Then John the Baptist gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on Him."

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Releasing Spiritual Gifts: Discerning of spirits

In the Christian life, there are various classes of spirits that we encounter: the Holy Spirit, good angels, ungodly spirits and human spirits. This Study looks at the manifestation of the Spirit, described in 1 Cor 12:10 as 'discerning of spirits.'

It is a vital gift for every believer. To know whether something is right; whether what is happening is from God or not. We need to be careful not to too narrowly focus the gift on the demonic - it has beautiful uses in the Body for discerning what God is knowing at any particular time.

Questions
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1. At what age did you start to realise there was another realm, other than the physical? How did that happen?

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2. In what ways does Simon's reaction to the apostles (vv18-19) show his deep misunderstanding about the Gospel?
3. In v23, what did Peter mean by "I see" and how did this happen?
4. Do you think Simon's words in v24 reveal a change in his heart?
5. Read Acts 16:16-24. Paul is going to a prayer meeting, and the place that they were in was the centre of occult activities. The young slave girl was demonised with a spirit of divination, and and word 'divination' is literally 'python.' What does this word imagery convey? How did Paul know what was going on?
6. In v18, Paul is said to be troubled/annoyed. Literally, 'greatly disturbed,' 'struggling to break through.' What insights does this encounter give us of the kingdom of darkness coming against the work of the Gospel?

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7. What was your primary motivation in first receiving Jesus Christ as Saviour?
8. In what ways, if any, has your understanding of the gift of discerning of spirits developed through the sermon? Describe this manifestation of the Spirit in your own words.
9. The gifts of word of knowledge, word of wisdom, and discerning of spirits can be categorised as 'gifts of knowing or revelation.' They often work together in tandem. Have you experienced situations where two or three of these gifts were working together?
10. In Scripture, we are commanded to stand firm against Satan and his schemes. Why must we have nothing to do with horoscopes, Ouija boards nor astrology? From Acts 16:16ff, what ungodly spirit would likely be operating through these 'vehicles'?
11. Identify various ways that we can develop and increase our spiritual sensitivity.

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12. The gift of discerning of spirits is often interrupted as 'knowing when evil spirits are around.' It is that, but also much more. Pray about the Lord increasing your sensitivity to what He is doing - in your life, in others, in the church community. How do we avoid discerning not morphing into judgmentalism?

^{Listen to the sermon}

Acts 8:9-23

9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that He may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

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