Wonderful Counselor

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor and sovereign strategist.

When the plans people cling to collapse, Jesus brings a different kind of wisdom — a royal strategy that shapes the future beyond human scheming. Instead of asking God to rubber-stamp a plan, invite the Wonderful Counselor into the discussion so his miraculous wisdom can rearrange your next steps. Let the end of your plans be the place where his kingdom strategy begins. [08:42]

Isaiah 9:6-7 (ESV)
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Reflection: What specific plan have you been trying to get God to “rubber-stamp” instead of inviting him to lead? Name one concrete change you will make this week to consult Jesus first about that plan.

Day 2: The Word became flesh; God made known.

God’s counsel is not abstract; it is incarnate in Jesus, the Word who dwelt among us and made God’s character visible. When you long for clarity and wisdom, look to the incarnate Word and allow Scripture and the Spirit to shape your understanding and actions. Receive the light and grace he offers rather than relying on clever techniques or hollow assurances. [16:50]

John 1:1-14 (ESV)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Reflection: In what one habitual way will you make space this week to receive the incarnate Word—through Scripture, silence, or worship—and what will you do each day to practice that?

Day 3: Light breaks into deep darkness, bringing hope.

When people live in a land of deep darkness, the promise is that light has come and shone upon them; this light interrupts despair with tangible hope. If your circumstances feel destabilized or bleak, keep your eyes on the promised light that begins to change situations from within. Let that light reframe how you approach decisions and relationships, trusting that hope multiplies joy. [08:00]

Isaiah 9:2 (ESV)
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

Reflection: Which specific dark place in your life needs the light Jesus brings, and what is one practical step you will take this week to turn toward that light?

Day 4: Humble plans under God's timing and will.

Boasting about tomorrow’s plans without acknowledging the Lord is rooted in arrogance; true wisdom names God’s timing and says, “If the Lord wills.” Practically surrendering plans looks like adding that humble posture to decisions and trusting God with outcomes. Let this posture free you from frantic control and invite God’s counsel into everyday plans. [33:46]

James 4:13-15 (ESV)
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

Reflection: What plan are you currently declaring as certain that you should qualify with “if the Lord wills,” and what phrase or practice will you adopt this week to surrender it to God?

Day 5: All God's promises find their Yes in Christ.

Every promise of God reaches fulfillment in Jesus, so hope rests not in human schemes but in the One who embodies God’s faithfulness. When plans collapse, remember that promises are secured in Christ’s “Yes,” and that frees you to seek his counsel rather than cling to your own timing. Anchor your trust in his faithfulness and let that reshape how you form and release plans. [17:38]

2 Corinthians 1:20 (ESV)
For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

Reflection: Name one promise of God you’ve been doubting; how will you remind yourself this week that every promise finds its “Yes” in Christ (a verse on a card, a prayer, or a conversation with someone)?

Sermon Summary

As we step into Advent, I named the ache we all feel: we want joy quickly—and we want God to bless the plans we’ve already made. But the invitation of Christmas is not a divine rubber-stamp; it’s the arrival of a Person whose wisdom disrupts our shortcuts. Isaiah spoke into a moment like ours: King Ahaz’s strategies were collapsing under pressure, and God promised a sign child whose name included Wonderful Counselor—a miraculous strategist whose wisdom no human can manufacture. That promise stretched beyond the kings of Judah all the way to Jesus, whose government and peace would increase without end. In other words, when our plans run out, He’s just getting started.

We traced how Isaiah 9 lands in the dirt of actual crises, not in sentimental poetry. “Wonderful Counselor” is not a title for Christmas décor; it describes the wise governance of God that rewrites futures. Then we turned to John 1: the Word—God’s very mind and heart—became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus isn’t just a source of ideas; He is the revelation of God, the fulfillment of all God’s promises, the Light that the darkness cannot overcome. He ascends to reign and sends the Spirit as our present-tense Counselor—near, personal, and active.

Our world has shifted from complicated to complex—AI deceptions, tangled alliances, soul-fragmenting pressures. Techniques aren’t enough; we need a miraculous Strategist. Yet our instincts haven’t changed: we try to fix it ourselves and ask God to bless the aftermath. The way forward is surrender, not speed. Pick one stubborn place where your plans keep failing, and form a new council: you, Jesus, Scripture, and Spirit-filled believers who will pray and listen. Ask, “Wonderful Counselor, what do you want me to know? What do you want me to do?” Clean house like Josiah—remove the idols that have crept into your inner temple. If the Spirit dwells in you, go to the temple within before you go to your toolbox.

