Book Four Chapter Fifteen: Discerning Evil Spirits

FIFTEEN

Discerning Evil Spirits

The difference seen from one mind to another is not based in differing spirits so much as in how the spirit is filtered. Customarily, evil spirits are interpreted as distinct entities that are separate from their hosts. We seekers, however, travel the high road. We see things from a different point of view. I have put forward that mind and spirit are interchangeable terms and may be used to reference like matters. I have asserted that to exercise the mind is to develop spiritual muscles and that the opposite end of that spectrum is attrition and atrophy.

Our premise is that the godly mind is a mind possessed by God. A mind possessed by an evil spirit is a mind that is occupied by all that is other than God. Moreover, that evil mind is as it is because it has failed to exercise the godly. We know that minds may change. We know that even a godly mind can suffer atrophy.

See Ecclesiastes 7:7, “Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift (bribe) destroyeth the heart (mind).”

What occupies a mind will define a mind. We know of a scriptural instance in which Christ put a madman in his right mind. Circumstance, then, is a factor in any state of mind. When one wishes to understand and recognize evil spirits, or more precisely, when one wishes to identify the atrophied and ungodly mind, one merely searches for those who exalt the baser nature of man.

See Jeremiah 5:23, “But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart (mind).”

Denial is a reverse exercise of the mind, a sort of anti-action, a state of erosion that may seem to loom larger than life. Just as darkness is the absence of light, as death is the absence of life, so evil is the absence of good. We may take this as a general formula. An evil spirit (that is to say, an evil mind) is the absence of a godly mind.

See Psalms 36:1, “The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart (mind), that there is no fear (respect, reverence) of God before his eyes.”

Just as there are many levels of a God-possessed mind, so too are there many levels of a mind that is possessed by an evil spirit. The evil spirit is not an entity outside the host, but an identity of the host. It boils down to the choices that an individual deliberately makes.

See Psalms 101:5, “Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour . . . him that hath an high look and a proud heart.”

There are many telltale signs of an evil spirit in man. They are not always extreme, but the mind of God, in the writers of scripture, has made sure that we are ‘clued in’. To see the evil mind, we simply seek the man that denies anything above himself.

The evil mind will promote the individual: Proverbs 18:2, “A fool hath no delight in understanding, but (only) that his heart (mind) may publish itself.”

Also, Proverbs 16:5, “Every one that is proud (boastful) in heart (mind) is an abomination to the Lord.”

Also, Romans 1:21-22, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart (mind) was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.”

Also, Ezekiel 14:3, “These men have set up their idols in their heart (mind).”

The evil mind will be presumptuous: Proverbs 18:12, “Before destruction the heart (mind) of man is haughty.”

Also, Daniel 5:20, “But when his heart (mind) was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.”

Also, Ezekiel 28:2, “Thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart (mind) as the heart (mind) of God.”

The evil mind will be feral: Daniel 4:16, “Let his heart (mind) be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart (mind) be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.”

The evil mind will be worldly-oriented: Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He hath set the world in their heart (mind), so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.”

Also, Psalms 73:7, “Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart (mind) could wish.”

Also, Hosea 13:6, “According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart (mind) was exalted; therefore have they forgotten Me.”

The evil mind will be rash: Psalms 39:3, “My heart (mind) was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue.”

Also, Matthew 12:34, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart (mind) the mouth speaketh.”

The evil mind will use fair words as weapons: Psalms 55:21, “The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart (mind): his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.”

Also, Matthew 15:8, “This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart (mind) is far from Me.”

The evil mind will deny God: Psalms 78:8, “ . . . As their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart (mind) aright, and whose spirit (mind) was not stedfast with (not a reflection of) God.”

Also, Psalms 78:37, “For their heart (mind) was not right with Him, neither were they stedfast in His covenant.”

Also, Matthew 13:15, “This people's heart (mind) is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart (mind), and should be converted, and I should heal them.”

Also, Acts 7:51, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart (mind) and ears, ye do always resist

the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.”

Also, Hebrews 3:12, “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart (mind) of unbelief, in departing from the living God.”

Also, Proverbs 11:20, “They that are of a froward heart (a mind of opposition) are abomination to the Lord.”

The evil mind will be static and will display little or no progress: Psalms 95:10, “Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart (mind), and they have not known My ways.”

Also, Hebrews 3:10, “They do alway err (digress) in their heart (mind); and they have not known My ways.”

Also, Matthew 13:19, “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart (mind).”

