1 - Introduction - Living like a real Christian Spiritual Gifts | Page 6

DISCERNMENT
THE divine enablement to distinguish between truth and error, good and evil, right and
wrong and able to sense the presence of evil.
In today’s era of so many half-truths, the gift of discernment is very definitely needed.
Satan has always been the master of deception. We very seldom see in Scripture Satan
opposing truth, but we do often see him twisting the truth. Right back in the Garden of
Eden, in his conversation with Eve, we never see him opposing the truth as it related to the
tree of good and evil, but all we see him doing is putting a question mark behind what God
had said when he said to Eve, “Did God really say…?” We see him doing what he has always
done, twisting the truth. There are so many modern-day theologies out there and, to those
of us who are more gullible than others, we tend to swallow these things hook line and
sinker. It is therefore of the utmost importance that those with the gift of discernment
come to the forefront, and it is those people who maintain the spiritual integrity of the
church.
People with this particular gift are also able to discern the presence of evil. A great example
of this is found in Acts 16, where we have the story of the servant girl who, as a fortune
teller, was operating under the power of an evil spirit. Paul, discerning the presence of this
evil spirit, turned to the girl and rebuked the evil spirit and the spirit left her. In today’s age
we can tend to play down the presence of evil spirits, but we read in Scripture that there is
a continual battle that is taking place in the heavenly realm. It is people with the gift of
discernment that are able to remind us of this battle and lead us to a place of victory in it.

ENCOURAGMENT
THE divine enablement to present truth so as to comfort or urge to action those that are
discouraged or wavering in their faith.
The gift of encouragement is a vitally important gift as per its function in the local church.
There are many who come to church week by week who wear the smile that suggests that
everything is ok. Meanwhile behind this mask there is all too often pain. From time to time
this pain becomes evidenced and it is those with the gift of encouragement who are able to
minister most effectively into these situations. It is people with this gift who have their eyes
open for those who may just need a smile or a hand on the shoulder accompanied by a
prayer, praying that God would sustain and provide comfort in that particular hurtful
situation. There is not one in our midst who does not need to be a recipient of people with
this gift. It is the encouragers’ amongst us that maintain the spirit of the church as they
uphold the morale of the individuals in its body. I am sure we are all conscious of the power