1 Corinthians 12:8 - Part C

Only way he could have known that was God giving him a word of knowledge. That's why I say I don't think it's just insight into the Scripture or acquisition normal means the ability to logically system the ties I think is the ability to know something supernatural about the situation or about a person know by any other God not only chooses to work through imperfect people also empowers them to carry out his purposes today on connect with Skip Skip shears with spiritual gifts God equips his church with you fit in with the gift want to share about a resource that will come alongside the hooting in our society. The devastating civil to overcome the fighting issue was of Jesus and people who represent his left. We can help one another deal with this topic today Skip hi thinking Tony Clark speak to white evangelical pastors about how churches we can create spaces for black and brown voices to be heard in a loving atmosphere concerning the atmosphere.

The turkeys find this moment because he racism is a safe is a sin in the life now is our job began to die down and to have a biblical mindset and also happen sympathy and empathy for those who are trying to live out this Christianity and their skin may be a little bit darker than yours cultivate the empathy that comes from gaining a biblical perspective on racism. Get your copy of this conversation between Pastor Skip and Tony when you get $20 or more today will also send you Pastor Skip booklet the church and racism, call 892 1888, or get online securely connectwithskip.com/offer. Okay, let's get into today's teacher will in first Corinthians chapter 12 as we begin our study.

Skip life seemed to have the ability to know things that were happening that he couldn't know by study was just given to him by God.

So in second Kings chapter 6 when the Syrian king then had dad is attacking the Israelite armies, God revealed to Elisha where the enemy was posting their position and he would tell the king of Israel. So every time Ben had dad and the Syrians would mount an attack against Israel. The Israelites would be ready for the attack.

With this really bothered king of Syria. Ben had any. I got a rat on my staff somebody's feeding information to the enemy who is which one of you been ratting and telling the king of Israel, where I am and one of his advisors.

That is not any of us were all loyal subjects, but there's a guy in Israel by the name of Elisha and Elisha the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel, the words that you speak in your bedroom okay. Nothing is kept the secret he knows it all.

He's the guy second Kings chapter 5, we have another example of Elisha having that kind of knowledge there was a Syrian by the name of Naaman who had leprosy and it comes down to Israel because he hears that Elisha, the prophet can heal people of leprosy and and you know the story probably how he tells them to dip in the Jordan seven times he comes out whole when it comes out whole he's he's well he's healthy.

Naaman says to Elisha, and this is amazing. This is a miracle. Let me reward you and give you lots of gifts and money and you as you keep a guess. I don't want anything. This is a gift of God. Don't don't give me anything, so he sends him away, but this servant of Elisha's name to Hayes.

I anger Hayes. I got my master just like didn't take even an honorarium. Vindictive check to take a gift of nothingness like we could've got a got a lot of money out of this guy made bank, but he didn't ask him for anything, so he didn't tell Elisha but to Hayes.

I ran after Naaman, the leper and Naaman sees the servant of Elisha Cummings yeah I know what topic comes up from his chariot and the ghost can I help you with something as well yeah you know there's a couple of profits that have come to my master's house from the mountains of the Froman it be really need my master asked if you would mind giving us a couple talents of silver and some changes of clothes and the names and yet no problem.

I'm happy to do it so game up a bunch of money in new clothes and and he was lying. Of course Hayes I was misrepresenting Elisha didn't send him but she gets back to Elisha's home.

And Elisha the prophet sees his servant days I Cummings gaze out. Where have you been nowhere but if you and he goes was in my spirit with you when you asked Naaman for those gifts is now the time to be taking clothes and gifts of silver.

He knew everything that had gone on. Even though he stayed home and the servant went out and was lying in second Kings chapter 4 and I'm sorta working my way backwards are thinking.

Chapter 4 there was a woman who had a son who Elisha had predicted that she would have a child. This child had died and Elisha did not know that she had us on the died she knew that she had a son he knew that she had a stomach know the son died in an this woman comes and rushes toward Elisha to save my son died, my son diving to Hayes ICs this woman coming of Christ assure away from Elisha and Elisha says no, no, no, no, let let her come in and ask me whatever is she has asked me because look at her. She is in deep distress and sorrow of heart.

Listen to what he said and the Lord has not told me her problem. He has not revealed it to me and analyzer was a child now just imagine being so tuned into God that you are actually shocked when God doesn't tell you that kind of knowledge that you can only no supernatural. He was shot. I can't believe that this is happened guy didn't tell me and course. The Lord used him to provide healing, but that is a gift of the word of knowledge. Now we come to the New Testament in the New Testament. Once again, you would expect Jesus to exhibit knowledge because again he is filled with wisdom and knowledge. It says in Colossians and of course he did. Classic example when when Philip found Nathaniel and said I found I have seen the Messiah, the son of God. We we know who is its Jesus of Nazareth and the Daniel says can anything good come out of Nazareth member that Lori and John chapter 2, and so later on. Nathaniel meets Jesus and Jesus sees Nathaniel coming and our Lord says behold an Israelite, in whom there is no deceit and of annual sorta shaken by Jesus words to him because they've never met before and then just as well. How do you know me and Jesus said, before Philip talk to you when you were under the fig tree, I saw you was a private experience he had at some fig tree. Jesus knew all about it. Told him all about it and all you are the Messiah, you are the Christ. You are the son of God. He said you said this because I saw you I set aside one of the fig tree, stick around, but it was a lot more amazing things in this but just that kind of knowledge.

