Chapter 18

WORDS OF KNOWLEDGE
FOR HEALING

UNLOCK GOD’S PROPHETIC POWER

The story of blind Bartimeaus in the Gospel of Mark is

a powerful illustration of how the word of knowledge works.
Consider the story and its implications for how the Holy
Spirit wants to equip you to minister healing:

Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho

with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Barti-
maeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.
And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he
began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have
mercy on me!” (Mark 10:46-47).

Blind Bartimaeus’ cries exemplify the cries of the sick

and needy that we are commissioned to respond to. There

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are many people like Bartimaeus, who are suffering. As

Christians who are filled with and empowered by the Spirit,
we can be the catalyst for divine healing to these people.
Let’s look more closely at the story.

WWW
My prayer is that the body of Christ
would become such a strong force for
healing in the world that the people
around us would take notice.
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As Jesus and His disciples went out of Jericho, followed
by the great multitude, there was a beggar named Bartimaeus
who sat alongside the road. When Bartimaeus heard that it
was Jesus who was passing by, he began to cry out for mercy.
He was aware of who Jesus represented and what He carried.
Are the people around you aware of who you represent and
what you carry? We are ambassadors of the living God, jars
of clay (2 Cor. 4:7), filled with the Spirit of God who alone
has the power to heal sickness and destroy the works of the
devil. My prayer is that the body of Christ would become
such a strong force for healing in the world that the people
around us would take notice.
Bartimaeus knew Jesus had something that, in a moment,
could change his life forever. He had nothing to lose, so he
cried out. “Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all
the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” So Jesus stood still and
commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying
to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you” (Mark 10:48-49).

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 Words of Knowledge for Healing

Here we see a powerful illustration of the word of knowl-

edge in action. The text tells us that Jesus stood still. Jesus did
not walk over to Bartimaeus. Instead, He instructed His fol-
lowers to call the blind man to Him. When you receive a
word of knowledge for healing, it is as if Jesus is using you to
tell someone else, “Be encouraged! Get up and come. Jesus is
calling you!” When you receive divine insight into someone’s
specific condition, call it out!
When a person responds to a word of knowledge, many
things begin to take place, not the least of which is that
they are being brought to Jesus. Healing is wonderful and
we desire that for everyone, but there is nothing more glori-
ous than to see someone come into the arms of Jesus. In the
pages ahead, as you study the word of knowledge, I encour-
age you not to turn it into some kind of religious principle
or law. The word of knowledge should be normative, but not
“common.” It should be a normal part of our lives as we pray
for the sick, but at the same time we should never see words
of knowledge as a common thing. Every word you receive
and deliver reveals God’s heart to heal and to draw people
closer to Him.

MY HISTORY WITH WORDS OF KNOWLEDGE

I was actually in ministry fourteen years before I recog-

nized how to receive a word of knowledge. I had a degree
in religious studies and a master of divinity, yet no practical
understanding of how to move in this gift of the Holy Spirit.
The very week I was given a few brief instruction about
words of knowledge, I began to operate in this gift.

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Most of us simply need teaching about the gifts of the

Spirit in order to give us confidence to step out and activate
them in our lives. One week after I began receiving words of
knowledge, I taught on the subject for the first time. That same
evening, a woman received a word that led to a healing. Every
time I have taught on this subject since then, and have given
God the opportunity to move, people have received their first
word of knowledge. I have taught about words of knowledge
hundreds of times, and now I pray that these practical instruc-
tions help you begin to hear from God in a powerful new way.

WWW
Most of us simply need teaching
about the gifts of the Spirit in order
to give us confidence to step out
and activate them in our lives.
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THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of activities, but it is the
same God who works all in all. But the manifestation
of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
for to one is given the word of wisdom through the
Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the
same Spirit… (1 Corinthians 12:4-8).

When you receive a word of knowledge, it is for the pur-

pose of releasing the love and power of Jesus to someone else.

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 Words of Knowledge for Healing

But just what is a word of knowledge? It is a supernatural

revelation of information given by the Holy Spirit, knowl-
edge received apart from natural analysis or human means.
Paul actually received many of his revelations through words
of knowledge. He writes: “Now we have received, not the spirit
of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know
the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things
we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but
which the Holy Spirit teaches…” (1 Corinthians 2:12-13).

