Bible Reading: Job 37-38; Acts 16:1-20
“The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation” – Acts 16:17 (KJV)
Among the gift of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 is the revelatory gift of Discerning of spirits. Revelatory gift help us think like Christ. Discerning of spirits is a gift of perception. It is the ability to perceive spiritual impulses; to know the origin, source and motives behind the manifestation of a spirit, whether an activity is initiated or sustained by God or man or the devil.
Discernment help us perceive deception. The world is full of deception. Not everything happening, even in the body of Christ, is of God. Without discernment you will mistake evil for good and good for evil. You will call saints devil and devil, saints. Someone may be killing you and yet smiling at you. But discernment will help pick out these impulses. Trouble comes when we ignore or numb these impulses. Paul discerned from the spirit that the damsel’s pronouncements were not sponsored by the Holy Spirit and commanded the demon out of her (Acts 16:18).
Discerning of spirits is a gift from God. You can ask of it from Him in prayers and you must train yourself in the Word of God. This helps us know the nature and character of God which adds to our applying this gift of discerning of Spirits.
Action Point: Ask God for the gift of Discerning of spirits, and continue to spend more time with the word of God.