanksgiving. Amen.
