Who, me? Gifted?, Part 4

Welcome to Leading the Way with Pastor and the author of the brand new book, God's Final Call, Dr. Michael Youssef. Okay, if you've ever wondered how to use your spiritual gifts to help others stand against the cultural battles of today, make sure to listen to Dr. Youssef as he continues his audio series today. It's called, Who Me? Gifted?

Yeah, we can relate to that title. Remember that Leading the Way is an international listener-supported media ministry. Learn how to stand with Dr. Youssef and be a part of impacting the unreached and the unchurched in the West, as well as Muslim communities all around the world, and unreached villages far and wide through the Open Door Campaign. The place to start is 866-626-4356 or ltw.org. Hey, but do that later because right now Dr. Youssef begins today's challenging message guiding you toward better using your spiritual gifts.

It's part of his series called, Who Me? Gifted? Let's listen. I was thinking all week about this particular twin gifts that I'll be talking about today. And my mind harkened to the time when our kids were small and the challenges about finding good schools for them. And I know some of you young moms and dads, it's always a challenge finding the right school for your children. I'm aware of those challenges and I know now even before you buy a house it tells you what school district or what school that your kids can go to and it is of vital importance.

In fact so many right here in this church who out of exasperation with the system they opted for homeschooling and that's definitely understandable. The concern is justified because knowledge is important. The right knowledge is a vital importance but what is extremely or of immense importance is the ability to apply this right knowledge. In fact I read of how from the beginning of time till 1750, just think about this, I don't know how many thousands of years that from the beginning of time to 1750 knowledge has doubled. From 1750 to 1900 knowledge doubled again. Now I want you to notice the shortness of the time and between 1900 and 1950 knowledge doubled again. But then between 1950 and 1960 a mere 10-year period knowledge doubled again and now knowledge is doubling in less than 22 months every 22 months. And that is why dictators and despots know the danger of knowledge.

Hitler believed that ignorance goes hand in hand with gullibility and that is why Satan the father of lies the prince of darkness he knows and that is why he works over time in order to keep God's people in ignorance from the Word of God which is the most important knowledge of all. Now I know some people confuse schooling with knowledge. We think because somebody has string of degrees that means they know something. Some pride themselves in the scholarly pursuit but they lack even what the world called common sense knowledge.

A friend of mine told me about one of those snobbish academician who was happened to be crossing the Nile on a canoe and this man was so proud of his academic degrees and and he goes into that canoe at the Nile River in the widest part and he arrogantly asked the canoe peddler have you studied philosophy and the man said no not really I've never had the chance and as he paddling away he said the man waited a minute too later he said now have you studied psychology and the man said no I'm sorry I've never had the chance he said oh you missed half of your life not studying all these important things well halfway through in the widest part of the river the peddler said to us snobbish academician he said do you know how to swim and the man said no I just didn't waste my time on such trivial pursuit and the guy said we just sprang a leak and you're about to lose all of your life. Someone said that the reason universities are filled with knowledge is because freshmen bring very little to it and seniors take nothing of it and so it accumulates in the university. The Apostle Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit gives some people in the body not everybody but gives some people in the body of Christ knowledge and wisdom as a special gift from the Holy Spirit of God. Now I don't want you to switch off and say well I don't have that because I'm going to come to you in a minute. While knowledge and wisdom are different they're not the same and yet they're often closely connected they are closely related.

Why? Because knowledge is information and wisdom is the ability to apply the right information in the right situation. From worldly perspective knowledge helps you to make a living but wisdom makes a life. Our world is bulging with knowledge and bulging with information but we are bereft we are bankrupt of wisdom.

Let me explain to you how that can work. You get two people they both are bright and they're studying accountancy and they both graduate as CPA. One has wisdom and the other one doesn't. They both have the same knowledge.

The one with the wisdom is able to apply his knowledge for the good of the company and keeps good clean records and the other uses his knowledge to juggle the books and embezzle from the company. You see from a spiritual sense it works the same. The gift of knowledge is the ability to search and synthesize and systematize the teaching of the Word of God. It is the supernatural ability to illuminate the Word of God. It is that ability to acquire deep insights into the Word of God and that is why the gift of knowledge is closely linked with the gift of teaching and that is why as Christians I said we must not marginalize knowledge.

Why? Because whether you have the gift of the Holy Spirit of knowledge and wisdom or not by virtue of being a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ by virtue of the fact that you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit you are to grow in knowledge and in wisdom. That's the command of the scripture. In 2nd Peter chapter 3 verse 18 it tells us that we must grow in knowledge. In fact Paul in 1st Corinthians chapter 1 verse 5 he prays for the Corinthians that God may enrich them in all utterance and all knowledge. Paul again prays for the Colossians in 1 9 he said that they might be filled with knowledge of his will and all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Every believer is obligated to use knowledge and wisdom and grow in knowledge and wisdom. We can't sit back and say well I don't have the gift of knowledge and wisdom.

