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This second one is also about the gift of the word (logos) of knowledge (gnosis) (1 Cor 12:8), and it is closely related to the first one.

How did the pioneers of the healing revival (Branham/Coe/Roberts/etc) speak about this specific gift, e.g in the Magazine The Voice of Healing or in their sermons or testimonies?

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Just to make clear. The other question is about the first generation of pentecostal pioneers (1900-1940), this question is about the healing revivalists of the 50's. Thus the questions are not identical. – itpastorn Feb 10 at 20:28

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W. V. Grant wrote in THE VOICE OF HEALING October 1953 Page 24 about the word of knowledge.


The Spiritual gift of the word of knowledge is certain facts in the mind of God, which He sees fit to reveal to a servant supernaturally by His Spirit. It is only a “word,” or a portion of God's great storehouse of knowledge. God speaks in divers manners, such as dreams, visions, revelation, or in audible voice. It is always conveyed supernaturally as any other gift. This gift can tell the whereabouts, conditions, nature, or thoughts of a person, animal, place, or thing even when it is impossible to learn it in the natural.

It is different from the Spiritual gift of faith in that it lets you know things even when you did not pray for them. The Spiritual gift of faith deals with things “not yet come to pass,” else it would not be faith. It is not a vocal gift, as it makes you to know and not to speak. It is not discerning of spirits, as it has nothing to do with a supernatural spirit. It helps one, to look into the heart, mind, or nature of a man and to know his secrets and intentions. It has helped people find lost articles, but its main purpose is to find lost souls.


While Peter was lying flat on his back on the house top, the Spirit of God told him three men were seeking him (Acts 10:19). Had Peter gone to school one hundred years he could not have gained such knowledge, The all-knowing God gave part of His knowledge to Peter by the Spirit.

The Spirit of God told Samuel that Saul's asses had already been found, and let him know all that was in Saul's heart (1 Sam. 9.19-20). A voice from God told Elijah that God had seven thousand who had not bowed their knees to Baal (1 Kings 19:18). A spiritual revelation!

And before that he wrote, in direct contrast to pentecostal pioneer Donald Gee:

This gift has no mixture with the natural.

Now I only need to know if this view was shared by the other leaders during the same era.

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By the way, that is not the W V Grant who has been involved in financial scandals and been exposed by James Randi, but his father. – itpastorn Feb 8 at 17:32 Is this the sort of thing you're looking for? Its a video of Branham where he claims to know about people's sickness and their state. This fits with what Grant said was the definition of "the gift of the word of knowledge". I would write an answer but I haven't found anything specific written about it by these men but I'll keep looking. – nickecarlo Feb 8 at 17:53
Please do. I might add that what I am currently doing is inquiring about the theology side of the gifts. Thus I need texts or other sources when the gift is explained, rather than demonstrated. (unless that demonstration is combined with an explanation.) – itpastorn Feb 8 at 22:00
The people you mention are not mainstream Pentecostals. But the idea of the gift of knowledge is more or less people seeming to know details about people lives. For example a person might pray and say 'I am seeing a person in their garage with a lot of newspapers around a car and God is saying to you...' or 'Somebody in this room has just visited a doctor and God wants you to come forward for prayer...On the more extreme end like Branham hypnosis is partly related to the movement.… – Mike Feb 9 at 4:10
I am deleting my answer and upvoting yours. I have been reading about Branham and underestimated his influence on later pentecostal movements. Cheers. – Mike Feb 27 at 14:06
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