When we want to get our bodies in shape and keep them that way, it takes exercise—and a lot of it. Exercise is important to developing physical fitness, but it’s even more important to develop our spiritual fitness.
First Corinthians 12:10 tells us that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is the discerning of spirits. To discern means “to know the difference between good and evil,” and discernment only comes with practice.
Spiritual discernment was given to the Church to help us distinguish between evil spirits, our human spirit, and the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 5:14 tells us we learn to discern through exercise: “…who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (NKJ). Exercise is practice. The more you practice and build your spiritual muscles, the better you become at discerning between good and evil. In your daily life, you need to learn to discern by the Spirit of God.
Discerning Matters of the Heart
Sometimes a situation can look bad even though the motive of the heart is good, and at other times, a situation can look good when the motive of the heart is bad. By exercising the discerning of spirits, you can learn to look beyond personality and see what is in the heart, which allows you to handle situations in such a way that God can set people free.
The best place to begin to exercise spiritual discernment is in your own heart (see Hebrews 4:12). If you apply the Word to your own heart, then you can discern your own spirit, which is good exercise for discerning the spirit of others.
The crippled man in Lystra was healed by God (see Acts 14:8-10) because Paul discerned that the man had faith to be healed, which made it possible for God to heal him. If you exercise faith, then God can work a miracle in your life, too.
Elisha discerned a spirit of pride in Naaman the leper that would hinder him from receiving healing (see II Kings 5). First, Naaman was upset by the reception he received when he went to Elisha; second, Naaman couldn’t believe that simply washing in the Jordan River could heal him; and third, Naaman thought he could pay Elisha to heal him. When Naaman finally gave up his pride, he received his healing; and he received not only physical healing but healing in his heart attitude as well. Elisha discerned this change of heart when Naaman asked for some of Elisha’s dirt to take home so he could kneel on it and worship God. If you acknowledge God as your source, then the “pride of life” won’t be able to gain a foothold in your heart.
Read Between the Words
God also want us to be able to discern when evil spirits are working in a situation so we can take authority over them and stop them. Paul dealt with many evil spirits in his ministry. Once he came across a girl who had a spirit of divination. It took Paul several days to discern the true spirit of the girl, because she was saying all the right things (see Acts 16:16-18). When Paul finally discerned it, he spoke directly to the spirit and commanded it to leave her; and it left her that same hour.
You, too, need spiritual discernment “to read between the lines” and discover the heart’s motivation. Then you can minister to people and let the truth set them free. Don’t be discouraged if you aren’t able to discern good and evil right away. Remember, it takes practice—but practice makes perfect.
Don’t Neglect Your Spirit Workout
Spiritual workouts develop your spiritual discernment, and discernment lets you know when it’s an evil spirit, the Holy Spirit, or your own human spirit. Even if the devil send a demon to your door to get you, you can stand on God’s Word that you are complete in Jesus; “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” Colossians 2:15 (NKJ).
Let the devil know he came to the WRONG door, because you’ve been working out lately, and you have the victory in Christ Jesus.