1Co 12:8 "To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,...."

Other translations, including the KJV and the NASB would use the phrase "the word of wisdom" and "the word of knowledge". These two gifts of the Spirit, like the other gifts, are supernatural in nature. These are not simply some talent or natural ability one may possess.

The Spirit of God gives gifts so that the Body of Christ may be built up and edified and that we as believers may grow in our faith so that Jesus may be lifted up in our lives. These two gifts are different from wisdom and knowledge as we normally understand wisdom and knowledge.

Let’s start with the gift of the word of wisdom. The Scriptures have much to say about wisdom, and as I've said about the other gifts, we don't have to wait for this or any gift before we start practicing a natural expression of these gifts. In other words, wisdom does not need to be put on the back burner while we wait for the "gift" of the word of wisdom. Neither should we forego seeking knowledge because we may get the gift of the word of knowledge.

For example, we don't have to wait for the gift of evangelism before we share the gospel with someone. We don't have to wait for the gift of healing before we start praying for the healing of others, we don't have to wait for the gift of tongues before we start to pray and to praise God in our native tongue.

Yes, it's true these and the rest of the gifts of the Spirit enable a person to practice these things in a unique way, as the Spirit gives these gifts to people; and the desires that go along with these gifts certainly aid in a person to practice these things in a way that a person without a particular gift couldn't.

But you will have gifts that the Holy Spirit will give you that He will not necessarily give to the person sitting next to you this morning.

So our attitude shouldn't be that there is some inequity in the way the Spirit decides to give gifts if we don't happen to get the gift that we think we deserve or desire. We should praise God for the gifts He's given us and use those gifts to His honor and glory.

Wisdom is one of those things which all believers are to seek after whether we are given the word of wisdom or not.

We're told in Pro 9:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."

Wisdom and knowledge go together, but there is a difference between the two. Knowledge is information which helps us to understand something or someone. Wisdom takes the knowledge and transfers it into action which has positive results.

I may have knowledge about how to drive a car. I may understand that the gas pedal is on the right and the brake is on the left. I have knowledge as to how to start the car by putting the correct key in the ignition and turning it until it starts, but wisdom will tell me to look both ways before I proceed. Wisdom will tell me to drive on the right side of the road because you'll have less accidents that way.

Wisdom takes the knowledge and applies it in a way that allows you to live prudently and safely. Knowledge of God may give you a certain understanding of who God is and what He desires of you, but wisdom will take that knowledge and act on it by faith so that you may receive the promises which the knowledge of God speaks of.

The apostle John speaks of wisdom in connection to knowledge as it applies to our eternal destiny. And he clearly shows us that wisdom does have eternal ramifications as it applies to the knowledge of God revealed in Christ who is the only Savior.

1Jo 5:10 "Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.
11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."

The opposite of wisdom is foolishness which doesn't consider the knowledge as applying to my case. Knowledge will tell me that if I commit a crime that the chances of me getting caught and convicted are very good. Foolishness takes that knowledge and concludes: 'I won’t get caught.'

Foolishness looks at the truth that Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life and concludes that there is not enough evidence or that the evidence doesn't apply to me. Foolishness creates it's own truth where it concludes there are many ways to God and one is as good as the other.

We've heard the phrase which comes from Psa 14:1 "The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." That doesn't simply mean that God doesn't exist in their minds; it includes the idea that God is irrelevant and therefore what He says I will not believe. That's a foolish fatal mistake. That is not wisdom.

But for the believer in Christ, who has embraced Jesus as Lord and Savior, we must still continually seek wisdom. That simply means that the knowledge we have, and continue to find in God's word, we must apply to our own lives by faith.

And when wisdom seems to elude us, often because of the hardness of our own hearts, we still have enough wisdom in Christ to do the one thing Scripture encourages. James speaks of it.

Jam 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."

James also contrasts the life of wisdom found in Christ, as we continually grow in the grace and knowledge of God as found in His word, with the foolishness of the pursuit of the flesh or old nature.

Jam 3:13 "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness."

True godly wisdom effects our lives as we submit to Christ. That which is often deemed wisdom by the world, which is self-centered and unbiblical, as it denies who God truly is, is a wisdom which is not wisdom at all. That kind of wisdom will not cause growth in Christ, but only feeds the selfish ambition in our hearts.

Godly wisdom comes from God. And when we understand that God's wisdom allows us to truly honor our God then we will seek after it diligently. This is the reason that Solomon speaks of Godly wisdom the way he does.

