Last Sunday, we looked at one of the revelation gifts: “The Word of Knowledge.” Today we want to look at another revelation gift – the gift of the Word of Wisdom.”
It is not wisdom in the affairs of life. For instance, in the beginning of Joshua’s ministry, God told him that the key to success lies in meditating on the Word of God, and by so doing, he would obtain wisdom in the affairs of this life (Josh. 1:8).
Another translation puts Joshua 1:8 as follows, “…Thou shall make thy way prosperous and thou shall be able to deal wisely in the affairs of life.”
Here is the point: There is a wisdom that is gained through the knowledge of God’s Word, but that is not the supernatural manifestation of the gift of the Word of Wisdom.
For instance, Solomon’s wisdom was not a manifestation of the Word of Wisdom. Solomon’s wisdom was given to him by God because he asked God for it (1 Ki. 3:9-13).
God has promised in His Word that this general wisdom to deal in the affairs of this life is available to everyone who will ask for it. God will impart wisdom.
James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks the wisdom to deal in the affairs of life, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraided not; and it shall be given him.”
When God sees it fit to reveal His own mind, His purpose and plan to man in a supernatural way, He does so by this supernatural manifestation of the Word of Wisdom.
The gift of the Word of Wisdom is not given to everyone (1 Cor. 12:8) unlike the one in Joshua 1:8 which is given to everyone to be able to deal wisely in the affairs of life.
The Word of Wisdom therefore is, a supernatural revelation by the Spirit of God concerning the divine purpose of God in the mind and will of God. In this way God reveals His plan and purpose for the future. In reality, it is a revelation of the future given to us through the Holy Spirit of God.
God has all wisdom and all knowledge. He knows the end from the beginning. He knows everything, but never reveals to anybody everything He knows. He just gives to the one He decides to give a WORD of what He knows. That is to say that God reveals to man only the WORD, or the part, that He wants him to know.
How do revelation gifts come? Prophecy can be the vehicle through which other gifts flow. For instance, it can be the vehicle through which the Word of Wisdom comes. The Old Testament prophets had to have the Word of Wisdom in manifestation in their ministries to be able to stand in the office of the prophet because he made predictions concerning the future. The simple gift of prophecy does not include with it the element of predicting or foreseeing into the future. The prediction the Old Testament prophets gave, even though it came by prophecy, was actually a Word of Wisdom in operation because they were predicting about the future.
Sometimes the Word of Wisdom is conveyed through the vehicle of prophecy, but it isn’t really prophecy in and of itself. There is no element of predicting or foretelling in the simple gift of prophecy (1 Cor 14:3). Therefore, you can confidently tell when an utterance is no longer a simple gift of prophecy in operation because it will include some revelation in it.
Revelation gifts can also come through those who are called into the fivefold ministry (Eph. 4:11-12), but will more frequently manifest in the office of the prophet.
The Word of Wisdom can come through the vocal gift of utterance - through prophecy or through tongues and interpretation.
The Word of Wisdom can come through a vision, or by a dream. For instance, in the Old Testament Joseph received a Word of Wisdom through a dream which revealed to him God’s plan and purpose for his future (Gen. 37).
Moses received the revelation of the Law in an audible Voice as God gave him the Law. The Law concerned God’s purpose for Israel. Therefore, this was the Word of Wisdom in demonstration.
This is also true of the prophets of the Old Testament prophesied many things concerning the future of Israel, the New Testament, the coming Messiah, and even the events yet to be fulfilled. They conveyed it through prophecy, but it was actually a Word of Wisdom they manifested because it foretold future events.
Examples of how the gift of the Word of Wisdom is manifested abound in the Scriptures:
1. Noah received a Word of Wisdom. The gift of the Word of Wisdom was used to warn people concerning future judgment or danger. For instance, Noah received a Word of Wisdom concerning danger and future judgment on the world through flood, and he built the ark to save his household (Gen. 6:13-18).
The same was true for Lot and his family who were saved when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:29).
2. Joseph received a Word of Wisdom through a dream. This revealed God’s plan and purpose for him for the future (Gen. 37:5–11).
God spoke to Joseph in dreams concerning his future (Gen 37-50). Joseph knew about his calling and God’s plan and purpose for his life through the Word of Wisdom. In Genesis 45:5-7 Joseph said to his brothers, “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve you posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”
3. Prophet Agabus prophesied and foretold a great famine throughout all the world (Acts 11:27-30). “And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. 30 This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.”
4. Prophet Agabus received another Word of Wisdom. He foretold what would happen to Apostle Paul in Jerusalem and it certainly did come to pass (Acts 21:10-11). Notice the word “so shall….” in verse 11. “Shall” refers to the future. The Word of Wisdom tells of something that is going to happen in the future.
When any revelation is given by the unction of the Holy Spirit, it is always a Word of Wisdom, a Word of Knowledge, or the discerning of spirits because these are the only three gifts of revelation.
5. Paul also received a Word of Wisdom. On his way to Rome in a ship to appeal to Caesar, a violent storm arose. He had a Word of Wisdom for those on board the ship before they ever set sail.
He said, “…I perceive that the voyage will be with hurt and much damage….” (Acts 27:10). At the time Paul said this there was no sign of any danger, so they ignored what he said and still set sail.
If those in the ship had listened to what God was saying through Apostle Paul, they would not have lost their ship and goods. Failing to heed his warning they eventually had to loose everything. All hope that they would be saved was gone. But in the midst of such a hopeless situation, Paul stood his ground because he has heard from Heaven.
This wisdom concerning the future which Paul had was by supernatural revelation. God revealed it to Paul and Paul in turn revealed it to those who were with him on the ship what was going to happen.
Here, the Word of Wisdom is given to assure us of coming deliverance in the time of calamity.
6 The entire Book of Revelation is a Word of Wisdom. Therefore, the Word of Wisdom is a revelation concerning the FUTURE. This piece of information is given to us through the Holy Spirit of God.
As we learn to yield to God, His plans and His purposes will be revealed to us through the Word of Wisdom as His Spirit wills.
Watch out for the next edition of Good News from the Pulpit!
Your friend: I. I. MADUBUNYI (Senior Pastor)
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