Also, Luke 24:25, “O fools, and slow of heart (mind) to believe.”

The evil mind will be desensitized: Psalms 119:70, “Their heart (mind) is as fat as grease.”

Also, Hosea 4:11, “Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the (right) heart (mind).”

The evil mind will deliberately and creatively generate misconduct: Psalms 140:2, “Which imagine mischiefs in their heart (mind).”

Also, Proverbs 6:14, “Frowardness (opposition) is in his heart (mind), he deviseth (formulates) mischief continually; he soweth discord.”

Also, Proverbs 6:18, “An heart (mind) that deviseth wicked imaginations.”

The evil mind will live in its own little world: Proverbs 12:20, “Deceit (pretense) is in the heart (mind) of them that imagine (fantasize) evil.”

Also, Obadiah 1:3, “The pride of thine heart (mind) hath deceived thee.”

The evil mind will be clever: Isaiah 32:4, “The heart (mind) also of the rash shall understand knowledge.”

Also, Colossians 2:18, “Let no man beguile you of (lead you away from) your reward in (by) a voluntary humility and worshiping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly (narcissistically) puffed up by his fleshly (corporeal) mind.”

The evil mind will be malicious, vindictive, and motivated by spite: Ezekiel 25:15, “With a despiteful heart (mind).”

Also, Acts 5:33, “When they heard that, they . . . took counsel to slay them.”

Also, Acts 7:54, “When they heard these things, they were cut to (wounded in) the heart (mind), and they gnashed on him with their teeth.”

The evil mind will never be satisfied with proof: Mark 6:52, “They considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart (mind) was hardened.”

Also, Daniel 5:22, “And thou . . . hast not humbled thine heart (mind), though thou knewest all this.”

Also, Malachi 2:2, “Ye will not lay it to heart (mind).”

The evil mind is an affliction: Luke 7:21, “And in that same hour He cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits (unholy minds); and unto many that were blind He gave sight.”

The evil mind will be characterized by its desires: 2 Peter 2:14, “An heart (mind) they have exercised with covetous (envious and materialistic) practices.”

Also, Mark 7:18-23, “He saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? For from within, out of the heart (mind) of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”

Also, Ephesians 2:3, “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath.”

The evil mind will make unreasonable demands: Matthew 23:4, “They bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne.”

The evil mind will perform actions not in its own best interest: Romans 1:28, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.”

Also, Romans 2:5, “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart (unrepentant mind) treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.”

Also, Jeremiah 32:35, “And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into My mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.”

Also, Jeremiah 19:5, “They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into My mind.”

The evil mind will intrude where it does not belong: Acts 8:21-22, “Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart (mind) is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart (mind) may be forgiven thee.”

The evil mind will sport a very large blind spot: 2 Corinthians 3:14-15, “But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail (blindfold) untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail (blindfold) is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail (blindfold) is upon their heart (mind).”

Also, 2 Corinthians 6:11-12, “O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart (mind) is enlarged. Ye are not straitened (limited) in us, but ye are straitened (limited) in your own bowels (emotions).”

Also, Ephesians 4:17-18, “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity (could this be the blindfold?) of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness (self-limitation) of their heart (mind).”

The evil mind will often have a thin religious veneer: James 1:26, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart (mind), this man's religion is vain (empty).”

Also, Luke 9:55, “But He turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit (mind) ye are of.”

The evil mind will be open to contamination: Ezekiel 38:10, “Thus saith the Lord God; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought.”

Also, Ezekiel 13:3, “Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit (mind), and have seen nothing!”

The evil mind will not be inclined toward sympathy or empathy: 1 John 3:17, “But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”

The evil mind will be moved by violence and irresistible force: Jeremiah 17:1, “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart (mind).”

The evil mind lives to lie: Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart (mind) is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.”

We must recall that in the majority of scriptural references, the evil spirit was inside a human host. Detection of loose demons, whether visible or invisible, is negligible. The discerning of spirits

is a matter that is always connected to physical man. Look closely at this next verse to see two

spirits, or two minds, in opposition.

Acts 5:3-4, “Why hath Satan filled thine heart (mind) to lie to the Holy Ghost? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart (mind)?”

