Category Archives: Sensing
Sleep Paralysis: How to Break Out
You wake up and you are terrified! It is the middle of the night. You feel a terrible sense of something evil in your room. And you can’t move!
You start to panic. You can’t open your eyes, you can’t call for help and it feels like your life is in danger. The longer this goes on, the more terrified you feel. What can you do?
This experience is called Sleep Paralysis. Some say it is purely physical, but if you’ve ever experienced it, you know it doesn’t FEEL that way. It feels like something evil is about to get you and you can’t defend yourself.
I have experienced this many, many times. So I started to study my experience so I could figure out how to make it stop happening or at the very least, find a quicker way to break out of it.
Because eventually you always break out of sleep paralysis. No one falls asleep and then stays paralyzed. We all wake up and life goes on, right?
I discovered in my personal research that although I could not move, speak or break out of sleep paralysis on my own, I could control my breathing. So when I was paralyzed, I would start breathing really loudly and intensely – like huffing and puffing. That would wake up my husband. I told him when he heard that noise to wake me up. Bingo! It worked! I broke out of sleep paralysis! (Later I found another way to do this on my own.)
But it still happened and I didn’t know why. So I continued my research, looking for more answers. I learned two key things that helped me and brought great clarity to the experience.
- Fear is a spirit and if the Spirit of Fear is not there, you don’t feel afraid. The Lord taught me this as I was trying to overcome my fear of the unseen realm. So if you wake up terrified, it is just the Spirit of Fear harassing you.
- You aren’t actually in any danger – it’s just an illusion. I know it FEELS very real, but that’s part of why it happens. Because you keep playing by the rules of their game. Like a bully, these spirits pick on you because they get a reaction.
I changed my reaction to the experience. When I would wake up paralyzed in the middle of the night, I knew I wasn’t in danger. I would calm my emotions down and talk to Jesus. “Holy Spirit, please help me. I come out of agreement with fear. I command Fear to leave now, in the name of Jesus. I am safe. Jesus is here.” I knew I had angels watching over me to protect me from the enemy.
Then I had a very unique experience when I was in Hawaii. I came into my dorm room and I was exhausted so I laid down to take a quick nap before dinner. I woke up and heard a noise. It sounded like when someone is putting on a pair of jeans – like the sound of thick fabric rubbing against itself. At first I was annoyed, thinking it was my husband and he had woken me up. Then I realized I was paralyzed.
But I could open my eyes! I saw the side of the room I was facing – the windows glowed with sunlight. I could see the desk and the chair and everything had a golden glow – like an outline around it. I continued to hear that strange noise and it occurred to me that maybe someone was stealing my books – that sound could be books slipping into my backpack! (Textbooks are very expensive.) As I listened more closely, I could hear someone mumbling. I didn’t understand the words, but the tone was definitely negative.
I wasn’t afraid but I was alarmed. I closed my eyes and said, Jesus, please break me out of this. Then I opened my eyes and I could move! The room looked the same as before except now there was no golden outline around anything. It was just normal light in the room. I looked around and there was no one there. My husband wasn’t even home yet.
As I pondered the experience, the insight I got totally changed my perspective about sleep paralysis. I realized that what had occurred was that my inner man had been awakened by the noise I heard in the unseen realm, but my body was still asleep. That’s why I couldn’t move. Science tells us that when we fall asleep, our brain registers this and tells our body not to move so we can rest. That’s why when you dream that you are running, you don’t move your feet as though you are running. Your brain knows to de-activate your muscles’ response.
My inner man (soul or spirit or both) became aware of an intruder in my dorm room. That’s what woke me up. I heard that strange noise and the mumbled words. I think it was a dark angel and perhaps that sound was wings moving against each other. It definitely didn’t like me – I picked that up in its tone. I had recently arrived at this school so it probably came to check me out. And maybe harass me.
Because I wasn’t terrified, I was able to study the experience while it was happening. I didn’t feel threatened – I knew I wasn’t in danger.
Once I realized that sleep paralysis was simply my inner man waking up before my body did, I tried a new strategy. The next time I woke up and couldn’t move, I simply said to myself, “Wake up! Wake up!” and it worked! I was able to open my eyes, sit up and look around. No more sleep paralysis!!
