And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it (Revelation 12:3-4 ESV)
As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:20 ESV)
And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. (Revelation 12:9 ESV)
In the book of Revelation, John shows us that the “stars” are angels. In chapter twelve, he is giving a recap of Israel, from the birth of God’s people, to the end of them. Israel gave birth to Jesus which stirred things up. Satan is referred to as “the great dragon” in verse nine of that chapter. A tail represents “tales” or stories that are not true. Satan convinced one-third of all the angels to rebel against God. Many of these fallen angels are referred to as “gods” by those who do not know the true God.
The world is divided on the topic of modern-day witchcraft and curses. In some countries, the spirit realm, especially the demonic, is considered as real as our world. In other countries, it is looked at as superstition. In America, many believe that science has disproved many of these things. Recently, God has made it very clear that the things in His word, the Bible, still apply today, maybe even more so.
For when for the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. (Hebrews 5:12-13 AKJV)
The basic biblical principles are “oracles” of God, meaning they are inspired teachings from God. Paul is speaking about the foundational teachings concerning Jesus and who God is. This is the “milk” we need to grow into mature Christians. Every Christian becomes a citizen of Heaven when they take Jesus as their Lord. We should be learning about our new kingdom and what our Lord expects of us. Until we learn about Jesus and God through the Bible, we are a “babe.” If we continue reading this chapter in Hebrews, we see that we should be applying what we learn as we read the Word of God.
But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:14 AKJV)
There are a few words in this scripture that will help us rightly apply it if we look at the original words in Greek:
- by reason of: Strong's G1223 dia (dee-ah') - by the means of
- senses: Strong's G145 aisthētērion (ah-sthay-tay'-ree-on) - faculty of the mind for perceiving, understanding, judging
- discern: Strong's G1253 diakrisis (dee-ak'-ree-sis) - a distinguishing, discerning, judging
“By reason of” means how we are going to accomplish something. Because this passage in Hebrews begins by reminding the reader to pay attention to the basic and first lessons about God (oracles), the definition for senses should be using our mind, our intellect, our understanding. We should be “exercising” or vigorously using our minds to judge what we perceive according to what the Word of God says.
As we learn, we should look at the world around us, including messages from spiritual leaders, to judge whether they are good or evil. Evil is a strong word. It really means that which is opposed to God or not of God. When we are learning the basic principle of our new kingdom, we should look at teachers, pastors, prophets, evangelists, apostles and everything in the world around us to see whether or not it lines up with the Word of God. This is the first and basic level of discernment that all Christians should be exercising.
Discerning of Spirits
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.... to another discerning of spirits… (1 Corinthians 12:7,10 KJV)
The Holy Spirit brings gifts to help us see what spirit is moving even when actions may seem benign or harmless. He can give us a warning when there is another spirit at work. The Greek word diakrisis is translated as discerning, is the same word used in describing the application of the Word of God, but now it is the Holy Spirit bringing spiritual perception to us apart from logic.
The Holy Spirit would never contradict the Word of God. If it is the Holy Spirit this gift, what you receive should always line up with the Word of God. Like all of the gifts of the Spirit, discernment should grow as we mature in the ways of God by reading and applying the Word.
And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always]. (Colossians 3:15 AMPC)
Peace or the lack of peace is the primary discernment all Christians should have. The lack of peace is referred to as a “check in our spirit” by many mature believers. The gift of discernment can appear as sensations on our bodies. Where and how the sensation appears will speak to what the Holy Spirit is saying. We should not look for or depend upon sensations on our bodies. This can lead us down the wrong path.
Cocoon of Light
Satan is called “the deceiver.” He wants to be a god to us. When we receive from the spirit realm, it must always align with the Word of God because His enemy may try to trick us by imitating how we usually receive the Holy Spirit.
Some claim to receive “discernment” that is so strong that it is distracting and almost debilitating. They suggest praying to wrap a “cocoon of light” around yourself to lessen the physical sensations. This directly contradicts the Word of God.
Nowhere in the Bible does God use a “cocoon.” The Holy Spirit is God. If the sensations you are receiving are from God, wouldn’t He know how strong to make them? Praying a prayer to mitigate discernment is trying to quiet the voice of God. You should run quickly away from anyone who:
- Has had to pray for a shield of a cocoon of light
- They are hearing from a spirit that is not from God!
- Wants to “discern” what is good by what they feel instead of standing on what the Word of God says.
Talking to other Christians, especially mature ones, about what we are receiving from the Holy Spirit can help confirm that we are hearing from God. However, anytime someone wants others to bring things to them to “discern” if it is good or not, well, that leads to control and pride; two spirits that are not from God.
