For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
(1 Corinthians 2:16 NKJV)
Google “word of knowledge,” and you’ll get tons of results about what that gift means. For example,
Wikipedia says that “the word of knowledge is a spiritual gift listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8. It has been
associated with the ability to teach the faith, but also with forms of revelation similar to prophecy. It is
closely related to another spiritual gift, the word of wisdom.”
That’s a great definition! But those of us who have this gift need to go beyond understanding what it
means; we need to know how to grow in it. So here are some practical suggestions for growth.
3 Tips for Growing in the Gift of Knowledge
1. BELIEVE that God knows. You won’t go very far in using your gift of knowledge if you don’t
develop a deep, unshakable faith in the fact that God is the only all-knowing, all-seeing, and all-
powerful living being in the universe (which He created, by the way!). Why? Because God is the
source of the gift, and if you walk around thinking that the Gift-Giver has any flaws or limits, you
won’t trust the power of the treasure you’re carrying. In other words, you won’t operate in the
authority God has given you.
Be sure to make your belief in God’s amazing omniscience a core value of your life. You can do
this by spending time worshipping the Lord for His genius, creativity, and wisdom. You can also
meditate on the truth that He is flowing His incredible knowledge and wisdom to, and through,
you. And when you’re facing a tough situation, make seeking God’s insight through prayer your
first line of defense.
For reflection: Isaiah 55:8–9, John 6:28–29, 1 Corinthians 2:6–16
2. MEMORIZE scripture. Having an abundant reservoir of scripture in both your heart and your
mind is essential to growing in the gift of knowledge. Some might say that you just need to know
the “sense” of a scripture in your heart. Sure, that’s great! But when it comes to operating in the
gift of knowledge, you’ll want to have the Word of God stored up in your conscious, academic
mind too. Why? Because you will be communicating words of wisdom to others, and you don’t
want to leave people with only your interpretation of scripture or a guess that something you’ve
said is in the Bible. No! You want to leave people with the true and pure Word of God, along
with the specific word you’ve given them.
So get out those notecards and be intentional about memorizing whatever scriptures God
instructs you to learn like the back of your hand. Before you know it, He’ll be sending you people
who are desperate to hear those very words you’ve stored up in your memory bank.
For reflection: Joshua 1:8, John 14:26, 2 Timothy 3:16
3. STEP OUT in faith. What’s the use of having a glorious gift if you’re not going to use it? If you’ve
been developing your intimacy with Christ, spending time in the Word of God, and praying to
grow your gift for the benefit of His Kingdom, go ahead and “test the waters.” Ask the Holy Spirit
to give you nudges for when it’s time to use your gift.
You can even “practice” your gift! For instance, choose a trusted friend and commit to praying
for him or her for a week, asking God to give you a word of knowledge for that person. He’ll
surely do it if your motive is to bless that person and to be a good steward of the precious gift
that He’s given you. Having that educational experience with your trusted friend will make you
bolder the next time God gives you a message to impart to a stranger.
But please remember this: Sometimes stepping out in faith may look like not saying anything at
all. I can’t tell you the number of times God has revealed personal information to me about a
person, leaving me asking, “Whoa, God! What am I supposed to do with this?!” But then He tells
me that I’m not supposed to do anything except pray for that person as it relates to the divine
knowledge that He as revealed to me. In response, I obey, pray, and honor the person’s privacy.
Before long, the person comes to me with a ministry need related to the information God has
given me. And since I’ve already been praying and interceding, I’m able to meet that person
with the wisdom they need for that situation. So whether it’s being brave and speaking up or
having the fortitude to watch and pray, step out in faith!
For reflection: Jeremiah 33:3, 2 Corinthians 4:7, 1 Thessalonians 5:11
May Jesus richly bless you as you edify His Body!
