Discernment

[just1voice]

Discernment is a gift, and also a discipline, I believe. Were it not a discipline, we would not be admonished to try the spirits. Concerning testing the spirits to see whether they be of God or not>>>

The Bible says that anyone who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. Anyone who does not confess this is not of God.

That is paraphrased.

My question arises because in my town, there are hundreds of churches, all confessing Jesus Christ, all preaching varying doctrines.

How can this be?

Edited November 3, 2010 by just1voice

[Guest man]

My question arises because in my town, there are hundreds of churches, all confessing Jesus Christ, all preaching varying doctrines.

How can this be?

1 Corinthians 11

13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.

14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

[2Joyful]

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

Blessings Botz,

May I point out my church is NOT part of the Word of Faith movement.....

What part did you find interesting?

[Botz]

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

Blessings Botz,

May I point out my church is NOT part of the Word of Faith movement.....

What part did you find interesting?

That's ok 2Joyful...not everything that comes out of WoF is tainted....and I never thought or implied your congregation was part of it...not that it would really matter to me if it was, because G-d looks at the hearts.

There were two things that stood out for me....(actually the whole teaching)

1. 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.

This was a revelation to me, and I want to look into it further.

2. 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 is the sort of thing that provokes me...it goads me to go forward and attempt to allow G-d a further deeper access to me as an individual....that I can be more effective the more I surrender.

There is also this teaching on the 'spirit-world' :-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.)

It is not a phrase I am that comfortable with, but in the context of what is being spoken, I understand what is being said, and is something I was taught many years ago....but I imagine some Believers would run a mile at the terminology

[2Joyful]

Thanks Botz,

Before I joined Worthy, I had no clear understanding of the Word of Faith movement. So I did move fast to remove what may have appeared my church was connected to it.

On the other hand, I wanted to find out what interested you, and you shared it very well.