In response to that, the Lord spoke to Ananias again in the vision and gave him further
revelation. This second revelation was a word of wisdom because it revealed God's plan and
purpose: "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: FOR HE IS A CHOSEN VESSEL UNTO
ME, TO BEAR MY NAME BEFORE THE GENTILES, AND KINGS, AND THE CHILDREN OF
ISRAEL" (Acts 9:15).
That was a revelation concerning the plan and the purpose of God. It was a revelation of what
Paul was eventually going to do for the Lord. It was a word of wisdom because it looked
toward the future and revealed the plans and the purposes of God.
You see, God planned to use Paul in the future "to bear His Name before the Gentiles, and
kings, and the children of Israel" (Acts 9:15). God said, ". . . he is a chosen vessel unto me . . ."
(Acts 9:15), That is a revelation of the future. It revealed God's plan and purpose for Paul in the
future. We call that a word of wisdom.
In giving Ananias further revelation, God also said, "For I will shew him how great things he
must suffer for my name's sake" (Acts 9:16). Now that didn't mean Paul was going to be sick,
but that he would suffer much persecution and hardship in his circumstances and
surroundings. And he did (2 Cor. 11:23-33). That also was a word of wisdom.
Paul was stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19). Almost everywhere he went, there were people
who became stirred up by Satan to oppose him. So we see that Paul did suffer many things for
God. This aspect of Paul's future was a revelation given to Ananias, and it was a manifestation
of this supernatural gift called the word of wisdom.
Philip
In Acts chapter 8 we see an example of the gifts of the word of knowledge and the word of
wisdom operating together through a layman, Philip. At this time, Philip was still a deacon; he
had been
appointed to serve tables (Acts 6:2,3). God later moved him into the office of the evangelist
(Acts 21:8).
A great persecution arose against the Early Church, and the Christians were scattered abroad.
And as they were scattered, they went everywhere preaching the gospel. The preaching of the
gospel wasn't limited to just the preachers of the day, however. The laity of the Early Church —
believers — were also scattered abroad and preached the gospel.
The apostles were the only ministers the Early Church had at that time, and they remained in
Jerusalem. But everywhere these laymen went, they told about Jesus: "Then Philip went down
to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them" (Acts 8:5).
After Philip's ministry to the Samaritans recorded in Acts 8:26, the Bible tells us an angel
appeared to Philip to give him a message from the Lord.
Remember, we discussed how the word of knowledge and the word of wisdom can be