At one point in a past ministry, I made a big mistake because I listened to those under the influence of these spirits. They wanted to “discern” the messages I was giving. They received negative reactions to:
- Scripture
- Claiming it was a wrong version of the Bible
- Sentences
- Wanting to change words here and there
The processes of writing became constricting. It felt as if I was being squeezed, hemmed in on every side. It removed the peace of the Lord and I felt agitated. I rejected their assistance and within a year they left the ministry.
We must be careful about whom we receive discernment from and who we receive it. The warning signs that their “discernment” wasn’t from God were the following:
- There was absolutely no scriptural backing for the “discernment” they were giving.
- It wasn’t giving glory to God, it was serving to give power to them
- They contradicted teachings from the Word, wanting to “discern” from their feeling what was good.
- Their discernment would give them complete control over what the leader of the church would say and do.
- They had brought the teaching about the cocoon of light and needed it when they received discernment.
Once I rejected their “discernment,” I began to realize that I had gone from trusting in the Lord to relying on them. Anytime someone wants us to trust run to them to use their gifts, they will begin to take God’s place in our lives. If you have fallen into this trap as I had, it is easy to get free.
- Confess that you trusted other people instead of trusting God.
- Confess that you came into agreement with a spirit that was not from God through listening to others.
- Ask for the blood of Jesus to blot out these sins.
- Sever all soul ties to the people who brought you wrong discernment.
Strong Discernment
In the Book of Acts, we find the account of Peter in prison. When an angel set him free, Peter went to Mary’s house, where his friends were gathered. At that time, the spirit realm and angelic visitations were so frequent that the woman who answered the door thought it was Peter’s angel instead of Peter himself. The Outpouring is on the horizon where signs, wonders, and miracles will be as present in the world as they were in the time of the Book of Acts. Are you ready to discern good from evil?
This gift works in more ways than I can describe here. The Holy Spirit often shows me when someone is speaking with Him or without Him, guiding their sermons and messages. Word by word. I would actually feel when they were on target or off on their own, and then when they were back again.
My Counselor, the Holy Spirit, would also occasionally reveal spirits in people or upon them. A few of the spiritual characteristics He used with me are:
- Twisted teeth in someone’s mouth, all yellow and jagged.
- A head that looks too big with a pointy-tooth smile.
- A smile that looks too big, like a reflection in a funhouse mirror.
- An ammonia scent like cat urine, which is a likely indicator of demonic activity.
We must use the discernment that the Holy Spirit gives us, according to God and His ways. There is a trap the enemy lays as we attempt to discern which spirit may be influencing others. Not only will walking into this trap affect you and the authority you wield, but it could also hurt the person being afflicted by a demonic spirit. When discernment of spirits acting through people is handled incorrectly, it may leave you open to attacks of the enemy. I found this out the hard way as I began writing this article.
Revealing the Enemy’s Trap
I was so excited to discover all the ways the Holy Spirit was bringing discernment about spirits upon others – especially leaders in the Church. In exercising this gift, I would consult with other Christians whom I thought were proficient in using this gift. I would ask what type of spirit was upon someone to see if they were seeing the same thing. This sounds innocent, right?
For fear of bringing an attack upon herself, one of our team members commented, she was holding her tongue about what she was discerning on a certain leader of a ministry. She quoted the verse, “Judge not lest ye be judged.” (Matthew 7:1 KJV) That night after midnight, as I layed in bed so very tired, I asked the Lord if this person was right.
Were we leaving ourselves open to attacks by stating the discernment the Holy Spirit brought us about a person? Surely, He brings information so we can warn others? How could it possibly be wrong to declare what He was revealing to us?
I had always applied “judge not” to judging people for the mistakes of their past or even small mistakes they were currently making. None of us are perfect, not a pastor, prophet, evangelist, or apostle. Should I never judge someone, even when the Holy Spirit brings discernment?
The small, quiet voice of the Holy Spirit that sounds like my own thoughts said, “You are coming into agreement with the enemy’s right to be in that person’s life, which will increase that right.” Receiving discernment about which spirit is operating through someone is right; it is a gift of the Spirit, but how we are handling it needs work. God’s Spirit also brought the right scriptures that apply to this:
“Love your neighbor as yourself…” (Luke 10:27 AKJV)
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29 KJV)
If we are operating in the highest level of love, we will not speak outside of love. We will edify and build up people. Speaking in agreement with a demonic spirit having a place in a person's life is judging the battle as already lost. We can heed what the Holy Spirit is doing, but we need to build up rather than declare the outcome for the demonic spirit.
If you are called to be a prophet, sometimes God will tell you to say something outside of an encouraging word, but then you are the mouthpiece of God. Unless the Holy Spirit is heavy upon us and tells us to bring a correction, we should not come into agreement with the enemy. This is the trap of the enemy. When we accuse our brothers, even rightly so, it allows the enemy to place charges upon us for coming out of our “love” walk and disobeying the prime directive of our Lord: to love one another!
This information was very hard to accept. However, I had known for many days that I was out of alignment with God because my health had been under assault. Not only was I battling a cold, but I was exhausted. My thoughts were muddled. In prayer, the Lord said I needed to watch my words. I wasn’t sure what He was talking about, but as I lay there, the Holy Spirit said this was the issue.
The thought of leading people in the wrong direction was a heavy burden on my heart. “If this is really how we need to handle this gift, I need some proof. I am teaching people about discernment in two days!” I asked the Lord at 2 AM, “Let me be healed and free of this sickness if we really need to be this careful about how we handle discernment.”
For the last few days, I had averaged about six hours of sleep a night, but suddenly, my nose was clear and super dry. I had a burst of energy. I felt like I could get up and start my day with zero sleep. The low energy had vanished. I had been experiencing mild vertigo when I went from lying down to a standing position hurriedly. However, now I jumped up out of bed with no dizziness at all!
We should see discernment as something God wants us to be aware of in the spiritual realm. It’s not about flesh and blood. So, if I discern something on a book, a picture, or someone’s face, it’s all being made aware that there’s something spiritual on them. If we move into judging, then that’s where sin can come in. We discern to know if we should pray, walk away, or speak to them about it. All must involve the Holy Spirit.
This doesn’t mean we can’t give warnings or speak about what we are perceiving. During my time with the Lord, I asked how to handle what was revealed. He said to choose our words carefully.
What not to say:
- “That person has a demon.”
- “That person is operating through _____ spirit.”
What is okay to say:
- “Be cautious when listening to that person.”
- “Ask the Holy Spirit to give you discernment about that person.”
- “The Lord may be freeing that person from ___ spirit”
We should always back the power of our Lord to free someone from a spirit and never declare a spirits right to a person.
Taking Action When a Spirit is Revealed
There are three ways to respond when we receive this discernment:
- Pray
- Walk Away
- Say Something to the person
The Lord brought this scripture to support these actions:
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints… (Ephesians 6:18 KJV)
When we discern that a spirit is influencing a brother or sister, pray for them. Ask God to grant them wisdom about what spirit is speaking to them. DO NOT confess in the prayer that a spirit is speaking through them. Just ask God to grant them wisdom about what spirit may be speaking to them.
We should also be cautious about listening to that person, knowing that there may be another spirit at work. If it is a ministry, pray and ask God if you should keep supporting that ministry in any way (either financially or by volunteering) or if you should walk away. The Holy Spirit is our guide: He knows if that person or ministry will be turning from their path quickly.
If you feel the Holy Spirit wants you to say something to that person, trust Him for the words. Speak with love, kindness, and understanding. Perhaps in the past, you have accused someone of:
- Having a particular spirit.
- Operating under a spirit.
- A spirit operating through them.
Doing this puts you in agreement with Satan who is the accuser about his influence over that person.
And I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brothers is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (Revelation 12:10 AKJV)
We don't want to agree with the enemy who is the accuser of God's children. An accusation is an assumption about the reason for a behavior. It is also assuming someone is guilty of an action without proof. It is tempting to complain to our friends or ask others “to pray” for someone, all the while assuming we know their motive or declaring they are working apart from God. Praying for others is good. Ask God to grant them wisdom. It is declaring motives and/or making assumptions that may open the door for us to be attacked. We should remember what the Bible tells us to do:
Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive]. (Colossians 3:13 AMPC)
I therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to and beg you to walk (lead a life) worthy of the [divine] calling to which you have been called [with behavior that is a credit to the summons to God’s service, Living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another. Be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of [and produced by] the Spirit in the binding power of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-4 AMPC)
When we have a complaint about someone, we should give them grace, and underserved understanding. We should bring grievous complaints to the person if the Holy Spirit urges it. It may be an opportunity for both parties to grow in the fruit of the Spirit. When we complain to others, we are spreading the grievance, not pardoning it. If your words have been negative about others, especially where things of the spirit realm are concerned or if you have listened to others who are accusing Christians in some way, you should do the following:
- Confess that you have spoken wrongly and sided with the accuser of the brethren.
- Renounce all negative words you have said that are not according to God’s Word.
- Ask for the blood of Jesus to blot them out of all records in Heaven and Earth.
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