And guess what? It doesn’t happen to me anymore! I no longer have fear, I no longer feel threatened and I no longer wake up paralyzed in sleep paralysis. The enemy realized I was no longer going to fall for his bullying behavior so the Spirit of Fear no longer comes to harass me in this way. Whew!
What about you? Have you ever had this experience of sleep paralysis? What helped you break out of it? If you don’t have a strategy yet, try telling yourself to wake up and see what happens. Comment below and share your experience – that’s how we learn from one another.
I am so thankful this no longer happens to me. Overcoming my fears has helped me TREMENDOUSLY when it comes to dealing with the unseen realm. When you are no longer afraid, you can learn and grow much faster in the gift of discernment. As you learn to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading, you also gain clarity. Clarity gives you confidence and the courage to act!
Seeing in the Spirit Activation – Blake Healy
Many people contact me through this blog, asking how to see in the spirit or see more clearly. Here are some wonderful resources, just released this month.
I was excited to see that Blake Healy released some specialized resources for FREE – he is an expert trainer in helping people see in the spiritual realm. If you sign up for a free Patreon account and follow Blake Healy, here are some things you can receive. (If you sign up, the links below will work.)
Week 1 of the Foundations course – this video covers Blake’s story of how he learned to see, a discussion of what seeing the spirit is as well as how to learn the language of heaven and the essential foundation that is required to use the gift of discernment well. At the end of this video is a prayer of impartation. You can also download the handout which has some exercises to help you practice what you learned.
Group Discussion on seeing in the spirit
Group Activation to practice seeing in the spirit
I would watch them in that order – the foundations course will help you understand the terminology he uses. If any of the above links don’t work, here’s the announcement with the original links – Welcome to Patreon.
If this is the kind of training you are interested in, a new Foundations class starts November 10, 2025. There are weekly video lessons by Blake Healy as well as Zoom calls each Monday at 2pm EST (New York time) for 6 weeks, facilitated by Andrew Cone, to discuss the class material. You will have access to a private Facebook Group, and all Zoom calls will be recorded and posted there. Registration closes November 9th. There is a cost for this course – here is the link: Foundations Training Course
If you see this post after the cut off date, I still encourage you to sign up for Blake’s Patreon page so that you can be notified of the next course and any other videos he releases for free. Or you can sign up for a paid account and watch hours of group training discussions and activations. Blake has also done several podcasts on this topic – you can find them on YouTube.
May the Lord bless you as you seek to build His kingdom!
Related posts:
The Veil by Blake Healy: Book Review
What Is A Seer?
This came to my attention recently – what exactly IS a Seer? The Bible refers to Seers, but doesn’t define or describe them. Often people use this term interchangeably with the word prophet, but there seems to be a difference. What do you think?
Here is an article from Bob Jones, a famous Seer who is now with Jesus. I like what he says about Seers.
What is a Seer?
by Bob Jones
What is a seer? A seer is everything. Prophets are the eyes, but seers are the entire head: eyes, ears, nose, mouth and feelings. That is what Isaiah 29:10 says: He has shut your eyes, the prophets; And He has covered your heads, the seers.
As a seer, you can move in all five realms, and because of that, you are more discerning. The enemy is never able to fully shut you down. The prophet can be momentarily blinded, but if the enemy blinds you, you will still be able to hear, smell, taste and feel. If the enemy comes against your feelings, you’ll still be able to see, hear, smell and taste. A seer prophecies by all five senses, and so the seers move in stronger discernment.
God communicates with you through your senses. It takes longer to become a mature seer than to become a mature prophet, because all five senses are involved. You have to learn how to discern your feelings, because there will be times when feelings come to you in ministry and they’re not your feelings. And if you take them personally, you won’t be active.
The one thing the Church has been taught against is feelings. But that’s where you, as a seer, are the most accurate. You can take on how other people are feeling and know exactly how to minister to them. You can move right into their “living room” (their minds) and see what the problem is. You can feel what the person is feeling: depression, self-rejection, joy, anger, happiness. You can feel where they’re coming from and know exactly what to go for as you pray for them. So the seer is really strong in deliverance ministry.