How does one explain the correlation between the instigation of this act by Satan and the instigation of this act by the man’s own will? I think that a man’s free will is a tiny thing: halt and limited; not the grand creature man has called it. One is free to choose either Satan or God only. Clearly, by the words above, Ananias conceived the act in his own mind, and yet that bit of free will is attributed to Satan. This is not a case, therefore, of possession by such a notable character (he would send his flunkies for such tasks), rather, it is a reference to the admittance, by free will, of another mindset. It is simply the case of frowardness on the part of Ananias. It was most likely something that developed

over time.

No one, I think, looks up and notices a fully possessed individual - out of the blue, so to speak. Changes, whether bad or good, occur naturally and are matters of gradual increments in time, process, or development such as either addition or attrition.

See the developmental attrition of Christ’s own apostles in Mark 16:9-14, “Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that He was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. After that He appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. Afterward He appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart (mind), because they believed not them which had seen Him after He was risen.”

As to Ananias, he may have subscribed to a satanic (or worldly) mindset before he joined the circle of believers. If so, he might have been permitted entrance (by God) for the sole purpose of the display of God’s power and reality - a little something to inspire and encourage the true believers. That gift by Ananias might have been doomed to rejection from the beginning because of his innately wicked nature, but doubly-doomed because of the deliberate connivance on his part. In the story about Ananias, I see a connection to the story of Cain and Abel.

See Proverbs 21:27, “The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?”

This is the evil spirit or evil mindset, that is rejected by God. This is the mind that is open to the Satan way of thinking rather than the God way of thinking. Each individual is exposed to both, and each individual must choose between the two. When Christ went up to be tempted ‘by the spirit’, no one went with Him. No one was there to report that Satan, in person, tempted Christ. The story came through Jesus in His communication to His disciples. What Jesus resisted was temptation. It could well have been that what, exactly, He had to face was the internalized temptation to think like Satan. Many succumb to that mindset, and for many reasons, not the least of which being that thinking that way is so easy and has such widespread support.

You will find these evil spirits everywhere. You will find them in every stage of development, from the full-fledged bad guy in a black hat to the worldly-oriented everyday working stiff, to the sleepy-eyed disciple exposed to common temptations.

See John 12:40, “He (God) hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart (mind); that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart (mind), and be converted (another Ananias in the camp), and I should heal them.”

Also, see Mark 8:17, “Perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart (mind) yet hardened?”

Know that the hardened heart, whether it belongs to a man or a son of man, can neither perceive nor understand spiritual issues. To turn one’s back on the God-mind is to have a huge blind spot in one’s perception. To face God, however, is not the same thing as having a blind spot toward, or ignorance of the worldly or satanic elements of existence - for God also created evil. To face God is equivalent to both knowledge of, and empowerment over evil.

If you face God, the mindset that opposes God cannot sneak up on you because you are both warned and empowered, but if you turn your back on the spiritual (which necessarily presupposes avoidance of the tools that perceive the invisible), God can most certainly sneak up on you.

See Ezekiel 23:28, “For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will deliver thee into the hand of them whom thou hatest, into the hand of them from whom thy mind is alienated.”

Imagine that someone threatens to stab you. The smart response is to take a prepared stance and to increase vigilance. But, let it not be assumed that everyone will do the smart thing. One who is offended by such talk may, as I have seen in real life, turn up the nose or turn the back in an attempt to boycott the offense. Now let me ask this: will not the stab-happy offender see this as an opportunity? If you’re not skilled in body language, you’d do well to be fleet of foot.

An evil spirit is a mental calcification brought on by the incessant outpouring of worldly jisms. Another epithet for ‘evil spirit’ is ‘unclean spirit’. This describes a contaminated mind. When the body is contaminated, we notice worsening symptoms. The open spiritual eye may also notice worsening symptoms in connection to a contaminated, poisoned, or an infected mind. If just anyone can notice an evil spirit (as in a possession), it must have been building for quite a while. At the point where an evil mindset is bad enough to be noticed by those who normally pay no attention, it is usually given a name, associated with something that easily symbolizes the affliction.

Someone in an advanced state of physical illness may be symbolized as ‘the walking dead’, for example.

See a symbol in the communicating orifice of each of these three: Revelation 16:13, “And I saw three unclean spirits (minds) like frogs come out of the mouth of (spoken by) the dragon, and out of the mouth of (spoken by) the beast, and out of the mouth of (spoken by) the false prophet.”

These are three extremely contaminated individuals whose progressed states are easily symbolized

by frogs. A frog can be seen as a symbol of transformation, and as an incarnation of something. It

can be seen as something that wallows in mud, something unclean like a plague.

