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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest 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 mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, (his wife also being privy to it) and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. read more. But Peter said, Ananias, Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, was it not thy own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart? thou hast not lied to men, but to God. And Ananias hearing these words, fell down, and expired. And great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered to her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yes, for so much. Then Peter said to her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold the feet of them who have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then she fell down immediately at his feet, and expired. And the young men came in, and found her dead, and carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
And when they had gone through the isle to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: Who was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. read more. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul (who also is called Paul) filled with the Holy Spirit, set his eyes on him, And said, O full of all subtilty, and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
To another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, discerning of spirits; to another, divers kinds 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 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).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, (his wife also being privy to it) and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. read more. But Peter said, Ananias, Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, was it not thy own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart? thou hast not lied to men, but to God. And Ananias hearing these words, fell down, and expired. And great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered to her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yes, for so much. Then Peter said to her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold the feet of them who have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then she fell down immediately at his feet, and expired. And the young men came in, and found her dead, and carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
Was returning; and sitting in his chariot, read Isaiah the prophet.
To another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, discerning of spirits; to another, divers kinds 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 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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And it came to pass, when all the people had quite passed over Jordan, that the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, Take you twelve men from the people, from every tribe a man, read more. And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, from the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging-place where ye shall lodge this night.
To another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, discerning of spirits; to another, divers kinds of languages; to another, the interpretation of languages: