Wednesday Night Unscripted - Oct 15, 2025

Wednesday Night Unscripted Notes

Referenced Scriptures

Romans 12 – The seven functional gifts: prophecy, serving, teaching, exhortation, giving with liberality, leadership with diligence, mercy with cheerfulness.
1 Corinthians 12:1–11 – The nine manifestation gifts of the Spirit (word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healings, workings of miracles, prophecy, discernings of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues).
1 Corinthians 14:1 – “Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.”
1 Corinthians 13 – Love as the foundation for all spiritual gifts.
John 4 – “God is Spirit.”
Ephesians 4 – Ministry gifts (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers).
Acts 16:16–18 – Paul discerns and casts out a spirit of divination from a slave girl.
Acts 8:5–24 – Simon the sorcerer attempts to buy the power of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 16:16–23 – Peter receives revelation from God, then later speaks from human reasoning (“Get behind me, Satan”).
2 Timothy 1:6–7 – Stir up the gift of God within you; God has not given a spirit of fear.
2 Chronicles 16:9 – The eyes of the Lord search to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal to Him.
Psalm 23:5 – “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”
1 John 4:1 – “Test the spirits, for not every spirit is of God.”

Referenced Sermon Series
Angels – A summer series by Pastor John Carter on the ministry of angels

Main Teaching Overview

1. Review of Gifts
   – There are three categories of gifts:
   • Functional gifts (Romans 12)
   • Manifestation gifts (1 Corinthians 12)
   • Ministry gifts (Ephesians 4)
   – Spiritual gifts can appear as manifestations (temporary expressions as the Spirit wills) or as endowments(resident gifts placed permanently within a believer).

2. Nine Manifestation Gifts (1 Corinthians 12)
   • Three that do – gifts of power: workings of miracles, gifts of healings, special faith.
   • Three that say – gifts of utterance: prophecy, tongues, interpretation of tongues.
   • Three that see – gifts of revelation: word of knowledge, word of wisdom, discernings of spirits.

3. Focus Gift: Discernings of Spirits
   – Often misunderstood or rarely taught, but essential to the life of the church.
   – Means to distinguish between spirits—to perceive the source or nature of spiritual activity.
   – Gives revelation about what is divine, angelic, human, or demonic in origin.
   – Always operates by the Holy Spirit, not through natural judgment or emotion.
   – The goal is not suspicion but clarity and protection of God’s people.

4. Four Categories of Spirits

   1. Divine – The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

   2. Angelic – God’s messengers, including cherubim, seraphim, and other ranks.

   3. Evil / Demonic – Fallen angels and unclean spirits under Satan’s rule.

   4. Human – People are also spirit beings with physical bodies.

   – The gift enables believers to perceive what kind of spirit is in operation or influencing behavior or situations.
   – It can reveal the presence of good or evil, purity or deception.

5. Purpose and Function
   – The gift provides supernatural insight into motives, activities, and operations in the spirit realm.
   – It helps the church guard against deception, false prophecy, and manipulation.
   – It also affirms genuine manifestations of God’s presence and purity.
   – The discerning believer must seek God for why a revelation is given—most often it’s to intercede, not to expose.

6. Practical Applications and Warnings
   – Not every spiritual experience is of God.
   – Just because something is supernatural does not mean it is holy.
   – The enemy counterfeits revelation (as in Acts 16 with the spirit of divination).
   – Every spirit or manifestation should be tested against Scripture and the fruit it produces.
   – The church must not be ignorant about gifts, but must operate in love and order.
   – True gifts always benefit others and bring glory to Jesus, not attention to the person.

7. Examples of Operation
   – Acts 16: Paul discerned and cast out a demonic spirit of divination.
   – Acts 8: Peter discerned Simon’s wrong motives and corrected him.
   – Matthew 16: Jesus discerned that Peter’s words were influenced by a wrong source, saying, “Get behind me, Satan.”
   – Modern examples were shared by Pastor Pascale, showing how the Spirit can reveal uncleanness, purity, or hidden motives—always for protection and restoration.

8. Key Teaching Phrases and Warnings
   – “Don’t assume the best until you do the test.”
   – “Every believer has an unction from the Holy One.”
   – “Just because something is spiritual doesn’t mean it’s from God.”
   – “Gifts must operate in love and under authority.”
   – “If it’s from the wrong source, it must go.”
   – “Tools are tools—AI or anything else cannot replace prayer or discernment.”
   – “Every believer must live under spiritual authority; gifts do not operate in rebellion.”

Homework / Application

1. Read 1 Corinthians 12:1–11 and 14:1
   – Study each manifestation gift and note what each accomplishes.
   – Reflect on how love (1 Corinthians 13) connects to all spiritual gifts.

2. Ask the Holy Spirit for Discernment
   – Pray: “Lord, show me the source of what I see and hear. Teach me to recognize what is of You.”
   – If you sense something spiritual, ask: “Is this from God?” before responding or sharing.

3. Guard Your Spirit
   – Be cautious about what influences you—books, media, or spiritual sources.
   – Do not engage with occult or “fortune-telling” tools (horoscopes, charms, energy readings, etc.).
   – Do not let curiosity lead you away from God’s authority.

4. Stay Submitted and in Order
   – Remain under spiritual authority (pastors, leaders, the Word of God).
   – Operate your gifts in humility, not for fame or control.
   – If God shows you something, pray first before sharing it.
   – Always seek confirmation and testing before acting publicly.

5. Personal Reflection
   – Ask: “Do I tend to discern things spiritually?”
   – “How can I grow in wisdom, love, and balance when I sense something in the spirit?”
   – “Am I walking in submission and purity so God can trust me with deeper revelation?”

6. Pray for the Church
   – Pray for the manifestation gifts to increase in operation in purity, love, and power.
   – Pray against deception and confusion.
   – Ask God to raise up those with the gift of discerning of spirits to protect and guide the church in this season.

Key Takeaways

– The discerning of spirits is a vital gift for the modern church.
– It reveals what is unseen—both the good and the bad—for the protection and purification of God’s people.
– The goal is not to judge people, but to recognize what spirit is at work.
– Gifts must function in love, humility, and submission to spiritual authority.
– The Holy Spirit wants to manifest in the church—but we must desire, invite, and make space for Him to move.