Discernment

[Fraught]

Would you classify discernment as a gift, and if so how would you define it?

to know God, to know Truth. it is a gift but not a special gift. it should be a trait of every believer.

[LeonaS]

Would you classify discernment as a gift, and if so how would you define it?

I think all good things are gifts from God.

I define it as the ability to know right from wrong, to know truth from error.

Do you think it is possible to almost instantly discern what is on a persons heart? (spiritually wise I mean)

I believe that sometimes you can see that a person is inherently good or evil, but in general, no. I've met people who, at first meeting, I thought were mean and nasty only to learn that they were just shy.

[OneLight]

What is it called when you know the intention of an individual is bad, even when they tell you otherwise? Has anyone ever met someone that has made you step back as if being warned against this person by the Holy Spirit? I can say I have on both cases.

[Joshua-777]

What is it called when you know the intention of an individual is bad, even when they tell you otherwise? Has anyone ever met someone that has made you step back as if being warned against this person by the Holy Spirit? I can say I have on both cases.

Same here, I have been in many experiences where the Holy Spirit warned me against a person.

[Joshua-777]

I believe that the Holy Spirit does give us discernment to know the intentions of others hearts, but that discernment is of Him, not of us. We are not called to judge them though but to love them. God desires all to be saved. I have met people where instantly the Holy Spirit warned against, and later I found out for good reason. I have met people where the Spirit has lead me to talk to, and some where the He warned me not to talk to, and it's always for a good reason. The Holy Spirit knows the intentions of the heart.

Now if someone is a good person or not, Only God is good. If someone abides in Him, He is a good person, if someone doesn't they are of the world. So can we rightfully discern if someone is a good person or not, Are they abiding in Jesus? They will be known by their fruit.

Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

1 John 3:4-10

4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

[hr.jr.]

Would you classify discernment as a gift, and if so how would you define it?

No. I would not.

"Discernment of Spirits" is a spiritual gift. Discernment is mere natural knowledge.

[2Joyful]

It is a gift, BUT not discernment...its the Discerning of spirits

I took a 2 year class at church and this was one of the courses, this is a few things I learned (well thank God for my notes)... It is the third part of the Gift of Revelation:

Some people claim to have" the gift of discernment", but there is no such gift. It is not a discernment of things; it is "the gift of discernment of spirits."

This is a Revelation Gift... There are three areas in which this gift can operate: the divine, the demonic, and the human natural. It is not a gift primarily used in discerning of devils, but it is divinely comprehending and understanding a human spirit-- the kind of a spirit a human possesses.

What It Is and What It Does

The discerning of spirits is the divine ability to see the presence and activity of a spirit that motivates a human being, whether good or bad. This revelation comes to the church (you) through the functioning of the Holy Spirit.

The discerning of spirits gives members of the body Christ insight into the spirit world, a realm that their five physical senses--feeling, hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting--cannot enter. The telescope can reveal the amazing stars in space. But it takes the gift of discerning of spirits to penetrate to the dividing of soul and spirit within a person. (See Hebrews 4:12.)

This discerning of spirits can bring tremendous inspiration to a church body. It can produce a real spirit of security against false doctrines, lies, and all kinds of things that are unreal. It can enable a church to choose the proper men and women to fulfill their ministries within the church.

The discerning of spirits is a gift that enables one to appraise motives. But more than this, it gives the believer power to see what others do not see. Howard Carter stated: "The discerning of spirits is a gift of the Holy Spirit by which the possessor is enabled to see into the spirit world. By this insight he can discern the similitude of God, the risen Christ, the Holy Spirit, cherubim, and seraphim, the archangels and the host of angels, or Satan and his legions."

Every believer has discernment working at some point of their lives. But only those who are willing for the gifts of the Spirit to function in its fullness will be able to benefit at the greatest level God intends them too.

**This class studied from material (along with other) taken from a book entitled: The Gifts and Ministries of the Holy Spirit by Lester Sumrall.

[JCISGD]

Im discerning some differences of opinion here.

[mizzdy]

What is it called when you know the intention of an individual is bad, even when they tell you otherwise? Has anyone ever met someone that has made you step back as if being warned against this person by the Holy Spirit? I can say I have on both cases.

It happens to me all the time, and its been the way all my life. One of my Sunday school teachers even took me to the elders of the church to discuss this, I was scared to death being only about 7 or 8 at the time. But I kept getting upset by this guy who had cerebal palsey, everyone loved him he took pics of everyone including the young girls no one thought anything about it but I would create a scene everytime he wanted to take mine turned out even in his handicap he was fondling some of the girls. Things just went along from there and if I do not listen to that 'gut feeling or small voice or feeling' something always ends up on the wrong side.

[Botz]

It is a gift, BUT not discernment...its the Discerning of spirits

I took a 2 year class at church and this was one of the courses, this is a few things I learned (well thank God for my notes)... It is the third part of the Gift of Revelation:

Some people claim to have" the gift of discernment", but there is no such gift. It is not a discernment of things; it is "the gift of discernment of spirits."

This is a Revelation Gift... There are three areas in which this gift can operate: the divine, the demonic, and the human natural. It is not a gift primarily used in discerning of devils, but it is divinely comprehending and understanding a human spirit-- the kind of a spirit a human possesses.

What It Is and What It Does

The discerning of spirits is the divine ability to see the presence and activity of a spirit that motivates a human being, whether good or bad. This revelation comes to the church (you) through the functioning of the Holy Spirit.

The discerning of spirits gives members of the body Christ insight into the spirit world, a realm that their five physical senses--feeling, hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting--cannot enter. The telescope can reveal the amazing stars in space. But it takes the gift of discerning of spirits to penetrate to the dividing of soul and spirit within a person. (See Hebrews 4:12.)

This discerning of spirits can bring tremendous inspiration to a church body. It can produce a real spirit of security against false doctrines, lies, and all kinds of things that are unreal. It can enable a church to choose the proper men and women to fulfill their ministries within the church.

The discerning of spirits is a gift that enables one to appraise motives. But more than this, it gives the believer power to see what others do not see. Howard Carter stated: "The discerning of spirits is a gift of the Holy Spirit by which the possessor is enabled to see into the spirit world. By this insight he can discern the similitude of God, the risen Christ, the Holy Spirit, cherubim, and seraphim, the archangels and the host of angels, or Satan and his legions."

Every believer has discernment working at some point of their lives. But only those who are willing for the gifts of the Spirit to function in its fullness will be able to benefit at the greatest level God intends them too.

**This class studied from material (along with other) taken from a book entitled: The Gifts and Ministries of the Holy Spirit by Lester Sumrall.

Thanks for posting that 2Joyful...I must get the book, because some of the teaching here is very interesting.

I know that Lester Sumrall knew Smith Wigglesworth, and was part of the Word of Faith movement....I have a friend who once worked with him....cheers. Botz