GIFT OF DISCERNMENT - NYOBS 68.21

Gift of Discernment

Was President Donald J. Trump’s ability “THE ART OF THE DEAL” natural or a “Gift” from God?

First Word

·         The description of this gift rarely reflects what scripture describes.  - Most just speak of having the ability to make good and wise business decisions. -  President Donald J. Trump’s book was entitled “THE ART OF THE DEAL”; was his ability natural or a “Gift” from God?

·         The New Testament had not yet been written and God was re-shaping HIS ministry when He hit the “Gift Button” and the gifts EXPLODED and LIT UP the Church. – Everyone was having strange “out of the Box” experiences even thought they had no foundation or understanding of their spiritual gifting. – Understand that GIFTs are a RESPONSIBILITY.

·         The Gifts manifested in three versions; God inspired, Satan inspired and Self-inspired; thus God in His Wisdom as part of the dispensation of Gifts, un-packed one that would keep all the others in line; the Gift of “Distinguishing between Spirits”,  to distinguish between fact and fiction; examining practices, actions, events and doctrines; whether spiritual and Godly or a demonic counterfeit; or just a natural imitators, whether good or evil or just plain self-motivated; to unmask teachers of false doctrine and carnal hypocrites.

·         Different Bible translations vary; “Discerning of Spirits” – “Discernment of Spirits” – “Distinguishing all Spirits” – “Distinguishing between Spirits”. – The New Living Bible says “The ability to know whether it is really the Spirit of God or another spirit is speaking”.

·         It was not without its own self-inflicted problems - The Gift of discerning between spirits can start to unravel bringing on a face of a self-righteous spirit, one that is critical, with corrosive pride, one that is judgmental instead of correctional. – Understand that this gift even monitors the “Gift of Prophecy” that everyone is encouraged to seek. – That’s why scripture requires TWO WITNESSES or more to establish or validate an issue.

·         There are many gifts of the Holy Spirit, but this Word Study will just look at only one of them; “The Gift of Discernment” or “DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL SPIRITS”.

1 Corinthians 12:10- GIFT - To Distinguish between Spirits
¹⁰ to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to DISTINGUISH BETWEEN SPIRITS, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. (ESV)

1 Cor 14:1 – Eagerly desire the gifts, especially Prophecy

1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy NIV

1 Corinthians 14:29 – Prophecy is to be weighted by scripture
²⁹ Let two or three prophets speak, and LET THE OTHERS WEIGH what is said. (ESV)

Deuteronomy 19:15 - Two witnesses establishes an issue
¹⁵ A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of TWO WITNESSES or of three witnesses shall a charge be established. (ESV).

Prophecy Side Bar

• Prophecy no longer exist as “Predictive Prophecy” as it did in the first Century of Christianity – There are no new revelations, just new illumination and enlightenment – There is no new doctrine, just new direction.
• The Bible word is “Propheteuo” which means “To magnify God”-“To speak of Divine things” or even better “To Teach”; and has nothing to do with foretelling the future, but of forth telling and witnessing to the grace of Jesus Christ and magnifying His name. 
• So when you read in the NT scripture of people “prophesizing” they are praising God’s name and teaching about His attributes.  Paul wanted everyone to prophesy. - This is a better gift to seek and study than speaking in tongues. – NYOBS 20.36 – GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
• John the Baptist was the LAST of the New Testament Prophets and never performed even one miraculous sign, he just proclaimed the attributes of Jesus Christ and Jehovah God.

John 10:41-42 – John performed NO miraculous signs.

41 and many people came to him. They said, "Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true."

42 And in that place many believed in Jesus. NIV

Gifts Overview

·         I only want to touch briefly here on the gifts of the Holy Spirit; you can read in-depth about all of them, which are available in other Word Studies. - NYOBS 20.19 – THE HOLY SPIRIT; TOOLS – NYOBS 08.12 – GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT; 18 GIFTS

·         Why were the gifts given in the first place? – In short they were given for the profit of ALL, for the common good of the body of Christ; the Members of His Church, - They were designed to be INTERACTIVE with the other unique gifts of others within the body; With the exception of Jesus Christ, no one person has all the gifts; another reason to be a member of a local church.

