What Spirit is that?

What Spirit is that? (1 Cor 12:10)

• Why do we need this gift? 2 Cor 11:14; 1 John 4:1; 1 Timothy 4:1; Matt 13:25
  • We can see that the enemy likes to work in secret and in hidden ways
  • So, we need to be able to distinguish what the enemy is doing.
• The Greek word here for “discerning” is diakrisis which means: discern, distinguishing, passing judgment.
  • The root of this word comes from the verb krino which means to judge.
• The word translated as “spirit” is the Greek word pneuma, which simply means spirit.
  • Is where we get the English word Pneumatic.
  • What is important to note here is that the word Pneuma in Greek is plural.
  • So, there is more than one spirit being judged here.
• As part of discerning this is also sometimes the ability to tell when someone is lying.
  • Acts 5:3 may be a good example
• This gift often works very closely with other gifts, especially prophecy or words of knowledge.
  • Whether it was from God or not. (See 1 Cor 14:32; 1Thes 5:20)

Nest question: What does this look like in Scripture?

• Our best example is probably: Acts 16:16-18.
  • But Paul was able to discern or distinguish spirits so he could tell that this was not from God.
  • In fact, she had an evil spirit that came out of her at his command.
• Another example: Acts 13:8-12
  • This one is less definitive but Paul again seems to be able to see more than just the physical realm.
• This gift also allows us to see the positive of what God is doing in the Spirit realm not just demonic stuff.
  • Acts 14:8-10 is a good example of seeing the positive of what God was doing in the Spirit realm.
• Another example that emphasizes the discernment Acts 8:17-24

If you see a spirit or discern that something is not of God, what do I do?

• If you see or discern something in the context of a church service tell the pastor or elder.
• If you see something in the context of praying for someone in a group, tell the group leader.
• If you see or discern something in the context of praying for someone yourself, begin to pray based on what you saw.
• If you are praying for healing and you discern something, that may be cause of the illness or injury.
  • Pray against that first, then return to praying for the healing.
• If you see or discern something in a public place use that for intercession.
  • Don’t take on any territorial spirits directly by yourself.
  • What is a territorial Spirit? see Daniel 10:12
  • Book: Unnecessary Causalities of War John Paul Jackson
  • Acts 19:15 shows how bad it can get.

Getting more practical, how does this gift work?    What does it look like?

On or in people.  Manifestations if you will. (Now this is a spiritual gift, so it is a little hard to quantify.)

1. Face twitches or grimaces
2. Can’t look you in the eye.
3. Loss of body control. Slithering like a snake. Epilepsy like symptoms.
4. Language that does no line up with the kingdom of God.
   1. Does what they say line up with the nature and character of God?
5. In what is written. Again, does it line up with the character and Nature of God?
6. God speaking directly.
7. Smells