WORD OF WISDOM
A. WHAT IT IS NOT
1. NOT LEARNED BY THE NATURAL MIND - The word of wisdom is not learned
by the natural mind. It cannot be education, training, methods, or natural wisdom in any
sense. A man without the Spirit may use methods which prove, many times, both helpful
and harmful. What works beautifully in one situation may not work at all in another,
especially when it comes to churches. Many pastors and church workers have problems
that no one but God can help them with. No man knows the solution. The question is, then
why not go to God? Conferences and seminars are fun to go to, but they are not to be
confused with the spiritual gift of the word of wisdom
.
2. NOT SPIRITUAL INSIGHT - This gift is not the ability to give spiritual insight. One
may be mature in the Lord's Word and have many years of experience in rightly dividing
the Word of Truth, and yet not have this supernatural spiritual gift. There is a vast
difference between spiritual fruit and spiritual gifts. The fruit of the Spirit is something
one must work at and be dedicated to obtaining. The gifts of the Spirit are manifested as
the Spirit wills (1 Cor 12:7).
3. IT IS NOT PSYCHOLOGY - The supernatural gift of the word of wisdom is not
something one learns in a classroom studying the natural tendencies of mankind. It is not
a science of the mind. It is not any earthly wisdom. It is supernaturally given.
4. NOT SIMPLE WISDOM - This gift is not simple wisdom which every Christian gains
from studying God's Word. Solomon had wisdom from God; but only once or twice did
he receive a word of wisdom or a special revelation for a special problem. A young
convert may have the revelation gift of the word of wisdom and have very little Biblical
wisdom because of a lack of spiritual maturity.
5. NOT ALL OF GOD'S WISDOM - This gift is the gift of the WORD of wisdom, it is
not the gift of wisdom. God speaks to us giving us a word or a portion of His wisdom,
He doesn't give us the whole storehouse of His wisdom.
6. NOT JUST FOR PREACHERS AND CHURCH OFFICIALS - This gift is not just
for those who are preachers and church officials or special workers in the church. It is a
gift for all who have received the Holy Spirit and who are faced with a problem beyond
their own understanding.
7. NOT JUS T A GUESS OR A NEW IDEA - This gift is not just a guess or a new idea
which accidentally pops into one's head. The same experience happens to lost people who
do not have the Holy Spirit.
B. WHAT IT IS
1. DEFINITION - Just as wisdom is knowledge rightly applied, so the Spiritual gift of the
word of wisdom is the supernatural ability to apply knowledge already possessed,
regardless of how one obtains that knowledge. It is knowledge rightly applied by the
Spirit. It is God showing the WHAT, WHY, WHERE, WHEN, AND HOW of a problem.
It is the supernatural solution to trouble.
2. APPLICATION - It is something every mother needs in her home, as she cannot handle
every child alike. It is something every pastor, teacher, and church leader needs at times,
since they cannot handle every member alike. It is something every merchant should have
at times, as all customers will not respond to the same kind of treatment.
3. METHODS - It may come by visions, dreams, a revelation, a still small voice, or an
audible voice. God speaks in many ways (Heb 11:1) and there are diversities of operation
(1Cor 12:6).
4. PURPOSE - It builds a church and brings revival.
1. SOLOMON - In 1 Kings 3, Solomon was faced with a problem when two women both
claimed a live baby after one had been smothered to death during the night. The Spirit of
God showed Solomon to call for a sword. He started to divide the live baby between the
two women when one of them started to cry out for the baby's life. Solomon knew that
this woman was the baby's rightful mother. Solomon had just prayed and asked for wisdom
from the Lord, which was then given by the Spirit for that specific problem. It might not have
worked in a similar case if both loved the baby the same or if both were equally insensitive.
It was a spiritual gift and a gift of a word of wisdom.
2. ELISHA - In 2 Kings 3, three kings told Elisha that the Moabites were coming to capture
them. At first, Elisha did not know what to do. He called for a minstrel (v.15) and listened
and praised the Lord. Then a gift of the word of wisdom was given to him and Elisha told
them to "make the valley full of ditches" (v.16). The Moabites were defeated and three
kingdoms were saved.
3. PAUL - Paul was given a word of knowledge from the Holy Spirit that he was supposed
to go to Rome (Acts 19:21), but he did not know WHEN, WHY, or HOW. The Spirit gave
him a word of wisdom one night and told him WHY he was to go (Acts 23:11). In a court
room before Agrippa and Festus the Holy Spirit gave Paul another word of wisdom and
showed him HOW and WHEN he was supposed to go (Acts 26:31). Later, the Spirit of
God gave Paul another word of wisdom to prevent the death of all those on board the ship
as they were on their way to Rome (Acts 27:31-34).
