By Faith We Understand: Accessing Jesus’ Intelligence in Daily Life (Ep 351)

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.

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See the full episode transcript below.

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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...