Spying into the Spirit World

Spying into the Spirit World

“And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the  servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.”

Acts 16:16-18

The “Discerning of Spirits” gives us a glimpse into the spirit world.  It gives us understanding of both the bad and good that exists in the realm of the spirit.

What This Gift is Not

It is not  “mind reading”, the “gift of discernment”, or the “gift of suspicion”.  It does not have anything to do with psychology or the power of the natural mind.

The “Discerning of Spirits” does not require that we be some sort of “Spirit Hunters” looking for a spirit behind every tree.

Kenneth E. Hagin in “Concerning Spiritual Gifts” highlights that the “Discerning of Spirits” is not the ability to discern people’s faults.  This is known as “fault finding and is not a gift at all”  (anyone can do that).  He states,  “the gift of discerning of spirits is not discerning of character or faults.  It is the discerning of spirits.”

What This Gift Is

It is a supernatural revelation of the Spirit and allows us to know whether or not something or someone is of the:

Ø  1.  Spirit of God.

Ø  2.  Spirit of Man.

Ø  3.  Spirit of Devil.

This means that the “Discerning of Spirits” allow us to know whether the spirit of a person is of God or not.

It may even allow us to identify certain spirits that have attached themselves to a person or have taken possession of the individual.  Lee Stoneking in his book “Gifts of the Spirit” claims that many of these demons take advantage of the works of the flesh mentioned in Galatians 5:19-21.  The person possessed will begin to manifest the nature of the spirit that has possessed him.  The “Discerning of Spirits” will allow us to identify these ungodly spirits and cast them out.  We will deal with casting out demons in other lessons.  This lesson is to provide basic understanding of the “Discerning of Spirits.” 

George Shalm in “Dynamics of Spiritual Gifts” reveals a number of different spirits mentioned in the Bible.

Spying on Bible Spirits

Unclean Spirit                                                     Matthew 12:43

Lying Spirit                                       1 Kings 22:22

Tormenting Spirit                             Matthew 4:24

Spirit of Infirmity                              Luke 13:11

Spirit of Fortune  Telling                  Acts 16:16

Spirit of Jealousy                               Numbers 5:14

Evil Spirit                                          Judges 9:23

Familiar Spirit                                                     1 Samuel 28:7

Haughty Spirit                                                     Proverbs 16:18

Perverse Spirit                                                     Isaiah 19:14

Spirit of Whoredoms                        Hosea 4:12

Dumb Spirit                                                         Mark 9:17

Foul Spirit                                        Mark 9:25

Spirit of Fear                                                       2 Timothy 1:7

Spirit of Antichrist                            1 John 4:3

Spirit of error                                                      1 John 4:6

Spirit of the World                           1 Cor. 2:12

Seducing Spirits                                1 Timothy 4:1

Spirits of Devils                                Revelation 16:14

The Spirit Test

We are called on to give the spirits a “test.”

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God...” (1 John 4:1)

This verse seems to indicate that each of us has the ability to try the spirits.  Sometimes we see a demon manifesting itself by foaming at the mouth or speaking utterances through a person’s mouth. Neither of these is the “Discerning of Spirits”.  In some cases even the general public would be able to tell that a person is demon possessed. Is this “Discerning of Spirits”?  No, of course not.   

In the example given below you will quickly be able to see that it did not take a “Discerning of Spirits” to know that this man was demon possessed.  How can you tell that he was demon possessed?  What were some of the signs?

“As Jesus got out of the boat, a madman from the cemetery came up to him.  He lived there among the tombs and graves.  No one could restrain him-he couldn’t be chained, couldn’t be tied down.  He had been tied up many times with chains and ropes, but he broke the chains, snapped the ropes.  No one was strong enough to tame him.  Night and day he roamed through the graves and the hills, screaming out and slashing himself with sharp stones.”  (Mark 5; The Message)

A demon possessed person can discern someone who has a godly spirit or who is spirit filled.  Legion identified Jesus in Mark 5:7. 

“And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God?  I adjure thee by God that thou torment me not.”

In Acts 16:17 there was a young girl, demon possessed, that cried, “These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.”  Most would think that this was great.  The girl was drawing attention to the men of God. Paul sensed that this was the devil at work in her and cast out the evil spirit immediately.

Examples From the Book of Acts

Ø  The “Discerning of Spirits” was used to reveal Elymas in Acts 13:8-12.

Ø  Paul was also able to discern that the girl in Acts 16:17 was demon possessed.

Ø  Peter was able to discern the spirit of Simon a sorcerer who became a believer and in Acts 8:12-13 he was baptized. When Simon saw “…that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money.”  (Verse 18)  Peter discerned that his heart was not right, that he was “in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.”  (8: 23) 

Ø  In Acts 5:1-3 Peter also discerns that “…Hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?”  When Ananias came with his money the man of God immediately discerned wrongdoing and lying.

