Gifts of the Spirit

Word of Knowledge.

1 Corinthians 12: 1 –

8.

Definition: ‘A word of knowledge is a supernatural revealing of a fact in existence, which cannot be seen, heard or revealed naturally’. Wendell Parr.

It can be thought of as a heavenly diagnosis of a situation.

Introduction & Definitions.

Context David has taken his eye off the ball Has an affair with Bathsheba She became pregnant He has Uriah murdered Nathan the prophet is confronting

David…

Old Testament Examples.

2 Samuel 12:1-10The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.  The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle,  but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.

“Now a traveller came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveller who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.” David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this must die! 6 He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”

Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.  I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.  Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’

God revealed to Nathan what David had done and thought he had got away with in secret.

Word of Knowledge:

Context: Naaman comes to Elisha and received his healing

from leprosy.

But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves? 2Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow. 

2 Kings 5: 26-27

God revealed Gehazi’s transaction to Elisha in a supernatural way.

Word of Knowledge:

Other Scripture to look up: Jeremiah 28

the story of Jeremiah & Hananiah.

Context: Jesus walking along spots a man up a tree.

Luke 19: 5 – 10: When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

Examples from Jesus’ Ministry.

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

The Holy Spirit was working in Zaccheus’ life

At this very moment in time, God is at work, by His Spirit,

It may very well be that God wants to use you

 Word of Knowledge

Context: Jesus is passing through a town in Samaria

called Sychar. He sat down by the well Engaged a woman in conversation Jesus said to her, “You are right when

you say you have no husband. 18The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

John 4: 18:

Jesus didn't use this information to condemn the woman

Again this gift is being used Evangelistically.

 Word of Knowledge:

Other Scriptures to look up: Matthew 9: 1 –

8; John 1: 47 – 48.

Acts 10: 19 – 20. Context: Peter is undergoing his massive

transformation

While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”

 Early Church Examples.

Word of Knowledge:

The Spirit spoke to Peter

A word of knowledge to reassure Peter

Other Scriptures to look up:

Acts 5: 1 – 11.

ALL the various gifts are given by God for the building up of His church and the extension of His kingdom.

Jesus modelled this gift in such a way that it totally transformed lives

This gift is available to ordinary people like you & I.

Application & Conclusion.

Are you available for God to use you this week?

Are you up for God giving you a word of knowledge that maybe the KEY to unlock a situation?

May God bless us this week as we step out in faith in this gift!

So here’s the question: