Seeing the Supernatural Read online

  Training Your Senses

  The writer of Hebrews provides us with some insight about how the gift of discerning of spirits works, which is primarily through your senses: “But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14 NASB). In other words, this gift from the Holy Spirit causes us to discern good and evil through our physical senses. That would be through our eyes, ears, smell, taste and touch, as well as through our emotions. And then the mature have learned through practice how to accurately sort out what they are sensing, so they can respond to the information appropriately. This implies that the gift of discerning of spirits has a learning curve to it and requires community and accountability in order for a person gifted in it to grow in accuracy.

  Around the same time as the incident with Easton, my neighbor, Patricia, invited me over to her home. Now deceased, she had prayed for the salvation of my family for years. She had felt the assignment of the Lord to pray faithfully for us and was now enjoying the fruit of her prayers. She also was an avid garage sale shopper and had decorated her home with several objects she had purchased over the years. Patricia began to recognize that I might be walking in the gift of discerning of spirits and decided to put it to the test. She asked me, “Are any of these objects in my home spiritually unclean for any reason?”

  I looked around her kitchen and her living room and picked out only four or five objects that irritated my spirit, even though I had no reason for it. When I identified them for her, Patricia said, “Hmm . . . all those objects were purchased from the same home.”

  Neither of us knew exactly why I felt that irritation, but it prompted Patricia to pray. She prayed that anything unholy or demonic still lingering on those household objects would be removed, and then she asked God to bless them instead. To her, that seemed like the right way to handle it.

  I also had a friend who suffered with diabetes around this same time frame. Once when I sat near her, I suddenly had a strange physical sensation. I became uncomfortably warm and began to feel unwell all over. When I voiced my physical feelings, she explained that she often felt the same way when her blood sugar was doing the wrong thing. I put it together, although at a much later date, that what I was experiencing was the gift of discerning of spirits in operation. I was sensing the presence of a spirit—specifically, a spirit of infirmity—but I detected it by feeling it in my own body as if it were my own.

  Jesus once described a woman as having this same kind of spirit of infirmity, which was the reason she was bent over and could not stand up straight. A spirit of infirmity does not cause just one kind of physical illness; it stands behind many physical ailments. Jesus then cast the spirit out of the woman, and she stood up straight again (see Luke 13:10–13). What we don’t know is how Jesus knew this information and how He distinguished that it was a spirit instead of a physical condition that would have needed the Holy Spirit’s gift of healing instead. Having had that experience with my diabetic friend and others, I believe that Jesus, too, may have felt the woman’s problem within Himself. He thus could accurately diagnose its source, because He is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Hebrews 4:15 KJV).

  It is important to point out that the gift of discerning of spirits is not just the discerning of evil. It is a supernatural ability to discern both good and evil. The evil and the demonic just seem to stand out more once you have tasted of heavenly things and finally know the difference. Steve Shultz, founder of the Elijah List, shared with me that while reading something on his computer, he suddenly experienced a fragrant scent all around him. He thought it might be soap on his hands, but he checked it out and realized his hands did not smell like anything at all. He knew through his sense of smell that he was experiencing the presence of the Lord.

  I also have smelled the fragrance of Christ in worship and have even tasted a sweetness in my mouth, knowing that I was sensing the Lord’s presence by “taste.” These simple but profound experiences bring the Scriptures to life. We can experience the “aroma” of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14), and we can “taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8 NKJV). Many people have cited that they felt goose bumps or electricity on their skin and recognized these feelings as pointing to the presence of the Lord. Others have heard the voices of angels singing in heavenly chorus, or they have felt the wind of the Holy Spirit upon their person. The gift of discerning of spirits is very multifaceted in its expression, but it works powerfully through our senses to reveal the spiritual realm.

  Keep in mind that the gift of discerning of spirits is listed alongside other power gifts such as the gifts of healings, the gift of faith, and the working of miracles (see 1 Corinthians 12:8–10). We all know of persons who have moved in these powerful gifts in profound ways. With that said, what would happen if someone received the gift of discerning of spirits in the same strength of anointing as the anointing we have seen on some people for healing or miracles, such as Maria Woodworth-Etter, Smith Wigglesworth or Jack Coe? I believe we are seeing something like this just beginning to emerge in the Body of Christ, only we have not yet fully grasped it.

  Also, if this gift is something that flows mostly through your senses, could it be possible to become anointed but not recognize it at first? The answer to that is yes! It happened to me. The Holy Spirit anointed me with this gift well before I ever knew it. And because it works through your senses, your senses begin to react and resonate to the “spirit” of your surroundings—whether good or bad—before your mind can even explain what you are reacting to. This can be quite disturbing, until you know what is happening to you and why.

  You’re Not Crazy; You’re Gifted

  After my deliverance, I went into a kind of spiritual and sensory overload that is somewhat hard to describe. Hearing voices was not abnormal for me, but it escalated into unmanageable proportions. I would hear voices in the air, in my mind, on objects and more. My emotions would also shift erratically from one moment to the next. Crowds, shopping malls and classrooms, for example, often became a sensory avalanche crashing against my mind and senses. For those reasons, I began to crave being alone and finding silent places. I honestly thought this was temporary and reasoned how this must only happen to those who have just gone through a demonic deliverance. Only it did not go away, and things never did quiet down. My best efforts to cope with it were now turning into desperation as I seriously wondered if I were losing my mind. On top of it, my symptoms mimicked those of medical schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, both in my family history.

  There just happened to be an emphasis in the Body of Christ on “spiritual warfare” during that time period. There were fresh waves of teaching about how to pray and combat the devil, what to do if you were under demonic attack, and how to deliver people from demonic spirits. Because of this emphasis, and through some basic teachings on spiritual discernment, I grew to accept the idea that I might not be crazy; I might have a gift from the Holy Spirit since I did see and sense demons. I will also add that spiritual discernment back then was mostly about discerning the demonic and not much else.

  But what about the rest of it? Erratic mood shifts, hearing voices, seeing strange sights and feeling unexplained physical sensations. Literally no one was talking about this side of the gift of discerning of spirits. For years this became my secret strange world, by which I knew spiritual and hidden information but could not explain how I knew it. It is only in the last few years that I have been able to find words to teach, activate and give identity to those who are given this gift in the strength and manner that I have received it.

  Melissa Villegas attends Harvest Christian Center in Turlock, California, and also has the gift of discerning of spirits. She describes this gift as overbearing at times because it involves all her physical and emotional senses. Melissa will feel, literally, what another person feels. For example, if she were to read a news article about someone who attempted suicide, she would find herself agonizing in t
he deep anguish of pain that the person could not see past. This intensity of feeling, of course, pushes her into places of deep intercession.

  “This gift is not a ‘feel great’ gift, but a gift that goes deep,” Melissa said. “That’s where our heavenly Father is. He’s in our deep places, the places that need His cleansing.”

  My friend Sid Widmer, a business owner, describes himself as always having an awareness about people and a sensitivity to the spirit realm. In his twenties he could often be found in his pastor’s office, “emotional and stormy,” describing various burdens he felt for the church and the people in it—burdens about situations he had no prior knowledge about. He finally realized in his thirties that he discerned a lot through his emotions, picking up things that were going on in the spiritual environment and processing them through his feelings.

  “I used to think I was becoming unstable or bipolar,” Sid said. “My moods would shift so fast and disproportionally to the situation I was in.”

  Sid began to make mental notes about his mood shifts, noticing repeated patterns and realizing that his mood would shift in reaction to certain spirits in the vicinity. He is still learning about this gift and how to remain anchored to the Holy Spirit when these things take place, something most will say is easier said than done.

  I take great joy in helping people such as Melissa and Sid dispel the lies that something is wrong with them and that they are crazy. They are not crazy, but are powerfully anointed with the gift of discerning of spirits. They are chief agents in setting the captives free and healing the land. As most of those gifted with it have discovered, however, this gift is something that requires time and diligence on the part of those who are gifted, so that they develop the emotional stamina and accuracy they need for operating in the gift effectively.

  Wrong Discernment

  The fruit of this gift is just as important as learning how the gift processes. Are people being set free? Is the Kingdom of God being established in greater measures? Too often, this gift has been credited for shaming and blaming people and/or falsely accusing them. Because the gift of discerning of spirits works primarily through the senses, it requires practice and maturity to know what you are sensing and why. It also needs a redemptive application. Unfortunately, wrong discernment happens. Let’s look at some of the reasons why.

  1. Having a loveless heart

  As I looked to the Holy Spirit on how to be effective in walking this gift out, He first pointed to my heart and instructed me “not to judge.” Be aware that not judging something is not the same as ignoring it. A proper response, however, requires a right heart condition in order to be effectual. He was directing my heart toward love and redemption, especially when I encountered negative spiritual information about people or circumstances. I think Francis Frangipane says it best in his book Discerning of Spirits:

  There is a false discernment that is based on mistrust, suspicion, and fear. You can recognize false discernment by the coldness around it. False discernment may be packaged in a type of love, but it does not originate in love; it comes out of criticism. True discernment is rooted deeply in love.2

  Let’s say, for example, that I am discerning a disloyal and greedy heart with an acquaintance or a business peer. I don’t have any evidence yet for what I discern, but it truly feels like a point of discernment from the Spirit of God. Regardless, I first need to discern my own heart to determine if I am functioning out of mistrust, an unhealed past experience or a competitive attitude. If not, then I need to ask the Holy Spirit, What does love look like in this situation? And the answer will depend on context. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, except to be led by the Holy Spirit and wisdom.

