Biblical Spiritual Gift of Distinguishing Between Spirits

The spiritual gift of distinguishing between spirits is one of the supernatural abilities given by the Holy Spirit to certain believers within the Christian church. This gift enables individuals to identify whether spiritual influences come from God or from deceptive sources.

What is the Gift of Distinguishing Spirits?

The gift of distinguishing spirits, also called discerning spirits, appears in the apostle Paul’s list of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. This special ability allows certain Christians to tell the difference between truth and error in spiritual matters. Unlike general discernment that all believers can develop, this is a specific supernatural gift given by the Holy Spirit.

People with this gift can spot false teachings and deceptive doctrines that demons spread. They have an unusual ability to recognize when something goes against God’s Word, even when it might seem good on the surface. This gift does not involve hearing special voices from God or receiving mystical revelations. Instead, these believers become so familiar with Scripture that they instantly know what contradicts it.

How This Gift Works

The gift operates through deep knowledge of God’s Word rather than supernatural visions or dreams. Those who have this gift study the Bible carefully and use it as their measuring stick for truth. They follow the biblical command to “test the spirits” found in 1 John 4:1, which tells believers not to believe every spirit but to examine whether they come from God.

When someone with this gift encounters teaching or spiritual activity, they can quickly determine if it aligns with biblical truth. They notice when people twist Scripture or when spiritual manifestations do not match what the Bible teaches about God’s character and methods.

Purpose and Importance

This gift serves as protection for the church. Jesus warned that many false teachers would come and deceive people. The gift of distinguishing spirits helps guard against these deceptions. Throughout church history, various false teachings have threatened to lead believers away from biblical truth. People with this gift help identify and expose these errors.

The gift also helps maintain the purity of the gospel message. It ensures that churches stay focused on biblical teaching rather than being led astray by popular but unbiblical ideas. This protection becomes especially important during times when false teachings spread rapidly.

Biblical Foundation

First John 4:1-3 provides clear instructions about testing spirits. The passage explains that spirits from God will confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, while spirits that deny this truth are not from God. This gives believers a practical test for spiritual discernment.

The book of Revelation also shows examples of churches being commended for testing false apostles and finding them to be liars. This demonstrates the ongoing need for spiritual discernment within Christian communities.

Development and Use

While this is a specific spiritual gift, all Christians should develop basic discernment skills. Regular Bible study, prayer, and spiritual maturity help believers recognize truth from error. However, those with the special gift of distinguishing spirits have an enhanced ability that goes beyond normal discernment.

The gift should always be used with love and humility. Its purpose is to build up the church, not to create division or make the person feel superior to others. Like all spiritual gifts, it works best when combined with other gifts and when used to serve the entire body of believers.

References

GotQuestions.org articles on spiritual gifts and discernment
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 and 1 John 4:1-6 from the English Standard Version
Biblical passages from Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and Revelation 2-3