The Gift of Discernment Characteristics & Examples

The ability to discern spirits is one of the 9 spiritual gifts listed in the 1 Corinthians 12:14, but it’s often not understood. God is raising up more people with this gift and it’s essential to understand it, even if you don’t operate it in.

In this blog post, I want to discuss how the gift of discernment can work, how it can operate through our physical senses, and provide some examples. Let’s untangle the mystery, explore its benefits, and become better equipped to serve God with this spiritual gift (or oversee it in others).

What is the gift of discernment?

Believers who show the characteristics of the gift of discernment are finely tuned to the spiritual atmosphere surrounding them. They are sensitive to the spiritual or emotional states of others. They feel or see the Holy Spirit, angels, or demonic strongholds working in a person’s life or over a region.

When someone is speaking, they can, at times, discern the spirit behind their words. This gift can be incredibly protective and can manifest in various forms.

The gift of discerning spirits falls into the “prophetic gifts” category. Sometimes, believers with this gift are prophetic Seers, Feelers, or Knowers.

For example, there is a person alone in a room with an oppressive spirit tormenting her, and she feels hopeless.

A feeler with this gift walks into the room and feels the demonic energy behind her depression; she also begins to feel hopeless.

A Seer walks into the room and see’s the spirit tormenting the woman.

A Knower prophetic person walks into the room and knows that there is a demonic spirit causing her to feel depressed. They may even hear the enemy’s lies about the woman as thoughts. For example, he might think, “I’m so hopeless; life will never get better.”

Many individuals with the gift of discernment are called “feelers.” This is because they experience sensations not just in their physical body but also in their emotions. For example, if they enter a room and someone is severely depressed, they may suddenly feel depressed. 

People with this gift must learn to recognize that what they feel is not always from within themselves but from someone else. They must learn to identify with who God’s word says they are, rather than their feelings, as feelings can be fickle, especially for those with this gift.

Discernment Can Use the 5 Physical Senses

Taste

The gift of discernment can manifest in various ways, including physical sensations. For example, you may taste something when someone is speaking or prophesying. In Ezekiel 3:3, Ezekiel ate a scroll that tasted sweet, like honey, indicating that it was from God. Conversely, one may experience a bad taste in their mouth when someone is prophesying, indicating that the message is not from God.

Touch

most

Smell

Discerning spirits can manifest in various ways, including through the sense of smell. For example, during worship, some people may smell the aroma of vanilla, which is often associated with the presence of God and the release of heaven. Additionally, some may smell the scent of sulfur when someone is being delivered by a demon. These two examples are common experiences for individuals with the gift of discernment. Therefore, they can be powerful indicators of the presence of God or evil spirits.

Hearing

The gift of discernment can also manifest in the form of auditory experiences. For example, one may hear the audible voice of God or angels singing. Additionally, people with this gift may also hear thoughts. These thoughts could be from the Lord, such as His thoughts about a person, or from a demonic influence, like self-rejecting thoughts if someone has a spirit of rejection. 

It could also be from a person’s mind, similar to how Jesus was able to perceive what people were thinking. These auditory experiences are a powerful way to manifest the gift of discernment. They can provide important insight and understanding.”

Seeing

The gift of discernment can also manifest through visual experiences, such as open visions. For example, one may see Jesus or an angel appear in the room or in the same place they are physically located. Additionally, one may be taken in a vision to heaven, hell, or other places where God wants to reveal something. 

Some people may also be taken out of their bodies in a vision to heaven or other locations worldwide to receive insight and understanding to pray and intercede. Another visual manifestation of this gift is night vision, distinct from a dream. 

You may have dreams. Many dreams I receive from the Lord come in sets of 3. So I will have 3 dreams in one night, all back to back. Often about a similar thing.

There are many other classifications of visions not mentioned in this list.

Awareness of Spiritual Atmosphere: Feeling, Thoughts, & Emotions

This one can be tricky. Not everything we think and feel comes from within ourselves. The spiritual realm does have an effect on our minds and emotions. This is why Paul told us to take every thought captive. People with the gift of discernment, often called prophetic feelers are sensitive to the feelings and spiritual condition of the people around them and the physical regions they are in.

You may be driving through one city or state into another, and the moment you cross the border, you start getting hit with lustful thoughts. You feel lust. It’s because a spirit of lust controls that town/state. 

Not everything you feel and think comes from within your own soul and mind. Suppose you don’t understand this. In that case, you will take ownership of your feelings and identify with them. For example, if you start feeling someone else’s depression, you may think, “I’m depressed,” when it’s not coming from you in reality.