·         The first 9 gifts noted are – A word of Wisdom – A word of Knowledge – Special Faith – Gifts of different Healings – Special Powers – Prophecy (foretelling) – The ability to discern between good and evil spirits – Speaking in an unknown language - and the interpretation of an unknown language

• The next 9 gifts noted are – Serving – Prophesying (forth telling) – Teaching – Encouraging - Contributing – Leadership – Mercy/Compassion – Evangelizing & the gift of Administration.
• All the gifts are given AS THE SPIRIT WILLS and not as we desire.
• NOTE: It must be pointed out that the gifts were what we call “in part” not the whole.  A word of Wisdom, not all wisdom; a word of knowledge, not all knowledge.  In other words the gifts were given as the Spirit “wills” for the purpose “at the time” it is needed; not for all time.  It was given only once to 70 Elders of the OT and it happened to them no more.
• Every Christian is responsible for what they believe whether they have the gift of discernment or not. – We are to study and rightly handle His Word, not believing every spirit, but examining everything carefully, so we will not be tossed about by ever new wind of doctrine that comes by HUMAN CUNNING; by CRAFTINESS in DECEITFUL SCHEMES.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 – The gifts are given for the common good
⁴ Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
⁵ and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
⁶ and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
⁷ To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit

FOR THE COMMON GOOD. (ESV)

1 Corinthians 12:7 – Gifts are the manifestation of the Spirit
⁷ To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (ESV)

1 Corinthians 12:8-10- GIFT - To Distinguish between Spirits
⁸ For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles,
¹⁰ to another prophecy, to another the ability to DISTINGUISH BETWEEN SPIRITS, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

Rom 12:4-8 – Here are some more gifts found in the Body

4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,

5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.

7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach;

8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully NIV

Eph 4:11-12 – And More gifts.

11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up NIV

1 Cor 12:28 And Some More gifts

28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.

Num 11:25 – The 70 Elders – once and no more

25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke with him (Moses) and he took of the Spirit that was on him and put the Spirit on the SEVENTY ELDERS. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do so again NIV

2 Timothy 2:15 – Study to rightly handle the Word of truth.
¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, RIGHTLY HANDLING THE WORD of truth. (ESV)

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 – Examine everything carefully
²¹ but test EVERYTHING; hold fast what is good.
²² Abstain from every form of evil. (ESV)

Ephesians 4:14 – Study to not be tossed about by every wind
¹⁴  so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by HUMAN CUNNING, by CRAFTINESS in DECEITFUL SCHEMES. (ESV)

Seek the Best Gifts

·         As an Human Resource Manager, I would often try to “read between the lines”, to know the “real motives” for someone’s decision; to understand the weavings of the sincerity of a request, the interworking’s of a sarcastic response, the real colors of a flattering comment. God challenges us to be wise as serpents, but harmless as doves.

·         Scripture encourages us to seek out the best gifts. When I first became aware of the “Gifts of the Spirit”, I immediately wanted to operate in two of them; the gift of “Healings” and the Gift of the “Discerning of Spirits”.

·         What I saw in scripture was how the man Jesus became wearied from healing the people; I thought that there must also be a “Gift of Weariness”, to be able to help others when you are already completely exhausted.

·         How many times did Jesus tell those He healed to NOT tell anybody? – How many times did He try to slip away to pray and get some rest? – If I had the gift of healing full time, I would probably “fail” just through the process of weariness.

·         The gifts are given as the Holy Spirit wills and not as we desire, because He already knows the spirit that has been birthed in our hearts. -  NYOBS 67.02 - ANXIETY, WORRY & STRESS

Matthew 10:16 - Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves
¹⁶ Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

(ESV)

1 Cor 12:31 – Desire the greater gifts

31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts

NIV

Luke 8:55-56 – Tell no one – Keep it quiet for right now
⁵⁵ And her spirit returned, and she got up immediately; and He gave orders for something to be given her to eat.
⁵⁶ her parents were amazed; but He instructed them to TELL NO ONE what had happened.

(NASB)

Matthew 8:4 – I’m glad I could help, BUT don’t tell anybody
⁴ And Jesus *said to him, "See that you TELL NO ONE; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

(NASB)

Luke 5:15-16 - He would withdraw to desolate places and pray
¹⁵ But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities.
¹⁶ But he would WITHDRAW to desolate places and PRAY.

(ESV)

Matthew 14:23 – Jesus often went by Himself to share with God
²³ After dismissing the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to PRAY. When evening came, He was there ALONE.

(HCSB)

1 Corinthians 12:11- Gifts given as the Holy Spirit wills
¹¹ All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually AS HE WILLS.

(ESV)

First Look

·         Those that possess the gift of the discerning of spirits have been dispatched by God to be “Holy Spirit Inspectors; with a special insight to be able to recognize, identify, and expose deceptive and erroneous doctrine. – They are the “Spirit’s Watchdog”, the “Watchmen on the Wall” who diligently study the word and ‘PRACTICE” their gift to protect against perverted cults, false doctrine, deceptive language and wolves masquerading as lambs promoting their own self-interest. – They raise flags to identify the cleaver counterfeits, to determine the spurious from what is genuine; they encourage others to test and judge carefully what they read, hear and experience.

