THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT – XI (The Word of Wisdom & The Word of Knowledge - 2)

WBS.124

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT – XI

THE WORD OF WISDOM & THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE - II

1 Corinthians 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

Review of last week’s discussion:

1. The word of wisdom and the word of knowledge are gifts that are extremely similar in their operation and experience.  The only thing that distinguishes one from the other is the nature of the content of the word.  In my experience, these gifts are almost always found together in a disciple. It is rare for a disciple only to have one and not the other.

2. The gifts of the Spirit tend to each have a “trigger” or condition within the disciple that enhances the reception and delivery of the gift.  The trigger for the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge is the fear of IAUE.  The manifestation of these gifts will be increasingly awesome in direct proportion to the degree the fear of IAUE is a vital reality within the heart, mind and spirit of the disciple.
   
   
3. The word of wisdom is an impartation of the wisdom or counsel of IAUE that tends to deal with a specific issue, providing insight or a solution to that issue.  It also is the gift that provides insight or information into things that are yet to happen.  It is the only gift with this futuristic element.

4. The word of knowledge is an impartation of information that could not have been known by natural means to the one receiving the word. This gift tends to provide a starting point for ministry in one of the other gifts of the Spirit; or simply to provide the hearer an awareness of the presence of the Spirit of IAUE, to give demonstration of the reality of the unseen Creator.

In our discussion last week, we focused primarily on the gift of the word of wisdom.  I would like to focus more on the gift of the word of knowledge, today.

Examples of the Word of Knowledge in the Scriptures:

John 1:48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Yahushua answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of Elohim; thou art the King of Israel.

Yahushua told Nathanael a fact about him that he knew Yahushua could not have known by natural means. Nathanael considered this word of knowledge enough evidence to prove to his satisfaction that Yahushua was the Messiah. 

John 2:16  Yahushua saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Yahushua said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Messiah?

Messiah spoke to the woman at the well a fact he could not have known by natural means; and the result was the woman perceived him to be a prophet, but not just any prophet.  She perceived him to be the prophet of whom Moses instructed Israel to take heed, the Messiah.

John 11:14 Then said Yahushua unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

Two days prior, he had been told that Lazarus was sick.  He had no natural way of knowing that Lazarus actually had already died.  Even the messengers who brought him word of Lazarus being sick did not know that he had died before they had even reached Yashushua.

John 13:10 Yahushua said to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

Yahushua knew from his understanding of the Scriptures that he would be betrayed; but he had no natural means of knowing who it would be.  The Holy Spirit gave him supernatural knowledge to know Judas was the betrayer.

Acts 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

 

Peter was given to know that Ananias and Sapphira had agreed to lie about the sale price of their property.  It cost them their lives.  The result was that the fear of IAUE spread throughout Jerusalem and multitudes were being added to the assembly.

From my own personal experience, I remember several years ago confronting a man I knew well and telling him that he needed to break off his adulterous relationship.  He knew there was no way I could have known the thing he had taken great care to keep secret.  Bringing the light upon the matter exposed his sin, and the fear of IAUE drove him to break off the relationship. 

Perhaps the most prevalent manifestation of the gift of the word of knowledge is the way it is used in “Spirit-filled” conferences throughout the USA and the world.  The minister typically teaches on a topic then begins ministering in the gifts of the Spirit at the conclusion of the teaching.  Through the word of knowledge they identify people in the assembly who have a specific need in their life that the ministry of the gifts of the Spirit can supply.  For example:

“There is a woman here who has had chest pains since this past Saturday.  You have not told anyone about this, and you have not gone to the doctors about it, yet.”

“There are two people here who have arthritis, one in the left hand and the other in the right hand.  It is so progressed and painful that you have been thinking you might have to quit your job.”

“There is a young man who bought a ticket last month to travel to Europe for the first time in his life; but he just found out he has cancer; and now he is wondering if he should not stay home to spend more time with his family.”

Such announcements are based on information that is not known naturally to the minister. It allows the individuals to know and understand that IAUE has specific knowledge of them and cares for them. It gives them the faith to believe that if they come forward to the minister, a second gift of the Spirit will be manifested that will heal or transform their circumstances or provide them the wisdom that they need.  Now, I know that there are a lot of charlatans that are con-artists that mimic this technique of ministry for financial gain.  That should not discourage anyone.  There would be no “fakers” if there wasn’t something real to imitate.

