Bringing to mind the gift of knowledge

The gift of knowledge is the supernatural ability to impart a specific word of wisdom into a situation. It's also the ability to speak wisely and knowingly about a situation with truth from the Bible.

Billy Graham describes the gift of knowledge in his book “The Holy Spirit” as, "That knowledge which is the gift of the Spirit is based on long hours of disciplined study in which God teaches us."

I love how Paul starts off 1 Corinthians 12, "I do not want you to be uninformed." He wants us to be knowledgeable about the gifts of the Spirit.

To some, the Holy Spirit seems like a mystery and a gift of the Spirit is even more of a mystery. We are in good company. Paul wanted to spread the knowledge about spiritual gifts to all believers and to help us understand that God has given each of us a gift.

A person with the gift of knowledge is not more intelligent than others, they are merely a channel used by and for God to serve others through special insights and information.

There are no small, insignificant gifts. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:4, "there are a variety of gifts." God in his goodness and love gave each of us a gift, and we have the opportunity to learn how we’re gifted in order to serve others.

Learning Brings Knowledge

I love to read, study, and search out meanings in everything. I love information. I am “that person” who is part of three Bible studies at the same time. I have even taken classes at a local school just to learn more about a topic.

Reading God's Word and learning all you can about Him and who He is is the primary avenue that God uses to impart knowledge to the recipient. A person with the gift of knowledge is able to see beyond the words and know how Jesus meant for us to use his Word and apply it in our lives.

I often asked the Lord, "Why? What does it profit? I mean, I'm not teaching from a stage or speaking at a conference. So what is the point of loving and searching out knowledge if it seems that I have no platform or means to use it?"

I Just Got a Word, What Do I Do With It?

It’s important to me to pray for our pastors here at NewSpring. On one occasion I felt God prompt me to pray something very specific for one of them. About a week later, I happened to run into this pastor. We spoke briefly, and I told him, “I have been praying for you, and I felt the Lord leading me to pray specifically for you to ‘let it go’.” I continued, “There is something you are holding onto, and God wants you to let it go." He confirmed that there was something he needed to let go of, and he shared what it was. Then, he asked me to keep praying.

A Word For Me or Others

As with everything, a gift needs to be stewarded with care; I have not always done this well. 1 Corinthians 12:9 says, "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." For our good, and God’s glory, that’s the goal of any and all gifts of the Holy Spirit.

For the person with the gift of knowledge, it’s important to remember that with insight comes responsibility. We should love people well by discerning when, and if, they need to hear it. A word of knowledge may be given for private prayer or to share with a specific person. In either case, it should build up and not tear down.

Using the Gift

We all have access to a basic understanding of spiritual information simply by reading the Bible. But the knowledge we possess can leave us short-handed when we don't know how to put it into practice.

The gift of knowledge is closely related to the gift of wisdom. Billy Graham states in his book that the gift of knowledge cannot exist outside of the gift of wisdom. He says, "Wisdom is the gift of the Spirit which shows us how to use knowledge."

Those with the gift of knowledge have a specific degree of knowledge given by God to understand the things of God in a higher way. This only happens as a result of a deep connection to God. We put feet to the gift of knowledge when we, "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18).

The gift of knowledge has been a great encouragement to me. There are times when wise and discerning people I trust have spoken truth into my life that has benefited me greatly. There are also times when the Lord has brought someone to mind and I have been able to encourage them, as well. Everyone benefits when the gift of knowledge is used correctly, both the giver and the receiver.

Using your gifts to lift up Jesus and serve one another in love is the greatest way we use all the gifts the Lord has given each one of us. God gifted us His Son, Jesus, and we have also been gifted a way that we can serve Him specifically. We each have a part to play.