The Gift of Knowledge from the Spirit of the Lord

Good day Beloved! I have reached the gift that I believe gives us the ability to discern between right and wrong; the ability to teach others what is right and wrong ; and the ability to lead by example. 

 

Key Note– Having knowledge means being planted in the Word of God. Was not the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil planted by God? Read Genesis 2:8-9. How ironic is that?  “good and evil” is known to us as ‘right and wrong’ growing on the Tree of Knowledge.   There’s your thought for the day!   😛

At the end of the day, it allows us to DO what is right, because we KNOW what is right. Knowledge defines our character and it defines a relationship of spiritual obedience to the Lord. We are to GROW in knowledge of the Lord.

 

Before moving forward, let me share with you part of a sermon given by Frederick Lewis Donaldson in Westminster Abbey, London, on March 20, 1925:

“The Seven Social Sins are:

Wealth without work.

Pleasure without conscience.

Knowledge without character.

Commerce without morality.

Science without humanity.

Worship without sacrifice.

Politics without principle.

Knowledge- “Through God’s words we gain an understanding that God is the one who gives the gift of knowledge- that is an understanding or awareness of something. The Lord however, grants knowledge to those who have an honest relationship with him.” – Courtesy of Biblegateway

So many times in our lives we roam around thinking that we know everything about everything there is to know about everything. Is that sensible? Is that spiritual?

It is sensible to us when we study certain subjects, yet we will never know all there is to know about any one subject. AND… If we think we know everything there is to know about a certain subject we would probably be sufferers of the mental condition known as egoism. That is just plain old worldly general knowledge. The Lord does not want  His people to be lack in His knowledge. His people need to go beyond the realm of general knowledge. We are to gain spiritual knowledge. You know what He said in Hosea 4:6.

It is spiritual to us when we “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15) This describes a person that has an “honest relationship with” God. Such a person KNOWS without a doubt that “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”(John 4:24) Worshipping Him in Spirit and Truth gives the Gift of Knowledge from the Spirit of the Lord, its CHARACTER. (TYHS)

The person that receives this gift is one that is very well-versed in the Word of God. He/she is not only a hearer, or speaker/translator of the word, but is also a doer of the word that he/she makes knowledgeable to others. Such a person has the ability to speak TRUTH where and when truth is needed. I would say that this person have good memorization and recitation skills about the scriptures. Most of us have the knowledge to memorize and recite, but fail to do. (TYHS) What good is it that a man memorizes and recites scriptures but does not what God instructed him to do? Guilty as charged, I am.

Here is something else I found about the manifestation of this gift in others, courtesy of http://www.yourspiritualgifts.com/gift-of-knowledge.html :

Characteristics of Those with This Gift:

– Have a large storehouse of biblical knowledge

– Have a habit of regularly reading and studying the Scriptures and delight in discovering new biblical truths

– Love research and do not mind long hours of biblical study

– Are concerned about biblical accuracy in presentations (class, sermon, devotional)

– Are conscientious about following God’s will and being obedient

Finally beloved, let us remember that each one of the gifts mentioned in Isaiah 11:1-3 were rested upon Jesus by the Spirit of the Lord. We have yet to attain such a position with the Spirit of the Lord to receive all the gifts at once. Let us also remember this fact if nothing else about the gift of knowledge-

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is knowledge in its greatest, truest, and ONLY form.

Paul confirms this in 1 Corinthians 1:4-7- “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Peter also tells us in 2 Peter 3:18-“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…” and if we believe in God’s law, we ask, and He will “teach us knowledge and good judgement.”(Psalm 119:66)

 

 picture courtesy of planetarians.com

A Bonus Note– In the beginning and in the end to receive such a gift from the Spirit of the Lord you must “ … be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2) After all, the mind is where knowledge is stored/planted and used.

I Love You

Love Covers A Multitude of Sins

The Gift of Understanding from the Spirit of the Lord- Isaiah 11:2-3

Understanding-(n)1.mental process of a person who comprehends; comprehension; personal interpretation: 2. intellectual faculties; intelligence; mind:

 

After reading the definition of understanding, right away, I knew where this post was going. We are a planet filled with anxiety. Anxiety is a mind issue; a mental process, right? Understanding is a thing of the mind. Oh, but wait, what does the bible tell us about it?  Per the bible, wisdom and understanding go heart in heart and mind in heart. The Spirit of God is telling me that it is spiritual. Other informational items will tell us that understanding is purely psychological.

Wiki Moment Understanding (also called intellection) is a psychological process related to an abstract or physical object, such as a person, situation, or message whereby one is able to think about it and use concepts to deal adequately with that object. Understanding is a relation between the knower and an object of understanding. Understanding implies abilities and dispositions with respect to an object of knowledge sufficient to support intelligent behavior.[1] An understanding is the limit of a conceptualization. To understand something is to have conceptualized it to a given measure. Ex.- 2.A psychiatrist understands another person’s anxieties if he/she knows that person’s anxieties, their causes, and can give useful advice on how to cope with the anxiety.