·         The God fearing Jews in Berea were commended for comparing the scripture with what the disciples were saying. – No preacher or teacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ should resent having their words weighted by the scriptures.

·         Today the Gospel Message is often preached in the mega-churches with the mix of philosophy, psychology and self-sufficiency and have become quite popular and often very PROFITABLE.  The Gift of discernment separates the “wheat of truth” that is sown along with the “chaff of deceit”.

·         Much of the time the gift is not about demonic counterfeits, but about the “Work of the Flesh”, folks that are serving the Lord through “natural imitation”, in their own power, for their own benefit, for their own glory.

·         The first time I saw this was when a PREACHER was passed to us to be the manager of our Delivery Department.  The very first day an internal alarm went off; my spirit was just sick; there was a knot in my stomach, I KNEW HE WAS THE WRONG PERSON.  Then his staff began coming to me wanting to transfer. – I PRAYED about it a lot and the next day he came in and QUIT; laughing he said had a better job offer. – The following day he came back and said he had changed his mind and would take the position. - I was delighted to tell him “sorry I have already filled that position.” – This was a God Thing. -

John 8:44 - Satan is a liar and the father of lies
⁴⁴ You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (ESV)

1 John 4:1 – Test the spirits whether from God or not
¹ Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. (ESV)

Acts 17:11 – The Bereans examined the scripture DAILY
¹¹ Now these Jews (in Berea) were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, EXAMINING THE SCRIPTURES DAILY to see if these things were so. (ESV)

Practice

·         We have all heard doctors and lawyers use the term “practice” when referencing to their occupation, that’s because “PRACTICE” is what it takes to be successful.

·         The lady Gamecocks of the University of South Carolina celebrated their NCAA Division I women's basketball national championship and Coach Dawn Staley said their secret was PRACTICE. – It seems it is not enough to read about it, you MUST put faith into practice.

·         The Gifts are given as solid food for the MATURE Christian and require practice.

Hebrews 5:11-14 – Gifts are Solid food to be PRACTICED
¹¹ About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,
¹³ for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.
¹⁴ But SOLID FOOD IS FOR THE MATURE, for those who have their powers of discernment TRAINED by CONSTANT PRACTICE to DISTINGUISH GOOD FROM EVIL.

(ESV)

Examples of Discernment

·         Eve told the Serpent that she could not eat of a certain tree that she would die.  The Serpent told her that she would not die, but would become like the gods and know good from evil. - Satan uses deceptive language to deceive.  Knowing good from evil sounds like a good thing and being like the gods should be a good thing too, but it was not what God said.

·         King Solomon asked God for “the gift of discernment”; he prayed for an UNDERSTANDING MIND to govern His people, to be able to DISCERN BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL.

·         Moses threw down his staff as God commanded and it became a snake, the court magicians threw down their staffs and they became snakes too.  Good and evil can appear at the same.

·         A slave girl who was possessed with a demon followed Paul and Silas around saying that they were servants of the most high God.  What she said was correct, but everybody knew she was also possessed by a spirit adding to the confusion. The purpose and motivation was exactly opposite to what she was exclaiming, she was a demonic instrument. - Even Evil spirits can appear as good. - Paul commanded the evil spirit to come out of her. 

·         A woman named Jezebel, taught and seduced Christian to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols, and they did so because she called herself a “prophetess”.

·         Elymas the magician was opposing them, seeking to turn them away from the faith.  - Paul, with the gift of “Discerning of Spirits” said, “You son of the devil, full of all deceit & villainy, you enemy of all righteousness, stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord.

·         Jesus had just told the Disciples that He would be killed. - Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked Him saying “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”  - Jesus operating in the gift of “Discerning between Spirits” called Peter by the name of Satan and told him to get behind Him that his mind was on the things of the world not on the things of the spirit.

·         Ezekiel defines the discerner as someone who habitually obeys God’s laws and statutes and makes distinction between the Holy and the Profane; between what is good and what is evil; truth and error.

·         TODAY every word from a news commentator, ever word from a politician and every word in a commercial is chosen, formulated and calculated for its maximum impact to deliver the SPIN and conclusions that will guide the “HERD” to their agenda whether some facts are omitted or others highly selective; whether misleading or not; - If you can just point them to a free cell phone or a benefit, THE HERD will follow.

Genesis 3:3-5 – Satan used deceptive language on Eve

³ but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
⁴ But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
⁵ For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (ESV)

1 Kings 3:9-11 – King Solomon asked for the Gift of Discernment
⁹ Give your servant therefore an UNDERSTANDING MIND to govern your people, that I may DISCERN BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, for who is able to govern this your great people?”
¹⁰ It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.
¹¹ And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself UNDERSTANDING TO DISCERN WHAT IS RIGHT, (ESV)

 Exodus 7:10-11 – Good and Evil can appear in the same way
¹⁰ So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent.
¹¹ Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. (ESV)

Ezekiel 44:23-24 – Teach difference between Holy and Common
²³ They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.
²⁴ In a dispute, they shall act as judges, and they shall judge it according to my judgments. They shall keep my laws and my statutes in all my appointed feasts, and they shall keep my Sabbaths holy.

Acts 16:16-18 – Evil Spirits can appear as Good Spirits.
¹⁶ As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a SPIRIT of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.
¹⁷ She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”
¹⁸ And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

Revelation 2:20 – Prophetess Jezebel – Teaching & Seducing
²⁰ But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is TEACHING and SEDUCING my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. (ESV)

Matthew 16:21-23 – Peter - Jesus – Gift of Discernment
²¹ From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
²² And Peter took him aside and began to REBUKE HIM, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”
²³ But he turned and said to Peter, “GET BEHIND ME, SATAN! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (ESV)

Acts 13:8-10 – Elymas son of Satan, enemy, deceit, villain
⁸ But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.
⁹ But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him
¹⁰  and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? (ESV)

Last Thoughts

• We don’t hear or see much about Demons today, but they are still present doing the work of Satan to undermine the body of Christ. - The Serpent asked Eve, Did God really say that. Satan is doing the same thing today, minimizing the Word of God as written in scripture. 
• There are many Muslims who have never even read the Qur’an; they were just born into a Muslim family.  - This is also true of some Christians; they were just born into a Christian family and have no idea what the Bible teaches and have ONLY their own world view.  They just speak what seems to be right to them; that is why it is so imperative that we have the operation of the Gifts of the Spirit.
• The body of believers is complex and interdependent and not all have the same role in the body. - The Holy Spirit gives special abilities or gifts as He “wills” for each situation.

·         The spirit knows better than man which gift should be utilized and when. – The gifts are given “in Part”, not in whole, as the situation dictates; gifts are given for a period of time, and they are not forever.

·         False doctrine can be exposed by comparing it with scripture, but false spirits can only be exposed and judged by the gift of “discerning of spirits”, this special gift has the unusual ability to separate what is wrong from what is right, truth from error, and unmask the counterfeit. – We are commanded to test the spirits.

• Can we operate with miracle spiritual gifts today?  Yes, as the HOLY SPIRIT determines.  NOTE:  Because we see very little of the gifts displayed, most believe that the gifts ended with the Apostles.  However, I do not find anywhere in scripture indicating that the gifts were recalled; in fact I find that they are forever.  These gifts were given so that compassionate believers could minister to others, but it is “as the Spirit wills”.
• The Gifts of the Spirit will cease when Christ returns.

1 Cor 12:12 – The body of believers is complex and interdependent

12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. NIV

1 John 4:1 – Test the spirits.

1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, NIV

Rom 11:29 – The gifts are irrevocable

29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. NKJV

1 Cor 13:8-10 – When Jesus returns the gifts will cease.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

9 For we know IN PART and we prophesy IN PART,

10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. NIV

In the multitude of counselors,

there is wisdom.

Proverbs 11:14

I am grateful to those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical

information, and scripture verses.  Because of them I can stand on their shoulders

and see further that I otherwise ever could have.

                                                                                                                                     

A Commentary; Critical, Experimental and Practical - Eerdmans

Antiquity of the Jews – Flavius Josephus Matthias

Apocrypha – Goodspeed

Baker Commentary on the Bible – Elwell

Bible Almanac; The – Packer-Tenney-White

Bible Commentary – F.B. Meyer

Bible Dictionary – Harper and Row

Bible Dictionary – Nelson’s

Dake’s Annotated Bible – Dake

English Standard Version Bible – ESV

Expositor’s Bible Commentary – Frank E. Gaebelein

Illustrated Bible Dictionary; The – Tyndale

Interlinear Greek-English New Testament - Baker

King James Version Bible – KJV

Matthew Henry’s Commentary - Zondervan

Mysteries of the Bible – Readers Digest

Nave’s Topical Bible - Zondervan

New International Dictionary of the Bible; The – Douglas - Tenney

New International Version Bible (2011) – NIV

NOTE: The “new” NIV has been corrupted and made gender neutral.  AVOID IT.

Thru the Bible – J. Vernon McGee

Vincent’s Word Studies of the New Testament – Mac Donald

Who’s Who in the Bible – Paul D. Gardner

Wycliffe Bible Commentary; The – Pfeiffer & Harrison

Wikipedia –

Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible; The – Tenney