While we should always test from the Bible first, I think it also helps to hear real life stories from the present day to help identify what we are experiencing. I’ve read several books on this, but I found James Goll’s book, The Seer, to be particularly helpful because he described how the developing of the gift of discerning of spirits started, not just what he experiences now.
As Paul says, we are to grow in the gifts, and that means that we have train up in them. For most of us, they aren’t going to descend in full force all at once.
One thing that I have noticed after being around people that operate in spiritual gifts, a gift does not manifest exactly the same way in every person that has that gift.
I think that is because we are all unique and God wants a personal relationship with us. So even in the gifts of the spirit, there may be major groupings, but he doesn’t hand out carbon copies to everyone. He customizes the combination of gifts and their expression to be uniquely suited to each person.
Some people, like the person I mentioned earlier, can literally see into the spiritual realm. Not all the time, at least not the people I know, but when God wants to show them something.
While I have had a few experiences before, there are two specific incidents where I believe the development of the gift of discerning really began in earnest.
One was around Easter of 2011. There was a situation where I could recognize God’s hand working in a person’s life and orchestrating people and happenings all to bring this person closer to Him. It was so absolutely clear and it was awesome to see.
I was praying a lot and interceding for this person. It’s hard to explain, but I could feel the intensity of the spiritual battle going on around this person. While all this was going on, I felt a shift in the atmosphere. Like a chain was broken lose and something aligned.
I don’t know what it was, but something happened.
The second incident was in my Bible study. I can’t remember if this happened before the situation above or after. I was sitting in class, listening to the teacher and I felt something. Felt isn’t the right word I supposed, because it wasn’t a physical feeling but instead a “sense.” It was like something fell.
Imagine a tree falling, but take away the sound and the force of the air current it creates and just imagine the vibration of that. That is what it felt like.
The word that came to me was “conviction.”
I don’t even remember what the lesson was on, but I remember the sense of that movement very clearly. I know that the Holy Spirit was working in the life of someone in the class and convicting them.
I may have experienced things before this, but I didn’t recognize what it was.
A little while after that I started to smell fragrances. Not all the time, just every once in awhile. At first they were all good smells. In the beginning, I was just caught up in the experience and not paying much attention to anything else.
But then I started analyzing it, trying to determine what the different smells were, noting what was going on at the time, and recognizing similarities.
Then I started smelling bad scents and sensing along with it presences that weren’t good. For me, I think the smells were a training tool the Holy Spirit was using to help me develop the discerning of spirits.
Also, my middle name means “a living fragrance,” and I do think that God is cool that way.
Recently, I have started to see, literally, things. Just a couple of times so far and they have been minor.
For me, it has always started out with good stuff, something of God, before I see or sense something that’s not. I am very grateful for that.
Discerning of Spirits Resources
Seeing the Supernatural by Jennifer Eivaz On Amazon”>
Seeing Angels and Demons by Susan Merritt On Amazon
Discerning of Spirits by Francis Frangipane On Amazon
Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide On Amazon
The Gifts of the Spirit by Derek Prince On Amazon
Releasing Spiritual Gifts Today by James Goll On Amazon
The Seer by James Goll On Amazon
I am glad I found this site as I am also undergoing a similar gentle training. It gets really confusing for me at times. I have had a very sharp sense of smell for years now and used to wonder why. I used to smell metal in the air a lot. Recently it was a beautiful fragrance. On two notable occasions I have seen spirits in people. One was when a woman walked into church and sat near me. What I was seeing was a man and not a woman. The other time was when I looked at a young lady but instead saw an ugly face of a spirit with two wide opened eyes and a widely opened mouth. The lady was positioned with her left side towards me but the spirit in her faced me. On both occasions the people concerned seemed very uneasy around me and would leave immediately.
I once sensed the presence of negative spirits in a house. The presence of the Holy Spirit is awesome.
Makas,
Thanks for your comment. It’s interesting that you mention that both of the notable times were in church. The most intense situations I’ve experienced have been at my church as well.
I think the real danger to the church is not outside, but within and the gift of discerning of spirits is there to sound the alarm as well as to identify areas where intercession is needed.
I haven’t seen anything like you’re describing, but I have been in odd situations where a person another me and wouldn’t even make eye contact. In one case, it was someone who I have always been friendly and had a good rapport with. It later came out that in both situations the person had fallen under false doctrine and denied Jesus as Lord.
I don’t know how much of the avoidance is conscious, or if it’s an unconscious thing on their part and a result of the deceiving spirit they are under the influence of.
I believe I am a seer. I see and hear spirits, usually God’s Presence and angels, but also human spirits and demons. Whenever I am about to make a change in ministry for more fruit or greater obedience, the warfare increases as does the shift in atmosphere among those spirits around me. I for years have experienced human spirits, for instance actors on tv after watching something. Their personalities stay with me. For a long time I tried binding them but to no avail. Now I pray for the person I am experiencing. I have then experienced the person seem to actually be their angel for I will hear that same personality say to another spirit, “she is praying for them” or “she is praying for me” and it will be surprised. I have also heard other spirits (angels?) say to each other: “she is praying for them, I am going to get others.” I am wondering if this is the operation of the gift of discerning of spirits with the application of intercessory prayer. The only thing that seems to relieve the experience where I go into peace is to pray for the person I am experiencing. The problem is, I have also seen the Lord say to me, “that is not what this is.” However, it is the only thing that works. If I try casting it out, for I have thought it was a familiar spirit, I cannot. So I pray instead for the person I experience. I appreciate your thoughts on this. Thank you and God bless you.
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for sharing your experience. When you say you’ve heard the Lord say, “that is not what this is,” what specifically is that referring to? The spirit of the person or something else?
My devotional today was in Acts 12 when an angel led Peter out of prison. He was standing knocking at the door of the house where the believers were and they thought it “must have been his angel.” So it seems there is something to that.
I am writing a devotional on the discernment of spirits. May I use your experience as an example?
Absolutely!