The Gift of Wisdom, Knowledge, Discernment
IN THE STUDY:
WISDOM. This is the quality of mind that enables a person to live well and to counsel for successful living, particularly with the counsel of God. There is a natural wisdom that makes men cunning and others powerful, that cuts little ice with God (1 Cor. 1:19-21, James 3:15).
But God offers spiritual wisdom to all who ask for it (James 1:15). His gift is available to all who would teach, counsel, preach, or lead in any work of God. It is always an aid to the fulfillment of his will in building up the face of others and the advancement of his Church. Some Christians, however, receive the gift of spiritual wisdom in extraordinary measure.
Stephen had the gift of wisdom and his witness was such that few could argue against it. (Acts 6:10).
KNOWLEDGE. This is the ability to understand the work and word of God and to be able to express it with faith and simplicity. The gift of knowledge is the ability to see beyond the immediate significance of things to the deeper underlying purposes of God. Peter had that personal knowledge of Christ that went far beyond the guesses of others (Matt.16:16).
DISCERNMENT. This is the gift of the Holy Spirit to enable Christians to distinguish between true and false teaching and to distinguish between true and false spirits. (1 Cor. 11:4, 12:10, Gal. 1:6-10). Paul himself had the ability to distinguish truth from falsehood and true spirits from false spirits. He recognised in the slave-girl at Phillipi even through her glowing praise (Acts 16:18) that she was being manipulated by evil.
These gifts of the spirit are rarely mentioned in scripture and were gifts given to some leaders within the early Church.
FROM THE PULPIT:
Every local Church definitely needs men and women who possess the gifts of wisdom, knowledge and discernment.
Solomon prayed for, and received, both the gifts of wisdom and knowledge (2 Chron. 1:11-12). He became internationally famous for both his wisdom and knowledge (1 Kings 10:6-8). However, he did not add to his wisdom and knowledge continued devotion to God, and so on occasions acted less than his best.
How often people with wisdom and knowledge fail to live up to their own abilities. Many people may be wise in public and foolish in their personal lives.
The Church desperately needs people who can exercise their mutual talents and who seek the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Wisdom, knowledge and discernment are desperately needed in many Churches. Too many good businessmen fail their Church by leaving their brains at home when they attend a Church Business Meeting. Many Churches act foolishly because those in leadership do not seek the insights which are available through constant devotion to God. Wisdom and Knowledge are not only necessary in property and financial matters within the Church but also in dealing with false teachings and many cults in the community. In an era when interest in the occult is at an all time high we need Christian people who have the gift of distinguishing between truth and falsehood.
AMONG THE PEOPLE:
My Professor of Philosophy at Melbourne University was an elderly man, a distinguished academic, and an author of note. But Professor A. Boyce Gibson was not only an internationally known philosopher, but an excellent teacher as well. Then I discovered he had something more. For some time I puzzled over it until one day he spoke about his personal faith and commitment to Jesus Christ and I recognised that through his ability as a philosopher he also possessed the Christian gift of the Holy Spirit of wisdom.
The gift of knowledge, may be given to Christians, in a special way by the Holy Spirit, for the benefit of others. Some people have the ability to understand events and their significance beyond that of the rest of us. In an unconfirmed report I read by Rick Yohn, Billy Graham was troubled about President John F. Kennedy’s trip to Dallas, Texas. On the day that Kennedy was due to leave Graham rang the White House and requested that the trip be cancelled. Graham believed that God had given him special insight into a tragedy that was about to happen. The President’s assistants thanked the evangelist for his concern but did not cancel the trip. The next day Kennedy was assassinated. Was this an example of the special gift of knowledge? Is this E.S.P? Or what?
To distinguish between the spirits of good and evil is not a gift sought by many. But missionaries in remote areas tell of the supply by the Holy Spirit of this gift to aid their work. Those working in the concrete jungles of huge cities where so much wickedness is perpetuated under the guise of good could well do to be armed with the gift of discernment as their missionary counterparts.