Pro 8:11 "for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her."

For the believer Godly wisdom counts for eternity. Foolishness will not. And so I hope you see the importance for all of us to seek God's wisdom. But what about the word of wisdom? What is that gift from the Spirit?

The word of wisdom is made up of two Greek words. Logos Sophia. The word logos is the same word which is applied to Jesus in the gospel of John.

Joh 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

That Greek word logos for the “Word” also means, 'something said, including the thought.' And in Joh.1:1 it means Jesus is expressing all of who God is.

The Greek word for wisdom is sophia, and it means wisdom, broad and full of intelligence.

And so, when God's word makes a distinction between wisdom, which all believers are to seek in God's word, and the gift of the word of wisdom, we are not talking about one and the same thing in the strict sense of the meaning.

The word of wisdom is not limited to one word but includes the thought the Spirit desires to convey to those He's gifted. This gift allows a person to have a wisdom in certain instances which allows them to lift up the name of Christ and accomplish the desire of God for that situation.

This gift of wisdom goes beyond the wisdom we must all seek after in Christ. As I said before, being wise and having the gift of the word of wisdom are not necessarily the same. Also, the word of wisdom is not a gift of wisdom, as though one becomes super-wise all the time; rather it is a word of wisdom enabling one to speak for the Lord in a way where the Spirit enables one to be wise as serpents and yet innocent as doves, giving glory to God.

Let's look at some examples in Scripture of how the word of wisdom might be applied. First, we have a glimpse of how God will give a word or message of wisdom when Jesus explains to His disciples how they will be empowered to witness for Him on special occasions.

LUK 21:12 "But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.
13 This will result in your being witnesses to them.
14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.
15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict."

Jesus explains how the Spirit will supernaturally give wisdom for the occasion for the work of service and to further God's will. Keep in mind that wisdom is always connected to knowledge and even the gift of the word of wisdom cannot be divorced from knowledge.

In the case of the disciples having the wisdom to deal with the rulers and authorities we know they will be conveying the knowledge of the truth of the gospel and the word of God, but being in an unprepared state for such a confrontation the Holy Spirit will bring to mind what they need to say and how they should deal with that particular situation to the glory of God.

In Luk.21:15 Jesus says, "For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict." In other words, there will be a supernatural intervention which only the Spirit could accomplish, without which the disciples could not adequately carry out God's will in that situation.

This is a gift of the Spirit in that He is allowing them to partake in something of the Spirit which permits them to wisely handle accurately the word of truth. This is a Spirit-given wisdom outside of the realm of the natural way in which they may have handled that situation.

It's interesting to see how Jesus acted in ways which the Jews of His day could not contend with. In His wisdom He confounded the Jews while at the same time expressing truths which point people to the Father who sent Him.

In one way Jesus was demonstrating this word of wisdom, and He expressed this on many occasions. Now with Jesus He didn't simply have the gift of wisdom, He is wisdom. But through His example we see how this works itself out practically in real life. Remember, knowledge is knowing something, wisdom is knowing what to do with that knowledge. Let's look at a variety of passages which deal with this.

MAT 22:15 "Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words.
16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are.
17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?
19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius,
21 "Caesar's," they replied. Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away."

JOH 8:4 "...Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"
6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

In those times when extraordinary wisdom is needed, that we might be used of God, the Lord may give you such wisdom and you may not even be aware of it until after the fact. It may be a verse of scripture He brings to mind to minister to someone. It may be the way you share Christ with an unbeliever.

Henry Gainey who was once involved with the Calvary Chapel in Tallahassee conveyed a true story of a woman who was living in N.Y. city and happened to be in Central Park, and there was a Professor of some college there.

The two of them were discussing the Bible and this educated man ate this woman's lunch, spiritually speaking, as they discussed the things of God. She was a brand new believer and she couldn't go toe to toe with this guy. But the Lord gave her a wisdom which was undeniable.

He would bring up an argument and she could only reply, ‘sir, I don't know about that but I know this, the bible says, "the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." She was quoting Rom.6:23.

Once again he would come up with something which he believed disproved her faith. And once again she said, ‘sir I don't about that but I know this, the bible says, "the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

This guy threw up his hands in frustration and told her essentially that she was foolish to believe such things. The next day they were both back in the Park. He saw her and came up to her. His eyes were bloodshot, he looked ragged and he told her that he couldn't sleep all night.