Now, pay attention. A Coat-of-Arms is attributed to Satan by the Holy Roman Empire. The crest bears three frogs. (I found that Internet search both surprising and informative.) But, mainly the frog is associated with water, which in itself is a symbol of the masses.

As a fruit tree is pruned rather than destroyed outright, God has in times past been persuaded to change his mind about evil men. Individuals like Moses have stood in the breach between man and God to beg for mercies. Yet, God will reject evil thinking. In the process of God’s realization into man, the God-mind will necessarily destroy the world-mind.

See Jeremiah 15:1, “Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before Me, yet My mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of My sight, and let them go forth.”

Book Four Chapter Fourteen: Heart and Mind

FOURTEEN

Heart and Mind

“Oh, what pretty lights” - or, a married couple strolls by a house one evening, and they view the Christmas lights. There are reds and blues, yellows and greens. The man thinks of the labor involved in setting so many lights around the house. He thinks of the risk involved in climbing a ladder. He might even admire the talent and foresight it took to place the lights so creatively. The woman, I think, misses the creative combination of yellows and blues and reds and greens - they are all equally bright and colorful. They are impressive to see. They are ‘pretty’.

Each light is an energy that is activated by another energy. It is a case of energy reflecting energy. They come in different colors, but each separate light is powered by the same electricity. Likewise, the mind is a light powered by the spirit. The difference seen from one mind to another is not based in differing spirits so much as in how the spirit is filtered. Where a clear bulb will reflect the purest representation of the power that lights it, another bulb will filter away all but a specific color. The mind comes in many colors, all reflections of the power that is not obvious to the naked eye.

If a mind is white, it cannot be black at the same time. A man’s front may never be his back, no matter how many times he turns around. In that sense, the mind of man mirrors the mind of God - or the lack of the mind of God.

See Psalms 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart (mind), the Lord will not hear me.”

This chapter is somewhat of a smaller list but the list remains true to the topic. The mind of the godly man is the mind of God. Spiritual is mental is spiritual. The more we explore and exercise the invisible inner man, the bigger, stronger, and more noticeable our spiritual muscles become.

Early scriptural writers promoted the underlying power of the mind in man: the inner man. The

definitive spiritual core within the human nature was called the heart. This study has deeply explored

the interconnectedness of the heart and mind. The seeker’s take on the matter is that the heart and

mind are the same. In its centuries of use, the heart has been applied to every aspect of human nature,

whether of emotion, or of character, or of the invisible ‘divine’ nature. Of a mighty character, the

heart of a warrior, or a lion was often referenced to indicate strength and resolve.

See Psalms 112:8, “His heart (mind) is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.”

What lifts the man above the animal level? It is not a feeling or a state of emotion. Animals have those in common with man. It is not character, for animals also have character. It is the mind. It is a man’s thought – and second thought. We think. We rethink. Our second thoughts may rightly be called our conscience. The conscience is the spiritual mechanism of guidance. Without conscience, thought would be random and idle. Just as the reins on a horse guides the power of it left or right, so the conscience guides the power of the human nature to right or to wrong (by the lack thereof). Our reins, the ‘reins’ written of in early scripture, are equal to the ability to sense the spiritual landscape and guide the thoughts, with the resulting decisions and actions, in some purposeful direction.

See Psalms 73:21, “Thus my heart (mind) was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins (conscience).”

The state of our inner man has, from early times, been seen to affect our outward condition.

See Proverbs 14:30, “A sound heart (mind) is the life of the flesh.”

Proverbs 13:12 referenced that state in such terms as a tree of life, that being: a developmental path that leads to firmness of life, and by extension, life itself. When we read this verse, we must know that more is being referenced than the satellite emotions or getting what one wants. From early times, man saw the importance of communication and instruction. The thoughts within are the headwaters of all action. One may be anybody; one may begin anywhere: we are all strung together like Christmas lights. If we begin with something, if we exercise what we possess, then more will be given.

See Acts 18:25-26, “This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”

We call the mind a spiritual state. A spiritual state is like a Christmas light: it may be one color or it may be another color, but the truth is that a thing cannot be what it is except by not being something else. As already stated, a man’s front may never be his back: when he looks behind himself, that direction automatically becomes what is in front of him. Each mind, then, is a spirit that is a spirit at the expense of being anything other.

See 1 John 4:1, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.”

According to what I have put forth, may we see a conscience at work in an unrighteous person? Yes, it is there. When a person is caught in wrongdoing, the inner man will burn.