James teaches us to live by “If the Lord wills,” not as pious filler but as a posture of yieldedness that frees us from fragile control. Over time, this grows a secure attachment to Jesus: we don’t move until we’ve heard from Him. Then when the storm hits, we respond not with panic but with expectation—“I wonder how God will deliver here.” That’s the hope Advent offers: the Wonderful Counselor leads us where our best strategies cannot.

Key Takeaways

1. Stop asking for divine rubber-stamps We often treat God like final approval on plans we crafted without Him. That posture keeps us in control and keeps us small. Surrender is not passivity; it is permission for God to author something larger than our techniques. When our plans end, His wisdom begins. [01:48]
2. Trust the Wonderful Counselor’s strategy Isaiah’s child is no mere poet’s dream; He is the miraculous strategist whose reign brings justice and unending peace. His counsel doesn’t merely advise; it reorders reality under His kingship. In crisis, trading cleverness for obedience opens space for His government to grow in us. [08:42]
3. Let the Word become light John says the Word became flesh, bringing grace and truth into our darkness. Receiving Him makes us God’s children and reframes our identity before it reframes our circumstances. Light isn’t earned by effort; it’s welcomed by trust, step by step, in the places we usually reach for false refuge. [16:50]
4. Practice Spirit-led counsel with others The Word of God, the Spirit of God, and the people of God are enough for the mission of God. Form a small circle that prays, listens, searches Scripture, and discerns next faithful steps. Clean the inner temple; make space for the Counselor’s voice to be the first, not the last. [29:17]
5. Live by ‘If the Lord wills’ James calls presumption arrogance; humility reframes every plan as contingent upon God’s will and timing. This isn’t indecision—it’s calibrated dependence that releases our grip on outcomes. Over time, it cultivates resilient hope that survives delay and disappointment. [33:33]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:22] - Advent setup and quick-joy instincts
[00:44] - When we want God’s rubber-stamp
[03:04] - Ahaz’s collapsing plans and God’s sign
[08:17] - Isaiah 9: Child and royal titles
[10:19] - Wonderful Counselor: miraculous strategist
[14:24] - John 1: The Word becomes flesh
[18:02] - Jesus sends the Spirit Counselor
[18:59] - From complicated to complex
[20:09] - Ikea humility and instruction
[20:59] - AI, misinformation, and discernment
[24:22] - Skip false refuges; run to Jesus
[25:48] - Form a new council with Jesus
[29:17] - Clean the temple: make room for God
[33:24] - “If the Lord wills” posture
[36:33] - Closing prayer: trust when plans end

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
Isaiah 9:6–7
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Observation questions (3–4)

What specific names and roles does Isaiah 9:6 assign to the coming child, and how do those titles shift the focus from human strategy to divine rule?
John 1 says “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” How does understanding Jesus as the Word-in-the-flesh change how one expects God’s wisdom to appear in ordinary life? [14:24]
How did King Ahaz respond when invited to ask God for a sign, and in what ways does that response mirror the tendency to treat God as a final rubber-stamp on our plans? [06:51]
Isaiah speaks of people walking “in a land of deep darkness” and then seeing a great light. Where in recent experience (personal, local, or global) does that contrast — darkness vs. light — feel most real? [08:00]

Interpretation questions (3–4) — written objectively

How does the title “Wonderful Counselor” (a royal strategist backed by the zeal of the LORD) differ in kind from human counsel and technical problem‑solving? [10:19]
What is the theological significance of saying the government “shall be upon his shoulder” and that the increase of his government and peace will have “no end”? How should that hope shape a believer’s posture in crisis? [11:20]
What role does the Spirit play as the present‑tense Counselor connecting Jesus’ reign with everyday decision‑making for believers? [18:02]
Why would asking for the Lord’s will (as James urges) be more than polite language? How does it function as a spiritual posture rather than mere piety? [33:33]

Application questions (4–7)