The prophet can speak the future, but the seer can see what the people need to let go of in the past, tell them what the Lord is saying to them today, and declare what the Lord is offering them tomorrow. You can go right into their minds and see where the pain is coming from and what is still affecting and controlling their lives. Seers can help people forgive – usually themselves, help clean their minds out, and invite the Lord there.
A seer can feel the strongholds of a town. If you enter a town and feel lust, lust owns that town. If you feel depression, it’s a depressed place. As you come in there, you’ll take on the feelings of that town, country, or person, whether they are good or bad. You’ll know where there is self-rejection, because of what you feel. If you’re ministering to somebody who has self-rejection, you’ll feel it coming at yourself, and you must never take any of these things personally. So you need to have all these senses sanctified and be able to tell, This is not me. I am not in self-rejection. I love myself.
Seers are kicked out of a lot of churches, because you are the least understood of all the gifts. You are one who feels like you don’t fit any place except with other seers. Because of your revelation and dreams and the way God communicates with you, people think you’re loony. But when churches reject you, they’re bidding good-bye to their own mercy. As a seer, you are there for mercy. You are there to help bring healing to the people and show them what God is doing.
It’s time for the seer to come forth. The Church needs you.
Seer’s Anointing Conference, August 14-16, Georgia
Blake Healy, author of The Veil, sent me an announcement of a conference he will be speaking at in Georgia in the USA. It looks interesting! Here’s the details in case you’d like to go:
Seer’s Anointing Conference hosted by Debbie Axson Ministries in Peachtree City, GA, on August 14–16, 2025. Location: Hilton Peachtree City Conference Center, 2443 Hwy 54 W, Peachtree City, GA 30269 (about an hour’s drive outside of Atlanta, GA). Cost: $150
This event is designed for anyone hungry to grow in spiritual vision and prophetic insight. Alongside Dr. Jimmie Reed and Apostle Debbie Axson, we’ll be exploring how to recognize and steward the gift of seeing in the Spirit.
Step into a deeper realm of spiritual insight at The Seer’s Anointing, a transformative conference designed to awaken, activate, and empower prophetic visionaries and spiritual seekers. This immersive gathering brings together seasoned prophets, emerging seers, and passionate believers who long to sharpen their spiritual sight and discern the voice of God with clarity and confidence.
Through powerful worship, revelatory teaching, and prophetic impartation, you’ll explore the dimensions of the seer anointing—learning how to recognize divine visions, interpret spiritual encounters, and steward heavenly revelation. Whether you’re just beginning to sense the call of the seer or you’re seeking fresh oil for your prophetic journey, this conference will stir your spirit and equip you for deeper encounters with God. Come with expectation. Leave with vision.
The Seer’s Anointing—where the unseen becomes known.
To register click here: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/bible/seers-conference
To listen to the interview Debbie did recently with Blake about the gift of seeing, go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSuzaIO_jiU.
Known for his unique gift of seeing into the spiritual realm since childhood, Blake Healy shares personal experiences and biblical insight into what it truly means to see in the Spirit. Listeners will gain a greater understanding of spiritual discernment, how the supernatural intersects with daily life, and how God uses seers to bring clarity, healing, and truth to the Body of Christ.
I am not familiar with Debbie Axson but I am familiar with Blake Healy and I have heard of Jimmie Reed. I don’t see any details about whether there is a live stream available. Debbie Axson has a YouTube channel so perhaps she will share some of the conference sessions there. If you go, let me know! 🙂
Book Review: Seeing Jesus
I am really enjoying this new book series that I’m reading called Seeing Jesus by Jeffrey McClain Jones. I mentioned it in my previous post on another one of his books that I reviewed recently (The Girl Who Sees Angels).
This book series is very intriguing. I’ve only read the first two books, but they both have a similar theme. In each one the main character has an encounter with Jesus where He appears to them physically. They can see and hear Him as He is standing in their living room. At first they’re shocked and they wonder if they are hallucinating or losing their mind. But through a series of interactions and experiences, Jesus convinces them that He really is there in person. And He begins to simply keep them company in every day life. But of course, there’s a catch – no one else can see or hear Him physically like they can, which makes for some humorous situations!