Do you remember in Matthew chapter 16 verse 13 Matthew 16 13 Jesus asked the disciples again it's just use of translation but you'll get the meaning. What does the gallop Paul say who I am? What the Rasmussen research says that who I am? And of course again a rough translation some of them said 25% of the population say that you are Elijah. Another 50% say that you are John the Baptist. Another 20% of saying you're one of the prophets.

They said okay let me stop you right here. Who do you say that I am? And while they're all kind of scratching their beards and mumbling in their beards Peter jumps in and he says you are the Christ the Son of the Living God. How did Jesus respond? You're such a clever man Peter. You such a brilliant man. I am so glad I chose you as one of my disciples.

Man you are such an amazing person Peter. No. He didn't say that right?

No. What he said blessed are you Peter for flesh and blood did not reveal that to you. My Father in heaven revealed that to you. Now you know I hear people a lot say why my wife or my husband or my neighbor or my friend that I'm sharing Christ with and I'm trying to share the Word of God with them and why can't they become Christians?

Well you've got to understand the Father has to reveal that to them and that is why we need to be in prayer persistently and consistently and never give up praying for the near and the dear to come to know Jesus Christ. Never give up. Never give up.

Never give up. Because we are not more clever than they are. We are more bright than they are.

No. Because Jesus said those whom the Father draw near and we need to pray for the Father to draw them open their spiritual eyes so they see the desperate need for salvation. Something else I need to tell you about the gift of the word of knowledge because the word of knowledge is related to the gift of knowledge. A well-known evangelist a man of God who really been used of God named F.B. Meyer.

