The Holy Spirit inspirational gifts continued:
A word of knowledge, and discerning of spirits
A word of knowledge
In the Greek it is a not the word of knowledge. This is when God who is omniscient (i.e. knows everything) chooses to reveal something by his Holy Spirit to a believer so that they can use this information to minister to another. Such a word of knowledge can open up your understanding to minister correctly into the person's situation.
People often put this gift on too high a level! Sometimes you are going about your normal daily business when the Lord lays a burden on your heart for someone or something then He has supernaturally given you knowledge of a situation you otherwise could not know!
The Lord might call you to pray or visit or respond in some other way. This at a basic level is a word of knowledge.
Often after the event you find out that something important happened just at the very time you received and acted on the word of knowledge. God never gives this gift except for a specific purpose, and we should act in faith when it happens i.e. be obedient to the Spirit's leading. (I was once woken up at night s to intercede for a relative who was in danger of a miscarriage- the pregnancy had a successful outcome).
Sometimes people at a meeting will receive a word of knowledge about a health, financial or other problem for someone in the congregation. When the word is given out it promotes faith in the person to receive healing or have their particular need met.
Thus it often is a catalyst to successful personal ministry.
Remember the Samaritan women at the well. The word of knowledge laid bare her whole life causing her to perceive that Jesus was a prophet.
Thee bible teacher the late Roger Price told a story of how (after several false starts) being obedient to prompting of the Holy Spirit led to the conversion of a fellow student.
Sometimes the word or picture we receive can be unusual (e.g. tinned food story). We have just got to be obedient and give them!
Jack Deere tells how one day when counselling one of his bible school students, suddenly saw in his mind the word pornography appearing and then it flashed on and off. He tried to ignore this but after a while he realised that the Lord was giving him a supernatural message. When he eventually gave in and asked the student outright if he was using this type of material, the student eventually came clean and received ministry which completely set him free from this bondage.
Judge the fruit! This is a border line example between a word of knowledge and discerning of spirits.
Discerning of spirits
There is such a thing as natural discernment (as in fictional characters such as Sherlock Holmes or Miss Marple) but the gift of discerning of spirits reveals that which only God can reveal.
Often this gift functions during personal ministry when the Lord reveals the spiritual nature of the root problem which is not apparent in any natural sense.
Jack Deere tells of one young lady who came for prayer for nightmares. Whilst praying Jack received a word of knowledge from the Lord.... 'Don'. It turned out that the young women had been involved in immorality with a man named Don (who was heavily into the occult). The Lord then enabled Jack to discern that the girl had been demonized through this contact. After the spiritual root of the problem was manifested and repentance made, the young woman was set free by prayer and the nightmares stopped!
This gift is vital in the deliverance ministry for unless the Lord supernaturally reveals what the root problem is spiritually speaking, then we are unable to proceed.
Thankfully, the Lord usually gives discerning of spirits because He wants his people to be set free!
Sometimes the Lord gives discerning of spirits to a local church so that they know how to pray specifically and intelligently for their local area or even nation.
Another use of this gift can be when someone is telling you something and the Holy Spirit says that either they are lying or not telling the whole truth. This discernment might just be a warning or else a prompt to confront the person. You need to be led of the Spirit to manage this type of situation. If a doubtful character comes to your church, you might ask the Lord to give you discernment in the matter!
Moving in the inspirational gifts
These three gifts often come to believers as a recurrent thought or feeling, or as a vision (picture). For example you might see a picture of an ear, through which the Lord is showing that someone present has an ear problem and if He is revealing that it is almost certain that He wants to heal that problem. Some people see outlines of a body with just the affected part visible or prominent. Other may see or hear words... 'heart problem' etc. or 'marriage difficulties'. God will have his own way of speaking to you.
Step out in faith and see the supernatural power of the Lord at work in your church and in your personal life! It is a real boost to our faith to see the Lord meet people needs in such a fresh supernatural way!
Amen
Personal Prayer
Referenced authors
Roger Price BBS tape series (no. 95) 'Moving in the gifts of the Holy Spirit-part 2' Chichester Christian Fellowship.
Surprised by the voice of God by Jack Deere (Kingsway 1996).