The Websters dictionary defines discernment as "to detect with senses other than vision". Really, spiritual discernment is just spiritual vision. It is being able to see behind the physical, and detect and identify what is really happening spiritually, both what is of evil, and what is of good. Most people already operate with a certain level of spiritual discernment, like feeling someones anger being radiated and focused at you, even though the angry person is sitting there with a sweet smile on their face. If you have ever felt intimidated, or manipulated by someone without words, that is spiritual discernment.

Usually spiritual discernment is used to identify what kind of evil spirit may be trying to influence a human, or the circumstances at hand. It is also used to judge whether something given as a spiritual gift, is of God, the devil, or the flesh. Not everything that looks like God, is God, but you need discernment to tell. We need spiritual discernment to communicate spiritually. Some people use this ability illegally, to communicate with demons (divination, psychics), or to try to manipulate other humans (witchcraft). Spiritual discernment can be a real protection against evil that is trying to take advantage of us.

Remember, evil spirits all have a certain identity, and nature that they are trying to exercise and propagate through a human. A spirit of greed tries to appeal to a humans greed and get a stronghold of control there. A spirit of lust appeals to a humans lust and tries to get control, and power there, to gratify its own evil desires of lust. Your job when you pray for someone, will be to sort all this out, and separate what is what. Alot of things that people attribute to demons, are actually just someones flesh (selfish nature).

When you pray for someone for deliverance (an identification and expulsion of the power and influence of evil), it is good to be paired up with someone else with good spiritual discernment. Most seasoned prophets, have a developed sense of spiritual discernment. If you are a beginner, it might be good to call in some help, rather than trying to take on an evil spirit by yourself. When an evil spirit manifests it may react violently to somebody trying to kick it out, and you can get over your head pretty quickly, like Sceva's sons did.

Cross-discernment is what you pick up from another human, but may mistake as the Holy Spirit. Some people can project their desires at you because they want something real bad, and if we don't know the difference, we may grant them their wish thinking that it was God. We need not be spiritually codependent toward people, and it is ok to wait for God to confirm something that He wants, if we are not sure. In time, you will get to know Gods character and voice well enough that you can distinguish which is which. You might be surprised at the number of people that unknowingly practice witchcraft with their spirit and divisive prayers. We are only responsible to do what God wants, not humans.

Most of the time, it really isn't anything serious like possession, its usually just an oppressive spirit, that got some power through the humans sin, or unforgivness. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what is at work there, and how to deal with it. He will show you any areas that the person has not forgiven, or areas of sin strongholds, and ancestral sin that has allowed a spirit to harass the following generations. Even though you may be shown the whole picture, you must still ask Him what to share, and how to share it.

I remember when I first started prophesying, there was a strong, accurate anointing and I was seeing and hearing very clearly, but I wasn't sure what to share, and what not to, I thought I was just supposed to share everything. First, I saw this guy who I could see spiritually was an alcoholic (which turned out to be true), and I saw that if he didn't stop drinking now, that he would be dead in six months, I thought this poor guy was going to have a heart attack on the spot. Another older lady, I saw was holding unforgivness, and it was blocking her relationship with God, and the guy behind her was nodding profusely, she got so mad she grabbed me by the neck. So, ask the holy Spirit what to share, and how to share it. You have to be truthful, but as Mary Poppins sais, "a spoonful of sugar, helps the medicine go down".

So I would encourage you today, to ask the Holy Spirit to help you to develop better spiritual discernment. In the beginning you might think you see a demon behind every bush, but in time, this will all balance out, and you will be able to sort it all out fairly accurately and quickly. All discernment should be filtered through a heart full of love and compassion for people. An angry, judgmental heart, may see someones faults or sin, but it will just come off as condemnation by the recipient who hears it. Daily time with God in prayer, and in His word can help you develop good, accurate, and love-filled discernment.