Discerning of Spirits: Understanding and Managing Hypersensitivity
Discerning of Spirits is God’s Wonderful Gift. But it shouldn’t be crushing you. Do you find yourself picking up on every little thing around you? Are you overwhelmed by the spirit around others or locations? Is discerning of spirits hypersensitivity affecting your life beyond the moment you encounter it and causing a struggle in everyday life? It might be more about you than you realize.
The Nature of the Gift
Do you know what’s truly a gift from the Lord? The ability to discern spirits. It’s a wonderful gift that lets you pick up on things others might miss. But here’s the thing: this gift shouldn’t be a burden that crushes you. That’s not what the Father intended. Unfortunately, I’ve seen some people wear their discerning of spirits hypersensitivity like a badge of honor. It’s almost like they take pride in how much it weighs them down. But that’s not the way it should be.
Identifying Open Doors and Common Ground
Have you ever found yourself feeling hypersensitive to the world around you? While it’s not always the case, this may be a sign of an open door within yourself. Sometimes the problem is that the spirit you encountered has “something in common” (aka common ground) with you. When this happens, it could mean you have “something in common” with a spirit through a wound or sin.
One reason this could be happening is that the spirit you encountered recognized familiar ground in you. It is using that open door to overwhelm you and then “follows you home,” continuing to oppress and harass you. It can only do that if it has ground in you already. We have gaps in our souls that can open doors to the enemy because we are human; we have bitterness, offense, judgment, wounds, and trauma.
Biblical Foundation
Let’s talk about where this idea comes from Biblically. In John 14:30, Jesus talks to the disciples about how He must leave so the Holy Spirit can come. Jesus tells them that the prince of this world is coming and Satan has no hold over Him because Jesus was sinless. I love the AMP version of this verse:
“I will not talk with you much more, for the prince (evil genius, ruler) of the world is coming. And he has no claim on Me. [He has nothing in common with Me; there is nothing in Me that belongs to him, and he has no power over Me.]”
Practical Steps for Relief
As someone who’s carried this gift her whole life, here’s a tip that’s been instrumental for me: if God allows you to discern a spirit, prayer can help lift that heaviness. If it doesn’t lift, then there are likely other underlying reasons that need to be explored. Start asking Holy Spirit these questions:
- What do I have in common with the spirit?
- What wound or sin is it exploiting?
- Are there any gaps in my intimacy with Holy Spirit?
- Did I come into agreement with the spirit?
It’s also important to examine our levels of intimacy with the Holy Spirit. Are you regularly spending time with Jesus, praying, worshipping, and reading the word? If your relationship with Him has weakened, you become vulnerable.
Spiritual Discernment 101
Spiritual discernment is the art of making decisions in light of our spiritual natures. Most of the wisdom about discernment of spirits and decision-making is pulled from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Each of us is a deep well of spirit and grace, even as we are also busy people engaged in a complex world. These insights come from years of studying but also from spiritual experience.
Core Questions for Spiritual Assessment
| Area of Concern | Key Question to Consider |
|---|---|
| Common Ground | What wound or sin is the spirit exploiting? |
| Intimacy | Are there any gaps in my intimacy with Holy Spirit? |
| Agreement | Did I come into agreement with the spirit? |