He asked her what it was she said the previous day about this wage and this free gift. She shared the gospel and the man came to Christ. She could have tried to sound intellectual the previous day but God gave her a special wisdom for that situation and the Lord used it to bring this man into the Kingdom. It was wisdom in simplicity which turned out to be profound as God used it.

Having a lot of bible knowledge and wisdom was not a prerequisite for her receiving this word of wisdom from God. Again, that doesn't mean we shouldn't seek God's knowledge and wisdom, but this gift God may give to anyone as He desires.

This is a gift we may pray for, but as with any gift it is meant to be used in the service of God. And only God can gift you for the occasion. It's like the filling of the Spirit. You may not know you need it until God places you in a situation which would require it.

This is why we can't think of the word of wisdom as some sort of permanent state of super-wisdom; making us the wisest in the land. It is used for special times, that the Spirit deems special, to accomplish God's will to His glory, not to puff ourselves up.

In fulfillment of what Jesus spoke of in Luk.21:12-15, concerning how His disciples would be taught what to said when brought before the authorities, we see the fulfillment of this and the gift of the word of wisdom in practice in the book of Acts when Peter and John were involved in healing a lame man.

We read in ACT 3:6 "Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."

It was precisely because of this incident that the Jewish religious rulers confronted Peter not to speak of this Jesus, in whose name this man was healed.

ACT 4:9 "If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed,
10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
11 He is "'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.
15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.

In fulfillment of what Jesus said, these ordinary uneducated fisherman eloquently articulated the truths which the Holy Spirit enabled them to share Christ in such a brilliant way that the Sanhedrin was astonished and ended up calling "time out" to regroup.

What's interesting about the word of wisdom in this case is that it is coupled with boldness which comes from Peter being filled with the Spirit. And if you seek to be used by God and are willing to walk where He leads, you too will be filled with the Spirit to do His work and He may very well give you the gift of the word of wisdom.

Now the gift of the word of knowledge is another gift of the Spirit as He imparts knowledge to someone which they would not have been able to know otherwise.

He may use it in conjunction with the knowledge we may have of the scriptures but this knowledge from the Spirit will be used in a way to give information about something or someone for the purpose of being informed to better pray about a situation, or to help in ministering to someone.

Like the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge is made up of two Greek words. Word is logos and knowledge is gnosis which means to know, or knowledge. It's where we get our English word diagnosis. A doctor takes the knowledge he has and prescribes according to that knowledge. (Dia-gnosis)

This gift is not necessarily to be used as a spoken gift to others in general. Unlike the gift of prophecy which is to used within the context of the Body of Christ the word of knowledge must often be used with discretion in the Body.

Now, simply because one may receive a word of knowledge that doesn't mean that all of a sudden that person becomes all-knowing any more than someone who has a word of wisdom becomes all-wise.

The word of knowledge, is just that; particular knowledge given by God that He shares with you for a reason. This is not the kind of knowledge you could gain on your own.

This is not necessarily bible knowledge, which you could study on your own. Rather, this is information which God has allowed you to share in which He wants you to know. This is not a gift you can use at any time because the use of the gift is entirely up to God who supernaturally gives knowledge about something or someone.

Now, let me just say that it shouldn't be a gift we fear, thinking that someone in the church will always know the secret things taking place in our lives and that somehow they always have the ability to see and know our hearts at all times.

Only God is all-knowing or omniscient. And only God truly knows the heart of a person. But there may be times when God will share something which is to be used to help a person, not destroy them. As with any gift we must use it responsibly and in love.

God may give you a word of knowledge about a person and the only thing He may want you to do is to pray for that person. Other times He may want you to go to that person in love.

Again, we must not confuse the word of knowledge with biblical knowledge in general which every believer must seek after. We see this, for example, in the letter to the Colossians where God instructs all of us to grow in the knowledge of God.

Col 1:10 "And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light."

This knowledge of God comes from God's word. But we don't seek knowledge simply to fill our minds with facts about God. Paul says that this knowledge must move us to live lives worthy of the Lord so that we may please Him in every way.

If our motivation is simply to fill our minds it will have an opposite effect. Paul talks about this as well.

1Co 8:1 ".....Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
2 The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.
3 But the man who loves God is known by God."

As Paul tells us in 1Cor.13:1, love must be the thing which motivates us to serve God with whatever gift we may have, and the knowledge of God in general, or the word of knowledge specifically, is no exception.

Where do we see this gift being used in the Bible? Well, like so many spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit was busy in the O.T. as well as in the N.T.