We need the “Discerning of Spirits” to be able to know whether certain miracles, signs, and wonders are of God or not. 

“...For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles...” (Revelation 16:13-14)

“...For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders: insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matthew 24:24)

Therefore, it is necessary to have the “Discerning of Spirits” in times of supernatural manifestations to determine what is of the devil and what is of God.  Not everything that happens supernaturally is of God.  The devil is a supernatural being also.  Some things that appear to be miracles may not come from God at all.  With this gift we can determine the spirit behind the manifestation. 

This gift would be of absolute necessity to ministers that are involved in deliverance ministry. 

This gift would also enable us to judge prophecy to know whether the prophecy is of the Holy Ghost or not.  (1 Corinthians 14:29)

Of course, it does not always take some with the “Discerning of Spirits” to judge prophetic utterances.  If a prophecy were not in line with the Word of God anyone would know that it is a false utterance. 

“Discerning of Spirits” would come by a supernatural revelation and you would need to be born again as a prerequisite of receiving any of the “Gifts of the Spirit.”   

Like the “Word Twins” the “Discerning of Spirits” is a “Knowing Gift.”  It reveals what God knows or what He is thinking. 

Number one Secret to Prayer

Secret to Prayer:“Just Do It!”

“Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer...”

Acts 3:1

“And it came to pass as we went to prayer…”

Acts 16:16

“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together...”

Acts 4:31

Browsing through the twenty-eight chapters of the Book of Acts we quickly see the importance the early church placed on prayer. (Acts 1:14,24; 2:42; 3:1; 4:24-31; 6:4,6; 9:40; 10:2,4,9,31; 11:5; 12:5; 13:3; 14:23; 16:25; 22:17; 28:8)  Prayer provided the basis for the spreading of the Gospel to the known world.  The church began with prayer when about one hundred and twenty gathered together in the Upper Room to await, in prayer, the outpouring of the Holy Ghost.  This resulted in a ten-day prayer meeting yielding results that are still being seen two thousand years later.  Thus, prayer served as the launching pad for the birth and growth of the church.

Prayer was a way of life for them and it was a priority in their Christian walk. Surprisingly, there is very little teaching on the “how to” of prayer in the Book of Acts; however, there are a whole lot of examples.  Many books have been written on Prayer and I have read some of them.  I have reached the conclusion that the best way to learn how to pray is to pray.  Like the slogan says,  “Just do it!”  When Jesus walked on this earth, he really spent a large portion of his ministry in prayer; sometimes whole nights.  He also taught others how to pray; not by running seminars and special conferences, but by being caught in the act of prayer.  He took his disciples through the “School of Prayer” by giving them on-the-job training.  He showed them by example and they then tried it on their own.  We must all develop a prayer life; a lifestyle of prayer.

Prayer isn’t a method…

It’s a way of life.

A pastor traveled by ship to visit a church across the ocean.  While on the way the ship stopped at an island.  There the pastor met three fishermen.  When they found out that he was a pastor they excitedly said, “We be Christians too!”

The pastor asked them if they knew the “Lord’s Prayer.”  To his surprise he learned that the fishermen had never heard of it.

“What do you say when you pray?” inquired the pastor. 

“We pray, We be men, you be God, have mercy on us!”

The pastor was appalled at the primitive nature of their prayer and spent the day teaching them the “Lord’s Prayer.”  The fishermen were willing students and could recite the prayer with no mistakes.  The pastor was so proud of his achievement.

On the return trip the ship stopped at the same island again.  As the ship drew closer to the shore he could see the three fishermen rushing toward the ship.  They cried,  “Pastor, we come hurry to meet you!”

“What is it that you need?” asked the pastor.

“We be so sorry. We forget your fine, fine prayer.  We say, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name... and then we forget the rest of the words.  Please tell us the prayer again.”

The pastor replied, “Just go back and pray, We be men, you be God, have mercy on us!”

Martin Luther, when he was a monk, had so many responsibilities that he became too busy to pray.  He was supposed to quote from his prayer books every day.  He would “stack up” his prayers for weeks and then he would take some days and get “prayed up.”  In 1520 he ended up sick in bed for five days.  He got further behind with quoting from his prayer book and soon he was three months behind with his prayers.  Then, he simply gave up! 

Prayer is not a matter of quoting prayers from a book.  It is not mere repetition of words that we recite three times a day. Some tend to force prayer into a place that it was never supposed to be.  Prayer should never be a struggle.  Prayer is not a chore; something that is endured.  We have made prayer difficult and painful.  It is not a ritual but time we spend with a friend who hears, and answers our needs.   

