Faith unlocks understanding. In this episode, we explore how to access Jesus’ intelligence in daily life — from navigating challenges to making smart decisions. Discover why trusting in wisdom from above surpasses human reasoning. Real knowledge of the Holy One is the ultimate source of insight and understanding for life.

----------

See the full episode transcript below.

👉 Enhanced show notes: jesussmartx.captivate.fm/episode/by-faith-we-understand-accessing-jesus-intelligence-in-daily-life-ep-351

👉 Explore more episodes: JesusSmart.com/podcast

If this episode gave you a fresh perspective on Kingdom Living, share it with someone who needs encouragement.

Be sure to follow the podcast—each episode is designed to help you think more clearly and pursue the kind of life only Jesus makes possible.

Stay current via The Smart Edit newsletter—Elevate your faith. Live smart. Make an impact. Free. Weekly. 5 minutes to grow. Unsubscribe anytime. Sign up at JesusSmart.com.

----------

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

The Backdrop of a Turbulent World

As I record this episode on September 18, 2025, it has been a tumultuous stretch in America and around the globe. Our world is broken and in desperate need of the regeneration Jesus promised — the new heavens and the new earth.

Recent events highlight this brokenness. America was shaken by the political assassination of Charlie Kirk on a college campus in Utah. In Charlotte, North Carolina, a young Ukrainian woman was brutally murdered on a subway. London saw unprecedented crowds protesting the government, demanding change. In Nepal, younger generations rose up, burned the parliament building, and forced out corrupt leadership. All of this unfolds against the backdrop of war between Russia and Ukraine.

These are just a few flashpoints, but they raise the question: how do we process what’s happening? How do we interpret the swirl of events, both globally and in our own lives?

Faith as the Highest Understanding

Hebrews 11:3 tells us that “by faith we understand.”

Faith is not blind — it is the highest form of understanding. There are realities that human reasoning alone cannot fully grasp. Proverbs 3:5–6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

The Hebrew word for “understanding” carries the sense of discernment or insight — perceiving what is really happening. We are warned not to rely on our own insight but to acknowledge God intimately, and He promises to smooth out our path.

We Go Beyond Human Reason

Modern culture often exalts the human mind. Think of the Enlightenment and the famous phrase cogito ergo sum — “I think, therefore I am.”

Reason has value, but our supreme allegiance is not to our ability to think. It is to God Himself. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One brings true understanding.

Dallas Willard, in The Divine Conspiracy, reminds us that Jesus is the smartest person who ever lived.

He transformed water into wine, fed thousands with a few loaves and fish, calmed storms, and even raised the dead. He is the cognitive and practical master of all reality — physical, moral, and spiritual. To say “Jesus is Lord” must also mean acknowledging that Jesus is brilliant. He continues to oversee human history.

Wisdom That Penetrates Every Circumstance

A.W. Tozer wrote that Jesus is the "ultimate strategist, the perfect thinker, the one whose wisdom orders all things." John Piper has said that "Jesus’ intelligence is not abstract but always practical — it penetrates every circumstance."

This means He understands international conflicts, cultural upheavals, and national policies. But He also understands your personal challenges: family struggles, work frustrations, opportunities, and decisions.

From the macro of world events to the micro of our individual lives, his wisdom applies.

Faith Opens Our Perception

The Greek New Testament word for understanding, sýnesis, literally means “putting things together.”

Faith enables the Holy Spirit to help us see how the pieces of life fit together. Pattern recognition is one of the highest forms of intelligence, and through faith, God opens our eyes to see patterns, contours, and outlines of what He is doing — even if not yet in full clarity.

All of God’s people are prophetic in this sense, because the "testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Revelation 19:10). The Holy Spirit within us helps us perceive and sense our way forward into the future.

Wisdom from Above

James 1 encourages us to ask God for wisdom in trials, and James 3 distinguishes between earthly wisdom and wisdom from above. Earthly wisdom is natural and even demonic. Wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, humble, and willing to yield.

We are not left groping in the dark. We have access to the One who knows the end from the beginning. Instead of saying, “I think, therefore I am,” our allegiance can be, “I belong to God, therefore I am.” "In Him we live, move, and have our being" (Acts 17).

By Faith, We Understand

Ultimately, understanding is more than data — it is spiritual discernment. The highest form of knowledge is the knowledge of the Holy One. There are puzzles and conundrums we cannot solve on our own, but by faith we understand.

So what are the top three challenges you’re facing right now? Instead of leaning on your own understanding, bring them to Jesus, the smartest man who ever lived. He will get into the mix. He will sway your thinking, shape your judgment, and smooth your path.

A Closing Prayer

Holy Spirit, illuminate our minds. Father, grant us Your wisdom. By faith, we understand. Teach us to acknowledge you in all things so that our paths are made straight.

My friend, in Jesus, you are a solver. Don’t be intimidated by the so-called elites or power brokers of this world. They have made a mess of things.

But you have the Holy Spirit, you carry God’s voice within you, and you can grow in the Word, in resonance with Him, and in being led by His Spirit.

Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement. And don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, the Smart Edit, at JesusSmart.com.