James 1:5 (NIV) If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ASK God, Who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. Knowledge comes through studying the Bible; understanding comes through allowing the Holy Spirit to give you the meaning of each verse; and wisdom comes through asking for it.

We have all allowed books, magazines, videos, music, and people teach us things that we now accept as life-principles. We have been basing our life on certain beliefs that we have accepted as the right way to live our life. One of the first things you need to do is start challenging that belief system to see if it is helping or hurting you.

If you ask God, He will give you an ability that will help you be able to wisely examine all your belief systems. By praying for wisdom, you will be able to see the principles for life from a very powerful position. Wisdom from God will help you see what is helping you and what principles are hurting you.

As a young person, you may not have had a choice as to who told you what to do, what to believe, and what to base your life on; but, now you do. Who are you going to allow to teach you, lead you, and structure you? You may feel like it doesn’t matter who you listen to as long as they aren’t talking about God and the things of God. But, there can be little comments, references, interjections, and attitudes that contaminate leader’s, teacher’s, or trainer’s instructions. Let’s see how to start praying for wisdom like the verse in James 1:5 is telling us to do.

Psa 1:1 (NIV) Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the WICKED or stand in the way of SINNERS or sit in the seat of MOCKERS.

One of the ways to pray for wisdom is to pray Psalms 1:1; it will give you vital issues to pray that will protect you from bad influences on your knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. This prayer may not seem like it is going to do much to help you be able to be healed from the problems of spirituality; but, it is. You are getting God’s power to close the door of your mind and heart to influences from people whose philosophies have or are hurting you.

Now let’s take a look at the prayer that helps you get the right information to guide you, the kind of understanding that frees you, and the wisdom that heals you. Psa 1:2 (NIV) But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.

None of us start off with a great delight in the principles of the Lord. We don’t realize that these principles are going to set us free from our problems with spirituality. But, as we see how wonderful our life becomes through the knowledge, understanding, and wisdom of God, we start wanting to meditate on them day and night.

Psa 1:3 (NIV) He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

This verse describes the way God always treats you; He simply tells you, as a free individual, why you should be willing to ask for His help. He tries to help you start thinking about and meditating on the things that He has to offer you. He is trying to get you excited that His principles make you like a tree that is planted by streams of water. If you are willing to ask for His help in assisting you to start meditating on His principles day and night, it will be like life-giving water flowing into a tree’s roots, into its trunk, into its branches, and then into its leaves. It will be like having a source of life that is unlimited and constantly available to you.

Psa 1:4 (NIV) Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Few of us consider ourselves or our friends to be wicked; but, what we have to understand is that our own personal beliefs often hurt us and those around us; and, that is wicked. Even when we hurt ourselves and others ignorantly or accidently the damage is just as painful and destructive; that brings wicked results.

Refusing, resisting, or neglecting prayer leaves us with things in our lives that are wicked. We need to see that prayer for God’s principles help us not do wicked things ignorantly or accidently. Another wicked act can be all those GOOD things we DON’T do for ourselves and others. That can be because we DON’T have and share the principles of God because we don’t pray for them. Prayer helps us get rid of wicked things done wrong; and, it helps us with things we could have done right, if we had prayed.

Psa 1:5 (NIV) Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. The next thing to understand is that some people make a final decision about the issues of living a life that hurts themselves and others; they WANT to mistreat themselves, others, and God’s plan. These are PEOPLE that God calls “the wicked” or “sinners.” They aren’t doing things accidently or ignorantly, they are doing them on purpose. Those who don’t mean to hurt themselves and others are different from those who accept a life of doing bad things. Unlike you, they don’t want to be set free from their condition.

Psa 1:6 (NIV) For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. “The way of the righteous” is simply a way brought about by a DESIRE to be helped by God. And, that desire is expressed by you praying and inviting God into your life.

You are on the way or path of the righteous because you have a WILLINGNESS to pray and ask God for His help. He doesn’t expect you to start DOING righteous things by healing and changing yourself. He knows that He is going to have to help you with that; but, He insists on waiting until you invite Him into EACH situation. At this point, He is just looking for a “want” in you that inspires you to keep DESIRING, STUDYING, PRAYING, and asking for His help. The way or lifestyle of the wicked is a person who refuses to DESIRE, STUDY, and PRAY to be helped.