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”  (Hebrews 4:16)

When Jesus walked on the earth, prayer had become a formality rather than free expression.  There were written prayers for all occasions.  Prayer had become a ritual rather than something that was spontaneous from the heart.  There were set prayer times much like the Muslims have today as they bow towards Mecca at specified times.  Prayers had become very long, filled with big words.  It was believed that whoever was longer in prayer was heard more quickly.  The louder and wordier the prayer the better.  They used repetitious words and phrases.  (Matthew 6:5-8)    These tendencies should not creep into our churches.  Prayer can become a matter of pride rather than an expression of our heart and our being in need.  Listen to the brand new Christians pray.  They have not been taught “how to” yet.  They talk to God as their friend. 

A famous preacher once said,  “It is not that prayer has been tried and found wanting.  It is rather that it has not really been tried.”  It is unfortunate and incorrect for us to look to God as a last resort.  We go to him because we have nowhere else to go.  “Then we learn that the storms of life have driven us, not upon the rocks, but into the desired haven.”

Mark Foster said in his selected sermon outline, “When God Builds You a Prayer Room” that we should “never make God a last resort.  If you don’t pray now, while you have the chance, He may put you in a place where you will have to pray.”

The first and only thing that will work is the last thing that we will try:  PRAYER!

Abraham Lincoln once said,  “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.” 

Why should we only go to God in times of emergency, when we don’t have anyone else to turn to?  It is common for people to pray in times of emergency.  At these times prayer is never far from our lips.  Mother Teresa had a better idea when she said, “Prayer is the mortar that holds our house together.”  Why wait until our house is falling apart before we pray?   If you want to know how to pray;  “Just do it!”

https://youtu.be/hmBTSAQhA1I

Satan, Your Kingdom is Coming Down

Satan, Your Kingdom is Coming Down

“...They came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord; and they went out, and passed on...”

(Acts 12:10)

“And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken:  and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.”

(Acts 16:26)

What do gates and doors have in common?  Both are designed to keep the unwanted out and the wanted in.  In most cases they help us keep the good in and the bad out.  However, in the two cases given above they were designed to keep the good in.  Gates, doors, fences, and walls also represent boundaries and are usually easy to see.  They bear an unwritten message:

“THIS IS MY PROPERTY

KEEP OUT!”

These boundaries also exist in the spiritual realm but they are just more difficult to see. 

“And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  (Matthew 16:18)

Wrapped up in this one verse is the purpose, plan, mission, and vision of God.  This was the reason why Jesus came to the earth.  He came to “build His church” and He still continues to build it through us. 

Many times when we read this verse we picture hell on the attack and the church on the defensive.   We picture ourselves almost sunken under the pressure of hell’s onslaught and God finally is able to bring together enough forces to overcome the wicked one.  That is not the picture portrayed here at all.  Have you ever seen a person attack with gates? No, a person does not attack with gates, he defends with gates.  Do you get the picture?  Jesus and His mighty army (the church) are attacking and the devil is on the run.  Let us go back into history and get a clear picture.  In this case “history” will become “His-Story.” 

One of God’s leaders in the angelic realm was Lucifer, the “son of the morning”,  (Isaiah 14: 12-17; Ezekiel 28:12-17) who tried to overthrow God in a coup.   He became God’s adversary (enemy).  Because of this, Lucifer moved from being one of God’s archangels to God’s archenemy.  Revelation 12:4-9 tells us that Lucifer tried to get all the angels to follow him, but only one third of the angels joined him in the coup attempt against God.  They were cast down and had to organize their own kingdom.  Two thirds remained in heaven. 

The Bible is a battle between “good” and “evil”.  When you look at the back of the book you see who wins.  Until then we will constantly be in battle against Satan and his demons.      1 John 5:19 allows us to know that our world lies in the power of the evil one.  We are looking for a “breakthrough.”  We must pull the seat out from underneath Satan.  It is true that Satan is our enemy and we are coming against the gates of his kingdom!

The gates of hell cannot withstand the mighty army of Jesus Christ!   Satan’s gates are being pulled down and his doors kicked open.  Hell represents Satan’s entire domain and the church is aggressive and triumphant against it. 

The church shall prevail

against the gates of hell. 

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”  (Matthew 11:12)

The New International Version says that it “was forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold to it.”  God is looking for people who will take things by force.  We need to “be strong” like Joshua and remember that no one can stand before us all the days of our lives.  The Apostles were powerful men who dominated wherever they went.  (Acts 17:6)  They were overcomers.  (John 16:33)  The church is to free Satan’s powerless captives. (Revelation 10:11; 14:6)

“The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.”  (Luke 16:16)

We are pressing our way into the kingdom of heaven.  We have knocked down the gates of hell in our lives, in our cities, in our country, and in our world.  We are pressing into the kingdom. 

