1 Cor 12:8-10 NIV

8.To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9.to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10.to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues (languages) and to still another the interpretation of tongues (languages). 

We live in a Physical world, with a spiritual reality.

a discernment (diakrisis – conclusion between different options) 

Heb 5:14 NIV

But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Answers the Question: —> What at work here? one of 3 answers. Either:-

1.God? 

2.Evil? 

3.human attitudes/personality?

Some call it ’seeing in the Spirit’. 

OT examples:

2 Ki 6:8-18 NIV

 Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.” 9 The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” 10 So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. 11 This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?” 12 “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.” 13 “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” 14 Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city. 15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. 16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.

Jesus knew all influences. 

Jn 2:23-25 NIV

Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. d 24But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

Lk 10:25-28 NIV

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”26“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”27He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ c ; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ d ”28“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

1.The case of seeing evil influences.

Acts 16:16-18 CEB

16 One day, when we were on the way to the place for prayer, we met a slave woman. She had a spirit that enabled her to predict the future. She made a lot of money for her owners through fortune-telling. 17 She began following Paul and us, shouting, “These people are servants of the Most High God! They are proclaiming a way of salvation to you!” 18 She did this for many days. This annoyed Paul so much that he finally turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to leave her!” It left her at that very moment.

2.The case of seeing human influences.

Human meanness vs. human goodness: 

The case of John and the Samaritans.

Lk 9:51-56 NIV

 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them[09:51-56&version=NIV#fen-NIV-25356a" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a]?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.

—> Acts 8:14-17 NIV

Calling down fire? No Wrong human spirit.

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

3.The case of seeing the Holy Spirit at work.

Jesus seeing faith. 

Mat 8:5-13 NIV

5When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6“Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” 7Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” 8The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.

2 Cor 3:17 NIV

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

Lk 17:21 NKJV

nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

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About Pastor Rod Plummer

Ps Rod and Viv Plummer live in Tokyo, Japan and are true pioneers with a passion for reaching every person with Gods’ message. Senior Pastors of Lifehouse International Church they oversee all of Lifehouse's churches across Japan and Asia. Their heart is to inspire, mentor, and equip hundreds of young Japanese and foreign leaders to minister to the needs of people not only in the greater Tokyo area, but throughout Japan, Asia and beyond.

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Under Pastor Rod’s leadership, Lifehouse Church has grown from a team of 16 to thousands of weekly attendees across Japan and Asia and thousands of people reached with the gospel every year.

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