The Gift of Discernment: Understanding the Discernment of Spirits
The gift of discerning spirits, or “distinguishing” spirits, is a spiritual gift from the Holy Spirit that allows believers to identify the influence of good and evil in various situations. It’s a gift that allows Christians to recognize and discern the nature of spirits—whether they are of God or the enemy. This gift is essential in spiritual warfare, in protecting our faith, and in guiding us to make wise decisions.
Biblical Basis for the Gift of Discernment
The gift of discerning spirits is one of the spiritual gifts that God gives to believers to help them navigate the spiritual world with wisdom and understanding. In 1 Corinthians 12:10, Paul mentions the gift of discernment of spirits as one of the spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit to the Church. The apostle explains that the Spirit gives different gifts to believers for the common good of the body of Christ. Furthermore, in Hebrews 5:13-14 we read that a believer who has matured beyond using the milk of the Word as a babe in Christ is able to discern both good and evil.
The spiritually discerning are so familiar with the Word of God that they instantly recognize what is contrary to it. They use the Word of God to “test the spirits” to see which line up with God and which are in opposition to Him. This discernment does not involve mystical, extra-biblical revelations; rather, the maturing believer is empowered by the Spirit of God through the Scriptures to tell the difference between good and evil.
St. Ignatius’ Rules for Discernment
St Ignatius’ Rules for the Discernment of Spirits are very insightful and help us look within to see how the evil spirit tries to derail us and how the good spirit tries to nudge us closer to God. Ignatius offers a second set of eight rules or guidelines that speak to the more subtle ways the spirits move. In this list, Ignatius reminds us just how complex it can be.
Key Rules and Guidelines
- RULE 1: While the good spirit tends to give joy, peace, and encouragement, the evil spirit can raise subtle fears, doubts, or dissatisfaction about the course we’re taking.
- RULE 2: If we experience a sudden consolation and joyful peace without any apparent cause or reason, it is from God.
- RULE 3: When consolation does occur because of a cause, like a thought or an event, it may be from the good spirit trying to strengthen and encourage us, or from the evil spirit trying to distract us or cause us to focus on ourselves.
- RULE 4: For one who wants to pursue good, the evil spirit is often disguised as an “angel of light” appearing like the good spirit.
Our attention may be shifted to other “good” things and we may eventually become prideful or selfish. The evil spirit often works to convince us that what we’re doing is good, so we puff ourselves up and eventually become blinded to our serving our ego. The course of a consolation is likely to be from the good spirit if we find ourselves growing closer to God at the beginning, middle, and end.
Spiritual Gifts and Descriptions
Understanding and cultivating spiritual gifts within a church is essential for fostering spiritual growth and unity. Below is a chart of gifts according to the Holy Spirit:
| Gift | Scripture Reference | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Wisdom | 1 Corinthians 12:8 | Ability to understand and apply deep, spiritual truths to everyday life, and provide wise counsel. |
| Knowledge | 1 Corinthians 12:8 | Ability to understand and grasp complex, divine truths and share them effectively with others. |
| Faith | 1 Corinthians 12:9 | Exceptional trust and confidence in God, often enabling believers to stand strong in challenging situations. |
| Discerning of spirits | 1 Corinthians 12:10 | Ability to discern the presence and influence of spiritual forces, whether divine, demonic, or human. |
| Prophecy | 1 Corinthians 12:10 | Ability to receive and communicate God’s messages to others, often to edify, exhort, or comfort the Church. |
The Role of Discernment in the Church
The Holy Spirit gives the gift of discernment to enable certain Christians to clearly recognize and distinguish between the influence of God, Satan, the world, and the flesh in a given situation. This gift serves to protect and empower the Christian community. The church needs those with this gift to warn believers in times of danger or keep them from being led astray by false teaching. 1 John 4:1 warns us: “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” Discerning of spirits is the supernatural ability given by the Holy Spirit to perceive the source of a spiritual manifestation and determine whether it is of God, of the devil, of man, or of the world.