The Evangelist Speaks

by Evangelist Carolyn Griffin

Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Part 4

We continue our study of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit with the third of the revelation gifts, the gift of discerning of spirits. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the same spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.  I Cor. 12:8-10 NKJV. Discerning of spirits is the supernatural ability given by the Holy Spirit to perceive the source of a spiritual manifestation and determine whether it is of God (Acts 10:30-35), of the devil (Acts 16:16-18), of man (Acts 8:18-23), or of the world. It is not mind reading, psychic phenomena, or the ability to criticize and find fault.

Discerning of spirits must be done by the power of the Holy Spirit; He bears witness with our spirit when something is or is not of God. The gift of discerning of spirits is the supernatural power to detect the realm of the spirits and their activities. It implies the power of spiritual insight - the supernatural revelation of plans and purposes of the enemy and his forces. It is a gift which protects and guards the Christian life. Discernment is a form of direct perception, given by the Spirit. It is the supernatural ability to see or hear what is there in the natural, but then see and hear it with the understanding of the Holy Spirit. Again, we emphasize that all spiritual gifts must be operated under God’s control. They are not to be used to control, manipulate, or embarrass. The discerning of spirits is not discerning of character or faults; it is not even the discerning of people. When the Holy Spirit allows one to see the spirit behind actions and activities, they are able to deal with the situation at hand in a spirit of love. We must remember that the gift of discerning of spirits does not only refer to the discerning evil spirits. This mind set is often misleading and causes many to be fearful of this important spiritual gift. This gift has to do with the entire class of spirits, including good spirits, bad spirits and human spirits. This supernatural gift not only allows us to discern evil, but it also allows us to discern the presence and likeness of God, the risen Christ, and the movement and presence of the Holy Spirit.

It is very important that we learn to discern the move of the Holy Spirit when believers are assembled together. When the Holy Spirit is at work, lives are changed, people in our midst are healed delivered and set free. This is truly what we need in the body of Christ today. Many things are going on in our churches but they are contrary to the will and the word of God. Too many people are operating under evil or fleshly spirits. Thus we have little or no influence on those outside of the church. We must mature in the things of God in order to make a difference in the world around us. Hebrews 5:14 contains a very important fact about discernment, and it is also true of all spiritual gifts. Solid food belongs to those who are of full age (mature, grown up), that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. We must cultivate and embrace this gift. It is very important to the proper functioning of the body of Christ. It results in believers recognizing the presence of the Holy Spirit and the ways in which God is working, it reveals the character and motivations of the human heart, and it identifies when evil spirits are the cause of sickness and strife. When discerning of spirits is operating on a full scale in the body of Christ, it will bring remarkable ministry to the church and the world. The Bible has many examples of discerning of spirits; divine, human, and of evil. I pray that this brief article will stir leaders and lay members alike to study more concerning the gift of discerning of spirits and all of the spiritual gifts. I pray that we will allow the gifts to operate in us and through us as the Holy Spirit leads. The church and the world are in desperate need.