Spiritual Discernment
The Most
important the Church Of Jesus Christ must do is return to biblical spiritual
discernment. We can not go on the irritation of our flesh Gods' spirit should
therefore be allowed to judge and give us discernment by whether it exalts
Jesus. Is Jesus lifted up? (12:3; 1 John 3-5; Mark 9:38-41). Does it bear Jesus'
fruit? Does it produce godly character? Does it produce a greater hunger for
God? Does it bring a deeper spiritual depth? Is there a practical biblical and
experiential change in the heart when the manifest presence of God comes upon
the person? Are they being changed in the presence of a holy God? (Gal 5:22; 1
Cor 13; John 15:11-13) Does it line up with Jesus Words? (1 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet
1:19-21; John 15:11,12; 14:15). Is it causing people to love God more? Does it
cause them to love their fellow brothers and the lost more? (Mark 12:29-31; John
14:15; 15:9-17). You must also test the spirits, and the fruit (1 John 3-5; Matt
7:15-20; 1 Cor 12:10). How do you discern spirits you may ask? First point I
would like to make is Testing the spirits is a command not a suggestion 1 John
4:1. Discernment is the ability to see into the supernatural realm by the power
of God, with His supernaturally enabled wisdom and direction to judge whether a
prophetic word is true or false. Why judge or test the spirits because there are
many false prophets, deceivers, and anti-christs' on the earth that Jesus
prophesied would come. 1 John 4:1 "By this, you know the Spirit of God:
Every spirit that confesses that Jesus is the Christ has come in the flesh is of
God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus is the Christ is not of
God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming
and is already now in the world." (1 John 4:2,3; 1 Cor 13:1). You must know
Jesus and the Spirit of God Matt 7:21-23. Knowing Holy Spirit, who teaches,
guides, directs, reveals, is a constant imperative necessity in the discerning
of spirits John 16:8-13; 1 John 2:20,27; 3:24-4:7; 5:4.
Discerning of Spirits is not a
fleshly thing that we say it not God because it looks weird, discerning our
opinion or whether if it does or does not fit into out doctrine, it asking God
through His holy writ and by the anointing of His spirit to reveal what is of
God, the flesh, the world, or the devil. No it is a supernatural insight given
by the Holy Spirit through His word, by His spirit with a supernatural enabling
to enact complete deliverance. The Holy Spirit will not give you discernment to
discuss, write negative books on, attack; rather on the contrary He will give
you His supernatural enabling to set the captives free, guidance, words of
wisdom, words of knowledge, prophecy, counsel, insight, helps, working of
miracles, etc….. to destroy the works of darkness. It may not be in the
context of your traditional theology. Learn to hear Gods still small voice.
There are four major areas to discern what spirit is at work: the spirit of God,
the spirit of man, the spirit of the world and/or the spirit of the devil. Who
is at work is the question which one of the above. Elisha saw the spirit world,
and prayed that his servant might see also 2 Kings 6:15-17. Paul the Apostle
discerned the spirit of the enemy, and commanded it to leave Acts 16:16-19. Acts
12:21-41 shows us mans spirit exalting himself. 1 Cor 3:1-3 shows us the human
spirit, the carnal nature, the flesh at work in the church. The spirit of God is
what we want to move. The flesh is what we strive to purge out everyday Rom
3,6-8; Gal 2,3; Heb 3:12,13. The spirit of the world is satan but not all
worldly things are of the devil some are carnal in nature, some are cultural.
The demonic is what Jesus was sent into the world to destroy Acts 10:38. As His
ambassadors with His Spirit we are to set the oppressed free in His name. The
signs of demonic activity that we need to pray for deliverance, or expel the
demons in these instances if this becomes the case are laid out in their
proceeding stages are listed here..
Demonic attacks begin with and
progress to: regression (drawing back; backsliding), suppression (Unable to
express emotion, isolated, lacking joy), anxiety (anxiety attacks, frantic,
panic), depression (Spirit becomes broken, gives up), oppression (A person
becomes oppressed weighed down, smothered, bound by past guilt, sins, failures,
inadequacies, etc…), obsession (impulsive behavior; person becomes preoccupied
with an idea, emotion, hurt, anger, order, control, etc…..), and finally
possession (this is a total lose of control to the enemy). Regression,
suppression, anxiety, depression, oppression, and obsession are mental, but
possession is spiritual. If the first stages are not dealt with the demon will
and can seize control of their spirit. The good news the power of the cross, and
Jesus blood applied at any point can and will effect total deliverance if we
call on His name and put faith in His completely free and atoning blood. Eph
6:12; 2 Cor 10:4-6, We do not battle against flesh and blood. Rather the weapons
of our warfare are mighty in God for pulling down spiritual strongholds.
Discernment allows us to see into the spiritual world and see what is happening
receiving God's guidance and direction for deliverance. Prayer, knowing Jesus,
bible study, being grounded, rooted in the word of God, and knowing who you are
in Jesus are some very important keys to discernment and deliverance. The word
gives discernment Ezekiel 44:23. Prayer reveals thing you do not know John
16:12-14. Understanding who you are in Jesus gives you the open door to receive
the authority Jesus has already given you Mark 16:15-20. Prayer moves you from
the flesh to the spiritual. Praise is a powerful method to open the heavens thus
effecting a deliverance Psa 22:4; 149:6-9; Ex 15:10-11. Our confession of faith,
affects our spiritual attitude, and changes the spiritual climate we live in Rev
12:10.
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