Reading the books has heightened my awareness that Jesus is always with me. I often stop while I’m reading a chapter and try to imagine where He is right then in the room where I am. It has also increased my perception of His presence throughout my day. THAT is priceless!
I appreciate the way the author weaves insight about Jesus and His interaction with us in our daily lives. Each of the characters has challenges that they face and Jesus offers them His input, if they’re open. I’m learning a lot from these interactions that Jesus is having with the main characters.
He also teaches them life lessons that are at first quite startling to them. He addresses objections that probably many of us have also had. It really makes me think and I appreciate that about these books!
For instance, in one scene, the main character is walking to the bus and he passes a homeless person. He sees Jesus stop and look at the man with such love. The main character puts a little bit of money in the man’s outstretched cup and he smiles at him. The man looks weary and has bloodshot eyes. Jesus just lovingly gets as close to the homeless man as He can in that brief encounter. Then the bus comes and they leave. Jesus explained that by giving the man a few dollars, it acknowledged his worth as a human being. And by interacting with him, he gave Jesus a chance to demonstrate His love to the man with His presence and His attention.
In the books Jesus often explains that He interacts with others through us – our actions and words, even the expression on our face or the look in our eyes.
After I read this in the book, I came across a lady holding a sign outside a store. It said she had bone cancer and had lost her house. Thinking of that scene and imagining Jesus wanting to interact with her with love, I reached into my purse and pulled out a few dollars. I walked up to her, handed her the money and had a brief interaction with her asking about her day. She said she was so tired. I also introduced myself and asked what her name was. I was amazed that Sarah had this beautiful glow in her light blue eyes. After I finished shopping I saw her again as I left the store and I smiled and waved. She waved back.
About a week and a half later, I was coming home from a restaurant with my husband. We were at a stoplight and there was Sarah walking toward the line of cars with her sign. My husband rolled down his window. I called her by name. We gave her a bit more money. She told my husband she remembered me – that I was kind to her. That was Jesus! 😊
So I encourage you to check out this book series called Seeing Jesus by Jeffrey McClain Jones. It might change the way you see the people around you. In each of the books, Jesus encourages the main character to get out of their comfort zone and learn how to reach out to those around them with His love, His power and His words of encouragement. I love that! I want more of that in my daily life, don’t you?
By the way, if you are a Kindle Unlimited user, you can read all of his books for free! I think they’re also free (or 99 cents) if you have an Audible account. I love to read books on my Kindle, but I’ve never had a Kindle Unlimited account. I signed up just so that I could read all these awesome books – there’s 10 books in this series. If you want to sign up, here’s the link for Kindle Unlimited and Audible. I got the first 3 months free. 😊 If you use these links, I receive a small token of appreciation from Amazon for posting them on my blog.
Thank you for reading. Your comments and support are really appreciated by me.
Have a great day!
Book Review: The Girl Who Sees Angels
I just found this new series of books that I have fallen in love with! If you’re a seer or you want to be a seer, these books will really encourage you. It’s a fictionalized story of a girl who has the gift of seeing, but doesn’t understand what she sees. The Girl Who Sees Angels by Jeffrey McClain Jones is the first book in the Sophie Ramos series.
Her mother takes her to doctors, psychiatrists and even a priest, trying to figure out how she can see things that nobody else can see. They think she’s very troubled, but instead she’s very gifted.
During the course of the first book, she meets some Pentecostal Christians that help to validate her gift. That’s really cool! If you’ve ever questioned your sanity because of the things that you see or hear or feel – this book will definitely encourage you! 😊
One of the things I really appreciated about these books was that the author writes from a place of authenticity. Some supernatural fiction that I’ve read (actually most) make gifts of the Spirit so unbelievable and they exaggerate things to such a degree that it detracts from the story. This author doesn’t do that.
