Made for More: Word of Knowledge
Foundational scriptures
- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
- John 16:12-15
- Isaiah 46:9-10
- Jeremiah 33:3
- Psalm 139
- Psalm 33:13-15
- Colossians 2:2-3
- Hebrews 4:13
Origin of Spiritual Gifts
Love must be the foundation of all spiritual gifts.
Spiritual gifts should emanate from believers at rest in the love of God
Don’t seek to exercise the gift. Seek to demonstrate His love, which will most often, in turn, activate gifts.
Death of self is required for proper execution of spiritual gifts.
The Holy Spirit reveals an aspect of Jesus to someone in the Church, and that person becomes a vessel through whom the rest of the Church then encounters Him.
If the Holy Spirit reveals something to you that came from Jesus, you don’t just understand information—you have experienced Jesus!
When you convey that revelation to the Church, we all get a glimpse of Jesus!
The gift of a Word of Knowledge is NOT…
natural knowledge we accumulate throughout life.
the supernatural ability to learn like Jesus.
a strange ability to know all things.
psychic ability.
an opportunity to pounce on people w/ accusation or condemnation.
The gift of a Word of Knowledge IS…
a glimpse into the mind of Christ by which we share in His “knowing” about a specific person, thought, incident, event, or intention.
knowing something Jesus knows through revelation of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus—the Head of the Church—sending information and action steps to part of His body.
God’s enterprise, solely for His purposes.
How the Word of Knowledge differs from Prophecy
Prophecy conveys a message from the voice of Christ
The Word of Knowledge has to do with expressing part of the mind of Christ.
One has to do with His message, and the other has to do with His knowledge.
The Word of Knowledge tends to deal more with information regarding the past and present.
Rather than expressing a message, it tends to have more to do with facts surrounding events, thoughts, intentions, actions, ideas, and other such things.
Prophecies are proven and recognized as true only after the events foretold come to pass.
Activating the Gift
Ask for it in sincerity
Pray for the heart of God
Develop an intimate relationship w/ God’s word
Become deeply acquainted w/ the Holy Spirit
Walk in humility
Spend time with others who possess the gift
Step out in faith and execute it
Avoiding the Pitfalls
Acting like you know everything
Cheapening the gift w/ vague intuition
Saying more than you actually know
Welcoming a spirit of divination
Marketing the gift
Focusing on the response of people
Fear of failure
Sharing the word but missing the heart
Apathy