1 Corinthians 12:7-8 - ”Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit…” 

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are a very important characteristic of the Work that the Lord performs.  Even so, it is very important to be able to discern between what is from the Lord and what is not from the Lord, and to handle the operation of spiritual gifts properly.  Otherwise, we are doomed to have unnecessary disappointments.   continue

1 Corinthians 12:7-8 - ”Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit…”

When churches try to have spiritual gifts without wisdom controlling them, horrible results follow.

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James 3:17 lists seven attributes of heavenly wisdom: “it is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”   This sermon looks at these seven traits.

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1 Corinthians 12:7-8 - ”Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit…”

The gift of knowledge is when the Holy Spirit reveals things about the present moment that we could not have known otherwise.  It is not a revelation about the FUTURE – that would be the gift of prophecy, which we discuss in another lesson.  It is a specific revelation about things going on around us, right at this moment, which our eyes cannot see.  The gift of knowledge is a miraculous occurrence, a true revelation, not just human insight, intelligence, or information.  

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1 Corinthians 12:7-8 - ”Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit…”

The gift of knowledge is is a specific revelation about things going on around us, right at this moment, which our eyes cannot see.  The gift of knowledge is a miraculous occurrence, a true revelation, not just human insight, intelligence, or information.  It is when the Holy Spirit reveals things about the present moment that we could not have known otherwise. 

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1 Corinthians 12:7-8 - “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit…”

The gift of knowledge is when the Holy Spirit reveals things about the present moment that we could not have known otherwise.   How does the gift of knowledge occur?  There are three ways: through dreams, visions, and specific revelations(words the Spirit speaks into our hearts).  These should be a regular part of the life of the church.  Not everyone will have these three types of experiences.  Some may have dreams but no visions, while others may have revelations but no dreams, and so on.  All three of these means occurred in the New Testament church as well. 

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1 Corinthians 12:7-9 - ”Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit…”

Paul includes the “gift of faith” as one of the nine spiritual gifts that he lists in 1 Corinthians 12.  We have other lessons explaining the other eight gifts.  This lesson focuses on the gift of faith.

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“To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit…” - 1 Corinthians 12:8-9

Healing is not a ministry.  It is one of the nine spiritual gifts.  There is no biblical basis for “healing ministries,” despite how fashionable these are today.  Some who claim to have a “healing ministry” are actually operating a faith-healing business, where people give money in exchange for a healing.  The Holy Spirit may indeed use certain people in the spiritual gift of healing more than He uses others.  Even so, there is no “ministry” of healing.  The only “ministries” in the New Testament are the five listed in Ephesians 4:11 – apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.       continue

1 Corinthians 12:7-10 - ”To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy…” 

The Bible is full of stories of great miracles (some English Bibles use the word “wonders,” which means the same thing).  These start with God creating the world out of nothing in Genesis 1.  The Bible ends with God replacing the present earth and heavens with a New Heavens and a New Earth, another amazing wonder.  Today, the Spirit still operates miracles as believers pray.  Christians in every country have seen amazing demonstrations of God’s power in their land. continue

1 Corinthians 12:7-10 - ”To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy…” 

We must out our priorities in their proper place.  Miracles are not the greatest gift, but they are something the Spirit does indeed do in our midst.  

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