The gift of discernment

[dhchristian]

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: (Joel 2;28)

Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. (mal. 3;16)

There is a lot of confusion in the church as to what the gift of discernment is. All who have the Holy Ghost have the ability to discern, to see and recognize truth and fallacy and similar concepts as pertain our faith and doctrine, But very few have the gift of discernment. The verse from Malachi 3 Above implies that this discernment has been lost by the generation near the end of times, and indeed we are seeing this in particular in the church that is open to any invention of man to draw numbers as opposed to souls into their institutional church. 

I Am going to give some simple differences here of the gift of discernment versus the gift of Prophecy which may help you to understand this better.

A Discerner is a "seer" scripturally, and a watchman/woman. Though a seer can be given a word of prophecy, they are NOT prophets. 

How this gift falls on a believer is that they begin to visually see the spirit world, both good and evil, both Godly and demonic. You become Spiritually aware, others even other believers do not see what you see and if you try and explain to them they will mock you for it. 

This gift is the very heart of the final outpouring of the Holy Ghost, What was born in tongues and a lack of discernment the Laodicean church age will Mature and overcome with the gift of discernment. When One reads the letter to the Laodicean church, their Blindness and denial is apparent, and God offers them His eyesalve so that they can see. 

Most in the churches today are in denial of their Laodicean identity, I get it, no one want to be associated with the lukewarm and worst of the churches, But there are some even who deny this who are beginning to see that not all is right in the churches today and they are taking a journey which unconsciously, and Holy Spirit led is leading them to see. In Other words they are following the instructions in that letter unconsciously while not understanding why they are being led down this Path. This Post is to help you understand this. To help you embrace your Laodicean identity and show you where the Holy Ghost is leading you. 

Much of what occurs in the end times is a question of seeing. From the revelation of the Lawless one to those who remain blind receiving the strong delusion, to the fact that Jesus comes as a thief in the night to some who are not seeing. (This is why I posted this in the prophecy section here)

I Do not want to dictate here, but wish to open this up for questions, and time permitting I can answer them. Do You agree? Disagree? Have you experienced this? 

[Last Daze]

I look to this verse as far as how to grow in discernment:

• But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.  Hebrews 5:14

Discernment comes through practicing truth.  Jesus refers those who act on His teachings (truth) as wise.  Matthew 7:24-27  The wise virgins were prepared.  Matthew 25:1-13

End time discernment will come to the doers of the word.  Eschatology is of little value apart from acting on the teachings of Jesus.

This doesn't really address the gift of discernment but rather how we as believers can develop our spiritual senses to discern.

[dhchristian]

6 hours ago, Last Daze said:

I look to this verse as far as how to grow in discernment:

• But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.  Hebrews 5:14

Discernment comes through practicing truth.  Jesus refers those who act on His teachings (truth) as wise.  Matthew 7:24-27  The wise virgins were prepared.  Matthew 25:1-13

End time discernment will come to the doers of the word.  Eschatology is of little value apart from acting on the teachings of Jesus.

This doesn't really address the gift of discernment but rather how we as believers can develop our spiritual senses to discern.

Thanks for the comment, 

Truth has a lot to do with this discernment, as the Mystery of iniquity is revealed, and this is vital in How Jesus addressed the letter to the Laodicean church. Post Modernism has destroyed the notion of Truth and no where is that more reflected than in the churches today. It is also the lack of Love for the truth that leads to the strong delusion.  

[leah777]

Some churches may be laodicean. Not all. 

There are many spirit filled active live churches in Europe. Mainly small churches and house churches, but some mainstream ones too.

Perhaps is different in other parts of the world.

[Willa]

I have heard of people seeing demonic things but most of them aren't saved.  Others just discern good and evil.  When I look into a person's eyes I have sometimes seen evil.  It is a sense of being cold and twisted.  Usually Christians can recognize each other.  Our faces are more relaxed and our eyes can be penetrating.  We tend to search each others eyes and faces for a sense of recognition.  It is hard to explain.  In the same way we recognize true and false scripture and can quickly tell why some are called pseudo apocryphal.  This is where being familiar with truth comes in.   It is true that this gift is needed because some Christians are really gullible.  I have been one of them, which is why I prayed for the gift of wisdom thinking that was discernment.  God knew what I needed and gave me some of both.  And the type of wisdom came as direction as to how to proceed.  It's a type of problem solving more than just information.   I very likely have been wrong about what gift is operating.  Sometimes it recognizing that this is something that some people really don't have and I am surprised that they don't because it is so obvious to me; it can be something that can develop over time and becoming familiar with Scripture, yet it is nothing that can be taught in school.  The gift of knowledge also can't be learned.  It is a gift.

