C.A.C Sunday School Manual For August 18, 2024 : Lesson 30: Topic – THE GRACE TO DISCERN SPIRITS

2024 SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

PREVIEW CLASS

*UNIT 4: GOD GIVES POWER AND REVELATION GIFTS*

THEME: SPIRITUAL POWER AND GIFTS FOR THE BODY OF CHRIST

LESSON Thirty

18th August, 2024

TOPIC: THE GRACE TO DISCERN SPIRITS

MEMORY SCRIPTURE

Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17).

Discernment is the ability to understand something that is not immediately obvious. The Holy Spirit gives believers ability difference between the operations of spirits to know which is of God.

This is the ability to know/decide between truth and error, right and wrong. This discernment spirit can only be given by Holy Spirit.

*BRIEF COMMENT*

In Matthew 16:16-17, Peter has just confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus responds to Peter by acknowledging that this revelation didn’t come from human logic but was given to him by God; Peter was granted the grace to discern spiritual truths. Also, we see Jesus demonstrating the gift of discernment in deciphering that it is the Spirit of God speaking in Peter and not demons. It serves as a reminder that our understanding of spiritual matters often requires a special divine insight, and not all knowledge can be attained through human reasoning alone. We should discern spirits with the help of God’s grace. This grace is a divine gift that enables believers to perceive and distinguish between spiritual influences, whether they be of God, human, or evil intent. It helps believers navigate the complex and often deceptive spiritual realm, ensuring that they align with God’s truth and avoid deceit and falsehood. It also enables believers to recognise and discern the source and nature of the influences they meet in their faith journey.

If you don’t know who I am, it would be difficult to follow and depend on me, you will have uncountable alternatives in case of necessity. So also many of us claimed to have known Jesus but our attitude towards Him doesn’t indicate we know Him. You don’t know the difference between when God is working and when man is working. You don’t know when man is deceiving you and when is not. You still don’t know when one is using diabolical power to operate and when is not!

You may be in the Church for 20, 40 or more, still you’re in a wrong place.

*Question*

How many of us even find out through the help of Holy Spirit who your pastor/prophet is? Don’t think all pastor/prophet are sent by God.

You need a discernment spirit.

Most of members have been initiated simply because they don’t have a discernment spirit.

If you move to a different country/location, by the time you are looking for a particular denomination to fellowship do you have a discernment spirit that will lead you to the right place to serve Him? It is better to allow the Spirit of God to lead you than to join any available ministry.

You can never know the truth if you don’t have the genuine spirit of discernment.

Our  DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS* Stated that:

1. In order to determine the source of a particular urge, the grace of discernment is required.

2. Discernment, as a spiritual gift, enables individuals to make clear distinctions between truth and falsehood.

*BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE:* Philippians 1:9-10

*AIM:* To highlight the presence and purpose the gift of discerning spirits in Christ’s body.

INTRODUCTION

TEXTUAL SOURCE: JOHN 16:8-13; ACTS 16:16-18; 1 CORINTHIANS 2: 10-11,14-16; 2 CORINTHIANS 4:4; 2 THESSALONIANS 2:9*

Today, God will be graciously helping us to examine the gift of discernment of spirits. We shall be discussing the grace of God to discern spirits, looking at how the human spirit can’t discern spirits. The Holy Spirit discerns spirits accurately. Shreds of evidence in the New Testament reveal that the Holy Spirit alone discerned evil spirits in the times of Jesus Christ, Paul the Apostle, Peter, etc. The LORD will open our understanding and illuminate our hearts as we delve into this lesson, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

A Quote:

—All that glitters is not gold.

—Gbo gbo ohun ti o n dán kọ ní wúrà

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Meaning:

Not everything that look precious or truth turns out to be so!

During the time of your waiting for the right future partner do you truly wait on God or for highest bidder. Most of our Christian sisters disappointed a brother simply because he has no money and go with a millionaire overnight. A man you don’t know his source. You just believe what he says. Those who have discernment spirit will wait on God’s will.

Discernment spirit is the only key to survive as a Christians in this perverse world.

LESSON OUTLINE

I. HUMAN SPIRIT CAN’T DECIPHER FAKE SPIRITS

II. HOLY SPIRIT DISCERNS SPIRITS ACCURATELY

LESSON EXPOSITION

I. HUMAN SPIRIT CAN’T DECIPHER FAKE SPIRITS (1 Cor. 2:14- 16; 2 Cor. 4:4; 2 Thess. 2:9)

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:14).

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Non-Christians cannot understand spiritual truths, and they cannot grasp the concept that God’s Spirit lives in believers. Don’t expect most people to approve of or understand your decision to follow Christ or take the right step. It all seems so silly to them. Just as a tone-deaf person cannot appreciate fine music, the person who rejects Christ or condemn your decision cannot understand truths from God’s Spirit. With the lines of communication broken, he or she won’t be able to hear what God is saying to him or her.

a) Man’s initial creation was with an indescribably perfect knowledge and discernment that would have enabled him to discern deep things. But with the Fall (Gen. 3:1ff), things changed (Jer. 10:23).

