Friday, June 29, 2012

Gifts of the Spirit Explained: Knowledge


A Word of Knowledge
 A word of knowledge is given by the Spirit to supernaturally impart information to us. It is similar to a word of wisdom except it is more arbitrary. A word of wisdom is usually given when a person needs to make a decision. On the other hand, a word of knowledge is given to inform people of spontaneous facts about people, places, things, situations, etc. The information given by the Holy Spirit through words of knowledge is not confined within the boundaries of our own human knowledge. It is infinite and supernatural.
For example, in the book of Acts, the multitude was said to share everything they had with each other for the sake of being of one heart and one soul. However, in Acts 5 there was a man named Ananias who kept back part of his goods for himself and his wife, but the Holy Spirit supernaturally revealed this fact to Peter. Verses 2 and 3 says,
“he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?”
Once again, we see Peter had no natural way of knowing Ananias kept back part of the goods for himself. However, notice the term Peter uses: “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit”. It was the Holy Spirit, One who knows everything, that supernaturally revealed Ananias’ lie to Peter. If we look at the entire passage we would see that Peter had no way of using his own knowledge to come to that conclusion.
The Holy Spirit’s ability to reveal facts to man through words of knowledge is also seen in Luke 2:25-27. The bible says:
25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this 
man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple.
Here Simeon is told about his future and destiny through a word of knowledge from the Holy Spirit. (We also see the Spirit reveal a word of wisdom to Simeon which prompted him to make the decision to go to the temple in verse 27.)


Click here for one of my personal experiences receiving a Word of Knowledge

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