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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0;"/><title>Topical Bible: Discernment of Spirits</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/topical/d/discernment_of_spirits.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/newtopical.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/topical/vmenus/1_corinthians/12-10.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/bmcde/d/discernment.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/topical/">Topical</a> > Discernment of Spirits</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/topical/d/discernment_of_signs.htm" title="Discernment of Signs">◄</a> Discernment of Spirits <a href="/topical/d/discernment_of_spiritual_authority.htm" title="Discernment of Spiritual Authority">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse">Jump to: <a href="#sub" title="Subtopics">Subtopics</a> • <a href="#rel" title="Related Terms">Terms</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><a name="te" id="te"></a><div class="vheading2">Topical Encyclopedia</div><b>Definition and Nature</b> <br>Discernment of spirits is a spiritual gift mentioned in the New Testament, specifically in <a href="/1_corinthians/12-10.htm">1 Corinthians 12:10</a>, where it is listed among the gifts of the Holy Spirit: "to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues" . This gift enables a believer to distinguish between the influence of the Holy Spirit, demonic spirits, and human spirits. It is a crucial ability for maintaining the purity and truth of the Christian faith, allowing believers to identify false teachings and deceptive practices.<br><br><b>Biblical Examples</b> <br>The Bible provides several instances where discernment of spirits is exercised. In <a href="/acts/16-16.htm">Acts 16:16-18</a>, Paul encounters a slave girl possessed by a spirit of divination. Although she speaks truth about Paul and his companions, Paul discerns the spirit's true nature and commands it to leave her: "But Paul, becoming 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 at that very moment" .<br><br>Another example is found in 1 <a href="/john/4.htm">John 4:1</a>, where believers are instructed to test the spirits: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" . This passage underscores the importance of discernment in distinguishing true prophetic messages from false ones.<br><br><b>Purpose and Function</b> <br>The primary purpose of the discernment of spirits is to protect the church from false teachings and spiritual deception. It serves as a safeguard against the infiltration of erroneous doctrines and practices that could lead believers astray. This gift also aids in the edification of the church by ensuring that spiritual manifestations and teachings align with biblical truth.<br><br><b>Practical Application</b> <br>In practical terms, discernment of spirits involves a deep reliance on the Holy Spirit and a thorough knowledge of Scripture. Believers are encouraged to cultivate this gift through prayer, study of the Word, and a close relationship with God. It requires a sensitivity to the spiritual realm and an ability to perceive the underlying motives and influences behind spiritual phenomena.<br><br><b>Challenges and Misuse</b> <br>While discernment of spirits is a valuable gift, it can be subject to misuse or misunderstanding. Believers must exercise caution to avoid judgmental attitudes or unwarranted suspicion. The gift should be used in love and humility, always seeking to build up the body of Christ rather than tear it down.<br><br><b>Conclusion</b> <br>The discernment of spirits remains a vital gift for the church today, enabling believers to navigate the complexities of spiritual influences and maintain the integrity of the Christian faith. Through this gift, the Holy Spirit empowers the church to stand firm against deception and to uphold the truth of the Gospel.</div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="sub" id="sub"></a><div class="vheading2">Subtopics</div><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/d/discernment.htm">Discernment</a></p><a name="rel" id="rel"></a><div class="vheading2">Related Terms</div><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/d/discernment.htm">Discernment (43 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/d/discharge.htm">Discharge (30 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/j/judge.htm">Judge (297 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/d/discern.htm">Discern (49 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/d/discerner.htm">Discerner (1 Occurrence)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/d/discerned.htm">Discerned (17 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/a/appraised.htm">Appraised (3 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/a/appraises.htm">Appraises (1 Occurrence)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/subject.htm">Subject (99 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/j/judged.htm">Judged (201 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/m/makes.htm">Makes (483 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/p/psychology.htm">Psychology</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/spiritual.htm">Spiritual (42 Occurrences)</a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/topical/d/discernment_of_signs.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Discernment of Signs"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Discernment of Signs" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/topical/d/discernment_of_spiritual_authority.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Discernment of Spiritual Authority"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Discernment of Spiritual Authority" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div> <div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"><script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></div></td></tr></table></div></div></div> <br /><br /> <div align="center"> <div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>