10-1-23 Kasey Campbell: Discerning of Spirits

I really will be back in 1 Corinthians 12 today. We’ve been sidetracked a little, which is ok. As a quick reminder, we’ve been studying the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and we’ve talked about the word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healings, working of miracles, and prophecy. Today, I want to talk about the gift of discerning of spirits. Let’s pray before we jump in. PRAY. We’re looking at 1 Corinthians 12:10 EXB He [the Holy Spirit] gives to another [person] the ability to know the difference between [to discern or distinguish] good and evil spirits. I’ve put the expanded Bible up here because this part about discerning of spirits is tucked into the verse. Paul is giving us a list of some of the spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit will give us as we open up to Jesus and minister by His power. With this particular gift, the gift of ‘discerning of spirits,’ the Holy Spirit will give us the ability to discern, distinguish, or tell the difference between good and evil spirits. The word ‘discern’ in Greek has to do with separating one thing from another thing. You can separate your whites from your colors in the laundry, you can separate fruits and vegetables, you can separate junk mail from good mail, and, the Holy Spirit will help us be able to separate what is good, right, honorable, and praiseworthy from what is from the world, the flesh, or the devil. He’ll help us separate things that are from God and line up with His heart from the things that aren’t from Him and don’t line up with who He is. The reason he gives us this gift is for protection and so we can minister more effectively to others. It’s so we can think about and meditate on things of the Lord and throw out worthless things. Philippians 4:8 NKJV Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are Discerning of Spirits | 1 pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. We want to renew our minds and think about the things that give glory to God, peace to our spirits, and ministry to one another. The last thing Paul listed in 1 Corinthians 12:10 was prophecy, so there’s a good chance that Paul is talking about separating out, discerning, or knowing the difference between prophecies, or words, that originate from God and those that don’t. This gift has to do with understanding the origin, the motive, or the source of something brought forth. It’s knowing (by listening to the Holy Spirit) what is truth and what’s a lie, even if the words being spoken ‘sound good.’ Paul is saying that the Holy Spirit will empower some believers to carefully examine something that is brought forth or expressed and be able to separate in their minds what is from God and what comes from either the flesh or a demonic spirit. It’s important to know the source of something because we want to hold fast to what is good and from God. 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 AMP Do not scorn or reject gifts of prophecy or prophecies [spoken revelations—words of instruction or exhortation or warning]. 21 But test all things carefully [so you can recognize what is good]. Hold firmly to that which is good. Paul says to test all things carefully so we can figure out if they really come from God. And he says to test the spirits because there are liars and deceivers out there. 1 John 4:1 NKJV Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. We might think the difference between the true and the false would be obvious to everyone, but sadly, that’s not the case. In fact, Paul says that it’s Discerning of Spirits | 2 pretty easy for people to be deceived. 2 Corinthians 11:14 NLT But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Sometimes, when spiritual ministry is taking place, everything seems right on the surface, but there can be hidden, unhealthy motives underneath. It could be that the minister is just trying to get money, to get a crowd, to puff himself up, to feed his pride, to exert control over others, or to gain a following. There could be a lot of unhealthy motives in a person’s heart as opposed to God’s motive to simply love people and communicate His grace, mercy, love, kindness, and holiness.1 The person with the gift of discerning of spirits would recognize that there are issues under the surface -something might be coming from either a human spirit or a demonic spirit as opposed to the Holy Spirit. And this recognition is a way of protecting the body from being misled. It’s a gift given for protection, and so we’ll be able to minister to others more effectively. The word for ‘discerning’ is also a judicial term. It has to do with being able to decide legal matters. It’s a great comfort to know that God can give His people the ability to judge between something that is truly from Him and something that is a lie. And these gifts can be used and expressed outside of church gatherings, too. This gift is essential for the world we live in! One missionary talks about how important this gift is and how important it is to listen to the Holy Spirit as we operate in our daily lives. He writes: I fly to many island nations in the South Pacific oftentimes into regions where no one knows me. So it’s 1 Schell, Steve. Daily Bible Study. Entry: 1 Corinthians 12:10. 