"Draw your strength from the Lord and from His mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens" (Ephesians 6:10-12).
Often it is easy to forget that there are other forces at work in the world other than ourselves. While Christians understand that God is active in our lives, it is sometimes forgotten that angels and demons are also present and active. Angels protect us from evil and assist us in doing good. Demons try to deceive us and tempt us to sin. At times, demonic activity can be intense, but we know God is always more powerful and can save us. It can be hard to know what is really going on, and the Bible tells us that, "Satan masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). To help us understand the bigger picture, the Lord gives the gift called Discernment of Spirits.
Discerning spirits is a gift in which the Holy Spirit helps a person know what they are dealing with. Our natural reason alone is incapable of detecting all that which comes our way and is beyond our control. The Holy Spirit informs us if an issue is due to demonic activity, or if it is a test from God, or if it is a result of a choice we made ourselves. St. John Chrysostom wrote in the early centuries of the Church:
"What is, “discerning of spirits?” The knowing who is spiritual, and who is not: who is a prophet, and who a deceiver: as he said to the Thessalonians, 'despise not prophesying:' (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21) but proving all things, hold fast that which is good.' For great was at that time the rush of the false prophets, the devil striving underhand to substitute falsehood for the truth." He says the gift helps, "to discern and know which is he that speaketh by a pure spirit, and which by an impure."- Homily 29 on 1st Corinthians
It is very important to be prayerful when using this gift, and let God direct everything. St. Theresa of Avila, a Doctor of the Church, gives some guidance on how to tell if a message is from God:
"The Lord impresses His words upon the memory so that it is impossible to forget them, whereas words that come from our own understanding are like the first movements of thought, which passes and is forgotten."
"The Divine words resemble something of which with the lapse of time a part may be forgotten but not so completely that one loses the memory of its having been said."
"A further indication, which is surer than any other, is that these false locutions effect nothing, whereas, when the Lord speaks, the words are accompanied by effects, and although the words may be, not of devotion, but rather of reproof, they prepare the soul and make it ready and move it to affection -- give it light and make it happy and tranquil."
"I may listen for many days, and, although I may desire to hear them, I shall be unable to do so; and then, at other times, when I have no desire to hear them, I am compelled to."
When a locution comes from the devil the soul "suffers a disquiet" and is left in a state of "great aridity." When something is supernatural and from God, the words "are understood much more clearly than if they were so heard, and, however determined one's resistance, it is impossible to fail to hear them."
Signs to Look For The Congregation for the Clergy at the Vatican published some guidelines for priests in Confession, and part of it addressed some signs to look for that can indicate if something is from God, or an evil spirit. This is good advice that is always good for people to recall when trying to discern. From, The Priest, Minister of Divine Mercy:
99. The works of the spirit of evil are accompanied by pride, independence, sadness, discouragement, jealousy, confusion, hatred, deception, disdain of others, and selfish preferences. It is very difficult to distinguish these areas especially in the absence of spiritual direction and taking into account temperament, culture, and natural qualities. The areas or themes which are to be discerned are those which belong to the path of vocation (as lived out in ordinary every day circumstances), contemplation, perfection, fraternal life and mission. There are, however, personal and community situations which require special discernment; these would include a change in the state of life, new insights or impulses, structural changes, some weaknesses, and extraordinary phenomena.
100. Since the Spirit blows where he wills (Jn 3:28) it is not possible to formulate strict norms about discernment. However, the saints and the spiritual masters continually refer to certain constants or to signs of the actions of the Spirit of love who acts outside of human logic.
No spiritual situation can be well discerned without tranquility of mind which is a gift of the Holy Spirit. It seeks out not one’s own interest or to dominate others, but the best way of serving God and one’s brothers and sisters. Spiritual counsel (in the context of discernment) operates with the guarantee of interior freedom which is not conditioned by selfish interests nor by the fashions of the moment.