Personal Examples of the Gift Discernment & Empathy

I have had several instances where my gift of discernment manifested in physical sensations. For example, one time, I was at work, and my boss came up to me while I was at my desk. He asked me to do something, but as soon as he approached me, I felt nauseous and very weak, like I was sick. I could sense that he was fighting off an illness, so I asked him about it, and he confirmed that he was indeed feeling unwell.

In another example, I had a housemate who I later found out went out drinking occasionally. I was unaware of this because we lived in a Christian dorm, and I assumed most people there wouldn’t engage in that behavior. But one night, he returned to the house and seemed normal, but as soon as I got close to him, I immediately started feeling like I was drunk. I felt dizzy and could sense what he was feeling. 

This is my “feeling gift” in operation. The gift of discernment is distinct from empathy. Still, people with the gift of discernment tend to have a high level of empathy.

Benefits of the Gift of Discernment

The gift of discernment can also manifest positively, such as the ability to sense the presence of the Holy Spirit and angels. 

This can manifest as feelings of joy, love, peace, glory, and ecstasy, among other things. I can walk into a prayer room or a church and immediately sense the spiritual atmosphere of the room. I am attuned to the movement of the Lord during worship and can feel when He is doing something or wants to do something that is being resisted. This gift gives me a deeper understanding and connection to the spiritual realm and the Lord’s presence.

Discerning the motives of the heart

I had a baptist pastor tell me once that he didn’t believe a prophetic person could know the motives of a person’s heart. What’s ironic is that as he was telling me this, the Lord was showing me how trustworthy and full of compassion this baptist pastor was—I was discerning how good his heart was. I didn’t say anything to him, but I believe God can show people with this gift the condition of someone’s heart.

Humility is Needed in Those with This Gift

Extreme humility is essential for individuals with the gift of discernment. Without humility, there can be a tendency to judge others based on what one discerns. A person must come to terms with their sinful nature, confess it, repent and nail it to the cross. Then they can walk in humility toward others who are struggling with sin. This way, they can become effective in using their gift. It’s important to note that the gift of discernment is not about suspicion. It’s about understanding the activity in the spiritual realm to know how to pray and what God wants to do through you.

You Will Be Held Accountable To God for the Gift

A person with the gift of discernment will be held accountable for how they use this gift on the Day of the Lord. It should never be used to accuse or condemn others. Just because one discerns something the enemy is doing concerning sin in a person’s life does not mean one should agree with the enemy’s accusations against that person. Instead, it requires a balance of discernment and compassion, focusing on showing mercy and kindness. It’s important to use the gift in a way that aligns with the teachings of Jesus and the Bible.

Do not gossip about what the Lord reveals to you. It is important to remember that you will be held accountable for every word spoken and how you handle the gifts given to you by the Lord. Therefore, it’s important to use this gift to align with the teachings of Jesus and the Bible and to keep the information received confidential unless it is necessary to share it with others in a constructive and compassionate way.”

How do I know if I have the gift of discernment?

If you often see, feel, or perceive Holy Spirit activity, angelic activity, demonic spirits, and sin, then you likely have the gift. You will know it or suspect it already. You’ll have too many coincidences of knowing things about people. Or you will have unmistakable spiritual experiences.

Suppose you have a strong desire or interest in this gift. Ask for it. Our Father loves to give us gifts.

Do you pick up on the spiritual and emotional condition of the people around you? If you are extremely empathetic, this could be another sign. Although natural empathy is not the gift of discerning spirits, it is closely related. Many people with a strong discernment gift are also highly empathetic.

If you desire to have this gift or think you may already have it begin a conversation with the Holy Spirit and ask him to increase his presence and show you how to use the gift of discerning spirits.

I hope these characteristics of the gift of discernment were helpful to you.

Examples of Discerning of spirits in the Bible

• 1 Corinthians 12:10, the apostle Paul lists “the ability to distinguish between spirits” as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 
• In Acts 16:16-18, the apostle Paul uses this gift to discern that a slave girl possessed by a spirit of divination was not speaking under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
• In Matthew 16:17, Jesus tells Peter that his confession of Jesus as the Christ, the son of the living God, was revealed to him by the Father, who is in heaven and not by flesh and blood.
• In Acts 8:18-23, the apostle Peter uses this gift to discern that Simon, a sorcerer, had not truly converted to Christianity and was still motivated by greed.
• In Acts 13:6-12, Paul and Barnabas use this gift to discern that a Jewish false prophet, Elymas, was trying to turn the Roman proconsul away from the faith.
• 1 John 4:1 advises believers to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” to guard against false teaching.