15-21 June 1997. Discerning of Spirits | 3 common that when I step off a plane, I will be greeted, or someone will have a sign with my name on it. As I stepped off of this particular flight, a middle-aged man dressed like all of the locals came up to me (someone I’d never met before in my life) and reached out to shake my hand. Because I’m a nice guy, if someone in a foreign country, hopefully there to pick me up asks to shake my hand, I shake it. Especially if they insist “pastor, shake my hand.” Now, this particular time, I did something I’ve never done before or since. I said no. So rude, isn’t it? Yet something inside me (of course the Holy Spirit) said to decline the offer. “Don’t touch me.” I added to my curt, terse, ‘no.’ Yet, he insisted again. Pastor, shake my hand. He followed me outside the tiny air terminal where I would pick up my luggage. I saw someone I knew who greeted me, so I asked him about the man who wanted to shake my hand, ‘who is he? He knew I was a pastor.’ ‘That guy’s a witch doctor,’ my friend replied. “Well, he really wanted to shake my hand, I said rather sarcastically. “Because he wanted to put a curse on you.’ my host matter-of-factly responded. I probably knew the answer before I asked, but I said, ‘Well, how does he know who I am?” He knows who you are. The devil knows who you are. The unseen battle is very real, my friends.2 2 Stott, Jerry, and Robert Hunt. Positioned for the Gifts: Preparing Us for Extraordinary Power and Compassion. P156-157. Edited by Laurie De Revere, Foursquare Missions Press, 2019. Discerning of Spirits | 4 Now, I want you to know that you don’t have to be afraid of curses. Galatians 3:13-14 NKJV Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. And you don’t have to be afraid because we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, and God has given us authority over spirits that try to cause us harm. Luke 10:19-20 NKJV Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” So we don’t have to be afraid, but we need to be wise. We need to recognize spiritual warfare so that we can fight our spiritual battles, take the authority we’re given in Jesus' Name to push back the darkness, see God’s kingdom rule and reign come down, and keep all doors to the enemy closed. Paul tells us to put on the whole armor of God to stand against the forces of hell. Our warfare isn’t against people but against spiritual invisible, demonic powers. It’s not a message on spiritual warfare specifically today, but the Holy Spirit gives us His gifts, like the gift of discerning of spirits, so that we can better engage in and win our spiritual battles. You know, Children tend to move in the gift of discerning of spirits a lot. How often do young kids get ‘feelings’ about a place or a person? They just sense when something is off. This gift is meant to protect them. It’s a part of the shepherd’s rod and staff that keep God’s people safe. Discerning of Spirits | 5 The religious leaders and Pharisees didn’t have this gift. Shocking, I know, because they didn’t have the Holy Spirit. They didn’t accept Jesus, so it makes sense that they wouldn’t have this gift, either. Jesus said they had some level of discernment, it was just about the wrong things. It was in the physical, not the spiritual. Which is bad, because they were supposed to be the spiritual leaders of Israel. They could discern the times, but not what was happening in the spiritual realm. Matthew 16:2-4 NKJV Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; 3 and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed. Religion, tradition, and pride blinded them to true discernment of spirits, to the point where they couldn’t recognize the Holy Spirit of Jesus right in front of them! They had the spirit of religion, not the Holy Spirit. So, the gift discernment of spirits is the supernatural power to detect the realm of spirits and their activities. It implies the power of spiritual insight or supernatural revelation of the plans and purposes of the enemy.3 It finds the true origin or motive, whether it’s fleshly, demonic, or of God. Now, this is not the gift of discernment, it’s the gift of discerning of spirits. Discernment, or good spiritual judgment, comes from growth and 3 Hayford, Jack W. The Hayford Bible Handbook. P655. Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2004. Discerning of Spirits | 6 maturity in our walk with the Lord, ‘Christian common sense’(if you know what I mean by that), and knowledge of God’s word. Discernment is a very good thing, and we want to grow in it. We’re all encouraged to generally discern between good and evil and make those kinds of judgment calls in our daily lives. Hebrews 5:14 NLT Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. Of course, we want and need good judgment generally, but Paul is specifically talking here about a special deposit of knowledge about the spiritual origin of something in the moment. There can be overlap with general discernment that comes from maturity, however.4 Now, this gift is also not the gift of criticism. Sometimes, when people say they have the ‘gift of discernment,’ they don’t mean that they are spiritually mature and can discern right and wrong, and they don’t mean they understand the spiritual origin or motive of prophecy. They just mean they have a knack for criticism and judgmentalism. There are people out there, who don’t build up the body in love and care. They don’t operate like a good shepherd does to love, lead, guide, and protect. Instead, they criticize and cut down and nit-pick every little thing. That kind of nit-picking criticism is the opposite of this gift. That’s what the Pharisees did. That’s why Jesus said: Matthew 7:3-4 NKJV And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 4 Morris, Robert. The God I Never Knew: How Real Friendship with the Holy Spirit Can Change Your Life. P127. Crown Publishing Group, 2013. Discerning of Spirits | 7 A prophecy can be from the Lord, brought in humility and a right heart, but it’s possible that the person messes up a few words, or something is said incorrectly. That doesn’t mean the heart of the person is speaking from the flesh or the devil. And if that person is stepping out in faith, sharing in the integrity of heart what God has given them, overly nit-picking and criticizing that person’s public speaking skills, bible knowledge, or grammar just cuts them down and causes hurt and pain. This is not the gift of criticism, it’s the gift of discerning of spirits. Now, of course, we can be pastoral; we can pastor the gifts, and we can help people grow if they say something wrong with the right heart. But pastoring someone in the gifts or helping them grow is a very different thing with a different heart behind it than just being critical and nasty and nit-picking. I hope you understand the difference here. Paul was always super loving and kind, but he was also discerning. The Holy Spirit helped him see the spiritual origin and motive during his ministry. He came in contact with one girl who followed him around for a week or so annoyingly saying the right thing. But he knew what the actual motive was. Acts 16:16-19 NKJV Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” 18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. 19 But when her masters saw that their hope of Discerning of Spirits | 8 profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. The Bible says that this slave girl had the spirit of divination or the spirit of ‘python.’ Python was the name given to a mystical serpent associated with the oracle of Delphi in Greece. Greek mythology believed that when a priestess inhaled the vapors that came from an opening in the ground at Delphi, she was actually breathing vapors from the rotting body of the snake, python, that had been slain by the god Apollo. They believed these vapors somehow induced a drugged-up trance that allowed the god Apollo to possess the priestess and speak through her. People would then go to Delphi and pay money to get guidance, or prophecy, from this oracle. By telling us this girl had the spirit of python, Luke is saying that in a similar way to the oracle at Delphi, she would fall into a trance and channel a voice from the spirit realm. Now, we know it was just plain demonic - it was the voice of a demon. The people of this town, Philippi, thought they were getting direction and guidance from ‘the gods,’ without needing to travel 150 miles to Delphi. But it was really a demonic spirit. Demons did this kind of annoying mocking to Jesus too; remember that? Luke 4:33-35 NKJV Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, 34 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him. But anyway, this woman who was hearing from the demonic was following Paul around and being very annoying. The Bible says that Paul Discerning of Spirits | 9 was greatly annoyed. Satan is lord of the flies, and I think of a swarm of flies buzzing around your head everywhere you go and whenever you try to talk about Jesus. It doesn’t really stop you, but it’s super annoying! So Paul cast out the demon, got beaten, and thrown in prison, but people were saved. It didn’t stop the ministry. Paul knew the origin and motive