Necessary for discernment are: prayer, humility, detachment from preferences, listening ability, study of the life and teaching of the saints, knowledge of the teaching of the Church, careful examination of personal interior inclinations, ability to change, and freedom of heart. In this way we can train a good conscience or form that charity which wells up from a pure heart, from a clear conscience and from a sincere faith (cf. 1 Tim 1:5).
Discerning spirits is a gift in which the Holy Spirit helps a person know what they are dealing with. Our natural reason alone is incapable of detecting all that which comes our way and is beyond our control. The Holy Spirit informs us if an issue is due to demonic activity, or if it is a test from God, or if it is a result of a choice we made ourselves. St. John Chrysostom wrote in the early centuries of the Church:
"What is, “discerning of spirits?” The knowing who is spiritual, and who is not: who is a prophet, and who a deceiver: as he said to the Thessalonians, 'despise not prophesying:' (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21) but proving all things, hold fast that which is good.' For great was at that time the rush of the false prophets, the devil striving underhand to substitute falsehood for the truth." He says the gift helps, "to discern and know which is he that speaketh by a pure spirit, and which by an impure."- Homily 29 on 1st Corinthians
It is very important to be prayerful when using this gift, and let God direct everything. St. Theresa of Avila, a Doctor of the Church, gives some guidance on how to tell if a message is from God:
"The Lord impresses His words upon the memory so that it is impossible to forget them, whereas words that come from our own understanding are like the first movements of thought, which passes and is forgotten."
"The Divine words resemble something of which with the lapse of time a part may be forgotten but not so completely that one loses the memory of its having been said."
"A further indication, which is surer than any other, is that these false locutions effect nothing, whereas, when the Lord speaks, the words are accompanied by effects, and although the words may be, not of devotion, but rather of reproof, they prepare the soul and make it ready and move it to affection -- give it light and make it happy and tranquil."
"I may listen for many days, and, although I may desire to hear them, I shall be unable to do so; and then, at other times, when I have no desire to hear them, I am compelled to."
When a locution comes from the devil the soul "suffers a disquiet" and is left in a state of "great aridity." When something is supernatural and from God, the words "are understood much more clearly than if they were so heard, and, however determined one's resistance, it is impossible to fail to hear them."
Signs to Look For The Congregation for the Clergy at the Vatican published some guidelines for priests in Confession, and part of it addressed some signs to look for that can indicate if something is from God, or an evil spirit. This is good advice that is always good for people to recall when trying to discern. From, The Priest, Minister of Divine Mercy:
99. The works of the spirit of evil are accompanied by pride, independence, sadness, discouragement, jealousy, confusion, hatred, deception, disdain of others, and selfish preferences. It is very difficult to distinguish these areas especially in the absence of spiritual direction and taking into account temperament, culture, and natural qualities. The areas or themes which are to be discerned are those which belong to the path of vocation (as lived out in ordinary every day circumstances), contemplation, perfection, fraternal life and mission. There are, however, personal and community situations which require special discernment; these would include a change in the state of life, new insights or impulses, structural changes, some weaknesses, and extraordinary phenomena.
100. Since the Spirit blows where he wills (Jn 3:28) it is not possible to formulate strict norms about discernment. However, the saints and the spiritual masters continually refer to certain constants or to signs of the actions of the Spirit of love who acts outside of human logic.
No spiritual situation can be well discerned without tranquility of mind which is a gift of the Holy Spirit. It seeks out not one’s own interest or to dominate others, but the best way of serving God and one’s brothers and sisters. Spiritual counsel (in the context of discernment) operates with the guarantee of interior freedom which is not conditioned by selfish interests nor by the fashions of the moment.
Necessary for discernment are: prayer, humility, detachment from preferences, listening ability, study of the life and teaching of the saints, knowledge of the teaching of the Church, careful examination of personal interior inclinations, ability to change, and freedom of heart. In this way we can train a good conscience or form that charity which wells up from a pure heart, from a clear conscience and from a sincere faith (cf. 1 Tim 1:5).