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Right from the Fall of man in the Garden of Eden, what man received without stress has turned difficult to receive. We must ask to receive them. Man was crested perfect but he abused the grace. We lost many things and the only thing that can return what we lost is to return and accept God’s rulership over our lives.

b) Moreover, man is not a spirit being. So, he cannot discern spiritual things (Psa. 8:4,5; Eccl. 3:20; 1 Cor. 2:14; Jn. 6:63).

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What you don’t have or have the experience of, you can’t give or understand how to operate it. If we are created as a spirit being, there won’t be need to be one. But Holy Spirit alone can help us to achieve all things and to know what is difficult for ordinary man to know.

Most of christians have actually known that they have make alot of mistakes because of their wrong choice. They have hooked themselves in a wrong place and now it’s very difficult to leave. When Spirit of discernment is lacking, a decision to go for wrong choice will be the right choice in the sight of decision taker. Consider yourself as a case study. Think of your marriage, where you worship, your decision to travel at all means and the rest of your decisions.

c) 2 Thess. 2:9: Fake spirits are backed by Satan and his demons. Any kingdom divided against itself cannot stand (Matt. 12:25). So, the carnal man cannot discern Satan’s wiles (Jn. 8:44;1 Jn. 3:8).

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Matthew 12:25 In the Incarnation, Jesus gave up the complete and unlimited use of his supernatural abilities. But he still had profound insight into human nature. His discernment stopped the religious leaders’ attempts to trick him. The resurrected Christ knows all our thoughts. This can be comforting because he knows what we really mean when we speak to him. It can be threatening because we cannot hide from him, and he knows any selfish motives.

d) 1 Cor. 2:14-16: The carnal can neither receive nor decipher spiritual things. Why?…they are spiritually discerned.

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1 Cor. 2:14-15: Non-Christians cannot understand spiritual truths, and they cannot grasp the concept that God’s Spirit lives in believers. Don’t expect most people to approve of or understand your decision to follow Christ or take the right step. It all seems so silly to them. Just as a tone-deaf person cannot appreciate fine music, the person who rejects Christ or condemn your decision cannot understand truths from God’s Spirit. With the lines of communication broken, he or she won’t be able to hear what God is saying to him or her.

1 Cor. 2:15, 16 No one can know what the Lord is thinking (Romans 11:34), but through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, believers have insight into some of God’s plans, thoughts, and actions. They, in fact, have “the mind of Christ.” Through the Holy Spirit, we can begin to know God’s thoughts, talk with him, and expect his answers to our prayers. Are you spending enough time with Christ to have his very mind in you? An intimate relationship with Christ comes only from spending time consistently in his presence and in his Word. Read Philippians 2:5ff for more on the mind of Christ.

e) 2 Cor. 4:4: The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers and the carnal Christians. They can’t discern the Spirit of the Truth.

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Satan is “the god of this world.” His work is to deceive, and he has blinded those who don’t believe in Christ (see 11:14, 15). The allure of money, power, and pleasure blinds people to the light of Christ’s Good News. Those who selfishly reject the truth about Christ and prefer their own pursuits have unknowingly made Satan their god.

f) There were cases in the Bible when people disguised themselves but were unveiled by God’s Spirit: Jeroboam’s wife (1 Kg. 14:1-8); the damsel (Acts 16:16-19). The human mind can’t decipher these.

g) It is very common for someone who is gifted in discernment to experience unusual events, or manifestations, like vision, dream, etc. than any other person.

*II. HOLY SPIRIT DISCERNS SPIRITS ACCURATELY (Jn. 16:8-13; Acts 16:16-18; 1 Cor. 2:10-11)*

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God (1 Cor. 2:10).

a) 1 Cor. 2:10-11: The Holy Spirit, the 3rd Person in the Godhead, is the only true Revealer of God’s mind. Why?…no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God (v. 11).

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“God’s deep secrets” refers to God’s unfathomable nature and his wonderful plan-Jesus’ death and resurrection and to the promise of salvation, revealed only to those who believe that what God says is true. Those who believe in Christ’s death and resurrection and put their faith in him will know all they need to know to be saved. This knowledge, however, can’t be grasped by even the wisest people unless they accept God’s message. All who reject God’s message are foolish, no matter how wise the world thinks they are.

Don’t be surprised that if God decided to separate between those who have the spirit of discernment and those who do not have in His Church today, it will be surprising that those who have the gift of discernment may not be up to 10% out of 100% even from the altar. I purposely mentioned the altar because the major problems that is escalating in the Church today are from the leaders. When the altar is polluted the church will be affected. When the leaders are blind there will be mass blindness in the church. The head is the brain-box of the entire body. May God visit His church again before His second coming.

b) Jn. 16:8-13: The Holy Spirit speaks to us. As we listen to His voice, He leads and directs us. Jesus promises that the Spirit would guide and reveal the heart of God to us.