My personal opinion is that this last example, though it is how the gift of the word of knowledge is most commonly manifest today, is NOT the way it was intended to be used.  This expression of the gift has been created by someone’s experiences becoming a method which has now become a religious tradition. 

Remember that the primary purpose of the gifts of the Spirit are to manifest the presence, reality and power of the invisible IAUE to the world unto the profit of the assembly of IAUE; just like in the book of Acts where the routine response to the gifts was multitudes coming to Messiah.

Try to imagine sitting in a restaurant and the Holy Spirit bringing to your attention a middle aged man preparing to eat his meal.  You walk over to him quickly and say, “Sir, do not eat this meal. It has peanut oil in it; and you are gravely allergic to peanut oil.”  In such situations, you have an audience who will hear what you have to say about the need to repent for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

We are to be the people who turn the world upside down, and thereby also make the Jews jealous of the covenant relationship we have with IAUE.  How many churches do you know have something…anything…that would make the Jews jealous?

1 Corinthians 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Master.

6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same Elohim which worketh all in all.

Though there are nine separate gifts, they are used in many different kinds of ministries; and the way in which they are experienced and/or manifest are quite varied.  The gifts of the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge are typically spoken as a simple one or two sentence statement; but there are many different ways the disciple may actually experience receiving that word.  Here are some examples of “diversities of operations.” IAUE is personally responsible for how these gifts are experienced.

1. Some people with these gifts hear the Holy Spirit speak the words, and they simply repeat what they hear.
   
   
2. Some have spontaneous wisdom or knowledge. It comes to them almost like recalling a memory.  It is as though it is already in them, and they speak what they simply know to be the case. I have been the one sitting in a restaurant that looked at someone and just knew about their life. I never met them, and naturally knew not one thing about them; but I knew what the Holy Spirit revealed to me about them to be true just as much as I knew them to be wearing a blue shirt or a brown skirt.
   
   
3. I have known some people who actually “see” with the eyes of their spirit something like a ticker tape, like messages you see scrolling across the bottom of a television screen.  They just read the message that passes before them.
   
   
4. I have known some who are given a passage of Scripture; and when looking at the verse(s) of Scripture, an answer to a solution is provided.  We gave an example of this last week.  I had a friend who called me once, desperate for a word from IAUE.  He begged me for a word.  I prayed and asked the Father to meet my friend’s need and I told him to look up a specific passage of Scripture.  He called me back after reading this passage. He was utterly overwhelmed at the precision with which the Father had addressed his situation.

There may certainly be more ways in which people experience the receipt of a word of wisdom or word of knowledge.  This is just a few based on my own experiences.

Now, there are “differences of administrations,” and Messiah our Master is responsible for their placement in the Body.  We have already discussed ministers who operate in the gifts of the Spirit in their meetings.  That is one form of ministry in these gifts.  Others may be appointed as deacons in the fellowship to handle the logistical and financial affairs of the Body because of the wisdom flowing through them (see Acts 6:2-3). Others may simply be the quiet ones who are used in their day to day contacts with other people in this world bringing them into confrontation with their Creator who knows them and cares for them.  Still others may be members of an assembly where the leadership knows these gifts work through them, and they are called upon to provide counsel to aid in decision-making processes.  These are just some ways in which ministry in these particular gifts may be appointed unto us by the Master.

Next week:  The Gift of Faith

---

Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.

---

THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT – X (THE WORD OF WISDOM & THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE - I)

WBS.123

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT – X

THE WORD OF WISDOM & THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE - I

1 Corinthians 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

We will begin our discussion of the various gifts with the one’s Paul named first. Let us keep in mind a few foundational concepts as we progress throughout the rest of this study on the gifts:

1)    The gifts of the Spirit are specific provisions of grace that enable us to do the will of IAUE by supernatural means, thereby demonstrating the reality, the presence, the authority and the power of IAUE.

2)    Grace is the power IAUE gives that enables us to do His will; so specific grace to manifest His Spirit of holiness should always be focused on doing the will of IAUE in a manner that honors the holiness of IAUE and gives glory to IAUE, not to ourselves.

