Eyes to See, Ears to Hear
- Bishop Keith Butler
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne. (Revelation 1:1-4)
John wasn’t writing about his theological theory regarding what was happening. He was directly expressing what he saw in the Spirit. This is very important for us to understand. Revelation is not just what we read about God; it’s what we receive from Him. Believers also need to recognize that “revelation” isn’t limited to end-times prophecy; God is revealing Himself, His will, and His way to anyone willing to lean in and listen. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul listed discerning of spirits as one of the nine gifts of the Spirit.
In Revelation, we see that gift in operation as John observed the angels, the seven spirits of God, and Jesus in the throne room. The discernment of spirits is not the gift of suspicion; it’s the ability to see into the supernatural realm. Sometimes, that gift can manifest as seeing something in a trance or as a visible image. Sometimes it appears as hearing something from an angel or the Holy Spirit. And sometimes discerning of spirits is simply a matter of knowing—a deep spiritual awareness about what is happening around you in the unseen realm. The gift of discerning of spirits is desperately needed in today’s church.
However, many times, pastors and believers are so busy with their schedules, plans for services, and agendas that they don’t take the time to pay attention to what is happening in the invisible realm around them. Without this gift, we entertain the flesh and call it worship, tolerate demons and call it freedom. Seeing in the Spirit can only occur when we slow down, lean in, and ask God, “What is really happening here that I don’t see naturally?”
Practical Application
The gift of discerning spirits isn't about judging people; it’s about seeing what God is doing and what the enemy is trying to hide.