Many of the things he writes about, I’ve experienced. The reaction of charismatic Christians to her gifts, I have seen. They encouraged her. They nurtured her. They taught her and helped her to understand what she was seeing. During the first book, she has an experience that shows her how she can help people with her gift. That amazes her and inspires her to learn how to use the gift with greater clarity in order to help others. She’s excited to unpack it and learn more – we get to follow her on that journey.
I’ve only read the first 2 books so far, but I was enjoying them so much that I didn’t want to wait until I finished them all to share them with you. There’s 4 books in the series. I encourage you to check them out. They are a lot of fun. I would call them “deliverance fiction”, a category I’ve never heard of but I wish existed. 😁 We get to see how her ability to see the unseen realm impacts her job, her relationships and every day life. If you are a seer, you will definitely relate!
This author has a lot of books and many of them have piqued my interest. You can check them out here. I’m especially curious about his series, Seeing Jesus. I’m hoping to read some of those next! (Update: I did a review of Seeing Jesus here.)
I love reading supernatural fiction that draws my heart closer to experiencing God in the here and now. Have you read any books that are like that? Please share the titles with us in the comments.
I love finding new authors and books that draw me closer to Jesus, don’t you? 🙂
Thanks for reading. I really appreciate it. God bless you richly today. 💗
Spirits of Chaos & Control – Can You Recognize Them?
Chaos cannot control you unless you let it.
This week, a cloud of the Spirit of Control came over my region. I sensed it – it felt like witchcraft, a means of controlling people’s choices by manipulating their thoughts.
The next day I felt the Spirit of Chaos in the atmosphere. It also affects your mind and tries to keep you distracted from what you need to do.
Chaos is the feeling you get when you are trying to multi-task and you keep being interrupted by others so that you cannot finish anything you are trying to do. It’s kind of like having extreme ADD come over you.
You can’t focus on what you are doing and you feel frustrated. Your thinking may feel foggy. It might also interfere with your sleep, which can also affect your ability to think clearly.
Chaos tries to overwhelm your thinking because then you become vulnerable to being manipulated. I hate that!
I started to feel overwhelmed so I stopped what I was doing and began focusing on the Holy Spirit within me. As I did, peace and clarity came back almost immediately. It was awesome!
That’s when the gift of discernment kicked in. Holy Spirit showed me it was the Spirit of Chaos that was operating in the atmosphere and that’s why I couldn’t think and was feeling overwhelmed.
Thank you, Father, for sending us the Holy Spirit! What a wonderful, desperately needed gift!!
Where would we be without the Holy Spirit? 🙂
Holy Spirit reminded me that the Spirits of Chaos and Control often work together. Chaos creates fear because of the uncertainty of what is going on. Then Control comes in reaction to the fear, trying to restore certainty and security.
For instance, when the pandemic came, fear was most people’s response to the chaos and uncertainty brought by this unknown virus and its consequences. Then that was immediately followed by a strong desire to control everything in order to restore a sense of security. We saw this both on a personal level as well as on a social and even national level. First there was Chaos, fear was the reaction and then Control sought to stop the chaos.
I’m not sure whether these spirits work together as a team or whether they are fighting with each other for authority over the affairs of men. If you have any insight on this, please feel free to share your thoughts so we can learn from each other.
I discovered that there was a cloud of dust traveling from Africa and it was over my region in the United States. It arrived the same time I began experiencing the Spirits of Chaos and Control. I don’t think that’s a coincidence.
What do you think? When weird things start happening to you, do you immediately turn to the Holy Spirit to help you figure out what is going on? What helps you deal with regional spirits of darkness?
Thank you for reading. I really appreciate it. God bless you! 💗
P.S. I’ve also seen Spirits of Chaos and Confusion work together but only on a personal level. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Chaos and Confusion work together on a regional or societal level. Have you?
Low & Slow = Divine Flow
There’s another dimension – much slower than our earthly dimension (which is fast and busy). We have to slow down and pay attention. Be still and silent and you’ll notice it.
This other dimension is in control of our earthly dimension. There’s peace and joy there. There’s resources there for whatever is needed. There’s help and support there.