See Acts 2:37, “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart (mind).”

In certain cases, this is accompanied by the physical system being flooded with adrenaline. It is the same thing that happens when the rethinking of a righteous person leads to conviction. What, then, is the difference between the righteous and the unrighteous? It is the choice the individual makes. When the heart, or the spirit, is spoken of, it is the mind that is referenced. The conscience seems to be a subordinate function of the mind.

These terms may be used interchangeably. But, what about the soul? I have suggested an angelic other but here is another thought – that the soul is a sort of gestalt mental (by which, I mean spiritual) identity.

See the inner man in Matthew 22:37, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”

Now, of course, the seeker will place those three words on the same level, as equals. Man is raised above the animal level and becomes the son of man. He finds something marvelous, although

invisible, inside of himself. He seeks it, he exercises it and receives more. He communicates that

grand invisibility and when he sees it in others, takes of it readily.

At first, there is only the knowledge of it, but as that knowledge is applied to life, experience and understanding are accumulated. Understanding is applied to life, and wisdom is obtained.

Communications have evolved throughout this process and have reached a higher, more effective level. It is the process of God realizing Himself in man. Man reaches a communicative level where he no longer merely speaks words but transmits the very essence of the God-mind.

See Acts 6:10, “And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.”

Now, I have gone on and on about the mind of man and the communication of the mind of God. Our augmented mind and higher nature come to us through both the spoken and the written word. The divine nature and better character in others rub off on us. A sort of spiritual ‘Brownian Movement’ is in effect. It is a process that shall lift every willing individual.

We may discern the spirit of Christ in the common man, in ourselves, by applying the knowledge imparted to us through scripture. We may understand our ‘spiritual evolution’ by the exercise of that knowledge. The upright in mind may certainly be seen in the actions and decisions that stream from the headwaters of the augmented mind.

The upright in mind will be known by the thoughts of the mind: Proverbs 23:7, “As he thinketh in his heart (mind), so is he.”

Also, Daniel 2:30, “Know the thoughts of thy heart (mind).”

The upright in mind will seek, study, and memorize the words of God: Proverbs 7:3, “Write them upon the table of thine heart (mind).”

Also, Proverbs 4:4, “Let thine heart (mind) retain my words.”

Also, Romans 7:22, “I delight in the law of God after the inward man.”

The upright in mind will exercise the mind: Proverbs 8:5, “Be ye of an understanding heart (mind).”

Also, Isaiah 6:10, “Understand with their heart (mind).”

The upright in mind will conduct themselves in a deliberate and adamant manner: 1 Corinthians 7:37, “Standing steadfast in one’s heart (mind).”

Also, Daniel 1:8, “Purposed in his heart (mind).”

Also, Acts 11:23, “With purpose of heart (mind).”

The upright in mind will be known for their single-mindedness: Psalms 86:11, “Unite my heart (mind) to fear Thy name.”

The upright in mind will be individuals of conscience: Luke 24:32, “Did not our heart (mind) burn within us.”

The upright in mind will think authoritatively: 2 Corinthians 7:7, “Your fervent mind.”

The upright in mind will not complicate the issues: Jeremiah 4:4, “Take away the foreskins of your heart (mind).”

The upright in mind will boldly press forward: John 14:27, “Let not your heart (mind) be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Also, 2 Corinthians 8:19, “Of your ready mind.”

The upright in mind will exhibit stability: Luke 8:35, “In his right mind.”

The upright in mind will not act like a know-it-all: Acts 20:19, “Serving the Lord with all humility of mind.”

The upright in mind will be known for their solidarity: Ephesians 6:5, “Singleness of your heart (mind).”

Also, 2 Corinthians 4:13, “We having the same spirit (mind) of faith.”

Also, Romans 15:6, “With one mind and one mouth glorify God.”

Also, 1 Peter 3:8, “Be ye all of one mind.”

Also, Revelation 17:12-13, “These have one mind.”

The upright in mind will have what others need and seek: Revelation 17:9, “Here is the mind which hath wisdom.”

The upright in mind will be the new and improved model: Ephesians 4:23, “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.”

The upright in mind will have vision: Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure (angelic) in heart (mind): for they shall see (the invisible) God.”

