January 20, 2016

DISCERNING OF SPIRITS

Memory Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues”

This is one very interesting gift of the Holy Spirit. As with all revelation gifts; it reveals something. So what is discerning of spirits? It refers to the ability to see or hear of occurrences in the spiritual realm. It includes seeing angels, the Lord Jesus, spiritual locations, demonic spirits and even the devil. Now, it is important to understand that this is an operation of the Holy Spirit; it cannot be worked up or imagined by the natural mind. It is not the result of an over active imagination but a revelation of the Holy Spirit. Joel 2:28 “and it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions”.

The above scripture speaks about dreams and visions. These are the primary ways discerning of spirit is expressed. Let’s explain what dreams and visions are. A dream that is a manifestation of discerning of spirits is insight into the realm of the spirit characterized by recognition of spiritual personalities while your body is asleep. A vision on the other hand can simply be defined as dreaming while awake. In a vision, you are conscious of yourself physically and not asleep, yet you are seeing into the spiritual.

There are three types of visions and they vary based on the degree of involvement of your natural consciousness. We have the inner vision, the open vision and trance. We have no control of what mode a discerning of spirits is going to take but we do have to be sensitive to the move of the spirit within us. As long as there is something to be revealed, the Holy Spirit will reveal it through your spirit; all you have to do is to be sensitive enough to receive. There are many instances of this gift in both the Old and New testaments. 2 Corinthians 12:2-3 “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth). This is a description of Paul of an operation of discerning of spirits where he was caught up into heaven. He wasn’t physically relocated to heaven; he had a vision of it. When it comes to dealing with demonic spirits as a minister of the gospel, the operation of this gift is vital because it helps you know when a demonic spirit is present and active in a life and also when it has been expelled by the spoken word. Now, this is not to say we have to discern a spirit present before we can cast it out. We have authority over devils whether the gift is in operation or not. Amen

CONFESSION: I walk in revelation gift; I see into the realm of the spirit, I hear from the realm of the spirit. Revelation gifts are mine; I am sensitive to the move of the spirit within my spirit. Amen

Further Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 12, Psalm 91

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