[Coliseum]

9 minutes ago, Willa said:

I have heard of people seeing demonic things but most of them aren't saved.  Others just discern good and evil.  When I look into a person's eyes I have sometimes seen evil.  It is a sense of being cold and twisted.  Usually Christians can recognize each other.  Our faces are more relaxed and our eyes can be penetrating.  We tend to search each others eyes and faces for a sense of recognition.  It is hard to explain.  In the same way we recognize true and false scripture and can quickly tell why some are called pseudo apocryphal.  This is where being familiar with truth comes in.   It is true that this gift is needed because some Christians are really gullible.  I have been one of them, which is why I prayed for the gift of wisdom thinking that was discernment.  God knew what I needed and gave me some of both.  And the type of wisdom came as direction as to how to proceed.  It's a type of problem solving more than just information.   I very likely have been wrong about what gift is operating.  Sometimes it recognizing that this is something that some people really don't have and I am surprised that they don't because it is so obvious to me; it can be something that can develop over time and becoming familiar with Scripture, yet it is nothing that can be taught in school.  The gift of knowledge also can't be learned.  It is a gift.

One very discerning Pastor told me that such a gift, after an action, can with some believers come even before the action is completed; for some it requires a moment, and for others, it takes more time to put into one's memory all of the pieces of an entire event. You may be right to say that the Christian has an uncanny ability to look into one's eyes and detect good or evil. I seem to have that sense. But for some, it is more difficult as in the case of a young, 18 year-old girl who was dying of cancer. On her deathbed, she was afraid, and and it seemed normal because she had virtually no life to look back upon. She was sitting, and then fell backward onto the bed as if dead. Then, shockingly, shot back up with her arms extended, and from her lips shouting, "No....No...., and then fell backward once again, dead. We want to jump to the conclusion that seems inevitable, but we can't. Any of an infinite number of things might have been in her thoughts. She gave no impression during her life that she was evil. Nothing in her eyes that indicated it. Would you say Judas was evil before Satan entered him? When Satan was created perfectly, without sin, was he evil before he became prideful because of his beauty? Is a man evil before God gives him faith to turn to Him? You said, "I have heard of people seeing demonic things but most of them aren't saved." That is a judgment call that is hard to make in my opinion. I watched a TV movie that was certainly evil, but that does not automatically quality me as evil, or unsaved. In fact, I have not watched any TV for over ten years. Would you not agree that every person tends to see things through the lens of his past that are not pure---only filtered? We even sin in our prayer life. Jesus would not snuff out a smoldering wick---even with Judas, who He called "friend" up until the very second before Jesus was betrayed. 

Even Satan Jesus said, Thou wast perfect (tāmîm, "sound, unimpaired, innocent")...Ezekiel 28:15 (KJV)
till iniquity was found in thee.
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.

This of course has nothing to do with you dear sister. I just wanted to make my case that many of our preconceived notions are sometimes just that. We have heard it said---and probably more than once---that some we never thought we would see in heaven will be there; and some we believed would be, might not.

God bless.

[dhchristian]

35 minutes ago, Willa said:

I have heard of people seeing demonic things but most of them aren't saved.  Others just discern good and evil.  When I look into a person's eyes I have sometimes seen evil.  It is a sense of being cold and twisted.  Usually Christians can recognize each other.  Our faces are more relaxed and our eyes can be penetrating.  We tend to search each others eyes and faces for a sense of recognition.  It is hard to explain.  In the same way we recognize true and false scripture and can quickly tell why some are called pseudo apocryphal.  This is where being familiar with truth comes in.   It is true that this gift is needed because some Christians are really gullible.  I have been one of them, which is why I prayed for the gift of wisdom thinking that was discernment.  God knew what I needed and gave me some of both.  And the type of wisdom came as direction as to how to proceed.  It's a type of problem solving more than just information.   I very likely have been wrong about what gift is operating.  Sometimes it recognizing that this is something that some people really don't have and I am surprised that they don't because it is so obvious to me; it can be something that can develop over time and becoming familiar with Scripture, yet it is nothing that can be taught in school.  The gift of knowledge also can't be learned.  It is a gift.

Thanks for the comment Willa, I agree, the devil does reveal himself to those who wish to understand dark sentences. I have seen demonically possessed people cringe in the presence of saints of God who are full of the Holy Ghost. There is a constant attempt to attack and destroy the saint in the temporal world, So to a degree they see these things. for example fortune tellers and mystics operate by demonic authority. This is a great point to bring up, because for every true Gift of God Satan has his imitation to offer. 

" I have been one of them, which is why I prayed for the gift of wisdom thinking that was discernment. " The two go hand in hand , wisdom and discernment as truth is the very essence which is discerned, the truth of the heart. 

I Want to make a point here Just to express this better here, All Christians can pray over someone and have them healed, but not all have the gift of healing. The same is true of Spiritual discernment, all believers have the ability, But few have the gift. The same is true of Tongues, we all have the ability, and in our prayer life do speak in tongues but not all do outwardly have the gift. This is one of the errors of the pentecostal movement to make this as the only sign of the Holy Ghost coming over people. They excluded large segments of the body by making this the sole test, and opened the door to false spirits that immitate this gift.

A Question that is raised by your comment is, does wisdom precede discernment as a gift, or does discernment come first and wisdom second? Typically what I have seen is one gift is given supernaturally (an outpouring) while the second is learned over time which compliments the first.  In my experience discernment comes first and wisdom follows. For example you can see something and not fully understand what you are seeing. You can see a dream you know is from God, but not know the exact meaning until wisdom grants you interpretation.  