Now, you would expect the Lord Jesus to have to but this is the kind of gift. I believe that the word of knowledge is and how it is exercised back to Vincent and his word studies Vincent in his Greek word studies calls this all over wonderworking ability now let me give you couple more examples Peter in Matthew chapter 16 member. When Jesus said who do men say that I am who do you say that I am. And Peter said you are the Christ, the son of the living God and Jesus said you are blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father who is in heaven. Peter you didn't study this in the book. You didn't learn this at seminary. My father has revealed to you who I am now I don't know that that was necessarily a spiritual gift of the word of knowledge, but I wanted I wanted you to see here is Peter usually think about peters this bumbling disciple and puts his foot in his mouth and says dumb things at and he did quite often, but here's a guy at that moment, who had the perceptions spiritual perception that none of the other disciples had and Jesus said the only way you could know that is for my father to have somehow revealed that and Peter knew it was revealed to Peter later on in the book of acts. I think you have an actual working example of the word of knowledge. It's in the early church when Ananias and Sophia. Russ sold a portion of land and gave the money to the early church in Jerusalem. They sold it for a certain amount, but they kept back part of the proceeds no problem with that. The problem was they miscommunicated and misrepresented what they had done to the church.

They said they sold it for this amount in that they gave the entire amount to the Lord's work, but they had Back a portion of enough they said luck was sold to keep some to live on you to give the rest of the church, not a problem but they live and they said yes we sold it for this about a week were giving this to the Lord with all of it all to be without wow what a spiritual couple so they come before Peter and Peterson Ananias, did you sell the land for this amount. Yes, and you gave it all to the Lord's, and then Peter said Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit.

You have been lied to man you have lied to God. Peter knew what was going on behind the scenes. The only way Peter could have known that was God giving him a word of knowledge.

That's why I say I don't think it's just insight into the Scripture or acquisition through normal means, or the ability to logically systematize spiritual truth. I think it's the ability to know something supernatural about a situation or about a person that you could know by any other means. Another example is Paul the apostle when Paul is traveling to the area of Asia minor and he comes to Lysistrata and Derby, so this is found in acts chapter 14 again I pray market so I can read it to you.

It says and olestra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting a cripple from his mother's womb would never walked this man heard Paul speaking now listen to this Paul observing him intently, and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, stand up straight on your feet, and he leaped and he walked Paul know that this man had faith to be healed. He just looked at him intently and said guys faith to be it. Was it a hunch was. It was a dumb some strong impression. Don't know but it was some manner whereby Paul knew he had the knowledge revealed to him by God. This man has faith to be healed and he gave him a command stand up, grabbed her by the hand lifted him up and the man was healed now. Here you have an example of several gifts working together you have the gift of faith.

That's what Paul has you have note of that.

That's what this man has the gift of faith is faith to be healed so you that the gift of faith given to this man that God is going to heal me today. You have the gift of the word of knowledge.

That's what Paul is exercising nose. The man has the faith to be healed. You have the gift of miracles and you have the gift of healing.

All of these four gifts working in concert together to do something supernatural. So there are.

I think several examples of the gifts of the word of knowledge. How is it manifest today will I can't tell you all the ways but let me tell you personally in my own life I have seen in my preaching ministry.

In my teaching ministry.

The Lord used the gift of the word of knowledge where I'll incorporate something into my message and then somebody afterwards will say can I talk to you and then I've had on many occasion people say on. Have you been following me as my wife told you about me or or questions like that. Like somehow I had inside and I was I was preaching at them using them as the example and I felt like the Lord was was speaking at that moment I didn't know exactly what it was but it's as if the Lord said that the person says – is this like the Lord is speaking directly to me.

I think there are instances where the Lord is using the gift of the word of knowledge like that by using that kind of again I years ago had a friend named Steve. Cars know a pastor in Northern California.

One day he was going about his business and he said I felt the Lord speak to my heart. I just had this impression and and it was like the Lord said pray right now for your wife.

She's in danger so he stopped and he prayed for his wife. Later on he talked to his wife and she was on the 405 freeway. If you know Southern California. The orange county are getting off at Harbor Boulevard when a truck pulled out in front of her and she almost got in a deadly accident and she came very close to ending her life and it was at that moment that the Lord spoke to her husband said pray for your wife. She's in danger and as they coordinated stories. They realize, wow, that was the Lord giving a word of knowledge at that moment, for the purpose of prayer. Let me give you a personal example, early in my Christian walk. When I was a young Christian I smoked I smoke cigarettes I actually started smoking when I was 10 years old and I got saved when I was 18 and I did a lot of other substances in between that era goes.

