Word Gifts in the Early Church: Lessons from Paul's Conversion Story

There is another situation expressed in Acts 9:1-19 that uses word gifts and it involves the story of Saul/Paul's conversion. He was blinded on the road, heard Christ's voice, and went into the city. After a few days, the Lord spoke to Ananias to go to Paul, to lay hands on him, and to heal his sight. The Lord used a vision to prompt Ananias to go to Paul. 

Not only did Ananias go but he also prayed for Paul to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and baptized Paul with water. The Lord gave Ananias knowledge that could not have been otherwise known and reciprocated that with a word of knowledge to Paul concerning Ananias. 

This demonstrates how word gifts can provide insight, bring conviction, and reveal God's heart in powerful ways. In Christ's life as portrayed in the Gospels and the life of the early church, one way to test if "words" were from God was the proof of how the word prompted others to look toward God. 

The gift of discernment is essential in these situations, as it enables believers to distinguish the veracity and origin of words and actions. Those with this gift often can quickly understand the heart intent of words and whether they align with what God reveals in Scripture. It provides the ability to unmask leaders and teachers with wrong motives. This gift involves the ability to separate what is true from what is false, what is right from what is wrong. 

These instances help us understand how word gifts in the early church served to encourage people and draw them to God. The principle remains the same today - authentic word gifts will always point people toward Christ and align with how the Holy Spirit is at work in a person’s life.