Note to self… A psychiatrist “can give useful advice on how to cope…” not heal.

One reason that people are reacting to one another out of fear is due to psychological misunderstandings. It is sound to believe that ANXIETY is running this world amuck, we are coping, i.e. getting by.  Even a few patients do not discuss their deepest angst with their psychiatrist/physician because some patients believe no one understands exactly what they are feeling, nor knows what the patient really thinks.  But then,  there is God who knows and understands all. For he said “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, (Jer. 17:10) “…and for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts…” (1 Chr. 28:9) Therefore, it is the Spirit of the Lord that gives us complete understanding to do, not just useful advice on how to cope.

The human race is a very anxious race. We think we understand, but we really don’t because of mind issues. What we need to grasp here is that our personal interpretation means nothing to God. The Holy Spirit is our Interpreter, our Translator, our Linguist – do you get it?  Whose interpretation of our mind and heart is important for us to receive the gift of understanding?

I don’t believe that the bible ever teaches us to just cope without understanding. There is only ONE Psychiatrist/Physician that can give us the gift of understanding period. Paul said “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:6-7) I am guilty of not heeding this advice during many situations and have been broken down. Have you been guilty and broken down? Even as Christians we can be stubborn as all get-out. It has a lot to do with what and why we think the way we do…it’s a symptom of an anxious mind and an absence of the Holy Spirit working within us. 

An anxious mind with the wrong mindset can cause us to experience independence from the Spirit of the Lord. Guilty as charged. Before the Spirit of the Lord appeared, Paul  had the wrong mindset at one time in his life. God had to break him down and take away his physical and psychological sight and give him spiritual sight into understanding the mindset of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (TYHS)

A Key– It occurred to me that animals possess an understanding of survival.  I was reading my Animal Encyclopedia to learn about various habits. Let me tell you about the dik-dik animal. It is a small species of the antelope living in many parts of Africa. Their name comes from the sound the female(wisdom…ha ha) makes when alarmed. Needless to say, hunters dislike them because of their ability to alert other animals of a hunter’s presence. They live to see another day.

A Key Point– Using the gift of understanding is a survival skill. When the gift is resting upon us from the Spirit of the Lord, we would be able to alert others of the presence of  hunters that want to prey on us; hunters that want to separate us from the love and understanding of God. It is biblically clear that when one receives the gift of understanding, it is then that one is drawn closer to God. One can become clear of self and understand what God’s will is to live eternally in His kingdom.(TYHS)

Now, let me quiet self and share with you a few verses with thoughts about the gift of understanding.  The 1 Corinthians verse below is used to focus on understanding period, not understanding the gift of speaking in tongues. 🙂

• Proverbs 8:1 – Understanding raises wisdom’s voice. Understanding is her helper.
• Job 28:28 – Knowing how to shun evil is a gift of understanding from the Lord’s Spirit.
• Ephesians 4:17-19 – When we live with the futility of our thinking, we are darkened in our understanding. Misunderstanding occurs due to the hardness of our hearts.
• 1 Corinthians 14:11-17 – The gift of understanding is not just for your benefit. It is to be used to build up the body of believers.
• 1 Samuel 8:10 – We need to experience what Hannah experienced until our heart and mind is just opened to God only. We must become broken to receive the gift of understanding.

Thank you for stopping in and allowing me to share my thoughts with you.

I Love You

Love Covers A Multitude of Sins

https://talkativeangel.wordpress.com/2015/07/28/gifts-from-the-spirit-of-the-lord/

https://talkativeangel.wordpress.com/2015/07/31/the-gift-of-wisdom-from-the-spirit-of-the-lord/

Gifts from the Spirit of the Lord

I’ve been studying the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and wanted to share with you some thoughts. Remember my thoughts may not be your thoughts.  We will be on the ONE some day soon. 😛

For seven (7) weeks beginning in August, I will walk with the Holy Spirit to learn more about these gifts. One thing I discovered is that the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit is different from the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Let us not be confused nor words twisted. Jesus was blessed with each of these gifts. If I am correct, I believe that these gifts are enumerated only in the book of Isaiah as follows:

1. Wisdom
2. Understanding
3. Counsel
4. Knowledge
5. Fortitude
6. Piety
7. Fear of the Lord

Isaiah 11:1-3 -And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

 

One thing that stood out to me was the words “the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon”. I received a powerful message concerning those words. (TYHS) One question was answered immediately upon my asking of which I’ll share with you in one of the upcoming blogs. I also have more questions: Is it really important that followers of Christ receive these gifts? If so, then why? What actions constitute one as being a recipient of the gifts? When one is a recipient of a gift, are they more lax than not in using it? If not using it, is the gift removed?

Questions…I am full of them. I will go wherever the Spirit of the Lord leads me on this study. Bear with me and pray for me as I walk my way through the gifts. If you have any thoughts, please share them with me. See you next week.

I Love You

Love Covers A Multitude of Sins