Gift of Discernment???

[MeCajunboy]

i have seen demonic spirits, yes. isaiah, i don't mean this in a sarcastic way, but do you honestly have any doubt that they are real? because if you DO have such doubts, i have to admit that takes me quite by surprise.

Be surprised. I was raised Baptist. YES, I have doubts. Demons are something that Hollywood created in The Exorcist. I have never been taught that they were anything bigger than a fly I could flick off my shoulder. Seriously. So, although my personal experience has told me otherwise, I have struggled with the idea that the spirit world threatens me in any way. To actually SEE spirits is beyond my comprehension. Don't know if I could handle it. It's not that I doubt you, per se, it's just that I'm trying to come to grips with what I was taught and the reality of life!

ok. please don't take this wrong. (by the way, i was raised baptist too, but was never taught that they didn't exist.) if you want to know the truth about demons, how real they are, how much a threat they are, all you have to do is open up your Bible and read. scripture goes into enormous detail about spiritual warfare, about the battle we fight daily, not with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers of darkness, and how important it is to put on our spiritual armour every day. furthermore, God gave us the authority, through the power of Jesus Christ, to cast out demons. this is not hollywood, this is very real. satan and his minions rule this earth until the time that Christ returns and banishes them all to hell for a thousand year reign of peace, at which time they will again be unleashed for a period of time until the final battle is fought. that's all biblical. and it's such a prominent part of scripture that i am dismayed at how it is downplayed in the church. i KNEW it was downplayed, but i was not aware that it was totally ignored in some churches!

Cajunboy::::Hello LadyC, I tried to address you on a topic you responded to that I was reading yesterday in another room on this forum. You were responding to the topic of "homosexuality." A topic that was erected by disenchanted , I believe. And I have to admit , I was a bit taken back by your response. I have to admit that I am at a loss for words of your response, but I'm certain that you were supporting the premise that "homosexuality" is very possibly a "genetic" characteristic in certain humans and that many of them have little or no control over their path in life.

Now, up to now I have to say that I've been an admirer of your post in many instances and thoughts. But if, in fact, you do acknowledge this premise I have to ask you to explain yourself because you and I should both know that if God "abhors" or is "disgusted" by homosexuality as we have read so very many times in HIS Word, then we have to believe that HE would not be responsible for allowing a genetic characteristic exist as to encourage homosexuality. If I am wrong in my assumptions, let me appologize well in advance, but if this is your take on this subject I have to tell you that God does not want us to encourage any sin......And that's just what this one is! SIN ! And it's no different that one who is considered an adulterer! Or a fornicator! and It really confuses me and baffles me when I hear so many women in this country that sympathize with this sin! Women seem to be so much more compassionate with the average professed homosexual, than does man! And that awes me!

I believe I have the capacity to love every man, woman, and child on this earth.....BUT I DO ADHERE TO GOD'S WORD .....I do hate the sin!

[MrLuke]

yes. many times. but i think this could be getting into a part of discussion that the mods (in the past) have deemed inappropriate to discuss in detail.

You've SEEN the spirit world? I don't need details, I just need to know if they're really real.

I have also seen into it many times before, and I can tell you - it's real alright! The greatest trick of the enemy it seems, it that he has fooled many Christians into disbelief about the demonic side of life.

If you have a hard time accepting the spirit world (and I'm also wondering, do you accept angels?) - then how do you weigh up in your mind the devil? Do you not believe we Christians have a common enemy who is real?

Or what about the times Jesus and His followers cast demons out of people? Was it not real then?

I urge you to follow what LadyC has said, and delve into your Bible, read the Scriptures - the New Testament has plenty of documented times when demons have made themselves a reality.

Read my testimony sometime too (link in my sig) - I was possessed. See how much of a reality is became to me through my life.

[Guest LadyC]

i have seen demonic spirits, yes. isaiah, i don't mean this in a sarcastic way, but do you honestly have any doubt that they are real? because if you DO have such doubts, i have to admit that takes me quite by surprise.

