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The Gifts Of The Spirit - Discernment & Words of Wisdom
In this concluding message from his series on the gifts of the Spirit, Pastor Mirek Hufton urges every believer to actively claim the revelation gifts, the Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, and Discerning of Spirits, as essential weapons for daily life, not optional extras reserved for church services. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 12, Pastor Hufton explains that the Word of Wisdom reveals God's purposes for our future, while the Discerning of Spirits provides supernatural insight into the spiritual world, angels, demons, and human spirits alike. He points to Acts 23, where a divine word kept Paul confident despite forty men plotting his death, and Acts 13, where Paul identified a sorcerer's demonic spirit and struck him blind. The memorable illustration: evangelist T.L. Lowry, ministering after a 40-day fast, physically saw a demonic entity leave a woman during prayer, a vivid reminder that the discerning of spirits is real, active, and needed today. Claim these gifts. They will change everything.
Related Sermons
Small Group Guide
Small Group Discussion Guide
"The Gifts of the Spirit — Discernment & Words of Wisdom"
Based on Teaching by Pastor Mirek Hufton
1. SERMON RECAP
In this teaching, I walked us through the final stretch of our series on the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit, focusing on the Word of Wisdom, the Word of Knowledge, and the Discerning of Spirits. I showed from 1 Corinthians 12 that these revelation gifts aren't just for the church platform — they're for your personal life, your business decisions, your mission trips, and your everyday walk with God. My big push was this: stop treating the gifts as optional extras and start claiming them, because the body of Christ needs every one of them flowing freely.
2. KEY SCRIPTURE
1 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NKJV)
"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues."
3. ICE BREAKER
Think of a time when you had a strong gut feeling about a decision — a person, a direction, or an opportunity — and it turned out to be exactly right. What happened, and did you follow it?
4. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Question 1 — Opening the Word In 1 Corinthians 12, I pointed out that the gifts are given "for the profit of all," not just for the individual. How does that change the way you think about pursuing spiritual gifts? Does it feel more like a personal blessing or a shared responsibility — and why?
Question 2 — Word of Wisdom I described the Word of Wisdom as "a tiny bit of God's wisdom about the future that you don't have on your own." I shared how this gift shaped the direction of my life and this church. Can you think of a moment — in Scripture or in your own experience — where someone received clear direction about their future that could only have come from God? What did that look like in practice?
Question 3 — Going Deeper In Acts 23, Paul kept pressing forward even with forty men plotting to kill him, because he had a word from God: "You will also bear witness of me in Rome." Have you ever held onto a word from God when circumstances pushed hard against it? What kept you standing — or what made it hard to hold on?
Question 4 — Discerning of Spirits I was careful to distinguish the discerning of spirits from what people casually call "the gift of discernment" — which can sometimes just be judgment or fault-finding. What's the difference, in your own words? Why do you think it matters that this gift is specifically about spirits — human, angelic, demonic, and divine — rather than a general ability to size people up?
Question 5 — Acts 13 and Real-World Application When Paul confronted Elymas the sorcerer in Acts 13, he didn't hesitate — he named what he saw operating in that man spiritually. I mentioned that this gift is especially useful when you're in a new environment, hearing a new voice, or making a significant decision about who to trust. Where in your life right now — relationships, workplace, ministry — do you feel like you most need this kind of spiritual insight? What would it look like to actually ask God for it?
Question 6 — Claiming the Gifts I said several times throughout this teaching: "You have to claim the gifts." That's not a passive posture — it's an active, faith-filled ask. What's held you back from claiming spiritual gifts more boldly? Is it theology, fear, past experience, or something else? How might your group encourage one another to step into this more intentionally?
5. APPLICATION CHALLENGE
This week, choose one specific situation — a decision you're facing, a relationship you're uncertain about, or a next step in ministry — and set aside at least 20 minutes in quiet prayer, asking God specifically for either a Word of Wisdom or discernment about that situation. Write down anything you sense, see, or hear during that time. Come back next week ready to share what happened — even if it was silence, even if it was surprising.
6. PRAYER POINTS
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Pray for a hunger for the gifts — Ask God to stir up a genuine desire in every group member to pursue the revelation gifts not out of curiosity but out of love for God and love for the people around them.
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Pray for protection and clarity — Ask the Holy Spirit to give each person discernment this week — especially in relationships, decisions, and any situation where spiritual deception could be at work.
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Pray for the body as a whole — Agree together that the gifts of the Spirit would flow freely through this church — in corporate gatherings, in one-to-one conversations, in mission, and in everyday life — for the glory of Jesus and the harvest of souls.
