The revelation gifts are so called because they reveal something. The most important of all the revelation gifts is the gift of the word of wisdom. All three revelation gifts may manifest together. They flow one into another and the purpose for dividing them is to study the peculiarities of each gift.
The Word of Wisdom
The word of wisdom is a revelation of the mind of God pertaining to things in the future. A word is a part of a sentence. A word of wisdom is a part of the total knowledge of God concerning the future. God does not reveal everything to His vessels. He only reveals whatever is required for ministry purposes. Gehazi knew that Elisha did not know everything all the time. When he lied to Naaman, he was hoping that it would be one of those times when Elisha did not operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit (2 Kgs. 5:20-27). Elisha admitted that the Lord has not revealed what has happened to the widow’s son (2 Kgs. 4:27).
When Agabus the
prophet operated in the word of wisdom, he revealed that there was going to be
a famine (Acts 11:28). There was an ‘anointing upon’ when he operated the word
of wisdom. Agabus prophesied by the Holy Spirit, not by his human spirit, that
there was going to be a famine. It was the voice of the Holy Spirit he heard
and not merely the voice of the human spirit. In prophesying about Paul’s
imprisonment, Agabus used the phrase ‘thus says the Holy Spirit (Acts 21:11).
The word of wisdom is a revelation imparted through hearing the voice of the
Holy Spirit.
The voice of the
human spirit speaking to us concerning things of the future is not an operation
of the word of wisdom but it is an operation of spiritual wisdom. It is an
operation of the anointing within rather than the anointing upon. Paul received
a revelation with his human spirit that there was going to be disaster if the
ship which he was on set sail (Acts 27:10). He did not use a ‘thus says the
Lord’ but rather said that he perceived. We should not use a ‘thus says the
Lord’ loosely.
In his writings,
Paul understood the difference between revelations received via the voice of
the Holy Spirit and revelations via the human spirit. Whenever an instruction
was from the Holy Spirit, he said that it was the Lord who commanded it (1 Cor.
7:10). Whenever an instruction was from his own perception through his human
spirit, he said that it was him who was giving the advice (1 Cor. 7:12). In a
general sense, all the work of the Holy Spirit is through our human spirits
(Rom. 1:9). However, the gifts of the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit
ministering through us while the guidance we receive from the human spirit is
the Holy Spirit ministering to us.
Spiritual Wisdom
In Joseph’s time, the Pharaoh of Egypt had a dream. The dream was a word of wisdom concerning a coming famine but nobody could interpret it except for Joseph (Gen. 41:1-28). After Joseph interpreted the dream, he advised Pharaoh to collect the excess grain during the years of plenty (Gen. 41:33-37). Joseph operated spiritual wisdom when he gave advice to Pharaoh. Spiritual wisdom is necessary for the successful application of God’s commandments and also in dealing with the affairs of this life.
Sometimes we may
receive a word of wisdom which we do not understand fully. The prophets in the
Old Testament spoke about the coming of the Messiah without understanding much
of what they spoke (1 Pet. 1:10-12). The disciples at Tyre sensed that there
was impending danger for Paul in Jerusalem and try to persuade Paul not to go
(Acts 21:4). What they sensed was correct but what they deduced was wrong. It
was the Will of God that he go to Jerusalem (Acts 20:22). Jesus even appeared
after his imprisonment to encourage him that he must from there testify in
Jerusalem and in Rome (Acts 23:11).
After Agabus gave
the prophecy concerning Paul’s imprisonment, the disciples with Paul tried to
persuade him not to go to Jerusalem (Acts 21:12). The word of wisdom was from
the Lord but the interpretation was wrong. God did not prevent Paul from going
to Jerusalem. He told Paul what to expect in Jerusalem. The word of wisdom was
given to confirm and encourage Paul that when imprisonments take place, he was
still in God’s perfect Will. We need spiritual wisdom to apply the word of
wisdom.
Peter received a word of knowledge about what
Ananias and Sapphira had done (Acts 5:1-11). There was no natural way by which
Peter could have access to such knowledge. He received it supernaturally by the
Holy Spirit. Elisha through the word of knowledge knew everything the king of
Syria discussed in his bedroom (2 Kgs. 6:8-12).
Jesus operated
through the word of knowledge extensively in his ministry. He took a look at
Peter and called him by his name as well as gave him a new name (Jn. 1:42). He
knew by the word of knowledge that the woman at the well had had five husbands
and the one whom she lived with was not her husband (Jn. 4:18). He knew all men
(Jn. 2:24). The thoughts of many hearts were revealed to Him (Lk.
2:35;5:22;6:8;9:47).
Spiritual Knowledge
The word of
knowledge is not the same as spiritual knowledge. Spiritual knowledge is
acquired through growing spiritually whereas the word of knowledge is given as
a gift instantaneously. We increase in spiritual knowledge through the
exceedingly great and precious promises given to us (2 Pet. 1:2-4). Spiritual
knowledge increases in proportion to the development of our spirit man.
Sometimes through
spiritual knowledge, we can perceive some things. This is not the operation of
the word of knowledge but rather the operation of spiritual knowledge. It is
the voice of our human spirit and not the voice of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual
knowledge operates through the anointing within whereas the word of knowledge
operates through the anointing upon.