3)    Using the gifts of the Spirit for any reason other than obedience to the will of IAUE places us in danger.  Remember Matthew 7:21-23?  Only people operating in the gifts of the Spirit could be the subject of this passage of Scripture; and the Master says he never knew them; and that they were workers of iniquity (they did THEIR will instead of the will of IAUE).  Remember also that the Master identified only one unforgivable sin (Matthew 12:31-32); and that was attributing the works of the Spirit of IAUE to the wrong spirit.

THE WORD OF WISDOM & THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE  

We will discuss both of these gifts together, as they are often used in conjunction with each other.  There is another reason to discuss them together and that is, most of the gifts of the Spirit have what I call a “trigger.”  More specifically, the trigger is a particular condition associated with a gift of the Spirit that enhances the manifestation and effectiveness of that gift. Both the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge have the same trigger.

Psalm 111:10 The fear of IAUE is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments...

---

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of IAUE is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Proverbs 15:33 The fear of IAUE is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility.

Proverb 1:7 The fear of IAUE is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Isaiah 11:2 And the spirit of IAUE shall rest upon him, the spir+++it of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of IAUE;

The disciple who has a keen sense of and whose life is regulated by the fear of IAUE is a prime candidate for these gifts of the Spirit.  Consider this.  When one exercises either of these gifts, he is tapping into divine knowledge and divine wisdom.  He is receiving divine counsel and instruction.  Such gifts can overwhelm the flesh and produce a very lively ego.  For this reason, the fear of IAUE suppresses the flesh and keeps the disciple focused on his/her obedience to the will of IAUE.  For this reason alone, one might consider these the most important gifts of the Spirit.  They involve trust…IAUE’s trust of you with His wisdom and knowledge.

In very simple terms, the word of wisdom is just that.  It is revelation of the wisdom and counsel of IAUE imparted to a disciple generally to provide a solution to a matter.  It is called a “word” of wisdom for two reasons:  1) It is the “logos” of IAUE…it is what HE is saying; and 2) It is not a book, or even a paragraph.  It may almost always be expressed in a single sentence. 

The word of wisdom is also the one gift in the nine gifts listed that may have a futuristic element to it; though that is not always the case.  The common perception that attributes all future-telling to the gift of prophecy is incorrect.  It is the word of wisdom that provides the counsel of IAUE regarding things that are yet to come. For this reason, the word of wisdom can appear to be the word of knowledge; but when it involves facts not yet occurring, the future element of that knowledge represents the counsel of IAUE, and thus a manifestation of the word of wisdom.

Examples of the word of wisdom:

1.  All references to the “end times” (see: Matthew 24, Luke 21, Mark 13) are examples of the word of wisdom for they unfold the eternal counsel of IAUE. They are insights into the plan of IAUE.

2.  In Mark 14:12-16, Yahushua, in preparation for the Passover, instructed two of his disciples to go into the city.  He said they would meet a man bearing a pitcher of water (typically a woman’s job, so he would quite naturally stand out in a crowd).  He said to follow that man to his house and to inquire of the master of the house where the chamber was that he should share the Passover with his disciples; and the master will show them a large upper room already prepared for that purpose. It happened exactly as he told them it would.  Messiah had provided them with facts…information…but facts that would unfold in the future.  It was not “knowledge” of things already in occurrence that they could not have known naturally.  This futuristic element distinguishes this manifestation as a word of wisdom, and not a word of knowledge.

3.  In Acts 11:27-30; prophets went up from Jerusalem to Antioch.  Agabus, one of the prophets, informed the disciples in Antioch that a famine was coming that would cover the entire earth. In response to that word of wisdom, the disciples took up a collection to help provide for their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem.

4.  In Acts 21:10-11, that same prophet, Agabus, went up from Judea to Caesarea and informed Paul that if he went on to Jerusalem, he could expect to be bound and delivered into the hands of the gentiles.  Paul went on to Jerusalem, and he ended up back in Caesarea in prison for two years.  Agabus revealed information that was not available in the present.  The futuristic element of the information is what qualifies this as a word of wisdom.

