I would not have you ignorant.

There are many things of which most of us are happily ignorant.

For instance how to pilot the USS Ronald Reagan.  Exactly how electricity works.  The reason
my car runs, as long as I can start it and drive.

After all “Ignorance is bliss”:

The Apostle Paul thought differently:  Four times he wrote:  “I would not have you ignorant.” (once)  of death and resurrection.  He wants us sure of God’s love grace, salvation and Eternal Life, even as our bodies die.

Of his travails (twice).  Detained  Paul wanted those expecting him, to comforted, so he explained.

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. ”

So we would live fruitful and abundant lives, he wants us to understand and walk in the Gifts of the Spirit.

“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit

And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worked all in all.  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”  1 Corinthians 12:4-7

The manifestation of the Spirit:  (a public demonstration of power and purpose) is given to every man to profit withal.

This Scripture breaks the Godhead down nicely to my mind.

It is the Lords will, the Sons action, by the power of the Holy Spirit, that we are to attend to the Lord s business. To do this successfully, we need to understand and work in the Gifts we have been given.

Many of us may have one of the Gifts at any one time, as they as needed.  Some may have access to several as the Spirit wills.

“For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;”

Let us clearly understand that the word of; is different from blanket knowledge or wisdom. We acquire Wisdom or Knowledge by lifes lessons and studying, the Word of Knowledge and the Word of Wisdom are given supernaturally.

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,  See, I have called by name Bezaleel  And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;  The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy-seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle.”  (verses from Exodus 31 )

Notice the Lord filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, understanding, and knowledge for the building and supply of His Tabernacle in the desert.

These Gifts were given for a specific time and place, to carry out a specific task.  We know that we are to seek Wisdom and Knowledge and that they come from the Lord.

“I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek wisdom, and the reason of things,”  Ecclesiastes 7:25

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things ”   Ecclesiastes 1:13
For the desire thereof he will [a]separate himself to seek it, and occupy himself in all wisdom.   Proverbs 18:1   1599 Geneva Bible (GNV)

“But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.  1 Corinthians 1:24

Jesus is the manifestation and the wisdom of the power of God. When we seek Jesus we are seeking the Wisdom and Power of God. We will find Him when we need Him as we need to breathe.

Jesus said: “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.”

The people who walk in the Spirit are those who will carry out much in the Kingdom.

The story of Joseph gives an example of the Word of Wisdom.

Joseph was a dreamer and interpreter of dreams, partly because of this,  while in prison  he found favour in the sight of his keepers.  When Pharaoh had a dream and he needed the interpretation,  Joseph consulted :

Joseph said:   “It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

Joseph received from God the interpretation, a Word of Wisdom.  Because of the blessing of the Lord, Joseph was able to explain the dream and became second only to Pharaoh and ruled all of Egypt.

The Lord was with Joseph and blessed Egypt for his sake and made him a prosperous man and gave him favour.

The Word of Knowledge is to know a truth from God you would otherwise not know and a Word of Wisdom is to know and understand how to use this information.

In the book of Daniel, we find the four Hebrew children:  God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.  The king found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers.

The king had a dream that he could not remember.  He called his magicians and astrologers and wanted an interpretation. They answered:  “Tell us your dream and we will tell you what it means. “

He answered: ”Tell me the dream, than I will believe your interpretation.”

Daniel consulted:  He asked for time, went to his home, told the three children, prayed that  God would  show the secret. They than blessed God.

Daniel had received the message of the dream,  The Word of Knowledge and he was also able to interpret,  The Word of Wisdom.

There are many more examples of both the Word of Knowledge and the Word of Wisdom in the Bible:

Jesus saw Nathaniel under the fig tree, the disciples in fear on the boat, Peter knew of the couples lie to the Holy Spirit that resulted in their deaths.

These are some examples of the Word of Knowledge.

Elijah and Joseph, both took a diferant path and Rahab told the messenger of God to go back another way.

This was the Word of Wisdom and the faith to believe it that saved them all.

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Without repentance means are irrevocable, they are alive, well and available to whosoever will.

As you read the Bible, look for and recognize the Gifts at work, only then, will we learn to use them.