What to do when the source of something has been discerned If the Lord shows that something is from Him, we should cooperate with whatever purification or lesson the Lord is giving. If the Lord shows something is from a choice we made, we should repent, learn from it and change our lives to protect us from making the same mistake again. But if something is from demons, we must follow the instructions of the Bible, "draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power" (Ephesians 6:10).
"Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all (the) flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit." - Ephesians 6:11-18
If we discern demonic activity, we should ask God to save us by asking God to bind the demons and deliver us from them. We should also repent of our sins, and ask the Lord to show us if there was a particular sin that invited the demons which caused the problem. One way demons enter people's lives is by taking sin as an invitation, especially sin that involves the occult. But, if we remove sin from our lives, it is like closing that door so the demons cannot enter our lives through it. Jesus spoke of the importance of repentance for effective deliverance saying, "When an unclean spirit goes out of a person it roams through arid regions searching for rest but finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my home from which I came.' But upon returning, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order. Then it goes and brings back with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they move in and dwell there; and the last condition of that person is worse than the first" (Matthew 12:43-45).
The Holy Spirit can also help us understand the severity of demonic activity. Demons afflict people in various stages, including temptation, obsession, and possession. It is very important to discern if something is due to natural causes such as mental, emotional, or physical health issues, in order to apply the correct remedy to the correct cause. Healing and deliverance prayer can resolve problems, and the gift of discerning spirits is important to make sure that treating the whole person is not neglected if the problem is not only spiritual. In more severe cases of demonic activity, an exorcism may be necessary, and since it is so serious one must be closely protected by the authority of the Church by turning to a priest.
While this may be a frightening subject, it is also important to keep in mind that Jesus has the final victory. With prayer and humility at the foundation of discernment, we know that the power of God can overcome and remove demons. Even though demons are powerful, only God is Almighty. Demons are intelligent, but only God is omniscient. Demons may be crafty, but God alone is even more creative and powerful. God's plan is always trustworthy and safe. Discernment of Spirits is a tool that helps in the spiritual battle, but we must also remain humble and in prayer, because the power to wage the spiritual battle comes from God, and the victory is His.
"Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all (the) flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit." - Ephesians 6:11-18
If we discern demonic activity, we should ask God to save us by asking God to bind the demons and deliver us from them. We should also repent of our sins, and ask the Lord to show us if there was a particular sin that invited the demons which caused the problem. One way demons enter people's lives is by taking sin as an invitation, especially sin that involves the occult. But, if we remove sin from our lives, it is like closing that door so the demons cannot enter our lives through it. Jesus spoke of the importance of repentance for effective deliverance saying, "When an unclean spirit goes out of a person it roams through arid regions searching for rest but finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my home from which I came.' But upon returning, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order. Then it goes and brings back with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they move in and dwell there; and the last condition of that person is worse than the first" (Matthew 12:43-45).
The Holy Spirit can also help us understand the severity of demonic activity. Demons afflict people in various stages, including temptation, obsession, and possession. It is very important to discern if something is due to natural causes such as mental, emotional, or physical health issues, in order to apply the correct remedy to the correct cause. Healing and deliverance prayer can resolve problems, and the gift of discerning spirits is important to make sure that treating the whole person is not neglected if the problem is not only spiritual. In more severe cases of demonic activity, an exorcism may be necessary, and since it is so serious one must be closely protected by the authority of the Church by turning to a priest.
While this may be a frightening subject, it is also important to keep in mind that Jesus has the final victory. With prayer and humility at the foundation of discernment, we know that the power of God can overcome and remove demons. Even though demons are powerful, only God is Almighty. Demons are intelligent, but only God is omniscient. Demons may be crafty, but God alone is even more creative and powerful. God's plan is always trustworthy and safe. Discernment of Spirits is a tool that helps in the spiritual battle, but we must also remain humble and in prayer, because the power to wage the spiritual battle comes from God, and the victory is His.
"Not by an army, nor by might, but by My Spirit, says the LORD" - Zechariah 4:6
Tapestry of the Apocalypse, 14th century, in Château d'Angers, in Angers, France