The Word of Knowledge Bible Study
Hi guys. It’s another week and another Bible study. This week I want to look into another topic that’s related to the one I dealt with last week. This week I want to look at the Word of Knowledge.
If you rather to watch the video of this Bible Study, click this link.
Last week we looked at Word of Wisdom; this week we are going to look at Word of Knowledge. If you are new here, my name is Leroy Daley. Welcome to my channel; I’m happy to have you. On this channel, I utilize scriptures to explain scriptures, the word of God, to explain the word of God.
Make yourself at home. Grab a cup of coffee. Relax, because we are going to have about twenty minutes for this study. If you stick with me to the end, I will have a bonus just for you.
Let’s Define The Word of Knowledge
Well, similar to the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge is not a single word. It’s not a word.
It’s a phrase, a group of sentences, or it’s an explanation from God to a leader in the church to solve a problem.
In my words that is what a word of knowledge is. It’s a word from the Holy Ghost, from God, to the church, via a leader, to solve a problem in the church. That is the word of knowledge.
The person who got the word never had any knowledge of it prior; that’s why it is the word of knowledge because it’s coming from God.
It wasn’t known. It’s not something that the person learned, but it was given to them at that moment by the Holy Ghost and such a person disseminated it to the church and it is used and the problem is solved.
I will utilize at least two examples from the scriptures and first-century church to assist us to learn more about the word of knowledge.
Biblical Examples
First, I’ll look at Apostle Paul with Barjesus, and then I’m going to look at Apostle Paul in Evangelist Philip’s house.
In utilizing these examples, I am going to use four guidelines and they will assist me in zeroing in on this topic.
So, I shall examine each example, according to the following four guidelines:
4 Guidelines Concerning the Word of Knowledge
A. What is the word of knowledge in this instance, in this example?
B. The word of knowledge comes by the Holy Ghost.
C. The word of knowledge comes through a leader of the church, and
D. The word of knowledge motivates faith in God.
Just like the word of wisdom does, so too does the word of knowledge, it motivates faith in God. So using these four criteria, I’ll be able to show you using at least these two examples that the word of knowledge, follows this pattern.
Paul Confronts Barjesus
So let’s go to Apostle Paul and Barjesus the sorcerer. Reading from (Acts 13:6-12).
“And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus” (Acts 13:6).
Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God” (Acts 13:7).
But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith” (Acts 13:8).
Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him” (Acts 13:9).
“And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” (Acts 13:10).
“[N]ow, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. [I]mmediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand” (Acts 13:11).
“Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord” (Acts 13:12).
What is the Word of Knowledge in this Example?
There you have it. So Paul was on route to Rome with his team. They had just gone through Paphos and they came in contact with this sorcerer and the deputy.
Now, in this instance, what is the word of knowledge?
We find this in (Acts 13:10).
Paul says, “O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil. He is providing information here.
The Holy Ghost Shares a Secret
The word of knowledge is information.
He is providing information to the church about this man.
So he tells us that he is full of subtlety, he’s cunning, he is sly, mischievous and he’s a child of the devil.
He’s a seed of the serpent and he is an enemy of all righteousness. Then he asked him a question, will thou not seize to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
So you’ll realize that anyone who tries to turn away someone else from the faith of believing in Jesus, is really working as an agent of darkness.
This knowledge did not originate from Paul. Paul didn’t know this about Barjesus before he met him. He only knew it when the Holy Ghost imparted it to him.
Of course, he didn’t know it before, it’s only when the Holy Ghost imparted this knowledge to Paul he was aware of the facts concerning this person.
So he described him. He is a child of the devil; he is full of mischief and subtlety.
Yes! So that’s the word of knowledge right there.
The Word of Knowledge Comes via this Person!
Therefore, we can conclude that the word of knowledge is static. It provides information about a situation or a person, an event that we didn’t know before.
It’s instantaneous, on-demand, but it comes through the Holy Ghost. Now, it has to come through the Holy Ghost because it’s coming from God.
Additionally, the word of knowledge must come to us via a leader of the church, because it cannot come through anybody and everybody.
The Lord doesn’t work that way and especially in this New Testament.
In the Old Testament era, He spoke through a donkey to a prophet. But you won’t find that happening now because Christ came.
Christ changed all of that you know. That was among all the things that Christ changed when he came.
Learn How the Lord Speaks
Now, the Lord speaks through his Son. Hebrews tell us. The book of Hebrews tells us how the Lord speaks.
So we don’t need to wonder. I wonder, is this the Lord? Is the Lord speaking through a donkey? Or is he speaking through a dog?
No, that’s movies. Right now the Lord speaks through chosen people. So the Lord spoke through Paul and we know that Paul was a leader of the church and more; so we have fulfilled that criteria.
The Word of Knowledge Motivates Faith in God
Now, let’s go on to the next criteria. Mainly that the word of knowledge motivates faith in God.
In this example, we see that whenever the word of God emanates from the Holy Ghost and a leader of the church speaks it; it will always motivate faith in God.