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It is a supernatural revelation of
information given by the Holy Spirit.
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WORDS OF KNOWLEDGE FOR HEALING

The Holy Spirit will often give a revelatory word of

knowledge concerning the needs of a person (or multiple
people) for healing. This is an indication that God wishes
to heal the person or those who have the condition revealed
through the word of knowledge, and it is often an indica-
tion that God wishes to heal at the time the word is given.
When understood in this way, a word of knowledge does
two things. First, it builds faith in the person who needs the
healing, and second, it strengthens the faith of the person
who shared the word of knowledge.
Consider the following example: You receive a word of
knowledge that Dan is suffering from painful migraine head-
aches with nausea. Maybe you run into Dan at the grocery

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store or your desk is positioned next to his at work. The Holy

Spirit might simply say something to you like “migraines
and nausea” when you look at Dan. When you share that
with him (and he has never told you about his migraines or
expressed that he suffers from any of these conditions), that
word releases faith. Dan might think to himself, “Wow, this
person just called out my condition without any knowledge
of what I have been going through.”

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The Holy Spirit frequently uses words of
knowledge evangelistically, ministering
to those who do not know Jesus.
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Whether Dan is a Christian or not, faith has been
released through that word. If Dan is a believer, then his
faith will be strengthened to believe that God desires to heal
him. If Dan is not a Christian, the hope is that this word of
knowledge for healing will plant a seed in his heart to ulti-
mately respond to the gospel. You will find that the Holy
Spirit frequently uses words of knowledge evangelistically,
ministering to those who do not know Jesus.
Words of knowledge reveal God’s undeniable super-
natural nature since they come from a supernatural source.
They also expresses His compassionate and loving nature, in
the same way they did when Jesus called blind Bartimaeus
to come.
In addition, as you share a word of knowledge with
someone and the person confirms that the word is in fact

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accurate, your personal faith level rises. You become increas-

ingly confident to minister in words of knowledge—to take
risks, responding to the Holy Spirit’s promptings.
Once you receive a word of knowledge, you should speak
it out at that very moment, or at the next appropriate time.
Once you share the word, see if it applies to anyone present.
If so, offer to pray for them at once for healing—whether the
word applies to an individual or to a group.

SPECIFICITY IN WORDS OF
KNOWLEDGE FOR HEALING

The more specific the word of knowledge, the more faith

it will build in the people involved. If you receive the word
by feeling a pain, it is helpful for you to identify the kind of
pain and specify its exact location in the body. For example:
It is better to say, “A shooting pain on the left side of the neck
just below the ear,” or to point to the exact location, than to
merely state, “A pain in the neck,” or ask, “Does someone’s
neck hurt?” Instead of simply saying, “back pain,” say, “Pain
in the third lumbar vertebra,” or to point to the exact loca-
tion that has been revealed to you by the Holy Spirit.
When you receive a word of knowledge, be careful not to
change it or add to it. You should not exaggerate the word,
nor should you leave out a detail that seems unimportant
to you. Everything is intentional and has meaning, while
changes or additions cause confusion. For example: a person
received a mental picture of someone being injured by trip-
ping over a green hose. The only green hoses he had seen

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were garden hoses. So he said he had a picture of a person

injured by tripping over a green garden hose. There was a
man in the meeting who had been injured by tripping over a
green pressure hose at work. He did not respond to the word
at first, because the hose he tripped over was not a garden
hose. He would have responded more quickly to the word
of knowledge if the person receiving the revelation had not
added to it.
Maintain the integrity and purity of the word you receive.
Even the smallest detail can release significant faith to the
person listening. When we manipulate or adjust the word,
we run the risk of causing people not to respond. If they
hear something in the word that sounds partially correct,
but they also hear the stuff we decided to add in, there is a
strong possibility that their confusion will keep them from
responding. We must stick to the word we have been given!

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 Chapter 19

GIVING WORDS OF
KNOWLEDGE

You may receive a word of knowledge anywhere and at any

time. You might get a word during a prayer meeting, a small
group meeting, walking past someone in church or in the
supermarket, or while washing dishes at home. You may or
may not know for whom the revelation has been given.
Most often than not, the word of knowledge is given for
someone who is present. If you are in church and you receive
the word, most likely it is for someone in the church. Like-
wise, if you get a word of knowledge in the checkout line at
the supermarket, it is probably applicable to someone stand-
ing near you.
There is also the chance that the word may be for some-
one who is not present, but is intended for someone they
know, such as the sister of the cashier who is checking your

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groceries. Or the word could be for somebody you will see

tomorrow or next week. When in doubt, ask the Holy Spirit
for direction.

HOW DOES GOD GIVE WORDS OF

KNOWLEDGE FOR HEALING?