The word of wisdom does not always contain a futuristic element.  It is more often given to provide wisdom that is needed in the present; for example:

1.   In Matthew 21:23-27, the Pharisees asked Yahushua by what authority he did the things he did.  The Holy Spirit provided Yahushua with the word of wisdom in his answer, “If you tell me whether John’s baptism was of heaven or of men, I will tell you by what authority I do what I do.”  They could not reply because either answer was a no-win scenario for them.

2.  In Acts 23 1:10, Paul was being tried by the Sanhedrin, and both the council and the crowd were unified in their desire to destroy Paul.  In that critical moment, the Holy Spirit made Paul aware that the council and the crowd were comprised of both Pharisees and Sadducees.  He then cried out that he was a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee; and he was being tried for his hope in the resurrection of the dead.  That one comment distracted everyone away from dealing with Paul, and became the catalyst for them to take up the one thing that most seriously differentiated the Pharisees from the Sadducees; and their long-held argument took center stage.  The Pharisees began defending Paul as one of their own.  Eventually the Roman guards secured Paul from the council, thus thwarting their objective to kill Paul.  The Holy Spirit had given Paul a word of wisdom to know how to deal with the current situation.

3.  A good friend of mine and a prolific minister of the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge was to speak at a women’s meeting in Oklahoma. On the way to the meeting, the Holy Spirit told her, “You are to minister to every single person who attends.”  After her teaching, she began to receive words of wisdom and words of knowledge to speak to each woman present. One particular woman caught her attention almost immediately, but what she saw to share with her was confusing to her, so she bypassed her time and time again, while she ministered to the rest of the women there.  Finally, there was no one left but this one woman.  My friend recalled to mind that before she had arrived at the meeting, the Holy Spirit specifically told her to minister to every single one of them; so she took a deep breath and said to the woman, “All I can say is, Keep on trucking.”  The whole place erupted in shouts of praise.  What my friend could not know is that this woman’s husband had a successful trucking business.  He had recently passed away, and she needed the wisdom of IAUE to know if she should sell the business or “keep on trucking.”  All of the women there had been praying for her to receive the Father’s counsel; and when He gave it through the word of wisdom operating in my friend; they all rejoiced together for their answer to their prayer having come in such a magnificent way.  My friend later told me that all she could see every time she looked at that woman was the decal you see on the back of big trucks that says “Keep on trucking” 

4. I was in a group of disciples who had met in a Christian bookstore in central Texas.  They were talking about an opportunity that had been literally thrown into their lap.  They had not sought it, but a local radio station was offering them their own radio spot to share from the Scriptures with their radio audience.  They did not know what to do as this was not an idea of their own.  They took a moment and prayed and asked the Father for His wisdom.  One of them then said, “I was told to look at 1 Corinthians 14:9.”  They looked up the reference and found it to say, “…you shall speak into the air.”  They accepted the opportunity the radio station had offered in response to the wisdom of IAUE.

5. When I was in the Army in Germany, my car had begun running very roughly, and I did not have the money to get it repaired.  While preparing for one of my Bible studies, the Holy Spirit interrupted my study and said, “Go look at the carburetor.”  I tried to ignore it and continue my study; but again He said, “Go look at the carburetor.”  I put my Bible down and said out loud; “But I don’t know anything about cars.”  Again He said, “Go look at the carburetor.”  So, I made my way out of the house to the car muttering under my breath, “I know enough to know where the carburetor is; but that’s about it.”  When I raised the hood, I removed the air filter to expose the carburetor and immediately I noticed a simple linkage, loose, and the obvious location where it was supposed to be connected.  I connected it, and the car was repaired and ran smoothly.

6. Hurricanes often make their way through the Gulf of Mexico to the Texas border.  Many years ago, a fierce Category 4 hurricane was making its way to strike landfall at Corpus Christi.  When the storm stalled over the Gulf, the weather forecasters became extremely concerned because the longer the storm remained over the warm waters of the Gulf, it would pick up more power and become even more dangerous.  As I prayed for the safety of the Texas residents on the coast, the Holy Spirit said to me, “Make the temperature of the Gulf’s water to cool down.”  This was a word of wisdom, insight into the counsel of IAUE.  I acted in obedience to that counsel and by the gift of the working of miracles, I commanded the waters of the Gulf of Mexico to reduce in temperature (but not to become so cold as to jeopardize the creatures in the Gulf). The hurricane dissipated into a tropical storm before reaching the coast; and the weather stations all attributed the weakening of the storm to the inexplicable cooling of the Gulf’s waters.