- Slow Down
- Let go of control
- Pay attention to the other dimension – shift your focus, slow down your breathing and even your thinking
- It takes practice
- Stay in the present
There’s grace (divine enablement) in the moment. Not before or after.
Our time is being stolen by thinking about the future or the past – it’s a distraction from this present moment.
When you have nothing left, you are forced to receive from this other dimension and help comes. As long as you are trying to “save” yourself, you tell the other dimension, “I don’t need your help.” So you struggle and things are hard.
So remain consciously dependent, radically dependent, and “helpless” or powerless in the earthly dimension and you will have divine help constantly. It’s an internal shift inside of you. Oneness with Him. Resting and receiving His goodness, whatever that looks like in the moment.
My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in weakness. My power is demonstrated in your powerlessness. Therefore I will boast about my powerlessness that the power of Christ may rest upon me! 2 Corinthians 12:9, paraphrase
Are you willing to let go of your power in order to have His power? It’s not easy – it requires vulnerability.
He told me, “It’s not Me helping you, as though We are separate. It’s Us doing it together, through your surrender.”
HE is not worried. We are the ones who are worried.
Detach from the ego that wants control and likes to worry, especially after midnight when you are trying to sleep. 😴
It’s not comfortable for ego to detach and live from a place of letting go. It doesn’t know what to do with itself. What role does it play?
The ego’s purpose is to be subject. To learn submission, moment by moment.
The ego is transformed through conscious awareness of Oneness with the Lord. It is the channel through which the other dimension comes into this dimension. This is very powerful and beautiful. This is God’s order – the way He created it. Ego is merely a channel for the other dimension, if it submits willingly.
Are you willing?
This is a revelation I received while a friend and I were talking recently. Does it resonate with you? 😊
It is very hard to slow down and pay attention to this other dimension – the kingdom realm of God’s rule and reign. To see what He’s doing, to hear what He’s saying. Yet it is SO worth it! And when we let go, surrender and just rest in Him, everything flows so much more smoothly. That’s what we were created to do – to live in union with Him all day every day.
What are your thought about this? Do you have any specific practices that help you to stay in tune with this other dimension? Please share your comments, questions or ideas below. That’s how we learn from each other – we each share our piece of the peace! God bless you today and thanks for reading! 😊💗
Door of Heaven Opened 🌈
A few nights ago as I was getting ready to go to bed something unusual happened during my bedtime prayers.
I normally pray before I go to sleep, “I close every open door to the enemy’s realm and I seal them shut with the blood of Jesus. I command every spirit not sent here by Jesus Christ to leave now.”
At the end of that prayer, I suddenly felt impressed to say, “And I open the door of heaven over us.” I had never done that before. It had never even occurred to me to do that before.
Immediately I could sense all kinds of goodness ready to be poured out on us. How fun! 😊
I could sense a bright colorful opening above me – kind of like when you open the attic door in your house. There’s a sense of space above you and unidentifiable objects piled up in there. Most attics are dark but this was full of light.
I was reminded of something a close friend said to me one night when we were praying at my house. She saw over herself a portal to heaven and the Lord showed her that wherever she went, she had this portal. She laughed and said, “It’s like a porta-portal!”
The next day I woke up with sore throat. I was miserable all day and when I went to bed that night, I desperately needed to rest. I thought of the open door and I sensed that I could receive from it so I thought of what I needed on a practical level. I asked for my sinuses to clear so I could breathe freely and I asked to be able to fall asleep peacefully. And I did! When I’m sick that rarely happens – I usually really struggle to sleep when my body hurts. And yes, I prayed for healing but didn’t sense that was being released yet.
What the Lord showed me was that this portal required a different kind of attitude of heart – one of resting and receiving instead of standing and declaring. This is preparing us to receive God’s goodness in ways we cannot imagine. In the past we learned how to reach into heaven and pull down what was needed by standing on His word and declaring His promises. It was a type of spiritual warfare and required a lot of courage and determination.
It reminded me of when the Israelites came out of the wilderness into the promised land. They had spent years fighting and conquering in battle. But when they finally entered the promised land, everything was already done for them – vineyards were ripe with grapes, houses were already built and furnished, fields were ready for harvest (Deuteronomy 6:10-12). It required a mindset shift to simply relax and receive.