Identify one stubborn area where your plans keep failing. Will you commit to bringing that single situation to Jesus this week and forming a new council (you + Jesus + Scripture + 1–3 Spirit‑filled people)? When will you meet and who will you invite? [29:17]
What “idols” (false refuges such as busyness, people‑pleasing, tech escapes, or control) have crept into your inner temple? Name one concrete first step you will take to remove it this month. [30:33]
For a plan you’re holding tightly, practice saying aloud this week, “If the Lord wills, I will do X.” How does that change your anxiety, your timing, or your desire for control? Try it before a specific decision. [33:33]
When your plans run out, what would it look like for you to respond with expectation—“I wonder how God will deliver here”—rather than panic? Name one practice (prayer, pause, Scripture, call a friend) that will help you move toward expectation next time. [35:02]
How will you make space this week to listen for the Wonderful Counselor’s voice in Scripture? Pick a passage or a short time slot and record any word, image, or direction you sense; then share it with one trusted person for prayer and discernment. [27:11]
In what relationships do you need to stop asking for God’s approval of plans you’ve already made and instead invite the Spirit to revise your direction? Who will you tell and ask to hold you accountable? [01:48]

(Use the Bible reading above before you discuss the questions. Encourage listening and honest sharing; let Scripture and the Spirit lead the conversation.)

Sermon Clips

They just keep pillaging their own temple of God and paying off and bribing these other empires to stay away from them. And some of these kings decided to just say, woe is me, you know, like weird, undone. God, if you don't move, we're dead in the water. But most of them just came up with some other clever strategy. [00:05:37] (23 seconds) #NoMoreIdols

We'll just carve the gold off of the doors. Oh, and we'll rip that off and we'll take that and we'll send this all away and this desperate attempt to find some other means of salvation other than God Almighty. We experience this. We're pretty frantic sometimes that go in places and trying to figure out things and the word that became flesh is just right there. This is what our Christmas is about. And we tend to go everywhere else. [00:06:00] (28 seconds) #StopSearchingElsewhere

So Ahaz sells Judah's future short. He goes far beyond just his own plans and God says, I want to give you a sign. He's like, ask me for a sign. And Ahaz says, I don't want a sign from you. Or maybe it was more like, oh, Lord, I needeth no sign for I trusteth in you implicitly or something like that. But it sort of sounded pious and then it was like, but you just don't want to interact with God in this way. But God gave him a sign anyway. [00:06:28] (30 seconds) #AskGodForASign

This counselor, Jesus said, not only am I going to the Father to take the throne so that I can rule forever and ever, I'm going to send my Spirit, so the Spirit of Christ who's going to be a counselor for you, an advocate, who's going to speak words of hope, He's going to come alongside you and give you counsel and hope and peace. [00:18:03] (22 seconds) #HolySpiritCounsel

And then because of the blood of Christ and because of his sacrifice, because he came to bring light, he's cleansed the people so that we could be proper dwelling places for him. So that we, as a family, and as individuals, have the spirit of the living God living within us. And yet we look elsewhere. Many of us. Many times. So, let's look to Jesus. [00:31:25] (29 seconds) #LookToJesus

But if we begin to surrender like Isaiah calls us to, when our plans run out instead of panicking, we'll just recognize that's where Jesus is just getting started with His work in our life. And at the end of the day, do you want your plans anyway? I'm learning to say, Jesus, if you don't want it for me, I don't want it. And as far as timing goes, if you don't want it for me right now, then I don't want it right now. Because I need your wonderful counsel. [00:32:26] (34 seconds) #SurrenderToJesus

We'll have a deep and abiding and secure attachment to Jesus to where like, I don't want to do anything unless I talk to Him first. I don't want to do anything unless I'm hearing from Him. You remember Word, the people of God, the Spirit of God, right? The whole combination. But unless I'm hearing from God, I just don't want to do it. [00:34:33] (20 seconds) #TalkToJesusFirst

But those aren't my plans anyway. I've been submitting myself to him. So, this will be really intriguing. I wonder how he's going to do that. And that'll actually be a very necessary skill and attitude of that kind of hope for the world around us. They'll be coming to you going like, so you're not rattled, but you just lost everything. Yeah, but that's just amazing. That's the kind of circumstances God loves because he wants to show up and show out his wonderful counsel. [00:35:48] (27 seconds) #TrustGodsTiming

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