How Did Elisha Know? The Word of Wisdom and the Word of Knowledge

Sermon outline

Through the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge the Holy Spirit reveals God's plans and hidden facts no one could know naturally, and He does it for believers who make Him their friend and dare to believe God.

1. Don't be ignorant about spiritual gifts

   Spiritual gifts are not a matter of luck. Only by the Holy Ghost can someone confess that Jesus is Lord, and the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the profit of the whole body: when one is healed, or a tongue is interpreted, the whole church is edified. The nine gifts fall into three groups of three: revelation gifts (the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, discerning of spirits), power gifts (faith, working of miracles, gifts of healing) and inspirational or vocal gifts (prophecy, diverse kinds of tongues, interpretation of tongues).

   “Paul the apostle said, I do not want you to be ignorant concerning spiritual gifts.”

   • 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

2. The word of wisdom: a recap

   The word of wisdom is a supernatural revelation or insight into the divine will and purpose of God, showing how to solve any problem that may arise. He reviews last week's examples: Solomon and the two mothers, Noah told to build the ark, Joseph seeing God's plan in his suffering, Agabus foretelling the famine and Paul's arrest, the shepherds told of the Messiah, Paul's conversion, and Paul's warning before the shipwreck, when an angel showed him that no one would perish.

   “The word of wisdom is the supernatural revelation or insight into the divine will and purpose of God, showing how to solve any problem that may arise.”

   • 1 Kings 3:16-28
   • Genesis 6:13-22
   • Genesis 45:5-8
   • Acts 11:28
   • Acts 21:10-11
   • Luke 2:10-11
   • Acts 26:12-18
   • Acts 27:9-10
   • Acts 27:21-25

3. The word of knowledge defined: Samuel and Eli

   The word of knowledge is a supernatural revelation of divine knowledge or insight into the divine mind or plan, and also the plans of others, that man could not know of himself. You don't search it out; the Spirit suddenly shows you. God called the boy Samuel in what sounded like Eli's voice and revealed His judgment on Eli's house because Eli did not restrain his sons, which is why there must be correction in the house of God.

   “Suddenly you know.”

   • 1 Samuel 3:7-15

4. Elisha, Ananias, Peter and John

   The king of Syria thought one of his servants was a spy, but Elisha was telling the king of Israel the words he spoke in his bedchamber. The Lord told Ananias the street, the house and the name of the praying Saul; the Spirit arranged Peter's meeting with Cornelius through a vision; and John saw and was told the meaning of the seven stars and candlesticks. God can show you a face, a name, a condition, someone plotting against you, which job to apply for or which way to turn.

   Illustration: He says the church's building was found through a dream: there was no 'for sale' sign, but he dreamed of a man's face, felt led to a bookstore in town the next morning and met that man getting into his car; the man told him the owner wanted to sell, and the owner asked how he knew. Years ago, before a home cell, he saw three clouds, black, red and white; the Lord explained that someone there was oppressed, that the blood of Jesus could set them free, and that they would be white as snow, and a visitor raised her hand to say it was her.

   “Did he get a fax? Did he get an email? He knew by the Spirit of God.”

   • 2 Kings 6:8-12
   • Acts 9:11-12
   • Acts 10:9-23
   • Revelation 1:10-20

5. Make the Holy Spirit your friend

   The Holy Spirit is a real person in the Godhead: your Comforter, Counsellor, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener and Standby. Welcome Him in the morning, invite Him into your work, and say good night to Him at night. People are fickle: the crowd that cried 'Hosanna' later cried 'crucify Him', and Jesus did not commit Himself to any man, so love people but commit yourself to the Holy Spirit. He is the real pastor of the church, and a committee of carnal men cannot run it.

   Illustration: Praying, he has felt a strong wind pass him, seen a shadow go by, smelt fresh bread and roses. In a house troubled by a tokoloshe, a strong wind went across the room and out through the window, nearly knocking him and the brother with him over, and the tokoloshe was gone. As a working man years ago, the Holy Spirit told him a man he was questioning was lying, and a neighbour confirmed it.

   “So when I'm alone, I'm not alone.”

   • Genesis 1:2
   • John 14:16
   • John 2:24-25
   • Matthew 21:9
   • Matthew 27:21-22

6. Dare to believe God

   Challenges are opportunities to exercise your faith. In one very hard season he told a family member he would believe God even if it killed him, and from that day things changed. God brought water, split the sea and sent quail and manna for Israel; if He did it for them, He will do it for you. Whose report will you believe, the doctor's or the retrenchment letter's? You are anointed, no weapon formed against you will prosper, and your light will shine brighter and brighter.

   “I would rather die believing Him than checking out of here in unbelief.”

   • Exodus 17:6
   • Exodus 14:21
   • Exodus 16:13-15
   • Isaiah 53:1
   • Isaiah 54:17
   • Proverbs 4:18