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John 16:8-11 Three important tasks of the Holy Spirit are:

(1) convicting the world of its sin and calling it to repentance,

(2) revealing the standard of God’s righteousness to anyone who believes, because Christ would no longer be physically present on earth, and

(3) demonstrating Christ’s judgment over Satan.

16:9 According to Jesus, not believing in him is sin.

16:10, 11 Christ’s death on the cross made a personal relationship with God available to us. When we confess our sin, God declares us righteous and delivers us from judgment for our sins.

16:13 The truth into which the Holy Spirit guides us is the truth about Christ. The Spirit also helps us through patient practice to discern right from wrong.

16:13 Jesus said the Holy Spirit would tell them “about the future”-the nature of their mission, the opposition they would face, and the final outcome of their efforts. They didn’t fully understand these promises until the Holy Spirit came after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Then the Holy Spirit revealed truths to the disciples that they wrote down in the books that now form the New Testament.

*COMMON MISTAKES*

Most of the common mistakes most of us are making today is that, we believe once God called us into ministry everything we needed to succeed can be achieved in the best Seminary! What a great and costly mistake. If received Doctorate Degree (PhD), in any Seminary without Holy Spirit, you will lead innocent souls to hell fire! Seminary will not monitor your message, give you a message, send you to any community or on mission assignment, reveal secret things to you, supervise you and most importantly, no Seminary can occupy the position of the Holy Spirit in one’s life. Seminary is like a staircase that will take you all-round, to give you an ideal of what you may likely come across. And to share the experiences of authors and those who have study deep in the word of God. All this are very good and cannot be avoided if anyone truly want to start his ministerial journey. But the Greatest Helper, Assistant and Right Partner is HOLY SPIRIT. We need Him more in our lives. Discernment Spirit cannot be receive in any Seminary or any other places than through the help of Holy Spirit. Ask the original Spirit of discernment from him today.

c) 1 Cor. 12:10: To avoid falling into error, we need a clear distinction between the truth and falsehood (1 Jn. 3:24; 4:6). To this end, the Holy Spirit has given the Church the gift of discerning of spirits.

d) Discernment by the Spirit means the ability to understand things the right way through the Holy Spirit’s power, which includes perceiving people’s true character and the sources and meanings of spiritual manifestations.

*DISCERNMENT SPIRIT IS NOT FOR BUSINESS*

If you don’t have this gift just accept you don’t have it. Ask for the original and use it for the glory of God, not for business purposes. And when you receive it do not consider yourself better than others. You must be humble with any gift you may receive from Holy Spirit if you want it to last and if you do not want to abuse it.

e) Acts 16:16-18: Paul displayed this gift to know that what spoke in that slave girl was a demon, dispite her seeming “prophetic”

language. Jesus used the gift in Matt. 16:16,17,22,23.

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What a pity, most of the messages we are receiving in the Church today are “human manufactured/fabricated messages”! But because the members are spiritually blind they take all with joy and always ready to do as he said. This was not a case with Paul, he knew it was fake and poisonous to the body of Christ. He instantly rejected it.

*Let’s summarize Acts 16:16-18*

16:16 This girl’s fortune-telling ability came from evil spirits. Fortune-telling was a common practice in Greek and Roman culture. There were many superstitious methods by which people thought they could foretell future events, from interpreting omens in nature to communicating with the spirits of the dead. This to young slave girl had an evil spirit, and she made her master rich by interpreting signs and telling people their fortunes. The master was exploiting her unfortunate condition for personal gain.

16:17, 18 What the slave girl said was true, although the source of her knowledge was a demon. Why did a demon announce the truth about Paul, and why did this annoy Paul? If Paul accepted the demon’s words, he would appear to be linking the Good News with demon-related activities. This would damage his message about Christ. Truth and evil do not mix.

Most of our Church leaders have ignorantly accepted demon’s voice (message) believing it to be from the true God.

How can you allow someone who said he/she saw a particular negative vision concerning the Church of God and God told him/her to come hold a revival or to do a special fasting and prayer, and there is no discernment spirit that will confirm the message immediately before given him/her go ahead? Such a leader is mentally and spiritually dead!

f) The Church must awake to the manifestation of this spiritual gift in this end-time that falsehood and hypocrisy are prevalent (Matt. 24:4,5,11;2 Tim. 3:1,5; cf. Acts 5:1ff).

g) The Holy Spirit is undoubtedly capable of accurate discernment, but your life must be in harmony with Christ (Amos 3:3; Jn. 15:4). The Church must acknowledge the need for the manifestation of this spiritual gift in these end times (Joel 2:28; Matt. 24:4,5,11,22; 2 Tim. 3:1,5).

Our LESSONS DERIVED

1. Discernment of spirits isn’t what the flesh can do. Don’t fight God’s battle with human weapon!

2. Holy Spirit speaks to us. As we listen to His voice, He equips us with discernment to aid our spiritual sensitivity.

QUESTIONS

1. The human spirit cannot discern spirits. Discuss.

2. In this end time, how can believer discern/know fake prophets?

Thank you for joining us today.

Please make your contribution and you can also ask questions. I believe this message will rebuild the church of God in a time like this in Jesus name. Amen