Words of Knowledge, Words of Wisdom

Continuing on my journey exploring spiritual gifts, I have come to words of Knowledge and words of wisdom.  What are these gifts?

I offer these definitions of the word of knowledge and word of wisdom spiritual gifts:

The word of wisdom – The fact that this gift is described as the “word” of wisdom indicates that it is one of the speaking gifts. This gift describes someone who can understand and speak forth biblical truth in such a way as to skillfully apply it to life situations with all discernment.

The word of knowledge – Also a speaking gift that involves understanding truth with an insight that only comes by insight/revelation from God. Those with the gift of knowledge understand the deep things of God and the mysteries of His Word.

There are three spiritual “gifts lists” in Scripture
             1.       Romans 12:6-8;

             2.    1 Corinthians 12:4-11; and

             3.    1 Corinthians 12:28,

but only one of them mentions the gifts referred to as the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge  and that is: (1 Corinthians 12:8). There is much confusion as to just exactly what these two gifts are.

The best example in the New Testament of a word of knowledge is Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well.  (See John 4:5-30 for the complete story.)

John 4:16-19 (AMP)

¹⁶ At this, Jesus said to her, Go, call your husband and come back here.

¹⁷ The woman answered, I have no husband. Jesus said to her, You have spoken truly in saying, I have no husband.

¹⁸ For you have had five husbands, and the man you are now living with is not your husband. In this you have spoken truly.

¹⁹ The woman said to Him, Sir, I see and understand that You are a prophet.

It is implied in scripture that Jesus did not know this Samaritan woman or her situation beforehand, but received knowledge about her five husbands and the man she is presently living with by revelation of the Spirit of God.  

But knowledge without wisdom can be dangerous both spiritually and naturally.

For example, our military industrial complex has produced new and more effective weapons through the increase of knowledge.  We have spent trillions of dollars over the past few decades stockpiling our military arsenal with devices such as military weapons and equipment, chemical weapons, biological weapons, and other armaments as a deterrent.  But without wisdom, there could be disastrous results to our world as we know it if these weapons were used capriciously.

The same could be said spiritually regarding the word of knowledge. We could cause great damage to ourselves, other individuals, or even the Church body in general if wisdom is employed in not properly sharing the word of knowledge correctly and wisely.

I have had Pastors and Church Elders many times given me a word of knowledge stemming from our relationship and accountability to each other, not as something to build up their pride or their (spiritual) position or standing.  

Each of us must recognize that spiritual gifting isn’t about what we say, it is about who we are in Christ and our position in Him; we are servants, just as Jesus was a servant.  If we lose sight of that fact then we have missed the purpose of our salvation.We have been saved to become servants of Jesus Christ, and to bring the message of Christ to the lost and dying masses and to serve them as Jesus would, not to build our own personal kingdoms or platforms where we can demonstrate our abilities and talents. We are called to die to ourselves so that Christ may live within us, and demonstrate His power through us as we serve others. 

Another example of someone utilizing the gift of the word of knowledge is recorded in the book of Acts:

Acts 21:10-11 (NKJV)

¹⁰ And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹ When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”

This is an example of a prophet who exhibited a gift of knowledge to Paul by physically demonstrating what would happen to Paul in Jerusalem.  How did Agabus the prophet know this?  He didn't!  This was given to him by the Holy Spirit.

So, if the word of knowledge and the word of wisdom are not prophetic gifts, then just exactly what are they? We know one thing for sure: these gifts are given by the Spirit to build up (edify) the body of Christ, for the “profit of all”.  But this gift in particular (in it''s general application) is for the individual rather than the whole assembly.  But the proper administration of this gift can be an encouragement and a help to others as they practice their gifting within the assembly, and be of great benefit to the one the word is for.

1 Corinthians 12:7 (NKJV)

⁷ But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all

These 'speaking' gifts are graces (or gracelets) that are bestowed by the Holy Spirit to bring immediate clarification to a specific felt need or circumstance.

For example, in the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, she had a felt need which was repressed by her choices in life by choosing not to marry after five husbands and now living with a man out of wedlock.  The scriptures do not go into detail regarding her specific circumstances.  Jesus gently revealed her secret and wisely took an approach which disarmed her with conversational questions without confrontation.  This brought about an awareness to her that Jesus was a prophet.  Jesus eventually revealed to her that He was in fact the Christ, which overwhelmed her and compelled her to go out and tell others about this man, saying that this man is one“…who told me all things that I ever did”.  She used the same approach with others when she spoke about Jesus. She approached the men of the city with questions instead of definitive statements.  She asked questions,“...Could this be the Christ?”  

The actual practice of these gifts is for building up the Church body, not in numbers, but in confidence in relationship with Christ and with each other.  The goal is unity of the faith where we are all of one accord.  The felt need is usually a need for healing in some form or another.  I have seen where a leader is given a momentary sympathetic feeling of pain in a particular body part to call attention to a specific need or a call for prayer of the Church body that a specific member may be healed. The word of knowledge could also be a matter of sending or commissioning a man or woman in ministry where a word is fitly spoken by the leading of the Holy Spirit to prepare or encourage a person for their work of ministry set before them.  (see Acts 13:2-3)

1 Corinthians 14:33 (NKJV)

³³ For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

The havoc that so often ensues in churches that practice the word of knowledge and word of wisdom is where people tend to utilize these gifts out of order.  Words of knowledge and words of wisdom tend to be words for individuals rather than for collective Church body.  A word of knowledge or word of wisdom is not prophecy.  Prophecy is for the entire Body of Christ.  Words of knowledge or words of wisdom typically function in a tighter circle like a home group or a prayer group where one is accountable with the leaders in these groups for judging the word spoken. These leaders also offer guidance and correction if necessary. 

1 Corinthians 12:31a (AMP)

^31a But earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best gifts and graces (the higher gifts and the choicest graces).

The Word of God is Alive!

As you desire the best gifts, ask God to give you the desire of your heart from the “gift lists” noted above.  Each of us has the propensity to receive whatever the Lord has for us, no one is exempt from God’s provision.  But as with any gift we can always hold a gift in our hands and fail to unwrap it for whatever reason, and expect God to do something more than He has already done and we can claim that we have not received anything from God.  But, receiving a spiritual gift is only part of the exercise, the other part is to “zealously cultivate” the gift, or to practice it.  The operative word here is “practice”.   None of us are immediately full grown as mature adults, so it is with spiritual gifts, we need to grow.  We “practice” in small groups with people we have built relationship with so that when we make mistakes they can give us honest feedback and correct us so that we can grow spiritually in the word and in practicing the gifts.

Below is a message from Corey Russell

Send Laborers

Always remember, when it comes to spiritual gifts we are all learners!  Nobody is an expert!  Be humble and forgiving just as Christ Jesus is humble and forgave you.  Be patient and willing to go the distance even if it takes a lifetime of practice.  Ask Jesus to develop your spiritual ears to hear the Holy Spirit speak to you clearly and effectively through the word and through your prayer life.

May you develop and grow spiritually as you earnestly seek the Lord and desire Him.  
In the end He is the greatest gift of all.

Stephen Barnett
God is good all the time―all the time God is good!

Worthy is the Lamb

Words and Music by Brian Johnson

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain

For me (echo)

For me (echo)

He gave it all

For me

                                                     Chorus:

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain

Hallelujah King forever

Hallelujah Give praise to our God

Hallalujah King and Savior we will sing

Copyright ©2009 Brian Johnson Music

Guitar Tabs for this song

ccli# 4405720

The above music is copyrighted by the respective artist and is demonstrated here for educational purposes only.