behind what this girl was saying. On the surface, it sounds ok, right? “Listen to this guy; he’ll tell you about God and the way to salvation.” One pastor comments on this passage, and says, “Having spoken in remote regions of the world, I can tell you that I probably would have welcomed this girl to my team! It’s nice to have a local confirm your message. But the presence of demonic spirits can only disrupt what you ultimately want to accomplish.5” The origin was the enemy, and the motive was to annoy, distract, and cause people to reject Paul before he had a chance to minister to people the way they needed to be ministered to. This gift of discerning of spirits is very important because it will help us know the root of what is really afflicting a person. Is it just a physical or chemical imbalance? Or is it demonic in nature? It helps us know if there are wolves among the people of God. Acts 20:29-30 NKJV For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. It will help us see and expose error. 1 Timothy 4:1 NLT Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the 5 Stott, Jerry, and Robert Hunt. Positioned for the Gifts: Preparing Us for Extraordinary Power and Compassion. P152. Edited by Laurie De Revere, Foursquare Missions Press, 2019. Discerning of Spirits | 10 true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. It will help us know the difference between a miracle or healing that comes from God and one that doesn’t. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 AMP The coming of the [Antichrist, the lawless] one is through the activity of Satan, [attended] with great power [all kinds of counterfeit miracles] and [deceptive] signs and false wonders [all of them lies]. And it will help us know if the Holy Spirit is in someone. Or, rather, a better way to say that is that it will help us understand if someone has a soft heart that is open towards the Lord. That’s one way this gift can help us minister. It can help us sense if a person is open to the Lord. John 1:47-48 NKJV Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” We need this gift in operation in the body of Christ. It helps us know the difference between trauma and demonization, between true and false, between God and satan, between light and dark, and between religion and relationship. And God will give us the gift of discerning of spirits as we open to His Holy Spirit and learn to know His voice. I’ll close with one more story from a pastor who needed this gift and was so grateful the Holy Spirit came through. He shares: I had been in a deep sleep when my wife woke me up at about 1 a.m. insisting I help her. She had been leading a women’s meeting in our home when we were young pastors. After protesting incoherently for a while in my sleep state, I relented, got up, and went into the Discerning of Spirits | 11 other room, only to find one of the female leaders from our church manifesting a demon - the whole head turning, scary voice, exorcist-movie kind of thing. Being young and inexperienced, we didn’t have much success in ministering or casting out the demon. Running out of things to do, we asked the demon its name. ‘Krishna,’ it said. I didn’t know if it was lying but suspected it was. After all, the devil is the father of lies. But we kept praying because we didn’t know what else to do. Suddenly, she lifted her hands, her eyes looked normal, and she was worshipping. Everyone started to praise Jesus. ‘She’s delivered.’ then she started to speak in tongues. But I crashed the party. “That’s not the Holy Spirit,’ I said. Everyone disagreed. ‘Look, she’s worshipping Jesus!’ by all natural observations, she spoke and acted perfectly normal. But the gift of discerning of spirits inside me let me know that her tongues were counterfeit; in fact they were demonic. I said, “I rebuke you in the Name of Jesus.” She went back into contortions and other manifestations of the demonic. Unfortunately, she wasn’t delivered that morning. It’s a sad story, but it reminds me to test the spirits and to trust in the Holy Spirit to reveal all truth, and to tell us what is coming from the world, the flesh, or the devil.6 The gift of discerning spirits is necessary and needed. It helps protect us, it helps us minister to others more effectively, and it helps us understand 6 Stott, Jerry, and Robert Hunt. Positioned for the Gifts: Preparing Us for Extraordinary Power and Compassion. P158-159. Edited by Laurie De Revere, Foursquare Missions Press, 2019. Discerning of Spirits | 12 what is really going on in the spiritual realm. It’s a gift of spiritual insight so that we can see the devil's schemes and win the battle against them. I’ll end with this: 1 Timothy 6:12-16 NKJV Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, 15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen. Discerning of Spirits | 13