The Gifts of the Spirit: The Gift of Discerning of Spirits Day 2 - How Jesus and the Early Church Operated in Discernment

Awakened to Deliver – The Gifts of the Spirit: Discerning of Spirits

Week 30, Day 2: How Jesus and the Early Church Operated in Discernment

Key Verse: Matthew 16:23 (NASB 2020)

“But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s purposes, but men’s.’”

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Episode Highlights

• Jesus modeled perfect discernment, identifying the spirit influencing Peter’s words in Matthew 16:23.

• Discernment reveals the source behind words or actions—whether they’re from God, man, or demonic influence.

• The early Church operated powerfully in this gift—Peter discerned deception in Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5), and Paul exposed a spirit of divination in Acts 16.

• True discernment protects the move of God and preserves the purity of the Church.

• Discernment is sharpened through intimacy with God, obedience to the Spirit, and staying grounded in Scripture.

• Without discernment, we risk being swayed by flattery, emotion, or counterfeit spiritual activity.

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Scriptures to Reflect On

• Matthew 16:23 – Jesus rebukes Satan speaking through Peter.

• Mark 1:23–25 – Jesus discerns and expels an unclean spirit.

• Acts 5:3 – Peter discerns deception in Ananias.

• Acts 8:18–23 – Peter rebukes Simon the Sorcerer’s corrupted motives.

• Acts 16:16–18 – Paul exposes the spirit of divination in the slave girl.

• Hebrews 4:12 – God’s Word judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

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Takeaway Thought

The gift of discernment allows believers to see past appearances and recognize the true spiritual source behind what they encounter. Jesus and the early Church walked in this power—and so can we—by remaining sensitive to the Holy Spirit, rooted in Scripture, and committed to prayer.

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Music Credits

• “Paphos” by Mountaineer

Licensed via PremiumBeat by Shutterstock under Creator License.

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Call to Action

Ask the Holy Spirit to train your spiritual senses so you can discern what’s truly from Him. Tomorrow, we’ll dive into how to recognize the spirit behind the manifestation—and why testing the spirits is essential in today’s world.