Reference: DISCERNING OF SPIRITS
American
1Co 12:10, a miraculous gift of the Holy Ghost to certain of the early church, empowering them to judge of the real character of those who professed to love Christ, and to be inspired to teach in his name, 1Jo 4:1; 2Jo 1:7. Compare Ac 5:1-10; 13:6-12.
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Only be strong and very courageous to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou may have good success wherever thou go.
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold property, and kept back from the price, his wife also having joint awareness. And having brought a certain part, he placed it at the apostles' feet. read more. But Peter said, Ananias, why did Satan fill thy heart for thee to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back from the price of the land? While it remained, did it not remain to thee? And after it was sold, it was in thine authority. Why is it that thou have placed this matter in thy heart? Thou have not lied to men, but to God. And Ananias hearing these words, after falling down he expired. And great fear developed in all who heard these things. And after rising the young men wrapped him, and having carried him out they buried him. And it came to pass after an interval of three hours, his wife also came in, not knowing that which happened. And Peter responded to her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yes, for so much. But Peter said to her, How is it that it was agreed by you to challenge the Spirit of Lord? Behold, the feet of those who buried thy husband are at the door, and they will carry thee out. And immediately she fell down at his feet and expired. And after coming in the young men found her dead, and having carried her out, they buried her by her husband.
And after going through the island as far as Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a Jewish FALSE prophet, whose name was Bar-jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man, having summoned Barnabas and Saul, sought to hear the word of God. read more. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) opposed them, seeking to deviate the proconsul from the faith. But Saul (the man is also Paul) having been filled with Holy Spirit, and having gazed on him, said, O man full of all deceit and all recklessness, thou son of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, will thou not cease distorting the straight ways of Lord? And now, behold, a hand of Lord is upon thee, and thou will be blind, not seeing the sun until a time. And immediately there fell on him gloom and darkness, and going around he sought hand-guides. Then the proconsul, who saw that which happened, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
and to another, workings of miracles, and to another, prophecy, and to another, discerning of spirits, and to a different man, kinds of tongues, and to another, the interpretation of tongues.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but examine the spirits, whether they are of God, because many FALSE prophets have gone out into the world.
Fausets
1Co 12:10. Discerning between the operation of God's Spirit and that of the evil spirit, or unaided human spirit claiming to utter the dictates of God's Spirit. Ac 5:1-11; 8:28; 1Co 14:23,37: "if any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord." It is this which assures us of the inspiration of the New Testament The books were accepted as inspired, by churches having men possessing" the discerning of spirits" (1Jo 4:1; 1Ti 4:1).
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But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold property, and kept back from the price, his wife also having joint awareness. And having brought a certain part, he placed it at the apostles' feet. read more. But Peter said, Ananias, why did Satan fill thy heart for thee to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back from the price of the land? While it remained, did it not remain to thee? And after it was sold, it was in thine authority. Why is it that thou have placed this matter in thy heart? Thou have not lied to men, but to God. And Ananias hearing these words, after falling down he expired. And great fear developed in all who heard these things. And after rising the young men wrapped him, and having carried him out they buried him. And it came to pass after an interval of three hours, his wife also came in, not knowing that which happened. And Peter responded to her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yes, for so much. But Peter said to her, How is it that it was agreed by you to challenge the Spirit of Lord? Behold, the feet of those who buried thy husband are at the door, and they will carry thee out. And immediately she fell down at his feet and expired. And after coming in the young men found her dead, and having carried her out, they buried her by her husband. And great fear developed in the whole church, and in all who heard these things.
And he was returning, and sitting in his chariot, and reading the prophet Isaiah.
and to another, workings of miracles, and to another, prophecy, and to another, discerning of spirits, and to a different man, kinds of tongues, and to another, the interpretation of tongues.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but examine the spirits, whether they are of God, because many FALSE prophets have gone out into the world.
Morish
This was one of the gifts in the early church, needful for 'testing the spirits,' because even then many false prophets had gone forth into the world. 1Co 12:10; 1Jo 4:1-3. This gift was especially necessary at the time when the word of God was not fully written.
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And it came to pass, when all the nation were clean passed over the Jordan, that LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, Take for you twelve men out of the people, a man out of every tribe, read more. and command ye them, saying, Take for you here out of the midst of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging-place where ye shall
and to another, workings of miracles, and to another, prophecy, and to another, discerning of spirits, and to a different man, kinds of tongues, and to another, the interpretation of tongues.