  I will say that when you discern by the Holy Spirit something negative about another person, remember that God has just told you a secret. Secrets remain in the secret place, unless God gives you permission otherwise. Remember that God loves that person even if he or she is demonized, struggling or wicked. There will be times you are called on to deal with the situation more openly, but prayer is usually all that is required of you.

  2. Looking on outward appearances

  One of the key mistakes associated with the gift of discerning of spirits is looking at someone’s outward presentation and presuming a spiritual condition, either good or bad. It is true that you can make some general assumptions by observing how people carry themselves over time, how they habitually dress and act, and how they communicate. This is not spiritual discernment, however, but natural perception. It can provide helpful information, but it is not the gift of discerning of spirits.

  Jesus said, “Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly” (John 7:24 NLT). The gift of discerning of spirits therefore goes deeper than outward appearances. It bypasses our intellect and logic to reveal what is imperceptible to the natural eye. It discloses the spirit of the matter and the real motives of the human heart.

  When Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus’ feet with fragrant spikenard oil and wiped His feet with her hair, the disciple Judas raised a terse complaint. He said, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages” (John 12:5). But Jesus knew the truth behind both Mary’s and Judas’s actions. Mary was not being wasteful at all. She had been moved upon by the Holy Spirit to anoint Jesus prophetically for burial. Judas, on the other hand, was a thief and would often steal from the offering. That was the real reason he complained (see John 12:6–7). The gift of discerning of spirits revealed the truth behind their actions, and Jesus responded by defending Mary’s honor.

  3. Being inexperienced with the spiritual

  Just before Jesus went to the cross, He spoke to those around Him about His impending death. He was troubled and vexed, but had determined within Himself not to ask our heavenly Father to spare Him the cross, but rather be glorified in it. When He shared that out loud, our Father in heaven responded audibly, saying, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again” (John 12:29). Amazingly, the crowd heard the audible sound of the Father’s voice! Only they had trouble distinguishing it. Some heard it as thunder, while others thought it was an angel speaking (see verse 29). Jesus was experienced in our Father’s voice and therefore discerned it more easily than the crowd did.

  Recognize that there is a continuous learning curve when it comes to the gift of discerning of spirits. Walking out this gift is like learning a new language; only it is a spiritual language that requires time, practice and commitment for us to become fluent in it. Discerning the spiritual realm and doing it well is the mark of the mature believer (see Hebrews 5:14). Compare this thought to the attitude of committed musicians who practice their gift and train their ears to distinguish the notes correctly. We, too, need to do the same with this gift.

  We will wrongly discern, or not discern at all, until we have first developed a grid for what is spiritually possible through the study of the Bible. For example, we read how God was in the fire of a bush, in the wind, in the earthquake and in the still, small voice (see Exodus 3:2; 1 Kings 19:11–12). We also read how Satan killed Job’s family with a whirlwind, tempted Jesus in the wilderness, and possessed Judas to betray and murder our Lord (see Job 1:19; Luke 4:1–13; 22:3). We further read about angel armies, about the Holy Spirit falling like a dove on Jesus and then like fire on the disciples, and a whole lot more (see 2 Kings 6:17; Luke 3:22; Acts 2:3–4). Armed with biblical knowledge, we then need to pay attention to what is happening in our senses and emotions.

  You will come to discover that things like numb hands, strange fragrances, certain headaches, unusual sights and sounds, or feelings of sudden joy or unusual heaviness may or may not have a spiritual parallel behind them. This is intended to draw you into dialogue with the Teacher, the Holy Spirit, who will gladly lead you into all truth and assist you in managing your spiritual sensitivity.

  Kingdom Principles

  The gift of discerning of spirits comes from the Holy Spirit and enables us to distinguish betwee
n spirits—divine, demonic and human. It is also a supernatural ability to discern the hidden motives of the heart.

  This gift works primarily through our physical senses (see Hebrews 5:14). That would be through our eyes, ears, smell, taste and touch, as well as through our emotions.

  You can become anointed with this gift just as strongly as those famously anointed with the gifts of healings or working of miracles. Only you might not know it at first because of the way it manifests.

  Walking out this gift is like learning a new language; only it is a spiritual language that requires time, practice and commitment for us to become fluent in it. Discerning the spiritual realm and doing it well is the mark of the mature believer.

  Because the gift of discerning of spirits works primarily through the senses, we can wrongly discern the spirit motivating people and circumstances if we have a loveless heart, are looking on only outward appearances, or are inexperienced with the supernatural.

  Thoughts for Reflection

  Do you have the Holy Spirit’s gift of discerning of spirits? If so, how do you know?

  How have you discerned good or evil through your senses and/or through your emotions?

  Has this gift ever left you wondering if you were going crazy? How has this teaching helped you settle that issue?

  Have you ever wrongly discerned something, thinking it was the Holy Spirit? What did you learn from that situation?

  Do you struggle not to condemn people when you discern something that is negative? If so, how can you cultivate a redemptive heart toward them?