Be surprised. I was raised Baptist. YES, I have doubts. Demons are something that Hollywood created in The Exorcist. I have never been taught that they were anything bigger than a fly I could flick off my shoulder. Seriously. So, although my personal experience has told me otherwise, I have struggled with the idea that the spirit world threatens me in any way. To actually SEE spirits is beyond my comprehension. Don't know if I could handle it. It's not that I doubt you, per se, it's just that I'm trying to come to grips with what I was taught and the reality of life!

ok. please don't take this wrong. (by the way, i was raised baptist too, but was never taught that they didn't exist.) if you want to know the truth about demons, how real they are, how much a threat they are, all you have to do is open up your Bible and read. scripture goes into enormous detail about spiritual warfare, about the battle we fight daily, not with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers of darkness, and how important it is to put on our spiritual armour every day. furthermore, God gave us the authority, through the power of Jesus Christ, to cast out demons. this is not hollywood, this is very real. satan and his minions rule this earth until the time that Christ returns and banishes them all to hell for a thousand year reign of peace, at which time they will again be unleashed for a period of time until the final battle is fought. that's all biblical. and it's such a prominent part of scripture that i am dismayed at how it is downplayed in the church. i KNEW it was downplayed, but i was not aware that it was totally ignored in some churches!

Cajunboy::::Hello LadyC, I tried to address you on a topic you responded to that I was reading yesterday in another room on this forum. You were responding to the topic of "homosexuality." A topic that was erected by disenchanted , I believe. And I have to admit , I was a bit taken back by your response. I have to admit that I am at a loss for words of your response, but I'm certain that you were supporting the premise that "homosexuality" is very possibly a "genetic" characteristic in certain humans and that many of them have little or no control over their path in life.

Now, up to now I have to say that I've been an admirer of your post in many instances and thoughts. But if, in fact, you do acknowledge this premise I have to ask you to explain yourself because you and I should both know that if God "abhors" or is "disgusted" by homosexuality as we have read so very many times in HIS Word, then we have to believe that HE would not be responsible for allowing a genetic characteristic exist as to encourage homosexuality. If I am wrong in my assumptions, let me appologize well in advance, but if this is your take on this subject I have to tell you that God does not want us to encourage any sin......And that's just what this one is! SIN ! And it's no different that one who is considered an adulterer! Or a fornicator! and It really confuses me and baffles me when I hear so many women in this country that sympathize with this sin! Women seem to be so much more compassionate with the average professed homosexual, than does man! And that awes me!

I believe I have the capacity to love every man, woman, and child on this earth.....BUT I DO ADHERE TO GOD'S WORD .....I do hate the sin!

cajun, i suggest you read my response again. i am not sure why you chose to respond to it in THIS thread instead of in THAT thread or through a PM, but i have made my position clearer than crystal over and over on these boards. homosexuality is in NO WAY genetic. please send me a link to the post so i can make sure i didn't make a typographical error, or so i can at least try and figure out what i said that was misconstrued.

[Guest Classy]

I know what you would call my gift but sometimes I know what is right from is wrong and I know that there is no way I could have this knowledge on my own.

For example, I was going to a church with some friends of mine and was feeling uncomfortable about what they were preaching and teaching. Since I was raised a baptist, there were several things that really bothered me and I believed my friends and might be in some sort of a cult or religious sect that was against the Christian teachings and values I had grown up with - the main one was salvation is not of works. This church argued that you had to work for salvation and you weren't saved for eternity after you accepted Christ as your personal Savior. I found out by asking around that this church was indeed a part of a sect known as the worldwide church of God. I've had this uncomfortable feeling before when I was in certain situations.

[MrLuke]

I know what you would call my gift but sometimes I know what is right from is wrong and I know that there is no way I could have this knowledge on my own.

For example, I was going to a church with some friends of mine and was feeling uncomfortable about what they were preaching and teaching. Since I was raised a baptist, there were several things that really bothered me and I believed my friends and might be in some sort of a cult or religious sect that was against the Christian teachings and values I had grown up with - the main one was salvation is not of works. This church argued that you had to work for salvation and you weren't saved for eternity after you accepted Christ as your personal Savior. I found out by asking around that this church was indeed a part of a sect known as the worldwide church of God. I've had this uncomfortable feeling before when I was in certain situations.

Discernment in practice!

