WHY IS IT VITAL TO PRAY FOR SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING?

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ… may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened…” – Ephesians 1:17–18

One of the greatest needs of believers today is not more information. It’s spiritual understanding. Most believers are sincere, yet they are stuck. They study, listen, and learn the word of God — but are still confused, carnal, or even bound. That is because the transformation Christ gives doesn’t come by exposure to truth alone but through revelation. That’s the reason Paul’s first recorded prayer for believers in Ephesians 1:16–23 was not for wealth, power, or protection. It was for spiritual understanding. These other things answer to spiritual understanding.

What Is Spiritual Understanding?

Spiritual understanding is the capacity enabled by the Holy spirit to perceive, interpret, and apply divine truth. It is the ability to see things from God's perspective. It’s not head knowledge. It is the illumination of the heart. Spiritual understanding is the difference between memorizing Scripture and living in its power.

In Colossians 1:9–10, Paul prayed that believers would be filled with “the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,” so that they would live lives pleasing to God, bearing fruit, and growing in intimacy with Him.

Until a believer gains spiritual understanding:

· The truth will remain theoretical rather than transformational.

· Believers will be vulnerable to deception.

· Growth will be stunted.

· Freedom will remain elusive.

The Three Realms of Understanding: Natural, Carnal, and Spiritual

In 1 Corinthians 2–3, Paul distinguished between three categories of people, each living and speaking from a different level of understanding.

A. The Natural Man 

“The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God… they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

The natural man is:

· Unsaved and spiritually dead.

· Operates by human logic and worldly wisdom.

· Cannot perceive spiritual truth. It’s foolishness to him.

B. The Carnal Believer 

“...I could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:1–3).

The canal believer is:

· Saved but immature, still driven by flesh.

· Struggles with strife, envy, and worldly thinking.

· Can’t handle deep truth; still on spiritual “milk.”

C. The Spiritual Man 

“He who is spiritual judges all things…” (1 Corinthians 2:15).

The spiritual man is:

 

· Has spiritual understanding.

· Mature and led by the Spirit, with growing discernment.

· Walks in freedom, bears fruit, and understands God’s ways.

· Speaks from a higher realm of revelation; from God’s perspective.

The Different Realms Means Different Languages

This explains why two people can hear the same truth and respond in opposite ways. They may be discussing the same subject, but speaking from different realms of understanding. For example:

On Suffering by a Believer:

· The natural man would say: “Why would a good God allow this?”

· The carnal believer would say: “God must be punishing me.”

· The Spiritual believer would say: “God is refining me through this.”

On Success:

· The natural man says: “Chase it at all costs.”

· The Carnal believer says: “I tithe, so God should bless me.”

· The Spiritual believer says: “Promotion is for God’s glory, not mine.”

Even believers can mishandle truth if they have no spiritual understanding. This usually results in frustration, pride, or confusion. That’s why Paul warned about people who are “always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). They may be exposed to the truth, but without spiritual understanding, it doesn’t take root.

Why Paul’s First Prayer Was for Understanding

You can see why Paul’s deep pastoral wisdom led him to pray first for something many of us overlook: illumination. In Ephesians 1:17–18, he prays that God would open the eyes of our hearts so we could know:

· The hope of our calling,

· The riches of our inheritance,

· And the immeasurable power available to us.

In other words: when we see it, we will live it.
That principle still holds today. Spiritual understanding is the root of our freedom in Christ.

The Impact of Spiritual Understanding

When believers operate in spiritual understanding, the results are powerful:

· FREEDOM: “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). This is not intellectual knowledge, but revelation by the Spirit (John 16:13).

· DISCERNMENT: You can distinguish truth from error, the voice of God from that of man.

· FRUITFULNESS: You can walk in the will of God and bear good fruit (Colossians 1:10).

· HUMILITY AND PATIENCE: You will stop arguing with people who don’t receive the truth but start praying for them to have spiritual understanding instead.

Ability to See Others with Spiritual Eyes (Cure for Pride)

Understanding these different realms of understanding helps us overcome pride. Instead of growing frustrated with those who don’t understand, we grow patient. We also become more patient with ourselves as we grow. We now realize that:

· Only the Holy Spirit opens spiritual eyes (1 Corinthians 2:10–12).

· We once were blind also (Titus 3:3).

· Revelation is a gift, not a badge of superiority. Only head knowledge puffs up.

It’s not always rebellion when someone responds carnally or naturally to a spiritual truth. It may simply be spiritual blindness. And blindness isn’t corrected by arguments — it’s healed by light, which is sourced by prayer (and fasting).

How to Pray for Spiritual Understanding

Since spiritual understanding is so vital, how do we pursue it?

1. Pray Paul’s Prayer in Ephesians 1:17–23.

Make it personal. Pray it over yourself, your family, your church.

2. Invite the Holy Spirit to Teach You

He is the Spirit of truth who leads into all truth (John 16:13).

3. Obey What You Already Know

Jesus said, “If anyone wants to do His will, he will know…” (John 7:17).

4. Meditate, Don’t Just Read

Revelation often comes in moments of reflection, not speed.

5. Stay Humble and Teachable

Pride blocks revelation. God gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).

Why Praying for Spiritual Understanding is so Vital

In summary, if you don’t pray for spiritual understanding:

· You may hear the truth but don’t know it.

· You may speak the truth but lack the grace to do it.

· You may hear sermons but miss what God is saying.

· You may reason yourself out of what God says is yours.

But when you have a spiritual understanding:

· You will see what others miss.

· You will speak with grace and clarity.

· You will walk in the freedom Jesus paid for.

Spiritual understanding comes when the Holy Spirit opens our eyes. It’s not how much truth we hear, but how much we understand that shapes our life.

SO TODAY, EVERY DAY, PRAY:

“Lord, open the eyes of my understanding. Fill me with the spirit of wisdom and revelation. Fill me with the knowledge of your will for me in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Let me see what You see, know what You have freely given, and walk in the freedom of Your truth. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!”

Spiritual understanding is the root of freedom and fruitfulness in Christ.