We can know things by our human spirit. Those
things that we know by the human spirit should never be given with a ‘thus says
the Lord.’ We should rather learn to say ‘I perceive.’ Peter through his
experience and spiritual knowledge said that he perceived the spiritual
condition of Simon the magician (Acts 8:21-23). He perceived that Simon was
poisoned by bitterness and poisoned by iniquity.
Many Christians do
not differentiate the distinctions between the word of knowledge and spiritual
knowledge. They end up in both doctrinal error and wrong practices. Every inner
impression and perception is given as a word of knowledge with a ‘thus says the
Lord.’ When subsequent events prove them wrong, they bring reproach to the
precious Name of Christ.
Christians should
learn the difference between the voice of the human spirit and the voice of the
Holy Spirit. They should also learn the difference between the anointing within
and the anointing upon. Without a spiritual development to differentiate between
the two, there will be many inaccuracies in the operation of the gifts of the
Holy Spirit.
The gift of
discerning of spirits is not just the ability to see demons. Discerning of
spirits is the supernatural ability imparted by the Holy Spirit to see into the
spiritual world. It is the ability to see spirits whether they be angels, God
or demons. Anyone who claims this gift and only sees demons under every chair
is more operating under a spirit of suspicion and fear rather than of the Holy
Spirit.
There are three
main operations of discerning of spirits: close vision, open vision and
spiritual vision. These are the three types of visions that are received when
this gift operates. All the three types of visions can come in three
categories: the allegorical vision, the message vision and the plain vision.
The close vision
is where a person receives the gifts of discerning of spirits in a trance-like
state. The physical senses of the person are temporarily suspended. Only the
spiritual senses of the person are alert. The person is totally unaware of what
is taking place in the physical realm. When the apostle Paul was in this type
of vision, he was not sure whether he was in the body or in the spirit (2 Cor.
12:2). Peter was in a trance when he received a close vision concerning the
Gentiles (Acts 10:10-16). Dreams are a type of close vision because the
physical senses of the body are suspended.
In the open
vision, the spiritual realm is opened to the person while the person is fully
conscious of the physical realm. The person sees both the spiritual realm and
the physical realm simultaneously. Zacharias through an open vision saw an
angel of God standing on the right side of the incense altar (Lk. 1:11). Peter
through an open vision saw an angel of God who led him out of the prison (Acts
12:6-11).
The spiritual
vision is the lowest type of vision but the highest type of revelation. It is
the lowest type of vision because it is more like a mental vision. Precisely,
it is seeing with the inner eyes of the spirit man. It is the highest type of
revelation because it takes a greater faith to obey a spiritual vision than to
obey a close vision or an open vision.
Paul saw a
spiritual vision of Ananias coming to lay hands on him while he was still
conscious of the physical realm and of his inability to physically see (Acts
9:11, 12). This type of vision is usually seen with the eyes closed. With
spiritual training and development, a person can receive it with his physical
eyes open. It is sometimes what people called a ‘mini vision’ or a ‘flash
vision.’ The mental image flashes as quick as lightning on the screen of the
imagination.
The first category
of visions is the allegorical vision. In this type of vision, all that is seen
in the vision is symbolic. It is like a parable and it needs interpretation.
Daniel saw visions of beasts and animals which represent various countries (Dan.
7:4-7; 8:4-8). Peter saw a vision of unclean animals that represented the
Gentiles (Acts 10:11, 12). It is this category of vision that is the most
difficult to interpret. The interpretation of this type of vision must be also
given by the Holy Spirit.
One of the
cardinal laws of interpreting this vision is that all the symbolism in the
vision must be in line with the Word of God. For example, if a snake or a dog
represents something evil in the Bible, any symbolic snake or dog in the
allegorical vision must be interpreted as representing evil. It is important,
when we have received this category of vision, to learn to wait on God for the
right interpretation.
The second
category of visions is the message vision. This particular vision seeks to impart
a key message. It is not allegorical because it is not symbolic. Neither is it
a plain vision because events will not be fulfilled precisely as seen in the
vision. Paul had a message vision when he was waiting in Troas. He saw a
Macedonian man calling him to come over and help them (Acts 16:9).
Paul understood
that it was not a plain vision because when he reached Macedonia, he did not
look for the man he saw in the vision. Instead, his first ministry in Macedonia
was to the ladies (Acts 16:13). The message vision carries only one prime
message to the recipient. The key message that Paul received from his
Macedonian vision was that God wanted him to go to Macedonia.
The third category
of visions is the plain vision. In this vision, all things - persons, events,
environments - must come to pass exactly as seen in the vision. Even the
clothing of the people we see in such visions must be exact. Unlike the other
two categories of visions, the plain vision does not need any interpretation.
It will be fulfilled precisely as seen in the vision. Paul saw a plain vision
of Ananias coming in to lay hands on him (Acts 9:12).
Spiritual Discernment
Many people confused the gift of discerning of spirits with spiritual discernment. The gift of discerning of spirits is a gift of the Holy Spirit which operates only when the anointing upon is manifested. Spiritual discernment is the consequent development of the human spirit brought about gradually by spiritual growth. Spiritual discernment is a development of the anointing within.
As we grow
spiritually, we should have our spiritual senses trained to discern between
good and evil (Heb. 5:14). Paul prayed that the love of the Philippians would
grow in discernment (Phil. 1:9). The anointing within us will help us in
spiritual discernment (1 Jn. 2:27). It is a necessary part of the Christian
life to discern right from wrong. The ability to discern is developed through
prayer and meditation on the Word of God.
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| AB Ashok |
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