And this is what we saw here with Apostle Paul. He was filled with the Holy Ghost. Remember that scripture?
How Does the Word of Knowledge Motivate Faith?
“And Paul, who is also called Saul, being filled with the Holy Ghost”, looked on the sorcerer.
So whenever a person who is filled with the Holy Ghost speaks the word of knowledge, it breeds faith in God.
And that is what happened to Sergius Paulus right here. Consequently, when he observed Paul’s behavior and heard him speak, he believed in God.
Let’s go to the scriptures, verse twelve. Then, the deputy, “then” meaning after Paul had said and done these things; that’s why it said “then”, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
So you see, after the deputy had that experience with Paul, that word of knowledge, came through Paul, the deputy believed in God.
And that is what I am saying. Whenever time the word of knowledge comes to us from the Holy Ghost and through a leader of the church, it motivates faith in God.
We’ve just seen it here. Have you heard a word of knowledge from any leader that has increased your faith in God?
The Word of Knowledge From a Christian
Were you ever sick and a man of God gave you a word of knowledge that you won’t die but you will live to declare the word of God or that cancer won’t kill you because Christ Jesus, has nailed your cancer to his tree and by his stripes, we are not going to be healed?
We are already healed. We don’t need healing, but we just need to claim it; speak it, and believe that word that we are already wholesome and healed.
Even if you are seeing signs of sickness and disease in your body, continue to speak that word.
Believe that word until it blossoms and grows into a huge tree of faith in God. And that sickness will disappear from your body, but we must believe.
The Lord said, if you have just a minute amount of faith, nothing shall be impossible to you. So believe God. Believe His word.
Paul and Agabus and the Word of Knowledge
Let us look at another example where the word of God did all these things. First, let’s go to Paul and Agabus at evangelist Philip’s house.
We are going to go to (Acts 21:8-15).
“[The] next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him” (Acts 21:8).
“[Philip] … had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy” (Acts 21:9).
“And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus” (Acts 21:10).
The entrance of Agabus the prophet.
“And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles” (Acts 21:11).
What Is the Purpose of this Word of Knowledge?
“And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem” (Acts 21:12).
“Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13).
“And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done” (Acts 21:14).
So that’s my next example to demonstrate to you that the word of knowledge, follow these criteria.
What was the word of knowledge in this instance? And I bring it to you from Acts Twenty-One verse eleven.
“And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles” (Acts 21:11).
The Word of Knowledge by this Prophet
“He” above refers to Agabus the prophet. So here again, we see that the word of God is static information.
Agabus is providing information concerning Apostle Paul on his future journey to Jerusalem.
Now, it is just information, but its information from God. And that is what makes it the word of knowledge.
Agabus didn’t know this about Paul before. If we go back to the scripture, you will see, let me show you.
If we go to Acts Twenty-One verse eleven we see it was at that moment when he came unto them, that the Holy Ghost gave Agabus this word for Paul.
It wasn’t even so much for the church, as it were for Paul. That is the word of knowledge in this instant.
As I said before, this word of knowledge must come via a leader of the church.
So, this word of knowledge must emanate from the Holy Ghost and we read that this word came from the Holy Ghost because Agabus confessed it.
He says, “Thus saith the Holy Ghost”. In other words, the Holy Ghost is saying, these are my words (Acts 21:11).
The Word of Knowledge by the Holy Ghost
These are the words of the Holy Spirit. So he says, thus saith the Holy Ghost. This is very similar to the Old Testament prophet; when the prophet would say, thus saith the Lord unto thee and Isaiah said, and Jeremiah said, Thus saith the Lord.
This is very similar to that. Agabus is speaking in a very similar manner to Paul. Now similarly, the word is coming from the Holy Ghost, but it must come, via a leader of the church who will speak this word. Now, what was Agabus’ position? Agabus was a prophet.
And if we go back to (1ST Corinthians 12:18) thereabout, we’ll remember that one of the offices of the church is a prophet. Yes! So Agabus, who was a prophet (Acts 21:10) is the one who would bring in this word. So, word of knowledge, we have it coming from the Holy Ghost, and we have it coming via a leader, the prophet Agabus.
The Word Motivates Faith in God
Next, we go to the fact that this word of knowledge coming via the Holy Ghost and from a leader of the church and it will motivate faith in God.
In this instance, we can sense the intensity of Paul’s faith in God, through his statements and through the behavior of the brethren.
Now in (Acts 21:13), Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart?
For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
So you see this is faith in God, faith in the word of knowledge that Agabus gave to Paul.
It was so potent in his heart.
He explained I would die for the name of Jesus, because of this faith that was motivated in him through this word of knowledge from this man of God.
And not only this, but we see, they too were impacted by this word of God. Yes, it doesn’t just impact Apostle Paul.
Here’s the Bonus
It impacted them and it’s impacting us too because, from this, we’re learning more about the word of knowledge.
We’ll believe more the word of God and it will increase our faith, as we accept, receive, and believe this word.