God gives His revelation in different ways. This is true

of words of knowledge for healing as well as for other kinds
of revelation. My early education about words of knowledge
came during a telephone call with Vineyard leader, Lance
Pittluck. Lance had interviewed many people who oper-
ated in words of knowledge. Based on his observations and
research, he concluded that there are approximately six com-
mon ways people receive words of knowledge for healing.
The first way is through feeling. You may feel a certain
condition or sensation in your body such as a sharp pain,
a throbbing sensation, or a strong emotion, such as fear or
panic. Be careful that your feeling is not caused by a condi-
tion in your own body. For instance, if you often have pain
in your left ear, you would not share that as a word of knowl-
edge, even if you get that pain during a meeting.
A second way to receive a word of knowledge is to “see”
it. When a word comes out of the blue, you might receive a
picture in your mind that reveals a condition. These pictures
can look something like a body part—perhaps a heart, a foot,
an eye, or a head—or a person with a certain condition, such
as a limp; a person carefully holding his arm; or a crutch, eye-
glasses, or a person walking with a cane. You might even see
things like an auto accident or the scene of an injury.

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When it comes to images, visions, and mental pictures,

be careful not to assume an interpretation. I will never forget
one instance where someone got the phrase “water bottle.”
That is all they received, and in obedience to the Holy Spirit,
they called out “water bottle.” They did not provide any kind
of “prophetic” interpretation or specification; they just said
“water bottle” and trusted God to use it however He wanted.
Amazingly, that unique word of knowledge delivered in that
specific format was exactly what a person in the audience
needed to receive healing.
A third way to receive a word of knowledge is to “read”
it. You may see the condition in your mind or actually see the
condition’s name written over the person you are receiving the
word for. This might look like a person with a word written
across their front or back or over their head, or on their fore-
head. Sometimes people see a word written on a wall or on the
carpet, or see something like a newspaper headline, or a banner.
You can also receive words of knowledge as an impres-
sion. You may sense in your mind (a mental impression) that
someone has a particular condition. Or you may sense the Holy
Spirit speaking to you, which comes to you like a thought pop-
ping into your mind.
Sometimes you may suddenly and unexpectedly speak
out a word of knowledge. You may be talking, or praying
with someone, and unplanned words suddenly tumble out
of your mouth relating to something you were not aware of.
Words of knowledge can also come through a dream or
a vision. You may have a vivid dream or a vision in which

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you have a new health problem, or you see someone else

with a health problem, or you hear someone talking about a
health problem.
There is an arbitrary nature to the ways in which words
of knowledge come to us. Most often, when a word comes
out of the blue, you will know that the Holy Spirit is com-
municating something to you. There will typically be no
rhyme or reason for the pain or condition you experience.
Just be sure to evaluate whether it is pain you are personally
experiencing in your own body, or it is a spiritual sensitivity
to what God wants to do in that context.

HOW TO SPEAK WHEN YOU BELIEVE YOU

HAVE RECEIVED A WORD OF KNOWLEDGE

It is generally wise, at least in the beginning, to be ten-

tative about speaking out a word of knowledge you receive.
Exercise humility. If you have never received a word of
knowledge before, I encourage you to practice in a safe envi-
ronment, exercising balance and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.
Even though we are called to be confident in Christ, there is
an appropriate caution to maintain, especially when you are
starting out. Learn to discern what is of you and what the
Holy Spirit reveals. This is a process, and it requires prac-
tice. Be encouraged because with practice comes failure and
lots of it. Do not deliver a word with 100 percent confidence
when, in fact, you are uncertain. Be real and authentic. Don’t
try to put on a mask.

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In the same way that not everyone receives healing, not

every word of knowledge you share will be received. Over
time, you will surely see an increase, both in your level of
accuracy in receiving from God, your specificity in deliver-
ing the word, and also the number of people who respond to
the words.
If you are part of a small group, practice when you meet.
If you feel you have received a word of knowledge for some-
one start out by saying something like, “Does anyone have a
sharp pain in their left elbow just now?” If no one responds,
don’t be concerned or embarrassed. Let’s say that Sarah
responds, confirming that the word applies to her. You could
say, “Well, I just had a sharp pain in my left elbow, which
may be a word of knowledge indicating that God would like
to heal you now, since you have that condition. Would you
like for me (or us) to pray for you now?”
If Sarah is open to receiving prayer, pray for her. If she
wants prayer later, pray for her later. If she doesn’t want prayer
due to embarrassment, lovingly encourage her to receive. If
she still refuses, don’t pressure her in any way to receive
prayer. Healing is one fruit of sharing a word of knowledge;
the other fruits should be love and compassion. While we
should encourage people to receive prayer, we do not want to
force or pressure anyone.
If you believe you have received a word of knowledge
for healing in a larger meeting or church service, you should
probably not speak out unless there is an appropriate moment
indicated by the leader or pastor. The opportunity may not

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come during the service, however, I would encourage you to

“keep your antennae up” to see whether God puts someone in
your path later on who has the condition revealed to you. Even
though I recommended praying immediately after receiving a
word of knowledge, this is not by any means a law. If you
receive a word of knowledge in a larger meeting, ask the Holy
Spirit to show you who the word is intended for. You can then
deliver it after the service, in a more appropriate setting.

