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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Now there was a certain man named Ananias who with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought the rest which he laid at the apostles feet. read more. upon which Peter said, Ananias, how could satan inspire thine heart to lye to the holy ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? was not the estate your own estate? and was not the price for which it was sold, all in your own hands? how came such a design as this in your heart? thou hast not lyed unto men, but unto God. at these words Ananias fell down dead upon the spot: which struck the minds of all that heard of it with great dread. and some young men came and wound him up, then carried him out, and buried him. about the space of three hours after, his wife, not knowing what had happen'd, came in. when Peter addressing himself to her, tell me, said he, have you sold the land for such a price? yes, said she, for so much. then Peter said to her, how comes it that you have conspir'd together, to tempt the spirit of the Lord? see there at the door the men that are come from burying thy husband, and they shall carry thee out likewise. in the instant she fell down dead at his feet: and the young men came in, found her dead, carried her out, and buried her by her husband.
Having travers'd the isle as far as to Paphos, they found a Jew there nam'd Barjesus, who was a false prophet and magician: he was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, a man of prudence: who sent for Barnabas and Saul, desiring to hear the word of God. read more. but Elymas (a name which signifies Magus) opposed them, endeavouring to seduce the proconsul from the faith. then Saul, who was nam'd likewise Paul, full of the holy spirit, look'd fixedly upon him, and said, "thou heap of imposture and mischief, offspring of the devil, and enemy to all justice, wilt thou not cease to pervers men from the right ways of the Lord? his hand is falling upon thee, thou shalt be blind, and not see the sun for some time." immediately his eyes were covered with obscurity and darkness; so that he grop'd about for somebody to lead him by the hand. the proconsul seeing the fact, embraced the faith, being struck with admiration of the christian doctrine.
to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits; to another diversity of languages; to another the interpretation of languages.
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are 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).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Now there was a certain man named Ananias who with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought the rest which he laid at the apostles feet. read more. upon which Peter said, Ananias, how could satan inspire thine heart to lye to the holy ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? was not the estate your own estate? and was not the price for which it was sold, all in your own hands? how came such a design as this in your heart? thou hast not lyed unto men, but unto God. at these words Ananias fell down dead upon the spot: which struck the minds of all that heard of it with great dread. and some young men came and wound him up, then carried him out, and buried him. about the space of three hours after, his wife, not knowing what had happen'd, came in. when Peter addressing himself to her, tell me, said he, have you sold the land for such a price? yes, said she, for so much. then Peter said to her, how comes it that you have conspir'd together, to tempt the spirit of the Lord? see there at the door the men that are come from burying thy husband, and they shall carry thee out likewise. in the instant she fell down dead at his feet: and the young men came in, found her dead, carried her out, and buried her by her husband. which affected the whole assembly, and all that heard of it with great dread.
but was now upon his return, and sat in his chariot, reading the prophet Esaias.
to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits; to another diversity of languages; to another the interpretation of languages.
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are 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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits; to another diversity of languages; to another the interpretation of languages.