What Are the Gifts of Wisdom and Knowledge? Understanding Two of the Holy Spirit's Most Overlooked Gifts
Two of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12 are easy to overlook. They don't sound as dramatic as miraculous powers or prophecy. But the message of wisdom and the message of knowledge are just as supernatural, just as important, and just as active today as they were in the early church.
Why Paul Didn't Want the Church to Be Uninformed About Spiritual Gifts
Paul opens His teaching on spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 with a clear statement of intent. "Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed." - 1 Corinthians 12:1
There is a difference between learned religious behavior and actual theological understanding. Many people have been in church for years and know the traditions without knowing why those traditions exist or what the gifts of the Spirit actually are.
Paul goes on to say in verse 7: "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." - 1 Corinthians 12:7
These gifts are not for personal fame or status. They exist for the benefit of everyone.
Are the Gifts of the Spirit Something You Own or Something You Experience?
This is one of the most important distinctions to understand. The gifts of the Spirit are not like a coffee machine you own and can use whenever you want. They are more like a one-time experience, a gift that invites you into something specific, at a specific moment, for a specific purpose.
Theologian Stanley Horton put it this way: "God does not give out his grace and His gifts in one big deposit. There is no reservoir of these gifts in the church or indeed even in the individual. For each gracious gift, we must look to the source anew."
This means the gifts flow from relationship with God, not from personal ability or spiritual rank. Jesus said it clearly in John 15: "If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit." - John 15:5
When we stay in constant communion with God, the gifts of the Spirit operate most naturally through us.
Do You Have to Do Something to Operate in the Gifts?
Yes. Horton also noted that God does not force anyone to respond in these activities. He does not give His gifts to those who do not want them or are not eager for them. Paul himself urges the church in 1 Corinthians 12:31: "Now eagerly desire the greater gifts." - 1 Corinthians 12:31
The gifts require partnership. God provides the grace and the supernatural element, but we have to open our mouths, take a step, and act. Most prayer requests ask God to do something while hoping we don't have to move. But often, God gives us the raw material of an answer and then asks us to do something with it.
What Is the Message of Wisdom?
The Greek word used for "message" here is logos, the same word used in John 1 to describe Jesus as the Word made flesh. It refers to a spoken or communicated message, not just information on a page.
The message of wisdom is a divinely inspired message of insight or direction in a situation that goes beyond human understanding. It is not about being generally wise or clever. It is a specific message, at a specific time, for a specific context.
Jesus described the Holy Spirit's role this way: "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth." - John 16:13
The Spirit gives insight into things we could not arrive at on our own.
How Does the Message of Wisdom Show Up Today?
In preaching. Sometimes a preacher walks away feeling like a message fell flat, only to find that someone in the congregation heard something life-changing. The Spirit speaks through the message in ways the preacher never intended or even realized.
In guidance and direction. Someone approaches you at just the right moment and says something that brings sudden clarity to a decision you've been wrestling with. That is the message of wisdom at work.
In complex or emergency situations. When you are stuck and have no idea what to do, the Spirit can bring a clarity and audaciousness that surpasses all natural understanding.
We see this throughout Scripture. In Acts 4, Peter and John stood before the Sanhedrin, a council of highly educated religious leaders. Yet it says the council "were astonished when they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men." - Acts 4:13. The Greek word used for "unschooled" is idiota. Ordinary people, empowered by the Spirit, speaking with a wisdom that was not their own.
We also see it in Acts 6, where the apostles were guided to appoint Greek men to resolve a dispute involving Greek widows. A practical, wise solution that came through prayer and Spirit-led discernment. And in Acts 15, where James provided wisdom that guided the early church toward unity as Gentiles began following Jesus.
What Is the Message of Knowledge?
The Greek word here is gnosis, which means an experienced knowledge, not just textbook information. It is the difference between reading about something and having lived it.
A message of knowledge involves receiving specific information about a person, situation, or need that could not be known naturally. It draws on the omniscience of God, who knows all things, and communicates a specific detail to someone for the purpose of drawing people closer to Him through awe at His care and knowledge of them.
Examples of the Message of Knowledge in the Bible
Samuel told Saul exactly where his lost donkeys were before Saul had said a word about them. There was no social media, no way to know. God told Him.
In Acts 5, Peter received knowledge about the deception of Ananias and Sapphira that he could not have known naturally.
In Acts 9, God told Ananias the specific location of Saul and even the contents of Saul's prayers.
Does the Message of Knowledge Still Happen Today?
Absolutely. A pastor shared a story about his Father sitting in an optician's chair when He felt God prompt him to ask the woman examining Him whether she was a Christian. When he obeyed, he found himself sharing specific details about her life, including a falling out with her mother that had kept her from church for two years. Details he had no natural way of knowing. The message of knowledge opened the door, and then a message of wisdom followed, guiding her toward reconciliation and returning to church.
He also shared his own experience of sensing God's call to move to a new city. Within days of that conversation, a text arrived from a friend asking a question that mirrored the exact decision being wrestled with. Then came an unexpected conversation with a church leader. Then a message from a pastor friend who wrote: "In praying for you, the Lord has revealed to me that you have looked at an unofficial move... but you have since been asked by the GS himself to consider another situation. You need to concentrate only on the approach made by the GS." No one had told him. The details were too specific to be coincidence.
How Do the Message of Wisdom and the Message of Knowledge Work Together?
Theologian Donald Gee described it this way: wisdom is knowledge rightly applied. Knowledge is the raw material that wisdom uses.
The message of knowledge reveals something specific, a hidden detail brought to light by divine revelation. The message of wisdom then provides direction on how to respond to what has been revealed. They can operate independently, but they often work together in powerful ways.
How to Know If a Message Is Genuinely From the Holy Spirit
It will always align with Scripture. If a message of wisdom or knowledge directly contradicts the Bible, it is not from the Holy Spirit. Test everything against God's Word.
It will always serve to uplift and build the church. Even when a message is challenging or hard to hear, it will never be derogatory or designed to tear someone down.
It will never be personal advice disguised as God's word. The gifts of the Spirit are not tools for manipulation or control. If someone is using "God told me" to get something from you or to exercise power over you, that is not biblical. God uses the humble and the ordinary, not those seeking to elevate themselves.
Life Application
This week, make a deliberate choice to stay in communion with God. Not just in a Sunday service, but throughout your Monday to Saturday. Pray, listen, and when you sense the Spirit prompting you to say something to someone, act on it. Open your mouth. Take the step. The gifts of the Spirit require our participation.
Ask yourself these questions as you go into the week:
Am I actively seeking a relationship with God, or am I only showing up when I need something from Him?
Have I ever sensed a prompting to say something to someone and held back out of fear or uncertainty? What would it look like to act on that next time?
When I pray, am I asking God to do everything while expecting to do nothing? Where might God be asking me to move in response to what He has already given me?
How do I test what I believe God is saying against Scripture and the counsel of trusted believers?
The message of wisdom and the message of knowledge may not make headlines, but they absolutely change someone's world. And that is exactly why they matter.