Proverbs 1:20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:

21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,

22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Wisdom is in great need, both by the church and by the individual disciple.   The world is without wisdom; so the lost are in great need of the wisdom of IAUE.  The Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:31 to “earnestly desire the greater gifts.”  One gift is greater than another only by the measure of benefit it brings to the church or to the individual.  What could be greater than the wisdom of IAUE imparted at the time it is needed?

---

Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.

---

THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT – IX

WBS.122

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT – IX

1 Corinthians 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another various kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

Last week we concluded with this thought:

To those whose hearts are not ready to implement the rest of this series in a manner worthy of a disciple; I commend you to the discipline of the Father. These are matters too dangerous to consider without the fear of IAUE as the anchor of our souls.

I cannot overstate how guarded we must be against pride.  It is the most sinister evil of the flesh; and the one most hated by IAUE.  Do not appropriate any of the information to come in this series if you have not yet laid the axe to the root of pride in your life.

Isaiah 2:11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and IAUE alone shall be exalted in that day.

12 For the day of IAUE of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:

Remember, we have stated over and over again that the ultimate objective of the gifts of the Spirit is to empower us to do the will of IAUE in ways that are supernatural to man.  If doing the will of IAUE has not yet become the focus of our life, the absolute purpose of our existence, this series of lessons will only get you into trouble.

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Master, Master, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Master, Master, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Unbelievers can turn on their televisions and watch televangelists with their healing and miracle services and see the pride and ego oozing from the screen.  They can see the $20,000.00 rings and necklaces adorning their bodies, and their $200.00 haircuts. They can recognize easily the posture of their bodies and their facial expressions and know they are observing a con in progress. They can see plainly how these so-called ministers manipulate audiences for financial gain; and yet, the church seems so ready to be drawn in by these fleshly ministers because it cannot see what the world can see.  

The world wants Truth.  The world wants the reality of IAUE; while the church, instead, wants the world.  It offers the world what it already has, so its message does not appeal to the world.  Its only appeal is to those within the church who are not supposed to have the world but still want it. This is an awful testimony against the church. 

I will say it just once more before we continue.  These are dangerous matters.  If these lessons open the door for you to discover the gift(s) within you by the Spirit; and you use them to serve anything other than the Father’s will, you will find yourself on the wrong side of IAUE’s wrath. 

*  *  *  *  *

In 1 Corinthians 12, we have a list of nine empowerments of grace.  There are many books written on this subject; and frequently, these gifts are subdivided into three kinds of giftings.

Revelation Gifts:  the word of wisdom; the word of knowledge, discerning of spirits

Power Gifts:  faith, the gifts of healing, the working of miracles

Utterance Gifts:  prophecy, various kinds of tongues, the interpretation of tongues.

Even though the Scripture does not list them grouped together in these batches of three gifts, it is helpful in understanding the dynamics of the gifts to think of them in this manner.

1 Corinthians 12:27 Now ye are the body of Messiah, and members in particular.

28 And Elohim hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Some have taken these verses to mean that the gift of “various kinds of tongues” is the least of the gifts; and somehow, from that they attempt to minimize that gift as insignificant and unimportant.  This passage, however, is not discussing the significance of the gifts, but rather the order of importance to the Body of the ministries that are produced from the equipping of the gifts.  Remember, in verse 5, the gifts manifest through different ministries. Apostles and prophets and teachers are not gifts of the Spirit.  They are ministerial officers of the church.  If speaking in tongues is the least of the gifts, where in this list is the gift of faith, or discerning of spirits, or the word of wisdom?  Is speaking in tongues a greater gift than these because they did not even make this list?  Of course not.  They did not make this list because their function does not define a specific ministry to the church. The one who has the gift of various kinds of tongues actually does have a ministry function in the church. (Notice, however, that the ministry of the “pastor” did not make this list at all.  Why is that?  It is because the office of the pastor is not one that is borne of the equipping of the gifts of the Spirit.)

Let’s take a brief look at our three categories of gifts.

