In Second Chronicles, chapter one, verse twelve, Solomon receives wisdom and knowledge, yet this does not guarantee he would persevere in faithfulness to God. For this reason, God told him to be careful to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments. Possessing wisdom or an exceptional knowledge of God’s Word does not guarantee that a person will live for God according to that wisdom and follow His ways. Later in life, Solomon departed from God and failed to do what he knew was right. He consequently receives judgment from God.
Solomon had wisdom enough to offer a wise prayer; an increase of wisdom followed as the answer to the prayer. Solomon did not know the outcome because the living comes after the request. Solomon’s father, David, did not know he would encounter Bathsheba at the time he did and followed the carnal way of committing adultery, murder, and eventually taking the wife of someone else and then marry her. Solomon did not expect to experience what came after becoming King of Israel and receiving and having so many wives and concubines that would eventually turn his heart away to offer sacrifices to strange gods. Both David and his son faced a situation in life that only God could intervene if they asked Him to at the time of temptation.
Today, believers, pastors, and religious people in various positions ask for different things from God. However, they know if they have heard or received what they have asked for from God. Frequently, church people claim they have gained something from God when they only initiated doing something on their own and profess that it was from the Lord. Then, tell others what they experienced. Today, many church people will use their own ways and proclaim it was God’s way, which is wrong. God does not grant things to others unless it is His will, and it will glorify Him. Not to say He does not give things to His followers because if they want it so bad, some will get it, but it might be costly.