Those years, but I smoke and then I quit and I after I quit doing really good not have a cigarette doing really good with it.

I was dating a girl and we were getting to know each other and she knew about my I didn't never told her that I used to smoke but we were getting to know each other. Going to Bible studies growing our relationship and then she went on a vacation for two weeks and while she was gone just an impulse came one night and cigarette and so I picked one up I smoked and that I smoked another one of the next few days. I smoked and then she came back from vacation she didn't see me but she call me on the phone. She was, you know, Skip while I was on vacation. The Lord really laid you on my heart of the all good she was and I prayed for you during these two weeks.

All that's great. Glad to pray for you to know what else is she was no no no no, the Lord, I was praying for you and then she was can as you question is that your she was due smoke and I went how in the world. How could she know what I quit when I met her, she didn't see me.

I never talked about it. I haven't seen her for two weeks and she gets on the phone. I don't know. I was just praying and I just thought I needed to ask you do you smoke and I said nope because I just then decided to completely give it up and walk away from it.

That has got to be the Lord, who has my number now, having said that, yes, the Lord can give people those kinds of insights with wisdom to say just the right thing with knowledge to know certain things they couldn't acquire by any other means. This is supernatural empowerment endowment of knowledge, but I will say be careful with that and and and don't don't fall for every suppose it example of a word of knowledge is the Lord give me word about you. I've had a lot of those that turn out just to be really flaky, like right now the Lord is showing me it's raining somewhere yeah okay is probably a good possibility that it is raining somewhere or you know Lord to show me the tonight. Somebody here has a cold okay minister so general and goofy. I had over the years people give me words of knowledge and and words from the Lord, either through verbally or through a mail or email.

I've had somebody say of the Lord is showing me that were in the last days the letter the can wear in the last days of human history were in the tribulation period of the book of Revelation and Calvary Chapel is the great harlot written about in the book of Revelation. I was the word from the Lord. And so I didn't have an address of it is that I've got a word for you. Take your medication. You have to balance out words that people have suppose it insights and revelatory things that people have a say with what you know God is doing in your life with the Lord has shown you and what you know of Scripture. Because yes, with that girl.

The Lord had my number with that smoking thing. I believe the Lord gave her that insight that supernatural knowledge but the Lord has my number two and if there's something amiss in my life and wrong in my life. Though I am open to the Lord using other avenues and people to do it. I pray every day and I asked the Lord for wisdom. I asked the Lord to guide me. So why would the Lord not reveal it to me if I have that kind of an open heart and have to use somebody else she can but again just be balance.

I remember I did a Bible study years ago in Garden Grove, California and it was growing and growing and there was that was a lot of young people involved in a Bible study and one guy came one week and then again the next week and I I could see that he had eyes for this one girl who was in the study and and so he kinda made his way over this following week and the following week to get to know her and one evening after the study. He went over to her and said the Lord has shown me that your to be my wife was convenient right to say the Lord has told me your to be my wife found a you know, instead of saying hey let's go out on a date. That's what a man would do you hide behind the Lord told me you're going to be my wife will I knew the Lord didn't tell him that she was going to be his wife because I knew her husband but he was going to the Lord to be my wife and so she held up her unmarried buddy back off and he had the audacity to say, well, you married the wrong person. Obviously, this time the Lord's choice. So I gave him the left foot of fellowship immediately. We got we got amount on the right hand of fellowship.

The left foot of fellowship booted amount of the Bible study told never to come back so you can use discernment to find out a false prophet from somebody that has a legitimate word of knowledge and or word of wisdom. Anyway, there are two gifts I've only made it through one verse I wanted to go through more will speeded up as the weeks go by.

The next week were to look at chapter 12 verse nine to another faith by the same spirit into another gifts of healings by the same spirit and I I'm in a venture to say will even get into verse 10 with the working of miracles, and maybe prophecy will speeded up because prophecy and tongues, and interpretation are given the great detail in the in the 14th chapter, but word of wisdom the word of knowledge.

We just have those titles but we don't have any descriptive material added to it so we have to find our way into other scriptures to see how they apply but anyway I think I have given you enough that I can feel satisfied that you are not ignorant of these things brother skid plate message from the series expound first going to Skip with an important message for you. The apostle Paul said that all Scripture is God breathed, meaning God inspired and wants us to understand it, even in today's day and age, that's why I teach line upon line through every book of the Bible and that's why this radio program exists to share biblical teachings with friends like you across the country and around the world. You can help further that mission by sharing your gift today.

Here's how to do that visit connectwithskip.com/donate to give a gift that's connectwithskip.com/donate or call 800-922-1888, 800-922-1888.

Thank you for your generosity and come back tomorrow as Skip Heitzigs and continues to break down the spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit equips the church when and how your gifts matter natural talents as a result of natural birth spiritual gifts come as a result of born again the spiritual so were talking about spiritual or evil beyond the fruit of the spirit beyond