How To Use Spiritual Gift Of Discernment

A discerning gift allows a person to look past what they are saying and presenting to others. You may be able to discern whether or not they are telling the truth. You might also notice if someone is expressing a demonic spirit and be able to recognize it.

Someone with the gift of discernment may identify whether or not a prophetic message is anointed by the Holy Spirit when it is delivered. They might be able to tell if it's coming from the speaker's own heart.

This isn't always the case, and you'll make mistakes, just like with other revelatory gifts like prophecy. You could also have a lack of discernment (1 Thess 5:19-21, 1 Cor 13:9-10)

How do you practice the gift of discernment?

1 Pray on a regular basis and seek the Holy Ghost's company. 2 Study the scriptures, put them into practice in your life, and endeavor to understand the gospel. 3 Act on your intuition; use your gift in all aspects of your life. 4 Be obedient; live the gospel every day so you can recognize the “still, little voice.”

How can discernment be used?

Because every decision must be made in line with God's will, Christian spiritual discernment can be distinguished from other types of discernment. Christian discernment is defined as a decision-making process in which an individual discovers something that can lead to future action. God leads the individual through the process of Christian spiritual discernment to help them make the greatest decision possible. In Christian spiritual discernment, the greatest approach to arrive at the best option is to look for internal and outward indicators of God's action and then apply them to the situation at hand. Christian discernment also places a strong emphasis on Jesus and making decisions that are consistent with Jesus' teachings in the New Testament. Christian discernment differs from secular discernment in that it focuses on God and Jesus while making decisions. Ignatius of Loyola is widely regarded as a master of spirit discernment. Ignatian discernment is named after Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), who developed his own distinct method of Catholic discernment. Ignatian discernment focuses on perceiving God in all aspects of life and uses a series of Spiritual Exercises to help people make better life decisions. The Spiritual Exercises are intended to assist those who are confronted with a significant life decision. Identifying the issue, spending time to pray about the choice, making a wholehearted decision, discussing the choice with a mentor, and lastly trusting the decision made are the seven steps of discernment to be followed.

What are the 7 steps to be followed in discernment?

With an open mind and an open heart, we must approach the decision in question. We won't be able to discover God's will for us if we go into the decision-making process with a pre-determined outcome based on our own will, biases, and attachments, which Ignatius defines as an attitude of “I already have my mind made up, so don't confuse me with the facts.” Attachments are areas in our lives where we restrict our freedom and impose constraints on our choices. For example, I'll attend college wherever if it's within a day's drive of my parents' house.

Courage:

Such generosity and openness take courage, because God may be calling us to do something tough, demanding, and risky. Giving up control and trustingly placing the decision in God's hands while seeking God's will over our own demands courage.

How do you pray for the spirit of discernment?

Dear heavenly Father, you count our hairs and determine our days; you hang the stars and feed the birds; you open and close doors that no one can open or close. Surely, we can put our faith in you when it comes to making significant decisions, or any decisions for that matter. We're through a similar season right now, Father, and we're aware that we're not alone. For the sake of your honor, we will trust you with generous wisdom, straight roads, and quiet hearts.

We adore you for being the God of decision-making. It is your choices, not ours, that determine the outcome. We'll make plans, but we'll entrust our actions to you. We'll pray, but we'd like you to direct our prayers to heaven. We'll seek advice, but you may count on you to veto any incorrect or incomplete information from our closest friends and mentors. We'll read through the Bible, but not for proof passages, but for you, Father. All we want and need is for you to come along.

Free us from the paralysis of analysis—desiring to make the right decision more than being virtuous; desiring to be known as smart people more than knowing you. Free us from the idolatry of believing that there is just one “ideal” option in every scenario. Free us from making decisions based solely on our comfort and the approval of others, or out of fear of their condemnation. Allow us to understand that good decisions do not always result in the most straightforward outcomes, especially at first. Allow us to make decisions without second and twenty-second thoughts.

Father, we know that your will is our sanctification—our becoming more and more like Jesus—in ALL things, whether it's wisdom about purchasing or selling, vocation or vacation, this place or that place, this person or that person. Give us this zeal; make it our pleasure.

So, Father, when we trust you with the opening and closing of doors in front of us, make us more and more like Jesus. Everything we eat and drink is for your glory, as are our whatevers, whenevers, and wherevers. Amen.

How many types of discernment are there?

Ignatius' criteria for discerning spirits are divided into four categories: (1) seven attitudes or personal qualities necessary for authentic spirit discernment, (2) three different “times” or conditions in which decisions are made, (3) seven practical techniques that can aid in the discernment process, and (4) some guidelines for determining whether a given inner movement or desire is from a good or evil spirit.

What does discerning mean in the Catholic Church?

Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia. The process through which men and women in the Catholic Church identify or recognize their vocation in the church is known as vocational discernment. The vocations are married or single life as a layperson in the world, ordained life, and consecrated life.