[Guest rdmall]

i have seen demonic spirits, yes. isaiah, i don't mean this in a sarcastic way, but do you honestly have any doubt that they are real? because if you DO have such doubts, i have to admit that takes me quite by surprise.

Be surprised. I was raised Baptist. YES, I have doubts. Demons are something that Hollywood created in The Exorcist. I have never been taught that they were anything bigger than a fly I could flick off my shoulder. Seriously. So, although my personal experience has told me otherwise, I have struggled with the idea that the spirit world threatens me in any way. To actually SEE spirits is beyond my comprehension. Don't know if I could handle it. It's not that I doubt you, per se, it's just that I'm trying to come to grips with what I was taught and the reality of life!

Hello Isaiah,

I would recommend reading Frank Peretti's books, "This present darkness" and "Piercing the darkness". These are works of fiction, but they give a glimpse of the spiritual warfare that is happening all around us. I was raised Baptist as well, and it is just within the last few years that I have learned a great deal about how much warfare there actually is. Glad that you are investigating this topic though. Keep in mind as you do that the best thing we can do is to keep our eyes turned on Jesus. I say this because it is all to easy to become caught up in the demonic side of the issue and worry to much about it.

God Bless You!

[Oana]

I am a little confused about the gifts of God. I think I have the gift of discernment of spirits.

When I was a little girl, I once saw demons(they were looking like black shadows, but I could tell they were demons in a way I can't explain...and I saw them in reality,not in my dreams). I wasn't afraid of them at all because I knew that they couldn't touch me. After that I didn't see them for many years.

I have always had dreams in witch I battled with demons,physically ever since I was little but I was never afraid. I've always felt God's power in those dreams, helping me to fight them and at the end of every dream I always won.

Recently, I had bad dreams(horrible ones sent from them-I just know it) and this time, they try to scare me by showing me horrible images, like a family member committing suicide. I woke up scared and I couldn't see them, but I felt them around me. They were trying to scare me. That didn't last a long time, because I prayed over my house with a great aunt of mine(who speaks in tongues) and I discovered the fact that the demons were in my chandelier(the chandelier has a mirror and that was the place I felt them most in and so did my aunt). Whenever I woke up from the dreams I knew they were there, in that mirror, I just feel them. We prayed and God helped us get rid of them.

The thing is... I'm not sure if I have the gift of discernment...I wish I had because I think it's a great gift, but I don't feel worthy of it.

Another thing...After the dream period...I went out with a cousin of mine and we were sitting in a cafe and we were talking about Jesus. Suddenly, a woman came in and sat at the table right next to us. We both realized that something was wrong because when we were saying the name of Jesus the woman behind me started talking weird to herself and her face was looking down so I couldn't see her face and we couldn't understand what she was saying. Whenever we mentioned the name of Jesus out loud she would angrily talk a little louder saying incomprehensible words. That's when me and my cousin went straight to the Church and prayed.

So I'm not sure if I have a role in this...If I have this gift. I wish to be closer to God.

[Guest]

Praying!

Hosanna!

[MESSAGER85]

I have. I walked through many different spiritual planes and encountered all kinds of entities both bad and good. The higher heavens are the most beautiful and abstract filled with colors, animals, and organic material that we've never seen on this plane the beings that inhabit these planes are highly intelligent and loving beings. The lower heavens are dark and lurky filled with hideous landscapes and twisted concepts of the higher heavens. The beings there can be violent and very deceptive i've never seen the biblical hell but if a hell in fire truly exist i mightve been on the boarders of those planes.

[Matthitjah]

I have. I walked through many different spiritual planes and encountered all kinds of entities both bad and good. The higher heavens are the most beautiful and abstract filled with colors, animals, and organic material that we've never seen on this plane the beings that inhabit these planes are highly intelligent and loving beings. The lower heavens are dark and lurky filled with hideous landscapes and twisted concepts of the higher heavens. The beings there can be violent and very deceptive i've never seen the biblical hell but if a hell in fire truly exist i mightve been on the boarders of those planes.

Grace to you,

Please explain scripturally who sits on the Throne of Heaven.

Please also explain scripturally your references above.

Peace,

Dave