Lesson 2. The “Discerning of Spirits” School will help you succeed in recognizing demonic forces. By John Edwards.
“O Lord, open his eyes.” The young man turned to his master in panic: “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?”
Early in the morning, they both went out of the city of Dothan and saw that it was surrounded by a vast force of armed Syrian soldiers on horses and chariots, sent at the command of the king of Aram to capture the master of this young man, the prophet Elisha. Elisha had been informing the king of Israel about the location of the forces of the king of Aram. God was supernaturally revealing the invaders’ secret plans to His prophet, preventing them from attacking Israel. “Do not be afraid,” Elisha replied to the young man’s alarmed cry. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then the prophet prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so that he may see.” Immediately, the servant was able to see that the entire mountain was filled with horses and chariots of fire protecting him from danger. This army of angels, so wondrously revealed to the young man, had been there all along to protect the prophet, but it was invisible to natural sight. That day, God gave the servant an awareness of the presence of spiritual forces, and he saw angels in the form of riders on chariots. He supernaturally discerned the spirits gathered there. This intriguing incident of supernatural discernment, recorded in 2 Kings 6:8–23, brought an end to the Syrian raids on Israel at that time.
Satan was standing beside him
Another example of revelation of spiritual forces is when the prophet Zechariah saw Satan accusing Joshua the high priest. Zechariah gained an understanding of the spiritual conflict taking place after the exiled Jews returned from Babylon to Jerusalem. Zechariah 3:1 says: “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose* him.” This revelation went on to explain the Lord’s merciful provision for the high priest and His rebuke of Satan. The demonically inspired opposition to the restoration of the temple would be defeated, and Zechariah was to urge his people to trust God by sharing this vision with them. We also need the Lord to grant us revelation so that we may know precisely which spiritual forces are at work in our lives and in the affairs of our community and nation.
Walking by Faith, Not by Sight
We usually cannot see or detect spirits with our natural senses; however, Scripture clearly says that our lives are often influenced, and sometimes even oppressed, by spiritual beings—both angels and demons. Although the spiritual world is hidden, as Christians we are called to live not according to what we perceive through our senses, but according to what has been revealed to us by the Word of God. In other words, we must “walk by faith, not by sight.” For example, when we read the Psalms, we are encouraged by the statement that “the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them” (Ps. 34:7). We do not necessarily “see” the angel of the Lord, but we know that he is with us. The apostle Paul’s words of exhortation to the believers in Ephesus tell us that “…we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). Trusting these words, we can better understand their spiritual application to daily circumstances. This explains why some people oppose God’s people in the way they do. When we live as Christians should, being led by the Word of God rather than by what surrounds us, God is pleased and our faith is strengthened. However, there are times when we need additional guidance, either for our protection or to make us more effective in our Christian walk. Then God needs to “lift the curtain” so that we may clearly know the things that are normally hidden from us.
God’s Provision for Us
God desires the Church to be equipped to advance in the supernatural and to use the authority delegated to it by Christ, who reigns over all. Jesus rose from the dead, and the Father “highly exalted Him and gave Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” (Phil. 2:9–10). It was in this context, emphasizing authority, while assuring His disciples that He would always be with them, that Jesus commanded them to go to all nations and make disciples (Matt. 28:18). His presence with them was made possible through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who came as the promised Comforter. Before ascending to the Father, Jesus promised His disciples that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them. The history of the early Church, described in the Book of Acts, shows us how this power was demonstrated in healings and miracles, as well as in the revelation and understanding of what the Holy Spirit guaranteed to believers in the early Church. Knowing their spiritual enemies made them more effective in spiritual warfare—they became able to fight with certainty rather than simply “beat the air.” Throughout the last century, there was a renewed discovery of the New Testament understanding of the person of the Holy Spirit and a renewed experience of His power. First in the Pentecostal movement at the beginning of the century, then in the charismatic renewal and subsequent outpourings of the Holy Spirit. Today, the use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is recognized worldwide. Speaking in tongues, prophecy, and healing in the name of Jesus are widely practiced, while the principles of spiritual warfare and deliverance from the power of evil spirits are taught wherever God the Holy Spirit is at work.
Effective Witnesses
On the day of Pentecost, ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples began fulfilling Jesus’ command by becoming His “witnesses.” Their proclamation of Jesus, risen from the dead, took place in the power of the Holy Spirit, and miracles and signs accompanied their preaching. The Book of Acts is a thrilling account of how “God was with them.”
“There was great fear that came upon all the people, and many wonders and signs were performed through the apostles” (Acts 2:43). One of the ways the Holy Spirit moved through the apostles and disciples was through discerning of spirits, giving them clear understanding of Satan’s attempts to deceive and corrupt the early Church. Peter’s response to Simon the sorcerer, who tried to buy from John and Peter the ability to impart the Holy Spirit, contained an element of revelation and discernment of the forces motivating this man. “Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours and pray to God, if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity” (Acts 8:22–23). Such discerning revelation, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, greatly contributed to the rapid advance of the early Church. Today, at the end of the age, as the Church of Jesus rises with new strength and life, we need this same clear discernment. We must seek the supernatural equipping from God available to us today, along with increasing revelation of the spiritual realm, in order to wage effective spiritual warfare.
Exposing the Strongman
In December 1979, during my visit to Poland, I read Don Basham’s article “Binding the Strongman.” It was based on Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:29 and explained how territories and communities are often controlled by evil forces that dominate them from the second heaven. I prayed to the Lord to show me how true this was and to reveal any spiritual “strongman” ruling in that place. When I asked for this revelation, I was at a church meeting. Suddenly, a very clear picture of a wolf’s head came to mind. This was the Holy Spirit’s answer to my request. I believe I was shown a spiritual force controlling the area from the heavenly realms. Later, reflecting on what I had seen, I understood that the wolf was a revelation of an evil ruling power in the heavenly realms that had given communism its might. At that time, Poland was completely under communist control. When the dominant influence of communism was suddenly broken in Eastern Europe in the late 1980s, I believe it happened because the ruling power in the heavenly realms was destroyed through continual prayer. In the books of Daniel and Revelation, world-ruling powers are depicted as wild beasts: a lion, a bear, a leopard, and one creature made up of all the preceding ones. The symbol of the wolf is similar and represents a very appropriate symbol for the spiritual power that orchestrated the destructive and oppressive rule of the communist empire in Europe. As the Holy Spirit engages local churches and individual believers in spiritual warfare and ministry to those bound by demons, the need for clearer knowledge of our enemy and his strategy will increase.
* In Bible translation 8 (New International Version), “...to accuse him.” Translator’s note.
Teacher: John Edwards
