OUR FATHER WHO PROVIDES FOR THE DISERNMENT OF SPIRITS

The book of Job chapter 34 verses 1 - 3 says this;

Then Elihu said: “Hear my words, you wise men; listen to me, you men of learning. For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food.

This passage reveals the concept of disernment  which we are given as spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians chapter 12 contains the listing of the gift of the distinguishing between spirits.

To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Continuing to 1 Corinthians chapter 14 verse 29 says this;

Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 

When Job had rested his case and the three elders had nothing more to say, the young man name Elihu began to speak to them to give the councel of his perspective and chapter 34 begins with him asking the wise men to hear his words for the ear tests words like the tongue tests food.

This request has a two-fold response where the listeners are asked to disern the spirit by which the spoken words are issued and also to weigh the content of the words spoken against existing revelation, knowledge and experience.

Disernment is a spiritual sensory function that is given in order to reduce the ability of nefarious agents to deceive and manipulate the people of God or to stop the errors of well-meaning people from gaining traction in the body of Christ.

In the same way that the tongue senses the sweetness, saltiness and bitterness in food and alerts the one eating to potential dangers in the food if inappropriate flavors are detected, disernment senses the sweetness, saltiness or bitterness of the source of words or atmospheres and measures them against known conditions and detects the spirit by which the words are issued.

Amen.

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