We continue with the series on the gifts of the Holy Spirit as per 1 Corinthians 12:7-10.
One of the most important gifts to Christians is the discerning of spirits, or the ability to distinguish between spirits. The devil is very crafty and presents himself as an angel of the light. He is often pictured as this horrible red little man, but that is certainly not what he appears like when he deceives people. He makes his targets feel so special. In John 8:44 Jesus described him as follows when he spoke to the religious leaders of the time: “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 has nothing to do with 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.” He is out to deceive and confuse in order to prevent people from getting saved and to stop the Lord’s people from being efficient in their calling.
He has worked successfully in many ways to hinder the spreading of the gospel. All false religions are his creation, since he gave their founders ‘visions’ of a ‘new’ dispensation. All these religions have a controlling nature, binding its followers into a cocoon of lies and fear so they won’t find Jesus. I once evangelised a Muslim young man in hospital and he was on the brink of giving his life to the Lord Jesus, but he wanted to think about it. When I got to him the next day, his spiritual leader had been with him in the meantime, telling him that he was destined to become an Imam and be a great spiritual leader in Islam. The lie focused on his greatness as a human being and he couldn’t accept Jesus. We once had a convert from Jehovah’s Witnessing in a previous church and she testified toward the terrible fear they had brought on her.
The father of lies also works within the church, making people feel important and desire to become great, focusing more on the material than the spiritual. He’s out to distract, involve and keep people so busy with material life that Christians do not focus on the Lord and what He wants them to do.
This is why the Holy Spirit has the gift of discerning of spirits available. He wants us to notice when a lying spirit is about to deceive us, and to distinguish between the hundreds of voices in our heads when we try to hear the Lord’s voice. He wants us to confront and rebuke lies and deception within the church and to warn our brother or sister when we see the working of evil spirits in their lives.
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places,” (Ephesians 6:12). We cannot see these spirits, but the Holy Spirit constantly feeds us discernment so we could distinguish them from the truth. We will, however, not be aware of this discernment unless we walk closely with the Holy Spirit, which demands that we’ve decided to live holy and separated for the Lord. Being religious and a serious church attendee is not sufficient. We need to be and stay in Jesus, in a close relationship with Him.
Lord, help me to see the discernment you give me when I’m being deceived.
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