“...I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”  (1 John 2:14)

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”          (1 John 4:4) 

Satan is the god of this present world.  He controls it along with his demons and evil spirits.  He has organized the world into political, cultural, and religious systems that at times, stand as gates to the kingdom of God and prevents people from believing the truth.  Although Satan has a powerful kingdom, Jesus came to destroy the works of Satan (1 John 3:8)  and free us from his dominion.  God has enabled us to enter into spiritual warfare with Him.  He has given us powerful weapons and a promise that “no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper...”  (Isaiah 54:17)

“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God…”  (2 Corinthians 10:4-5) 

No matter what the gates of hell are in our lives, homes, and city; we can knock them down with the weapons provided.  Whatever demonic powers are in effect in our lives; we can knock them down!

Our weapons are mentioned in Ephesians 6:10-17. In Ephesians 6, we see the enemies that we face; the armor that we are to use; and the weapons that are available to us.   They are given so that we can “stand against the wiles of the devil.”  (Ephesians 6:11)

 

They are given to us to wrestle against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  We will win the battle and knock down the gates of hell with the “whole armor of God.”  It includes:

Spiritual Armor and Weapons

ü  Loins girt about with TRUTH.

ü  Breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS.

ü  Feet shod with  the preparation of the                           

ü  GOSPEL OF PEACE.

ü  Shield of FAITH.

ü  Helmet of SALVATION.

ü  Sword of the SPIRIT (Word of God).

We are an army that is marching through the land.  We have a made up mind.  We will not and cannot retreat.  God has meant for us to move forward; therefore, none of our weapons are designed for a soldier to retreat.

“Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.”  (Psalms 144:1)

Put On Jesus

First of all we must “put on Jesus Christ.”  (Romans 13:12,14; 1 Corinthians 1:29-31).  According to Galatians 3:27, we can do this through water baptism in Jesus name.

We can also use the name of Jesus to speak to the enemy and resist him (James 4:7); You must first submit before you can resist.

Power in the Blood

The blood of Jesus is another powerful weapon.  We can plead the blood of Jesus.  When we plead the blood of Jesus we are applying Jesus’ shed blood as protection against the enemy.  In Exodus 12:1-13 when the death angel saw the blood on the doorposts he passed over that home.  When we plead the blood we are telling Jesus that we trust Him and we are telling Satan that he cannot touch us as long as we are under the blood. 

In one country there is a song that says,

“I’m going to dive right inside the blood.

I’m going to dive right inside the blood. Where the devil can’t do me any harm!”

Ø  We can also bind the strong man. (Matthew 16:19; Mark 3:27)  This will stop him from continuing his destructive activities. 

Ø  We have been given authority to bind the devil. (Matthew 18:18)  The devil is strong but the church is stronger!

Prayer is another weapon that should not be forgotten.  This is called “Prayer Warfare.”

Prayer

Daniel prayed and fasted in Daniel 10 and God sent an angel to answer.  The angel revealed that God had heard him on the first day but that he had been in battle with the Prince of Persia for twenty-one days.  This prince had withstood him but Michael had come to his assistance.  It is just a matter of time before we “possess our possesions.” 

Promises for Possession

“That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.”  (Genesis 22:17)

“... and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.”  (Obadiah 17)

“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.  For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”  (Psalm 37:1-2)

“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto_________, saying, not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.  Who art thou, O great mountain? Before ____________thou shalt become a plain...”  (Zechariah 4:6, 7)

There are so many Scriptures that promise us that we will “possess”.  Have you ever looked up the three words “possess the land” in your Bible? According to Eastwood Anaba in Breaking Illegal Possession, the word “possess” means “seize, capture, take hold of something by legal right and by military violence.  In terms of legal right, Jesus bought the land for us with His blood.”

It is true that the enemy has built his gate very close to where we live.  “I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith...”  (Rev. 2:13)

Satan tries to hinder the preaching of the gospel.  It is his desire to hide the truth from people.  He knows that there is one God and trembles. 

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)

“Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man?  And then he will spoil his house.”  (Matthew 12:29)

“To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of peace.”  (Luke 1:79)

According to Ephesians 6:12, Satan seems to have a highly organized kingdom on the earth.

ü  Principalities (series of leaders)

ü  Powers (Authorities, demons placed over assigned territories.)

ü  Rulers of darkness of this world (princes of the age)

ü  Spiritual wickedness in high places. (Destructive with only wickedness in mind.)

We must use our spiritual might to put out the enemy who occupies our territory illegally.  We can possess the land.  It is ours!

“...Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” 

(Numbers 13:30)

Promises to Those Involved in the Battle

“When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies...be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt...ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them.  For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”  (Deuteronomy 20:1-4)

“... for the battle is the Lord’s...”  (1 Samuel 17:47)