 

[DeighAnn]

18 hours ago, dhchristian said:

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: (Joel 2;28)

Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. (mal. 3;16)

There is a lot of confusion in the church as to what the gift of discernment is. All who have the Holy Ghost have the ability to discern, to see and recognize truth and fallacy and similar concepts as pertain our faith and doctrine, But very few have the gift of discernment. The verse from Malachi 3 Above implies that this discernment has been lost by the generation near the end of times, and indeed we are seeing this in particular in the church that is open to any invention of man to draw numbers as opposed to souls into their institutional church. 

I Am going to give some simple differences here of the gift of discernment versus the gift of Prophecy which may help you to understand this better.

A Discerner is a "seer" scripturally, and a watchman/woman. Though a seer can be given a word of prophecy, they are NOT prophets. 

How this gift falls on a believer is that they begin to visually see the spirit world, both good and evil, both Godly and demonic. You become Spiritually aware, others even other believers do not see what you see and if you try and explain to them they will mock you for it. 

This gift is the very heart of the final outpouring of the Holy Ghost, What was born in tongues and a lack of discernment the Laodicean church age will Mature and overcome with the gift of discernment. When One reads the letter to the Laodicean church, their Blindness and denial is apparent, and God offers them His eyesalve so that they can see. 

Most in the churches today are in denial of their Laodicean identity, I get it, no one want to be associated with the lukewarm and worst of the churches, But there are some even who deny this who are beginning to see that not all is right in the churches today and they are taking a journey which unconsciously, and Holy Spirit led is leading them to see. In Other words they are following the instructions in that letter unconsciously while not understanding why they are being led down this Path. This Post is to help you understand this. To help you embrace your Laodicean identity and show you where the Holy Ghost is leading you. 

Much of what occurs in the end times is a question of seeing. From the revelation of the Lawless one to those who remain blind receiving the strong delusion, to the fact that Jesus comes as a thief in the night to some who are not seeing. (This is why I posted this in the prophecy section here)

I Do not want to dictate here, but wish to open this up for questions, and time permitting I can answer them. Do You agree? Disagree? Have you experienced this? 

I was saddened when your post ended, it seemed as if it was just getting started.  I would ask a question but don't know what to ask.  Just seems you have given this some deeper thought and I would like to hear them. 

[OneLight]

All gifts are given to us by His Holy Spirit and needs His Spirit to guide us through their use.  The more "in tune" you are with His Holy Spirit, the more you will allow Him to work in and through you and not depend on physical signs to determine what spirit it is.  He already knows and we should listen for His conclusion.  It's my personal opinion that humans are too quick to judge, which may lead to improper usage of the gift. 

[dhchristian]

Just now, Coliseum said:

One very discerning Pastor told me that such a gift, after an action, can with some believers come even before the action is completed; for some it requires a moment, and for others, it takes more time to put into one's memory all of the pieces of an entire event. You may be right to say that the Christian has an uncanny ability to look into one's eyes and detect good or evil. I seem to have that sense. But for some, it is more difficult as in the case of a young, 18 year-old girl who was dying of cancer. On her deathbed, she was afraid, and and it seemed normal because she had virtually no life to look back upon. She was sitting, and then fell backward onto the bed as if dead. Then, shockingly, shot back up with her arms extended, and from her lips shouting, "No....No...., and then fell backward once again, dead. We want to jump to the conclusion that seems inevitable, but we can't. Any of an infinite number of things might have been in her thoughts. She gave no impression during her life that she was evil. Nothing in her eyes that indicated it. Would you say Judas was evil before Satan entered him? When Satan was created perfectly, without sin, was he evil before he became prideful because of his beauty? Is a man evil before God gives him faith to turn to Him? You said, "I have heard of people seeing demonic things but most of them aren't saved." That is a judgment call that is hard to make in my opinion. I watched a TV movie that was certainly evil, but that does not automatically quality me as evil, or unsaved. In fact, I have not watched any TV for over ten years. Would you not agree that every person tends to see things through the lens of his past that are not pure---only filtered? We even sin in our prayer life. Jesus would not snuff out a smoldering wick---even with Judas, who He called "friend" up until the very second before Jesus was betrayed. 

Even Satan Jesus said, Thou wast perfect (tāmîm, "sound, unimpaired, innocent")...Ezekiel 28:15 (KJV)
till iniquity was found in thee.
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.

This of course has nothing to do with you dear sister. I just wanted to make my case that many of our preconceived notions are sometimes just that. We have heard it said---and probably more than once---that some we never thought we would see in heaven will be there; and some we believed would be, might not.

God bless.

That is why coming to full assurance of the faith is so important to the Christian, This is not a doctrine that can be taught, but must be lived and experienced in our journey. Textualism makes this a doctrine, as opposed to a spiritual experience. In doing so they have denied the need for the Christian to walk through the valley of doubt where we learn to trust in the providence of God, not just doctrinally, but Knowingly and faithfully.