The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: - Vital Christianity

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HOW “WORDS OF WISDOM” ARE EXERCISED
Pytches gives insight as to how “words of wisdom” are exercised.
1. The recipient seeks to be in a right, open and prayerful relationship with the Lord.
2. In the context of a healing ministry the gift is usually exercised with others present.
3. The recipient is given a spiritual revelation—God’s perspective in a situation. This revelation
could take a number of forms: by receiving a mind’s-eye picture or word, by hearing with his
‘inner ear’, etc. God, being sovereign, can reveal this in any way he wills.
4. It is sometimes accompanied by a ‘word of knowledge’, revealing some fact previously
unknown to the persons ministering and possibly the person being ministered to.
5. A word of wisdom is sometimes given as a prophetic utterance and has all the characteristics
of prophecy.
6. Words of wisdom almost always come in the exchange of what is happening.
7. In the context of ministry someone may be shown how to respond to some unexpected
situation. Having been given miraculously some ‘word of knowledge’ oneself, or this being
revealed to someone else who shares it with the rest of the ministering group, it becomes clear
how to minister, pray, speak, or otherwise act. 6
Example
David Pytches shares the following story:
“Some two years ago a lady from Wales came to kneel at the communion rails after
the service at St. Andrew’s, Chorleywood (probably in response to a word of
knowledge for someone with rheumatoid arthritis in the hands). As she was being
prayed for, nothing seemed to be happening. After a while one of the team praying
offered the suggestion (word of knowledge) that it was due to something which
happened in her teens. The leader of the group, asked her (word of wisdom) if she
could recall any trauma or problem to do with her ‘teens.’ She looked quite blank.
‘Do you mind if we pray over these years?’ she was asked. She readily consented and
the Lord was asked to heal whatever it was. As this was done the sufferer suddenly
began to weep profusely. The tears fell on her hands. Suddenly the fingers loosened
up and she was healed. She has returned since to give thanks to God. She is even
typing again quite normally.
“The ‘word of wisdom’ revealed how to minister. The ‘sufferer’ herself had no idea
what the trauma was she had suffered as a teenager even after the healing had taken
place.” 7