Discernment of Spirits

Whenever we hear discernment, we immediately think of sensing demonic influence. But God cannot basically give us a gift whose sole purpose is defensive. The word of God, for example, is compared to a two-edged sword (Heb 4:12), it isn’t just for a defense against the enemy, it is also to cut through our own souls, unveil our innermost intents, and reconfigure our heart according to God’s desire. It also helps us against the enemy but more importantly, it helps us to chart our course in destiny.

This is the same with discernment. It is not just a gift to fish out the enemy, it is a gift to also discern the presence of God and the Spirit of God in our midst. We can know for sure if God is in a place by discernment. Discernment does not only alert us to be careful when a negative spirit is at work. It also alerts us to be expectant when the Spirit of the Lord is at work. If we claim to be discerning and we only get alerted at negative influence, we may need to broaden our scope. The gifts of God are for much more than that.

There are several places in scripture where the Holy Spirit is given a more detailed description. He is not just referred to as the Holy Spirit. He is referred to as the Spirit of something. This is discernment at work. With discernment, we’re not just able to tell which forces and powers are at work, but we are also able to tell why and for what. We are able to tell if the Spirit of Truth is here and open our hearts. Discernment not only tells us that God is there, but it is also able to tell us why. It’s never God’s desire to keep His people in the blind (Isaiah 45:19).

Discernment of Spirits

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Femi Senjobi