A. WHAT IT IS NOT
1. NOT LEARNED BY THE NATURAL MIND - The word of wisdom is not learned
by the natural mind. It cannot be education, training, methods, or natural wisdom in any
sense. A man without the Spirit may use methods which prove, many times, both helpful
and harmful. What works beautifully in one situation may not work at all in another,
especially when it comes to churches. Many pastors and church workers have problems
that no one but God can help them with. No man knows the solution. The question is, then
why not go to God? Conferences and seminars are fun to go to, but they are not to be
confused with the spiritual gift of the word of wisdom
.
2. NOT SPIRITUAL INSIGHT - This gift is not the ability to give spiritual insight. One
may be mature in the Lord's Word and have many years of experience in rightly dividing
the Word of Truth, and yet not have this supernatural spiritual gift. There is a vast
difference between spiritual fruit and spiritual gifts. The fruit of the Spirit is something
one must work at and be dedicated to obtaining. The gifts of the Spirit are manifested as
the Spirit wills (1 Cor 12:7).
3. IT IS NOT PSYCHOLOGY - The supernatural gift of the word of wisdom is not
something one learns in a classroom studying the natural tendencies of mankind. It is not
a science of the mind. It is not any earthly wisdom. It is supernaturally given.
4. NOT SIMPLE WISDOM - This gift is not simple wisdom which every Christian gains
from studying God's Word. Solomon had wisdom from God; but only once or twice did
he receive a word of wisdom or a special revelation for a special problem. A young
convert may have the revelation gift of the word of wisdom and have very little Biblical
wisdom because of a lack of spiritual maturity.
5. NOT ALL OF GOD'S WISDOM - This gift is the gift of the WORD of wisdom, it is
not the gift of wisdom. God speaks to us giving us a word or a portion of His wisdom,
He doesn't give us the whole storehouse of His wisdom.
6. NOT JUST FOR PREACHERS AND CHURCH OFFICIALS - This gift is not just
for those who are preachers and church officials or special workers in the church. It is a
gift for all who have received the Holy Spirit and who are faced with a problem beyond
their own understanding.
7. NOT JUS T A GUESS OR A NEW IDEA - This gift is not just a guess or a new idea
which accidentally pops into one's head. The same experience happens to lost people who
do not have the Holy Spirit.
B. WHAT IT IS
1. DEFINITION - Just as wisdom is knowledge rightly applied, so the Spiritual gift of the
word of wisdom is the supernatural ability to apply knowledge already possessed,
regardless of how one obtains that knowledge. It is knowledge rightly applied by the
Spirit. It is God showing the WHAT, WHY, WHERE, WHEN, AND HOW of a problem.
It is the supernatural solution to trouble.
2. APPLICATION - It is something every mother needs in her home, as she cannot handle
every child alike. It is something every pastor, teacher, and church leader needs at times,
since they cannot handle every member alike. It is something every merchant should have
at times, as all customers will not respond to the same kind of treatment.
3. METHODS - It may come by visions, dreams, a revelation, a still small voice, or an
audible voice. God speaks in many ways (Heb 11:1) and there are diversities of operation
(1Cor 12:6).
4. PURPOSE - It builds a church and brings revival.
C. BIBLE EXAMPLES
1. SOLOMON - In 1 Kings 3, Solomon was faced with a problem when two women both
claimed a live baby after one had been smothered to death during the night. The Spirit of
God showed Solomon to call for a sword. He started to divide the live baby between the
two women when one of them started to cry out for the baby's life. Solomon knew that
this woman was the baby's rightful mother. Solomon had just prayed and asked for wisdom
from the Lord, which was then given by the Spirit for that specific problem. It might not have
worked in a similar case if both loved the baby the same or if both were equally insensitive.
It was a spiritual gift and a gift of a word of wisdom.
2. ELISHA - In 2 Kings 3, three kings told Elisha that the Moabites were coming to capture
them. At first, Elisha did not know what to do. He called for a minstrel (v.15) and listened
and praised the Lord. Then a gift of the word of wisdom was given to him and Elisha told
them to "make the valley full of ditches" (v.16). The Moabites were defeated and three
kingdoms were saved.
3. PAUL - Paul was given a word of knowledge from the Holy Spirit that he was supposed
to go to Rome (Acts 19:21), but he did not know WHEN, WHY, or HOW. The Spirit gave
him a word of wisdom one night and told him WHY he was to go (Acts 23:11). In a court
room before Agrippa and Festus the Holy Spirit gave Paul another word of wisdom and
showed him HOW and WHEN he was supposed to go (Acts 26:31). Later, the Spirit of
God gave Paul another word of wisdom to prevent the death of all those on board the ship
as they were on their way to Rome (Acts 27:31-34).
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