The Charisms: 2 - The Gift of Knowledge

The gift of knowledge (different from the Isaiah gift of knowledge), is a gift by which the Spirit gives a person a deeper understanding of a mystery of faith, or specific knowledge about a person or situation that could not be known, unless God revealed it.

We see Jesus using this gift often. On one occasion, Jesus stopped by in Samaria for a drink of water and engaged in a conversation with a woman who had come to draw water from the well. He knew that she had five husbands (cf. John 4:18-19) without her having spoken of it. One another occasion, Jesus told a man named Nathaniel that He had seen him sitting under the fig tree a little while earlier, even though Jesus had not even been near the area at the time (cf. John 1:47-48).

The gift of knowledge operates by faith and is received in one’s spirit, not intellect or emotions. It may be shared with the person to whom it is related and is an invaluable asset in the ministry of counseling. The gift can be used for a variety of other purposes too. It helps to reveal sin as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira (cf. Acts 5:1-10), and in the case of King David (cf. 2 Samuel 12:1-10). The gift can be used to encourage as it encouraged Elijah when he heard God’s voice in the mountain (1 King 19:9-18). It can be used to impart knowledge of future events, as Agabus came to know about a great famine that would sweet over the entire world (Acts 11:28). It can also be used to reveal hidden things—or hidden people—as Samuel located Saul who had tried to conceal himself among baggage! (cf. 1 Samuel 10:22).

This gift very often operates hand in hand with the gift of wisdom. Here are a few other examples of the gift of knowledge in operation, and how the gift of wisdom comes into simultaneous play:

Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream concerning the coming years of plenty and drought and then, with the gift of wisdom, advised Pharaoh of the steps that needed to be taken (cf. Genesis 41:1-36).

Elijah knew that Gehazi had run after Naaman claiming a reward for healing the army general. He then pronounced the judgment of God upon Gehazi through the gift of Wisdom (cf. 2 Kings 5:20-27).

Daniel discovered Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, which the king had refused to reveal, and then interpreted it using the gift of Wisdom (cf Daniel 2:1-47).

God told Ananias of Paul’s conversion through the gift of Knowledge and, using the gift of wisdom, the steps he needed to take (cf. Acts 9:10-16).