The “Spirit of wisdom and revelation” Paul speaks of in Ephesians 1:17 points us to growing in the knowledge of God’s character and work. As we yield our life to the Holy Spirit, we grow in wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
In Ephesians 1:17–21, Paul prays for the Ephesian believers to receive “the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” Whether “Spirit” is capitalized depends on the Bible translation; those that capitalize it take it to mean the Holy Spirit. Either way, that verse communicates Paul’s desire for the Ephesians to understand and grow in their knowledge of God; doing so is ultimately God's work. The Bible teaches that God temporarily in-filled certain Old Testament believers with the Holy Spirit, filling them with wisdom and knowledge of God to do His will. New Testament saints and believers today have the permanent indwelling Holy Spirit, received upon salvation (Ephesians 1:13–14; John 14:17). Just as Paul prayed for the Ephesians to grow in their understanding of God, Christians should yield their lives to the Spirit to grow in wisdom and understanding of God. Doing so helps us grow in spiritual maturity (Romans 8:1–30; Galatians 5:16–25; Philippians 2:12–13; 2 Peter 3:18). The more we learn about God, the more we become Christ-like (Romans 8:29–30) and grow in our love for and trust in Him (1 John 4:19; Proverbs 3:5; Isaiah 26:3).
People in close relationships learn a lot about each other. Long-time friends come to know each other’s hobbies, favorite ice-cream flavor, and even some closely guarded secrets. Married couples can usually finish each other's sentences. But the most important relationship in our lives is the one we have with God, although we can never fully know Him (Isaiah 55:8–9; Romans 11:33–34). God's holiness and majesty are beyond our full understanding (Job 11:7–9). This means we could devote our whole lives to learning about God and still crave more knowledge of Him. Our relationship with the Lord never gets stale, and God reveals Himself to those who want to know Him more (Proverbs 8:17). Paul prayed for God to give the Ephesians “the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,” and we should also pray this for ourselves. God has given us His Word and hears our prayers, which encourages us to read His Word and come to Him in prayer to learn more of Him. The more we learn about God, the more Christ-like we become (Romans 8:29–30) and the more we grow in our love for and trust in Him (1 John 4:19; Proverbs 3:5; Isaiah 26:3). We grow in wisdom, revelation, and understanding as we seek Him.