Over the next week whenever I prayed before bed I could sense that open door. I tried to look into it to see if I could perceive anything specific but it was more of a general impression of goodness. It felt as though it was bursting with resources and assistance, ready to come down from heaven to earth for me. I could see or sense smiles too.
Imagine a well lit child’s playroom with smiling stuffed animals, toys, games, etc. in bright, happy colors.
Or like a beautiful bookstore full of curious objects, big comfy chairs and a delectable cafe full of smiling servers ready to help you.
Some scriptures came to mind regarding this open door of heaven.
Therefore since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28-29
I’m receiving God’s unshakable kingdom!
I will open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. Malachi 3:10
I saw light, fluffy pink blessings falling out of the open door onto me the night I asked for specific help with my cold symptoms. It reminded me of the tsunami dream I had awhile back – it looked like bad things were going to happen but instead blessings were released.
Have you ever opened a door of heaven over yourself and your family? If so, please share what happened. If not, why not do that now? (if you feel the Lord’s leading) We are in transition to a new season of God’s favor and blessing being poured out without measure. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Discerning of Spirits, Gift of Discernment
I came across your blog while seeking answers concerning the gift of discernment. I would like to get help in understanding the gift because there’s a lot I am going through and sometimes it becomes so overwhelming.
Overwhelming? Oh, yes! I can relate. Having the gift of discernment can definitely feel overwhelming at times.
The gift of discernment (aka discerning of spirits) is a very challenging gift to have. Many people have no idea what to do with it and they often feel alone. What they experience seems so weird or odd that they are afraid to tell anyone. If they do mention it to someone close to them, often that person has no idea what they are talking about – which teaches them to not talk about it anymore for fear of being rejected or judged for being abnormal.
Let’s talk about this gift and try to normalize it for those who are uninformed.
Discernment is a gift of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:10). No instruction manual is provided with this gift so you learn about it through life experience. This forces you to draw close to God and ask HIM to teach you about this gift.
This gift gives you the ability to discern good from evil (or truth from deception) and especially the spirit behind something. Sometimes it is similar to intuition but it usually comes with more information. Discerning the spirit behind something can come in many ways – it might be something you see, or something you hear or something you feel. Or a combination of seeing, hearing or feeling. It can also just be an inner knowing.
Have you ever met someone and immediately you got a bad feeling about the person? They looked like a nice person, but everything inside of you was saying, Watch out! Be very careful – this person is not trustworthy. That was discernment giving you information to protect you. Chances are this was confirmed later by their behavior or attitude toward you, right? Or you saw them hurt someone else and you realized your discernment was accurate.
The number one danger that those with the gift of discernment have is to talk themselves out of their discernment. They assume they are wrong or that they are being judgmental of someone they just met. So they ignore or dismiss their misgivings and then they suffer the consequences.
If this is you, please stop right now and say, “Holy Spirit, I am sorry for ignoring the warnings you have given me. I have not honored this gift you gave me. I apologize. Please help me to pay attention to the things you are showing me. I didn’t realize that it was YOU telling me to be careful.”
Some of us have a stronger gift of discernment and we can perceive angels, demons, etc. in the unseen realm. Some see these beings as shadows or lights. Some feel them as energy or a presence. Some hear them in various ways – words being spoken, sounds of movement or wings, etc. Many with this gift can also discern things about people – they can perceive someone’s gifting or calling, or they can perceive areas of unhealed wounds in their soul. And they can also tell if someone has a demon attached to them.
As you can imagine, discerning things that are invisible, that no one else seems to notice, can make you question your sanity. Am I going crazy? I know too much. How come no one seems to have this gift? How do I know if I can trust what I am perceiving? Is it accurate?
First of all, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! I started this blog to help people like you and me – to help us know we are not alone in this gifting. There are many of us and in fact, the Lord is increasing this gift because we need it more now.
The biggest question I get is – What do I do with the information I receive? Is it accurate? Should I take action on it or tell other people what I perceive?