PRACTICAL TOOLS TO HELP YOU GROW IN

WORDS OF KNOWLEDGE FOR HEALING

Here are some guidelines to consider as you receive and

share words of knowledge for healing. Let’s begin with the
“speed of receiving.” A word of knowledge for healing may
come quickly, flitting through your mind more like a bird or
dancing butterfly than a stationary billboard. Or it could be
a “ first impression.” Either way, once you receive the word, it
may seem rather vague. Don’t let this tempt you to screen it
out and ignore the word. You need to practice “tuning in” to
these revelations and begin speaking them out. It takes time
to develop your “hearing” muscles when it comes to words
of knowledge. Work with whatever you are hearing, pressing
in until you are satisfied you are not going to hear anything
more or different. Then go with what you have, however
unusual it may seem at the moment. If you are tentative
and humble, not arrogant or presumptuous, no one will be
offended if you seem to have heard incorrectly.
Resist the temptation to believe that a word you received
is not important. The details matter. Also, do not be quick to

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reject perceived words of knowledge, thinking that it is “just

you” making up the word. Step out and take the risk. Remem-
ber, when you share the word of knowledge, it will build faith
in the person receiving it since they will know that God has
revealed their conditions to you. What might seem like a
vague impression to you may be a shout to the other person!
Don’t presume anything. We need to be very careful in
the language we use, as it can either keep the conversation
going or shut it down entirely. Do not be presumptuous and
say something like, “God just told me that you have an ear-
ache.” If we immediately come out saying, God just told me
that you have X condition,” and the person does not have
that condition, we begin to discredit ourselves. Instead, say
something like, “Does your left ear ever bother you?” Or, “I
feel like I’m receiving an impression of a problem in a left
ear. Does this mean anything to you?” Other examples could
include, “Does a picture of a flower vase mean anything to
you?” Or, “I think I see a picture of cows in a field. Does
that have any significance for you?”
As I mentioned before, it is important to be specific. Be
as specific as the word revealed to you. The more specific
the word, the more it builds faith in you and in the person
or people you are ministering to. Also, be honest. Unpre-
tentious honesty is the best policy when sharing a word of
knowledge. It’s perfectly okay to admit that you’re nervous,
say that you have only a vague impression, say that you have
never had a word of knowledge before, or say that praying for
sick people is new to you. If these things are true, it is okay
to admit it.

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Lastly, don’t be afraid. Do not let fear rob you or the

person who might have been healed through your word of
knowledge. Someone once said that “faith” is spelled “r-i-
s-k.” Be patient, but step out. Be humble, but step out. Be
tentative, but step out. God will give you words of knowl-
edge because He wants you to use them. He wants you to
use them wisely, prudently, and humbly, but He wants you
to use them.

WORDS OF KNOWLEDGE AS A
POWERFUL TOOL FOR EVANGELISM

Many people are familiar with the idea of prayer for

healing in the sense that parishioners in church or in a prayer
group will pray for healing for someone who is in the hospital
or sick at home, but there is little expectation for immediate
engagement in healing prayer. And not only do people not
expect or want prayer “right then and there,” but they do
not expect healing to come about as a result of prayer. Typi-
cally, the most that is expected is that the sick person might
recover more quickly.
Even in instances where recovery is shortened some-
what, this type of experience is not especially impressive to
unbelievers. Healing on the spot, however, in the name of
Jesus, can have considerably more impact on someone who
is not yet a believer. On-the-spot healing can cause people
to respond to Jesus who otherwise might never do so. It is a
demonstration of the power of God in the name of Jesus. It
is a demonstration that Jesus is concerned about people, and
about their needs. It is also a demonstration that the name of

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Jesus is more powerful than the works of Satan. We see this

in the gospels, and the book of Acts. A word of knowledge
can bring an unbeliever right into the arms of Jesus.
Words of knowledge also introduce people to the reality
of God. When it is clear that you have received supernat-
ural information about a condition—knowledge you could
not have received through any natural means—people will
pay attention.

GET ACTIVATED

If you have never received a word of knowledge, do not

be afraid. God wants you to start operating in this gift. Do
not stress or strain, trying to work something up. The gifts
of the Spirit are not given to you based on your merit. In
fact, the English word for gift (in the context of 1 Corinthi-
ans 12) comes from the Greek term charis or charisma, which
simply means grace.
Remember, if you desire to be activated in words of
knowledge, it’s as simple as asking God. Yes, there are things
that will help you develop this gift, such as impartation,
teaching, and discipleship, but if you want to begin using a
gift of the Spirit right now, all you need to do is ask for it. The
gifts are given to us in the finished work of Jesus Christ—
His atonement, and are received when we ask. Gifts are
drawn to those who hunger and thirst for spiritual things.
And gifts are received through faith, like everything else in
the Kingdom of God.

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