F.B. Meyer was preaching one time in Edinburgh Scotland in the middle of the sermon he said there's someone here who will never have peace with God I'll never have peace with himself until he pays the three pound and 18 shillings that he owed his employer. He did not have a clue what he was talking about. Few days later a young man walked up to him and he said I am the one that you were talking about and he said yesterday I wrote a check for three pounds and 18 shillings and the Lord has forgiven me I now have the peace of God in my life and in my heart and that is why there are several things I need to tell you about the word of knowledge. The first thing you must understand is that the word of knowledge must always always always consistent with the Word of God if it is not throw it out toss it out the second thing is that word of knowledge must never be self-serving hey the Lord told me give me a hundred bucks he told me to tell you to do that right that's self-serving I know it's a crude way of doing it but that's I want to blow it so you can see it but you must be careful of people who give you a word of knowledge out of self-serving stuff remember what I told you about counterfeit gifts be careful why because the gift of knowledge by its very visibility tends to puff up it really does the gift of knowledge by its very nature brings power and that can be totally messed up and become an opportunity for Satan to really destroy people and that is why wisdom must always go hand in hand with knowledge because knowledge by itself just a stored up information in the mind and it can be misused knowledge by itself without being adequately apply not only can become ineffective but it can be harmful and that is why wisdom must always accompany knowledge sadly today we have many academics and politicians and business people who are bulging with knowledge but very little wisdom you say well how come you see the gift of wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge to a vexing situation the gift of wisdom is the ability to weigh the true nature of the situation the gift of wisdom is the ability to exercise spiritual insight into the situation the gift of wisdom is the ability to apply the scripture to a given situation now the Bible gives us example of how the gift of wisdom when it is used brings glory to God all the gifts when they use they must bring glory to God if they don't you better off without using them it has to bring glory to God you remember in the book of Genesis chapter 41 when Joseph interpret Pharaoh's dream Pharaoh recognized Yahweh in Joseph immediately he saw that that wisdom came from Jehovah God in 2nd Chronicles 1 8 Solomon prayed he said Lord he's I mean he could have given him anything and he said no I just want knowledge and wisdom and God gave him both when Daniel sought God in interpreting the Beckett Nasser dream he prayed to you Oh God the God of my fathers I give thanks and praise for you have given me wisdom and in the New Testament the Bible said in act 6 3 that the first seven deacons were men who filled with wisdom they were men of good reputation full of the spirit of wisdom and one of them in 6 10 of the book of Acts it says of Stephen that the crowd the people could not stand up against the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking but by now I'm sure some of you are asking how does God's wisdom differ from other wisdoms and I'm glad you asked that question because it's an important question and I want to answer it the Bible speaks about four types of wisdom first there is natural wisdom and that is the combination of intellectual capacity and experience and this wisdom is different from worldly wisdom we're going to come to worldly wisdom in a minute it's a technical wisdom it's the fruit of natural reasoning it's man's best answer to a given problem most of those who have that natural wisdom they neither acknowledge that it comes from God nor do they rely on God for it this type of wisdom that politicians and lawyers and policemen and professionals use but then the Bible talks about a second type of wisdom which is worldly wisdom upon that wisdom God declares war listen to what God said in 1st Corinthians chapter 1 verse 19 I will destroy the wisdom of the wise the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate why because this type of wisdom leads people away from God this type of wisdom leads people to deny God the Creator God this type of wisdom proclaims that man is God this type of wisdom rationalize and justifies sin this type of wisdom keeps people from coming to God this type of wisdom is demonic it is Satan's wisdom it is so disguised that look like God's wisdom it's the kind of wisdom that Satan used to deceive Adam and Eve in the garden it's the kind of wisdom that is used today in this doctrine of separation of society from God it is used to remove God from public life it's the kind of wisdom that is used to remove the laws of God from our courts it's the kind of wisdom that replaces God with the government it is used to call evil good and good evil it is the kind of worldly wisdom that says that if it doesn't hurt anybody else it's okay and beloved listen to me younger generations are falling knee-deep in that type of wisdom and that is why we need to learn how to pray with authority how to pray specifically and deliberately and take authority over this type of wisdom that is deceiving our young people then thirdly the Bible talks about God's wisdom and God's wisdom is available to every one of his children every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ can ask for this wisdom and God will give it to them I hope I can get through this because emotionally I can easily get torn about testifying to you how many times we came to God desperately seeking his wisdom and he gave them to us time after time after time we sought them in our home we sought them in the church and every time we prayed God gave it to us why because God promised it and let me tell you something God always keeps his promises listen to what James said if any one of you lacks wisdom let him ask God who gives to all generously without reproach and it will be given to them did you get that same man it were given to you when you ask for it and that wisdom is not ambiguous it is not nebulous it is not unclear in fact James goes on to to describe that wisdom he said it's pure in its motive pure in its motive it is peaceable and does not create strife and division for strife and division's sake thirdly it is gentle not arrogant and boastful and fourthly he said it is filled with mercy not harsh and unforgiving and five he said it is full of good fruit and without hypocrisy young people listen to me this is a type of wisdom you need to ask God for when you're dealing with an atheist and a godless professor it's the kind of wisdom that you need to ask God for as you plan your career it's the kind of wisdom that you need to pray for as you seek your future mate life mate it is the kind of wisdom that all parents need in bringing up of their children it's the kind of wisdom that we need when dealing with conflicts but then the Bible again as I pointed to you and as part of this series the Holy Spirit somehow chooses to give and endow some people with an extra measure of that knowledge and wisdom I know some of you have it that wisdom is applying the Word of God accurately and correctly not only in your life but in the lives of others and that is why it's so tied in with teaching so tied in with the gift of teaching beloved listen to me when the gift of wisdom is exercised you're going to find sinners are repenting carnal Christians come under conviction and change conflicting parties will restore relationship hypocrisy will be exposed and troubled conscience will be set free and delivered and if there's a need that is coming upon the believers is the learning how with those the gifts of the Holy Spirit to take authority over the demonic forces that seem to be set loose in the world today in the schools in society and as the Spirit of God seemed to be departing evil spirit just like in the life of Saul you remember how they said when the Spirit of God left him and I know it says some of you'd get troubled by this as evil spirit from the Lord came to him because they believed everything is is God a sovereign over everything but the fact is it is a fact that when the Holy Spirit is scorned an evil spirit comes in when the Holy Spirit is not welcomed those devils who leave bring seven more and come back and we need to learn how to take authority over these demonic forces above all those who have the gift of knowledge and wisdom like all other gifts must humbly recognize that it is God who gave it to them nothing special in them it is God's gift and just as Pharaoh recognized Yahweh in Joseph's wisdom just as in the Beckett Nazar recognized Jehovah God in Daniel's wisdom just as people recognized Jesus in Stephen's wisdom others will glorify God and recognize his gift in you as you exercise it you've joined dr. Michael Yusef for leading the way and I know you've been encouraged by his biblically sound teaching dr. Yusef has an abundance of encouraging content to listen to on the radio online with the leading the way app and when you subscribe to the podcast find out about all of these and more click around ltw.org okay in fact another audio encouragement that's available through a weekly podcast is hosted by dr. Jonathan Yusef it's called candid conversations with dr. Jonathan Yusef and yes Jonathan Yusef is Michael Yusef's youngest son he's served faithfully in pastoral ministry in the United States and abroad for many years now well dr. Michael Yusef saw the passion that Jonathan has for biblical truth reaching multiple generations helping Christians really engage with current culture and so Michael challenged Jonathan to begin candid conversations with dr. Jonathan Yusef and as the title suggests Jonathan often invites guests to join him speaking candidly from a biblical perspective about current issues and cultural issues topics that really demand to be seen through a biblical lens to best reach and engage the world in which we live subscribe today to candid conversations with dr. Jonathan Yusef through your favorite podcast platform or you can always listen at ltw.org just follow the listen link at ltw.org and then scroll down the page and if you have any questions or if you want to support leading the way or order a product keep this number handy it's eight six six six two six four three five six leading the way with dr. Michael Yusef is listener-supported there are several ways you can stand with dr. 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