The Discerning of spirits

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord. We thank God for His goodness, faithfulness, knowledge and wisdom. Thank God for His Spirit through which He gives gifts to His people.

Primary Text

“… to another discerning of spirits; …” 1 Corinthians 9v10 (KJV)

“… to another the ability to discern and distinguish between [the utterances of true] spirits [and false ones], …” 1 Corinthians 9v10 (AMP)

We know that God is a Spirit (John 4v24). As human beings, we are also spirit beings, we have a soul, which has our mind, emotions and will, and we live in a body. There are however different types of spirit in the world today, and the gift of the discerning of spirits helps us to know which spirit is at work in a particular situation, whether good or evil. The Holy Spirit, who is the third Person in the Trinity is referred to in the Bible in different ways:

The Spirit of God & the Spirit of Christ: “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, He is none of His.” Romans 8v9 (KJV)

The Spirit of Truth: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever – The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you.”  (John 14v16-17, AMP)

“Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.” (John 6v13, KJV).

The Holy Spirit: “And having said this, He breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit! [Now having received the Holy Spirit, and are being led and directed by Him] if you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained.” John 20v22-23 (AMP)

“[The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost] When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place…. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (Acts 2v1&4, NIV)

Spirit of Jesus: “When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.” Acts 16v7 (NIV)

It is the Spirit of God, who guides us into all the truth that is the giver of the gift of the discerning of spirits.

Supplementary Text

“Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”” Acts 5v9 (NIV)

Prayer

Our heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Spirit. We thank You for the Spirit of truth who is in us and with us. We pray for the ability for discerning of spirits, that we may know what is true and what is false, what is of You and what is of the devil in Jesus name, amen.