Discerning Of spirits

From Joywell   Original Article A. WHAT IT IS NOT 1. NOT SUSPICION - The gift of discerning of spirits is not simply being suspicious of others. A person who has never had the Holy Spirit can be suspicious of everyone, and often they are. 2. NOT GIFT OF CRITICISM - This gift is not discerning of faults, but of spirits. It is the spirit of the devil which causes people to accuse the brethren. The devil is called the Accuser of the Brethren in the book of Revelation.  3. NOT SPIRITISM - This gift is not to be confused with spiritism, which is condemned in the Scriptures. The spirits of our dead relatives are not floating around in our houses or in the air outside. They are either with Jesus, or else they have gone to hell. As spiritism and demon-possessed people increase in number we need the gift of discerning of spirits more and more. B. WHAT IT IS 1. DEFINITION - Discerning of spirits is God's Spirit informing a spirit filled Christian, which type of spirit is being manifested. It is a supernatural look into the spiritual world. 2. APPLICATIONS - This gift can show the kinds of spirits which are working in people today; such as unclean spirits, deaf and dumb spirits, demonic spirits, oppressing spirits, or even the Holy Spirit. This gift is a requirement for all who are used of God in a deliverance ministry. Without it, those who seek to minister deliverance are simply left guessing at whether or not a demonic spirit is actually present and if so, what type of demonic spirit. This gift is also a requirement of all those who operate in a prophetic ministry, for without it they would not be able to sit by and judge the prophesies of others as they are called to do in 1Cor 14:29 which says, "Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge." 3. PURPOSE - This gift is given to keep the church safe from demonic presence and practices.