The only answer I have is this – ASK GOD. Become very familiar with the Holy Spirit inside of you. Talk to the Spirit every day. Holy Spirit was sent to us to help us and teach us (John 14:26). This gift forces you to rely on Holy Spirit to show you what to do with what you are receiving from this gift. And that’s a good thing! 😊
So whenever I perceive something, I say in my heart/mind, Holy Spirit, what is this? Do I need to do anything with this? And I wait. It can be hard to do this in a busy, noisy place, but I do my best. And if it is a very strong impression then I try to get away by myself for a minute so that I can discern what, if anything, I am sensing I should do.
Many times I do not sense that I need to DO anything. For a long time this bothered me. Why am I receiving information if I’m not meant to ACT on it? I would ask. But then God showed me that this is just part of the gift. Some people can perceive a lot more detail when they hear music because they are musicians – they hear things that I don’t. Some people perceive a lot more detail when they look at paintings because they are artists – they see things I don’t. It’s the same way with this gift – I perceive things that other people don’t. I don’t usually share what I sense – unless I am talking to someone who also has discernment.
I have discussed this gift with many people who DO have discernment – that’s how I know I am not crazy and I am not alone! That’s actually the best advice I can give you – ask the Lord to bring you 1 or 2 people who have this gift so that you can share your experiences and learn from each other. That helped me learn a lot when I was first exploring this gift – I wrote about my experience in the Introduction on this blog. When you share what you sense with someone who has the gift, it’s such a good experience. You don’t feel weird anymore. 😊
The second thing that really helps is to pursue inner healing for yourself. Often we can get overwhelmed by what we sense because of our own wounding. If I have a lot of unhealed fear or anxiety in my soul and I encounter another person who is struggling with fear or anxiety – WHAM! Suddenly I am drowning in fear or anxiety! And I don’t even realize why. My senses are so overloaded that I can’t think clearly. This could happen with any strong emotion – fear, hate, anger, lust, depression, grief, rejection, etc.
The more you become healed on the inside by receiving God’s love for you and what He says about you, the easier it is to discern what is your stuff and what is someone else’s stuff. Then it doesn’t feel so overwhelming because you are no longer triggered so easily by other people. After you have been healed, you can then use this gift to help others heal – that’s a very powerful and redemptive experience. When you see how your past suffering helps someone else find freedom from the same things that used to plague you, it helps give purpose to your pain.
I hope this article has helped bring some clarity to this topic. Keep in mind that people use the word “discernment” differently. Some use it to mean having wisdom to make a good decision. Some use it in the Catholic community when they are talking about someone discovering their calling in life or ministry. Because of the different uses of this word, it can be hard to find books or articles on this topic.
Here are a few I can recommend:
Seeing the Supernatural: How to Sense, Discern and Battle in the Spiritual Realm by Jennifer Eivaz
The Veil by Blake Healy
Discernment: The Essential Guide to Hearing the Voice of God by Jane Hamon
The Discerner: Hearing, Confirming, and Acting On Prophetic Revelation (A Guide to Receiving Gifts of Discernment and Testing the Spirits) by James Goll
Sometimes this gift is considered part of the prophetic giftings. Some say it is part of being a Seer. This gift can be used to help people with inner healing and deliverance. It is very helpful when dealing with spiritual warfare too. There’s so much this gift can do to assist the body of Christ.
Don’t be afraid. Ask Holy Spirit to teach you and pay attention to what you sense. There are many articles on this blog that describe experiences I have had that might encourage you. You can use the search feature at the top or side to search by a specific word or phrase. You can also look at the Directory for a list of all the articles by name.
Feel free to post your question or comment below – that way we can all learn from each other! I look forward to reading your thoughts and responding to your questions.
Related posts:
- Feeling in the Spirit – What Do I Do With It?
- Spiritual Senses – Which one is your strongest?
- How to See the Unseen Realm
- God’s Voice vs Other Voices: How Can You Tell the Difference?
- How to Remove Blocks to Hearing God
- Spiritual Protection from Dark Forces & Evil Spirits
- Spiritual Cleansing: Taking a Spiritual Shower Each Day
Discernment of the Supernatural Realm 