Spiritual discernment is an essential skill for a Christian. Throughout the years there have been books, conferences, even entire seminary courses on how to discern between good and evil spirits.
But for something so crucial, God has actually made discernment quite simple. I think that in many ways, this is just another example of how man has complicated the straightforward truth of God.
So today, we’re going to explore some simple, easy, uncomplicated truths regarding spiritual discernment in the New Covenant, through the lens of Jesus Christ.
God’s Method Versus Man’s Method
Throughout the years, a lot has been written and said about discerning of spirits. If you gather a hundred Christians in a room and ask them about discernment, you may very well receive a hundred different answers.
What these various answers demonstrate is that, generally-speaking, for all of our head-knowledge, we don’t have a clear or functional understanding or foundation of spiritual discernment.
God has actually made spiritual discernment much easier and quicker than what we assume, and the reason that’s important is because unlike what we typically think, you don’t need to embark on a grand quest or engage in long hours of prayer and fasting to gain spiritual discernment. You also don’t need a special blessing or anointing for spiritual discernment either. All of these ideas are based on man’s works, man’s efforts, and ultimately, man’s reasoning and theology.
Spiritual discernment doesn’t require jumping through spiritual hoops, or doing any theological gymnastics, because God know’s that those things are not practical in daily life. If you are having a discussion with someone in daily life, you won’t often be able to say “hold on while I engage in a week of prayer and fasting.”
Thankfully, no such things are required for spiritual discernment.
Using the Correct Litmus Test
The relevant portion of scripture is found in 1st John 4:2-3:
“ 2Hereby know you the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. ”
Now most of us think we know what these verses are saying on the surface, but there’s a meaning here that we often overlook.
Verse 2 is not simply about articulating the words that Jesus Christ came down in bodily form— if it were then even the demons might be in the category of God.
I’ve said it before, but I am going to say it again today… remember, Christ is not just Jesus’ last name… it is a Title… in Hebrew, it is המשיח, the Promised Messiah, the Anointed One. And by acknowledging or agreeing that He has come in the flesh, is to also acknowledge and agree that He accomplished His purpose, the redemption and salvation of all who believe.
There is a lot there in that statement. It is not vain words, nor is it empty. To acknowledge that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is to acknowledge that your sins have been completely judged on the cross and purged from your conscience (as we studied previously) – Hebrews 10:1-2.
To acknowledge that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is to acknowledge that your old identity of sin is gone and you are now a new creation in Him (and we have studied plenty of times before). – Romans 6:11.
To acknowledge that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is to acknowledge that you have been completely sanctified and made Holy by Him (you aren’t waiting for it or trying to get it yourself) and that you have His Spirit of Holiness living in you and quickening (making alive) your mortal body, right now. – Hebrews 10:10, Romans 8:11.
To acknowledge that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is to acknowledge that you are healed completely by the sacrifice of Jesus, that He carried your sicknesses and pains in His own body, and that by His stripes you are already healed. – 1st Peter 2:24.
This is what it means to truly confess and agree that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, and so if you honestly look around today, you might not see much of this being proclaimed. But these things are the mark of the true Spirit of God, because this acknowledges and agrees with His finished work on the cross.
This is the litmus test for discerning spirits. Any spirit which does not agree with these things, falls into the second category; that of the anti-Christ. And notice the specifics of that phrase… not merely anti-God, but anti-Christ— anti- Messiah, anti, the fact that He come to earth, sacrificed Himself, and completed the work.
Some professing Christians are anti-Christ and don’t even realize it, because they fail to acknowledge what Jesus has accomplished on the cross.
Real Fruit From the Real Spirit
Jesus clarifies this message even further in Matthew 7:16:
“ 16You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?”
You see, the way in which we will know a false messenger is by their fruit most people are familiar with this idea… but the second half of the verse is what sheds more light on how this happens. You recognize fruit by what is being gathered!
Jesus said that you don’t gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles. That’s very specific; and as you may have heard me say before: There are no insignificant details in the Bible… especially when it comes to the words of Jesus!
The point that Jesus was making was that when you listen to the words of a false prophet, you won’t end-up with grapes (which represent the rich wine of Christ). You won’t end up with a teaching that gives you love, joy peace, or any of the other fruits of the Spirit… instead all you will get is thorns (representing, worry, cares, stress, and condemnation leading to death).
That was the point of Jesus’ words. He’s warning against false prophets, and the effects that they produce with their false words. The words of a false prophet will burden the listener with works, load them down with guilt, and generally rob them of Christ.
What Fruit Are You Gathering?
These words of Jesus are not merely for judging others, but also to examine your own life… not based on works, but on what fruit you are gathering.
The fruits of the Spirit are listed in Galatians 5:22-23:
“ 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law.”
And as an interesting side-note, notice that even what we call “self-control” is really just another fruit of the Spirit of Christ.
However, what we can notice here is that the fruits listed are primarily internal. Love, joy and peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness (being full of faith), gentleness and self-control, all start on the inside. They are internal, far before any external evidence of them are ever seen.
And remember that these all are fruits produced by the Spirit of God in us. These are not works or deeds that we perform of our own strength; nor are they things for us to strive for and work towards within ourselves.
The reason why the fact that these are internal is important is because I could have amazing works, and always do good deeds; and to the other people looking on, I would appear to be a super-saint, just as the Pharisees were doing… but on the inside, I could be an absolute mess! I have known people like that who eventually completely burn out… because they are working all of the time, but it is not from a place of the Spirit’s supply, it is from themselves, and a works-based mentality – always feeling like they need to do something, never simply resting in Christ.
Conclusion
So as we see, the scriptural basis for discerning spirits is a fair bit different than what we have come to practice in modern Christianity. We have once again convoluted and confused, and complicated what God has made simple. And it’s not about works, condemning others, or pointing fingers, but rather about preserving the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Be blessed.