7. MEMORY VERSE
1 Corinthians 12:7 (NKJV)
"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all."
Leader's Note: Don't feel pressure to get through every question. Let the conversation breathe. If your group gets stuck on one question and goes deep — that's exactly where the Holy Spirit may be working. Trust the room.
Daily Devotional
Every Gift Has Your Name On It
1 Corinthians 12:7 — "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all."
I want you to hear this clearly — the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not reserved for pastors or missionaries or people who seem more "spiritual" than you. They are given to *each one*. That means you. That means me. When I read that verse, I feel the weight of personal responsibility it carries. God has placed something supernatural inside every believer, and He expects it to flow. The problem is, most of us never claim what belongs to us. We sit in our pew, watch others move in the gifts, and think, "That's not for someone like me." But that's a lie from the enemy. You were designed to carry something that helps somebody else. Your gift is not just for your benefit — it profits the whole body. Today, I want you to shift your thinking. Stop saying "someday." Start saying "mine."
Father, I thank You that Your Spirit lives in me and has placed gifts inside me for a purpose. Help me stop waiting and start claiming what You've already given. I receive the gifts in Jesus' name.
God Knows Your Future — Ask Him
1 Corinthians 12:8 — "For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit."
Here's something I've learned the hard way — faith without direction can still land you in the swamp. I've confessed, believed, spoken to mountains, and still found myself stuck because I was moving in my own wisdom rather than God's. The Word of Wisdom is a tiny piece of God's infinite knowledge about your future — and He wants to give it to you. Think about Noah. One word from God redirected his entire life for a hundred years. One word can do the same for you. The key is creating space to receive it. You've got to get quiet. You've got to pull away from the noise, the opinions, the busyness, and actually *wait* on God. He knows the end from the beginning. He already sees where you're heading. The question is, are you willing to ask and then listen long enough to hear?
Lord, I admit I've been moving too fast and listening too little. I need Your Word of Wisdom for my life — for my family, my calling, my decisions. Speak, Father. I'm listening.
Hold On to What God Said
Acts 23:11 — "Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome."
Forty men pledged to fast until Paul was dead. Forty. That is serious opposition. And yet Paul wasn't shaken — because he had a word. God had already told him, "You're going to Rome." So when the plot was uncovered and the soldiers escorted him out of Jerusalem, Paul wasn't running in fear. He was walking in the confidence of a man who knew what God said. I want that for you. When forty things come against your dream, your calling, your family — and they will — you need something stronger than positive thinking to hold you together. You need a Word from God. That word becomes an anchor when everything around you is swirling. I've been there. People told me I wasn't called. Circumstances said stop. But when God has spoken, no man, no circumstance, no enemy can overrule it.
Jesus, help me hold on to what You've spoken over my life, especially when opposition makes it hard to believe. Remind me today that Your word stands firm no matter what I face.
See Beyond What Your Eyes Can Show You
Acts 13:9–10 — "Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, 'O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?'"
Paul didn't guess. He didn't rely on a hunch or a bad feeling about Elymas. Filled with the Holy Spirit, he looked *intently* and saw exactly what he was dealing with — a demonic spirit trying to block someone from coming to faith. That is the gift of discerning of spirits in action. And I believe God wants to give us that same insight. Not to walk around suspicious of everyone. Not to become hyper-focused on the enemy. But to have Holy Spirit clarity about what is truly going on beneath the surface of a situation. In business, in ministry, in relationships — there are moments when you need to see past the surface. You need to know, is this God, or is this something else? That discernment is available to you. But like every gift, you have to want it, ask for it, and trust the Holy Spirit when He shows you something.
Holy Spirit, sharpen my spiritual sight. Help me discern what is truly happening in the situations around me. I want to see with Your eyes, not just my own.
Let It Flow — The Gifts Are for Everyone Around You
1 Corinthians 12:25–27 — "That there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually."
We are not lone rangers. I say this all the time, and I mean it — the gifts of the Spirit are not trophies for your personal showcase. They flow through you to reach the person standing next to you. The Word of Knowledge that drops into your spirit at the right moment might be exactly what your friend needs to avoid a devastating mistake. The discernment you carry might protect your small group from a deceptive influence. The Word of Wisdom God gives you might confirm someone else's calling when they're about to give up. We are one body. What flows through me is for you. What flows through you is for me. This is why we pursue the gifts together — not out of pride or performance, but out of love. When the gifts flow freely in a church family, people get healed, lives get redirected, and the lost get saved. That's the whole point.
Father, make me a willing channel for Your gifts to flow through to others this weekend. Let Your Spirit move in and through me in a way that genuinely helps someone else. Use me, Lord.