Word Of Knowledge Series

Intro

We are studying the gifts of the Spirit that Paul talks about in 1 Cor. 12. By examining Paul’s description there, we know that these are not natural abilities. These are supernatural impartations by the Holy Spirit to meet the need of the moment. They are manifestations of the Spirit who is in us. In 1 John 4:4 the apostle said, “…greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (KJV). Who is the He that is in you? It’s the mighty Holy Spirit who resides in every believer. In the gifts of the Spirit, He is manifesting Himself though a believer. You might say the gifts are glimpses of the Holy Spirit breaking forth to meet a need.

Last time we talked about the word of wisdom. It is essentially the guidance gift. By a word of wisdom God tells us what to do or say in the particular situation. Today our subject is the word of knowledge. Word of knowledge is the fact gift. By a word of knowledge God supernaturally tells us a fact, past or present. If it is a prediction of the future, then it is prophecy.

Paul writes in 1 Cor 12:7-8 “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit.”i

I. What is a word of knowledge? How would you define it?

Knowledge is knowing information or facts. The key to understanding this gift is found in how that information is acquired. 1 Cor. 12:8 says that it is “through the same Spirit” which is referring to the Holy Spirit. It comes supernaturally by the Spirit.

Paul is not talking about natural knowledge that is acquired through the five senses. He is talking about knowledge that is conveyed supernaturally “by the Spirit.” Commentaries are usually written by scholars who have little or no experience operating in the gifts of the Spirit. They often equate word of knowledge to knowing or teaching the Bible. But a word of knowledge is not the same thing as a good sermon. Paul is not talking about a teaching gift. He is talking about something that comes supernaturally for the moment. He is not talking about information gained through much study. He is not talking about natural ability. He is not talking about knowledge that comes through the mental exercise of learning, observing, or reflecting. He is not even talking about the “ah ha” moments that we all have when we have sought to understand something and suddenly it clicks; we suddenly get it.ii Those experiences are valuable, but they are a function of the human mind. A word of knowledge comes to us “by the Spirit.” Also, understand that it is not just knowledge in general. It is a “word” of knowledge: a piece of knowledge that God gives for the occasion. It is a supernatural impartation of fact that we could not know at that moment through natural means.

I do think there are occasions when God gives a word of knowledge from His word. Luther’s revelation of justification by faith probably came as a word of knowledge. There was probably something more than him just figuring it out through much study, although studying may have laid the preparation for it. As I say these things, I want to acknowledge our dependence on the Holy Spirit to lead us into truth, even when a word of knowledge is not in operation. Broadly speaking, we must have the Holy Spirit open the word to our understanding. The natural mind alone cannot grasp the things of the Lord.iii But that is usually the Spirit teaching us, but not necessarily a word of knowledge. Sometimes, when we’re preaching, God may give a word of knowledge at some point in the message that lays bare the secret of someone’s heart. That can happen in a supernatural way and be a word of knowledge. But a good Bible teaching or sermon is not what Paul calls, in our text ,a word of knowledge.

So, a word of knowledge could be defined as “a revelation of a past or present fact, supernaturally given by the Holy Spirit, to meet the need of the moment.”

II. Let’s see this GIFT OPERATING IN SCRIPTURE.

Sometimes, this gift operates in conjunction with evangelism. When Jesus was talking to the woman at the well in John 4, He gave her a word of knowledge. He led into that by asking her to go call her husband. She quickly answered I don’t have a husband. Then Jesus told her something that the Holy Spirit had revealed to Him about this woman. He said, in essence, that’s right, you have had five husbands, and the man you’re living with right now is not your husband. That word of knowledge accomplished two things in evangelizing this woman.