Revelation gifts:  These are called revelation gifts for one reason only.  They are gifts that operate on information that is revealed to the disciple by the Spirit.  The word of wisdom, the word of knowledge and the discerning of spirits are not learned information.  One may not study the Scriptures enough to learn enough knowledge and acquire enough wisdom to be able to function in these gifts.  Such study is not related to the function of these gifts.  These gifts impart information that is obtained only by revelation.  Such information cannot be learned through a study of the Scriptures and imparted later.  For example, I have learned many things through my study of the Scriptures and through my walk and my experience over the past 40 years and I function somewhat as a spiritual diagnostician; but when my diagnosis of a matter has been made, it may be no more accurate than a doctor diagnosing a health condition.  The doctor may be right.  He very likely is right because of his knowledge and experience with such matters; but he may equally be wrong because it is a diagnosis based on observable conditions. Revelation is not based on observable conditions. It is based upon the divine impartation of information.

Power gifts:  These are called power gifts because they represent a release of the power of IAUE to produce a miraculous effect.  Faith, the gifts of healing and the working of miracles are the “signs and wonders” gifts that result in tangible evidence to the authority of the gospel and the existence of the invisible Elohim.  Though they certainly are not exclusive to them, at least two of these gifts are always found in the evangelist, the one who preaches the gospel and brings souls to Messiah.  If they are not in manifestation attesting to the authority of the message preached, that person is not an evangelist.  (You may notice that the evangelist, also, is not included in the above listing of the order of ministerial offices in the church.  The reason for the evangelist’s exclusion in that list is due to the fact the evangelist is not a minister to the Body; but to the lost.)

Utterance gifts:  It is obvious why these three gifts (prophecy, various kind of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues) are called utterance gifts.  They cannot manifest apart from being spoken.  While the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge might be spoken; they are not required to be uttered in order to be manifested.  (The contemporary church’s experience with the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge is entirely within a fabricated context for the manifestation of these gifts; and as such, it is imperative that our thinking be reshaped about them.)  It is interesting to note that one of the gifts, the interpretation of tongues, is utterly dependent upon the manifestation of another gift, various kinds of tongues, before it may be manifested. No other gift is dependent upon another gift in order to exist.  In its ministry within the assembly, however, the gift of various kinds of tongues, though independent in its manifestation, is entirely dependent upon the presence of one with the gift of interpretation of tongues for his gift to provide benefit to the church; so they must work as a team in the assembly.

Next week, we will begin taking the gifts of the Spirit one at a time and discuss what they are, how they operate, and what kinds of ministries evolve from them.  I will also be sharing specific experiences with each of the gifts of the Spirit to illustrate their use.

---

Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.

---

THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT – VIII

WBS.121

FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP

THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT – VIII

2 Corinthians 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in IAUE which raiseth the dead:

Last week we concluded with this thought:

If IAUE is not limited, and it is His Spirit that is placed within us, why then should we consider the manifestation of IAUE within us to be limited?  We do, however.  We do limit the manifestation of the Spirit because our brains get in the way and we superimpose over the grace given to us the thought that WE cannot do the supernatural.  Consequently, we become faithless and do not believe that IAUE can do that supernatural thing through us.  But He can, and He will, if we align ourselves with the objectives of His will

Every weekend, as I begin to write the next post in this series, I am made keenly aware of how, despite all my emphasis on having a life-purpose to do the will of IAUE, on having a meek and lowly spirit, on being content with our placement within the Body of Messiah by IAUE, on the need for the fear of IAUE and the necessity of a pure heart, I know there will be readers who will check themselves off as having satisfied each of these qualifications; and they will still either consciously or subconsciously look to this study as a way of bolstering their egos.  Pride is pernicious; and unless we lay the axe to the root of it in our lives, we will never be free of it; nor will we ever be used by the Spirit of IAUE in the measure to which He intends us to be used.

How can we be free from pride? Is it even possible?  Yes.  Not only is it possible; it is expected of us.

Romans 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.  

8 Now if we be dead with Messiah, we believe that we shall also live with him:

9 Knowing that Messiah being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto IAUE.

11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto IAUE through Yahushua Messiah our Master.

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto IAUE, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto IAUE.

