Word of Knowledge — We Are Ecclesia

Sep 25

Sep 25 Spiritual Gifts: Word of Knowledge

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 New King James Version
4 There are [a]diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works [b]all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

I. Spiritual Gifts

a. We are the hands and feet of God and He moves through us using spiritual gifts

i. The supernatural work of Jesus didn’t end with His ascension or with the death of the last capital “A” apostle

ii. Every follower of Jesus is STILL called to do “the same and greater works”

b. Spiritual gifts ARE the manifestation of the Spirit

i. Holy Spirit is not only our President, speaking to, guiding and leading us, but He is also our power source, empowering us to co-labor with Christ and expand His Kingdom territory

c. Spiritual gifts are for the profit of all

i. Not for you to create your “first name, last name” ministries

ii. Not for you to grow your influence and followers on social media

iii. Not for you to gain position and authority in the church

d. Manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one

i. Everyone gets at LEAST one (there are 21 total)

ii. It is possible and likely that most have MORE than one

1. You should ask for MORE

2. PLEASE ask for more

iii. No one gets them all

1. Everywhere the gifts are mentioned, they are described as body parts

2. No one body part can be itself AND all the other parts at once

3. You may move in some from time to time or operate strongly in another seasonally, but ONLY Jesus had all 21 while on Earth.

e. All 21 Spiritual Gifts fall under one of three categories

i. Gifts of the Spirit – 1 Corinthians 12

1. Expose and Expel the enemy, his influence, and ways

2. Build and Expand Kingdom Territory

ii. Ministries of the Lord (Son) – Ephesians 4

1. Equip the saints for ministry

2. Mature the church

iii. Activities of God (Father) – Romans 12 & 1 Peter 4

1. Serve, worship, and minster unto God

2. Reveal His heart and will for the body resulting in biblical care, comfort, and transformation

f. Pastor Raquel started us off with the Gifts of the Spirit

i. Discernment and Word of Wisdom

II. The Word of Knowledge

1 Corinthians 12:7-8 New King James Version
7 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,

a. What is it?

i. A Word – a small portion of the divine and privileged omniscience of Holy Spirit

1. A dream or vision

a. I personally believe dream interpretation is the manifestation of a word of knowledge

2. A thought, sense or knowing

ii. Of Knowledge - Timely and critical information received exclusively from Holy Spirit

1. Not gossip, not pre-chewed bread, but directly from the source

b. Why are words of knowledge important?

i. They provides timely and critical information

ii. They reveals the hand of God

iii. They exposes the work of the enemy

c. A word of encouragement from your pastors

i. If you operate in this gift, its usefulness to the body depends on your growing maturity

1. Remain teachable and correctable

Proverbs 23:12 New King James Version
12 Apply your heart to instruction,
And your ears to words of knowledge.

2. Remain Humble – the understanding that what you DON’T know is more impactful than what you DO know.

3. Remain in community - other people know what you don’t and you will need the other gifts of the Spirit in operation in the people around you to accomplish God’s intention behind the word of knowledge

a. Discernment – Acts 5:1-4

b. A word of wisdom – Genesis 41:16-36

c. Miracles, faith, healing, prophecy, etc…

III. Daniel’s Word of Knowledge

Daniel 2:1-19 New King James Version
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
2 Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. 2 Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to [a]know the dream.”
4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, “O[b] king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”
5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “My [c]decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap. 6 However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”
7 They answered again and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.”
8 The king answered and said, “I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: 9 if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the [d]time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can [e]give me its interpretation.”
10 The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, “There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. 11 It is a [f]difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
12 For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.
God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
14 Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon; 15 he answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, “Why is the decree from the king so [g]urgent?” Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel.
16 So Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time, that he might tell the king the interpretation. 17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

a. A Word

i. Through a vision, God supernaturally revealed the privileged information or content of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.

b. Of Timely and Crucial Knowledge

i. The lives of Daniel, his friends and all of the wise men of Babylon were in danger

c. This Word of Knowledge revealed the hand of God to both the King of Babylon and the people of God

i. From this point on the kingdoms and empires of this world will grow weaker and weaker, but the Kingdom of Heaven will destroy them all and be established forever.

IV. A Word of Knowledge Should Result in Five Things:

Daniel 2:46-49 New King James Version
Daniel and His Friends Promoted
46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him. 47 The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.” 48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in [a]the gate of the king.

a. Humility (conviction and salvation) and healing (breakthrough deliverance), never humiliation

i. Nebuchadnezzar falls on his face, honors God and has his peace/sleep restored

b. Exposer of the work of the enemy for what it really is

i. The magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans were exposed as incompetent at best and frauds at worst

c. God receiving glory and honor

i. Truly your God is the God of gods, Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets…

d. Favor for and over God’s people

i. Daniel and his friends were promoted to offices of GREAT authority and influence

e. The church positioned to expand kingdom territory

i. Daniel and his friends were positioned to build and expand Kingdom Territory from within the nation of their exile