Discernment of spirits and gifts of the Holy Spirit – Good conscience – Bad conscience and False conscience

Discernment of Spirits - Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Discernment of spirits, or spiritual discernment, refers to the critical differentiation of thoughts, emotions, and prophecies with regard to the question of whether or not they originate from God. In Ignatius of Loyola's "Spiritual Exercises," discernment of spirits is the central exercise. The practitioner should gain experience in discerning in their own lives what leads them to greater love, greater devotion to God, or greater service to humanity, and what does not.

I assumed that there are three kinds of thoughts within me: those that are my own and arise solely from my freedom and my will, while the other two come from outside: one from the good spirit, the other from the evil spirit. (Ignatius of Loyola)

Gifts of the Holy Spirit - Charismata

Yet out of the stump of Jesse a shoot will grow, and out of his roots a shoot will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. But I realized that wisdom is the gift of God. So I turned to the Lord. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God.

Spiritual Gifts - Faith, Love & Hope

    • Imparting Wisdom
    • Imparting Knowledge
    • Power of Faith
    • Healing Illnesses
    • Miraculous Powers
    • Prophetic Speech
    • Discerning of Spirits
  • Speaking in Tongues and Their Interpretation

Deadly Sins - Weakness of Character

  • Superbia: Arrogance (pride, vanity, arrogance)
  • Avaritia: Avarice (greed, covetousness)
  • Luxuria: Lust (debauchery, hedonism, desire, unchastity)
  • Ira: Wrath (short temper, vindictiveness)
  • Gula: Gluttony (gluttony, excess, immoderation, selfishness)
  • Invidia: Envy (jealousy, resentment)
  • Acedia: Sloth (cowardice, ignorance, weariness, slothfulness of heart)

 

Fruit of the Holy Spirit - Relationship between Flesh and Spirit

Therefore I say to you, be led by the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit against the flesh; they are opposed to one another, so that you cannot do what you want.

Flesh

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, self-seeking, divisions, factions, envy, revelry, drunkenness, and the like.

Spirit

I repeat what I told you before: Whoever practices such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control - all of which the law does not contradict.

All who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh and its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. Let us not boast, argue, or bear grudges against one another. (Paul)

 

Discernment of Spirit

Heart - Human Decision-Making Center - Free Will

Stomach and head, and in the center is the heart. The heart is the human decision-making center. The heart listens to what the gut says and then asks the head what it thinks. And then the heart must make a decision. So the heart has these two advisors: the gut and the head. The heart now asks itself whether it is good or bad!

Women can't see the forest for the trees, and men can't see trees!

The heart asks itself whether this decision corresponds to my values:

  • And for that, free will is needed, otherwise the heart couldn't make a decision.
  • Values, ​​are more important the closer they are to the true, the good, and the beautiful.
  • Conscience, examines my actions and compares them with my values.
  • Virtues! Values ​​when they are slowly internalized. The ease in doing good. Virtues become a gut feeling. That is; Telling the truth creates pleasure, and lying creates pain.
  • The inner sanctuary! Religion, being part of a greater whole, i.e., a sense that there is something greater than myself! Service to a cause, devotion!

He becomes completely himself, himself, when he overlooks and forgets himself! (Viktor Frankl)

The heart must be open to the truth. But it can also impose restrictions on thinking on itself, and then one avoids guilt and falls back into the gut (avoiding pain).

  • Hardened Heart
  • Weak Heart
  • Strong heart

Devotion brings happiness, and love hurts. Performance of the heart:

  • Gratitude
  • Serenity
  • Humility, the ability to see oneself as it corresponds to reality.
  • Forgiveness
  • Repentance
  • Mercy & Kindness
  • Service