14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

I just want to touch on this briefly.  This is so basic, so fundamental to discipleship that it should have been learned very early in our new life in Messiah.  Hopefully, this will serve as a reminder and not some new idea to be pondered.

The FACT is, Messiah died; and he rose from the dead.

Romans 1:3 Concerning his Son Yahushua Messiah our Master, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

4 And declared to be the Son of IAUE with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

The only-begotten Son of IAUE died.  When he was raised from the dead by “the spirit of holiness,” he became “the firstborn among many brethren.”  We are the many brethren; and the transaction by which we became “in him,” “in Messiah,” was through a union with his death.  Remember what the Hebrews author said of Levi.

Hebrews 7:9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

Levi paid tithes to Melchisedec because he was yet in the loins of Abraham when Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec.  While Levi was IN ABRAHAM, everything Abraham did, Levi did, because he and Abraham were one. The consequences and effects of everything Abraham did while Levi was yet within him, are passed on to Levi; for Levi did them IN ABRAHAM.  In like manner, when we are baptized into Messiah, we are baptized into his death.

Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Yahushua Messiah were baptized into his death?

4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Messiah was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Our union with Messiah begins at his death.  Messiah was raised from the dead by the spirit of holiness, and so were we.  Messiah died to sin, once; and so did we, IN HIM.  Messiah now lives unto IAUE forevermore…and so do we, IN HIM.  Our problem is, we have not “reckoned ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,” as we have been instructed to do so by the Scriptures.  We have failed on the most cardinal issue of becoming identified with Messiah in his death.  We cannot become identified with him in the power of his resurrection (the gifts of the Spirit of Holiness cannot manifest through us as they ought) until we have died with him.

2 Corinthians 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in IAUE which raiseth the dead:

Paul carried the sentence of death in himself at all times in order to permit the power of the resurrection to work through him.  Where there is no death, there can be no resurrection.  We should consider that the gifts of the Spirit are nothing more than demonstrations of the power of the resurrection in our lives.  That is what the lost world is desperate to see…evidence of life that transcends their miserable death-state.  The problem is, we are barely walking above that same miserable state in our own lives; and that is because we have bought into a false gospel that produces “decisions for Messiah,” that are based upon the wisdom of man’s words, and not about the power of IAUE.

1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of IAUE.

Last week we discussed the gifts of the Spirit as supernatural tools to give evidence to the world of the unseen Creator.  Evangelism in the book of Acts was accompanied with signs and wonders so the peoples’ faith would not rest entirely upon their words; but upon the authority behind their message as seen in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

Mark 1:25 And Yahushua rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.

26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

Yahushua did not go from town to town just preaching his message.  The apostle John tells us in John 21:25 that if every miraculous work Yahushua did was recorded, the world would not be big enough a library to contain the books.  He healed the sick, he cast out demons, he raised the dead, he cured the incurable, he restored lepers and he spoke of things only IAUE could have known.  His life was one demonstration of the Spirit and of power to another, with a message sandwiched in between his deeds.  His message was never without the miraculous giving evidence to the source of the authority of his words; such that his words became synonymous with that authority.

Matthew 8:5 And when Yahushua was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

6 And saying, Master, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

7 And Yahushua saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

8 The centurion answered and said, Master, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

10 When Yahushua heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

I have been hesitant to discuss the gifts of the Spirit of holiness until I believed we possessed the right mind and heart to take up that discussion.  The temptation will still be there to want to seize upon the various gifts in order to make us look good, look spiritual, look important, etc.  If we permit this mindset to rule us, we can disregard the benefit that can come from the remainder of this series.  Remember, these are enablements of grace intended to provide us with the ability to obey the will of IAUE in doing the miraculous, and thus give evidence to the reality and nature of IAUE. That is the first and foremost purpose of the gifts of the Spirit.

The Spirit is holy.  The Scripture repeatedly commands us to be holy even as IAUE is holy.  When the two are combined in one body, nothing is impossible. 

Next week we will begin our discussion of each of the nine gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12.  To those whose hearts are not ready to implement the rest of this series in a manner worthy of a disciple; I commend you to the discipline of the Father. These are matters too dangerous to consider without the fear of IAUE as the anchor of our souls.

---

Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.

---