Now earlier on, I told you that if you stick with me to the end, I will give you a bonus. Now, here it is.
If a word of knowledge comes from the Holy Ghost, it will never be contrary to the word of God, The Bible.
Word of knowledge is from God, so it cannot be opposing the Bible. It must be in line or agree with what the Bible says or the Bible… So that’s your bonus right there.
So let me conclude. And in this conclusion, I want to identify two other ways that the word of knowledge is different from the word of wisdom.
Word of knowledge is just information, static information versus the word of wisdom, which is dynamic because it causes action. Let me show you why I said this.
A Word of Wisdom From this Man
In the incident with Apostle Paul with Barjesus the sorcerer, Paul gave him a word of knowledge, spoke a word of knowledge, but he also supplied a word of wisdom. And here is the word of wisdom. (Verse 11) really is a word of wisdom. He says, And now behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and those shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a season.
And immediately there fell on him, a mist and darkness and they went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. That is a word of wisdom that came from the mind of God. It’s not something that Paul did and Paul couldn’t have known this before either, because it was nowhere in him.
The Holy Ghost spoke through him and it happened. So first he gave a word of knowledge, which was just basic information. But when the word of wisdom comes, something happens or something is going to happen if it’s for the future.
But if it’s for the present, as in this instant, something will always happen. There is either someone who is going to take an action or some event is going to befall someone. That is how we differentiate the word of knowledge from the word of wisdom.
The Word of Knowledge Does not Require any Actions
Secondly, the word of knowledge does not require any action. It doesn’t require anything. You don’t need to do anything.
However, the word of wisdom requires immediate or future action. Right! It always requires either immediate action or future action or something that will happen immediately, or it will happen in the future.
And we just saw that with Agabus too, whereby immediately he was blind. Similarly, I just remember, the Holy Ghost just brought something to my mind when Saul, he was Saul then, Saul of Tarsus was on his way to Damascus. The word of wisdom came to him and immediately he was blind.
And then later on too, when the Lord sent Ananias to speak to Saul and he laid his hands on him and said Brother Saul, the Lord who you met in the way has sent me to speak to you, then the scales fell from his eyes. That wasn’t the word of wisdom.
That was the word of wisdom from God, through Ananias. And again, Ananias was a leader in the church, and he was filled with the Holy Ghost and it motivated faith in Apostle Paul because Paul was filled with Holy Ghost instantly and he was baptized in the name of Jesus. My God, it’s all coming together. This is really the word of God and I’m always excited about this.
Knowledge Vs. The Word of Knowledge
Wonderful! Man! Now finally, a pastor teaches knowledge but the Holy Ghost gives the word of knowledge. One of the functions of a pastor is to teach knowledge and understanding to the congregation. We find that in (Jeremiah 3:15).
Yeah. That’s one of the purposes of the pastor to teach knowledge and understanding to the congregation, (Jeremiah 3:15).
But the word of knowledge is not something that we were taught. It’s not something that we learn. It’s something that God gives us instantly in a situation.
Similarly, but this wisdom that’s from God, It comes immediately from him just as how the word of knowledge comes from him.
It’s not something that we retrieve from someplace we had it stored before unless we were going to retrieve it from the Holy Ghost, but we don’t have that power. We don’t have the will to retrieve things at will from God.
He has to give it to us. It’s not automatic that you just pull it down from God. Now he said has to deposit it into us. He must say, here speak a minute portion of my wisdom; speak to the people and they will believe in me.
The Final Thing
I said that was the final thing, but that’s not the final thing. So now, let’s go to the next point. All prophets of the Lord utilize the word of knowledge. Yes! However, using the word of knowledge does not make a believer a prophet of God, because you realize, a prophet is a person who speaks for God, God speaks through him.
In olden times, they would say thus saith the Lord. As I said before. So it’s saying, the Lord is saying, so if it’s thus saith the Lord, it’s the Lord speaking and he is speaking, through a select person, a leader. If it wasn’t a leader in the church, then a selected leader.
So all prophets of the Lord utilized the word of knowledge. God, give them a word for a situation. The Old Testament and the New Testament is replete with examples of these. However, using the word of knowledge does not make a believer or a leader a prophet.
Every Pastor is a Teacher
No, because that’s a separate office. You have apostles and prophets. So unless the person is an apostle and most, almost every time an apostle is also a prophet.
But a pastor is first a pastor and then a teacher. Always! Every pastor is a teacher, but not every teacher is a pastor.
I am a teacher. Nobody has to tell me that I’m a teacher of the word of God. I know this! I’ve known it for years. I’m a teacher, but I’m not a pastor (Ephesians 4:1).
I just proved my point. Alright.
So this week, or today, as you read your Bible. Try to identify leaders, uttering the word of knowledge.
See if you can identify any instance in the Bible as you read, as you do your daily reading of the scriptures, see if you can identify leaders, uttering any instance of the word of knowledge.
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Updated:- 2022-12-24