2KI 6:8 "Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, "I will set up my camp in such and such a place."
9 The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: "Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there."
10 So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.
11 This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, "Will you not tell me which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?"
12 "None of us, my lord the king," said one of his officers, "but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom."
13 "Go, find out where he is," the king ordered, "so I can send men and capture him." The report came back: "He is in Dothan."
14 Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.
15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked.
16 "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
17 And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
18 As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, "Strike these people with blindness." So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked."

God was giving Elisha knowledge about the moving's of the king of Syria. Elisha was not getting this knowledge through spotters he was sending out to spy out the camp of Syria. God gave him this knowledge. That is, in essence, the word of knowledge in operation.

2KI 4:8 One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat.
9 She said to her husband, "I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God.
10 Let's make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us."
11 One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there.
12 He said to his servant Gehazi, "Call the Shunammite." So he called her, and she stood before him.
13 Elisha said to him, "Tell her, 'You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?'" She replied, "I have a home among my own people."
14 "What can be done for her?" Elisha asked. Gehazi said, "Well, she has no son and her husband is old."
15 Then Elisha said, "Call her." So he called her, and she stood in the doorway.
16 "About this time next year," Elisha said, "you will hold a son in your arms." "No, my lord," she objected. "Don't mislead your servant, O man of God!"
17 But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her."

Here God gave knowledge to Elisha about this woman conceiving. In this case knowledge is also used as prophecy. It was not only knowledge but it was used to edify, exhort and console.

"But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort."

Or as the NAS puts it: "But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation."

I like the way Robert Gromacki in his commentary on 1Corinthians puts that verse of Paul's into perspective when he say's the gift of prophecy "has a threefold goal: Build up, stir up, and cheer up."

That's what Elisha did for this woman. And sometimes gifts of the Holy Spirit will interact with other gifts the Spirit has for us.

Another area where we see this word of knowledge being used is in the case of Jesus. Of course the Son of God is all knowing or omniscient, but this knowledge is used to minister to people in a way that is recognized as supernatural.

JOH 1:44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.
45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote - Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip.
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."
48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."
49 Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
50 Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that."

In this case knowledge is given in the form of a vision which Jesus saw concerning Nathaniel. A word of knowledge may be given to you in this way as well. The word of knowledge may also be given in the form of dreams which God gives you. The prophet Joel speaks of this.

Joel 2:28 "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days."

Now, I would caution you not to take every dream you have and try to give it a twist which is always looking for a hidden message from God. But, there may be times when God will give you knowledge about something or someone through a dream.

Other times the Lord will simply bring something to mind. You could be at the grocery store and He may reveal something to you. But always keep in mind that a word of knowledge is to be used to help not hurt. And so always pray for wisdom when using this gift from God.

Again, Henry Gainey of Calvary Chapel Tallahassee gave a personal testimony of when his wife was given a word of knowledge about one of Henry's unbelieving friends.

In 1979 Bill's friend in California had a heart attack which put him in the hospital. Bill's wife told him that his friend was going to die and that he had to fly out to California immediately so that he might share the gospel of Christ with him, that he might receive eternal life.

Now you can imagine the problems with that. Living in Florida at the time do you drop everything and fly out to California? Well, evidently Bill knew his wife had this gift of the word of knowledge as the Lord had used it before in her life, and so he trusted the Lord did in fact speak to her.

And so he went within 24 hours. His friend was in stable condition and it looked like everything was going to be O.K. He did share the gospel with his friend, but unlike all the previous years where his friend rejected Christ, now he repented of his sin and embraced the Savior for the forgiveness of his sins, receiving eternal life.

Rejoicing over his new life in Christ and over the fact that his friend was making a wonderful recovery, Bill flew back home. He told his wife that she was right about his friend wanting to receive Christ but that he was doing very well and would be out of the hospital in a week or two.

Two days later he got a call from his mother that his friend had another heart attack and died on the operating table.

The gift of the word of knowledge is one more way which demonstrates how God is personally involved in the affairs of our everyday lives and how He desires to use us to further His kingdom according to His will.

As I've said before, whatever gift God uses in your life praise Him and use the gifts to edify the Body of Christ and do all in His power and love.

If you lack anything that would enable you to be a more effective servant for God, ask Him for the power, the gifts and the desire to walk in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It's a great privilege to be an Ambassador for Jesus, to be a soldier for Christ, to be a servant of the Most High God.

And if we're just willing to be used and we step out in faith and obey the Lord, He will use us and people's lives will be touched as Jesus touches them through us.