Book Four Chapter Thirteen: Discerning Spirits

THIRTEEN

Discerning Spirits

We recall our Lord’s identification of types: a good tree brings forth good fruit, and a bad tree brings forth bad fruit. Also, a good man out of the good treasure of his heart (mind) brings forth that which is good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart (mind) brings forth that which is evil. And to tell the truth, it all seems rather simplistic - that is until we come to the amendment: for out of the abundance of the heart (mind) a man communicates.

We daily deal with myriad spirits.

If we are to distinguish between them, spiritual tools are called for. When one wants to see the moon,

one looks through a telescope. When one wants to see a microbe, one looks through a microscope.

What, then, do seekers require? Seekers seek a ‘spiriscope’.

Of course, by spiriscope, I mean a tool or application that is spiritual. By spiritual, I mean mental or cognitive. We are scouts approaching new frontiers, but it is not as if we have no idea what we are searching for. When Lewis and Clark stumbled into a valley - how did they know it was a valley? They compared with previous experience; they applied the knowledge and wisdom of those who had gone before. They expected, long before they had their bags packed, to find hills and trees and rivers and valleys.

We seekers, we new frontiersmen, also know what we seek: we seek the mind in all its many hues, tints, and shades. I speak of degrees when I reference tints and shades. And I might as well assign ‘tint’ to the seeker’s mind and ‘shade’ to the corporeal mind.

So, a beginning test for discerning spirituality is, therefore, the degree to which the mind is either tinted with the God-mind, or shaded with the world-mind. We see, then, no matter the hue, the degrees have but two directions, and two ends. White or black. To reach either end is to achieve saturation or fullness. One might call either state, in regard to its attainment, ‘whole’.

See Psalms 9:1, “My whole heart (mind).”

With our eyes focused through the lens of the spiriscope, we see all too clearly that an individual’s mouth will communicate whatever the mind is filled with. What one naturally and frequently communicates to others is an indicator of spiritual content. When a man speaks often, and zealously, about sexual matters, when he turns every comment into a sexual reference, you can be sure that is the thing that occupies his thoughts and dreams.

See Psalms 10:3, “The wicked boasteth of his heart's (his mind’s) desire.”

In recognizing this, the author of Psalm 10 is, in actuality, discerning spirits. And really, this is not something that takes a rocket scientist to achieve. The outward manifestations will always follow the spiritual content of the mind. If the mind is filled with thoughts of money, that is what the individual will speak - and each opportunity will see that individual acting toward that end, I.E.: those who ruthlessly climb the corporate ladder, thieves, and looters, even simple cheaters. These may definitely be discerned, but take note - they will do all that is in their power to remain undetected, to appear ‘normal’ and credulous.

See Psalms 12:2, “They speak vanity (emptiness) every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart (a double mind (forked tongue)) do they speak.”

What about the upright? If it is true that the wicked will speak the content of their mind, it is just as true that the righteous will do the same.

See Psalms 15:2, “He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart (in his mind).”

The same test should be applied to either case. We take it for granted that an individual will stand behind what he or she truly believes, regardless of whether it is right or wrong. Let’s take a look at an upright individual standing behind what he believes. The first thing we note, in reading the following verse, is that the individual is not ‘full of himself’, rather, he humbly ascribes the source of his beliefs to a higher plane.

Psalms 17:2-3, “Let my sentence come forth from Thy presence (a word that in no way places God at a distance); let Thine eyes behold the things that are equal (refer back to the fulcrum theory). Thou hast proved mine heart (mind); Thou hast visited me in the night; Thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.”

Is the word of God, such as is found in the Bible, a spirit detecting tool? Is the word of God a spiriscope? I once saw an image that seemed nothing more than black spots. After taking a moment

to really look at it, the true image became apparent. It was a black and white photo of a Dalmatian

on a cobbled street after a rain: I had progressed from general spots to three distinct facts. When one

takes a moment, the truth comes out. To many, the word of God is like an image of black spots on

a white background. To use the word as a tool for discerning spirits is to study the spots until they

become facts.

Take Psalms 19:8, for example: “The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart (mind).”

If an individual reads the word, and it fills him - what will he talk about, what future actions will he take?

We note in the verse that it was the mind that was rejoiced. The mind was enhanced, was filled with spiritual content, was made more nearly whole: tinted, if you will - and it is only human nature to communicate those things that impress us. That individual will find somebody, somewhere, and speak about the thing that rejoiced his mind.

Communication is key.

As for future actions, it is reasonable to assume that the individual will return to the thing that lifted him up. He will be impressed all over again, and he will look to see if there is more. For the spiritually inclined, the word of God (even meditation on the word of God) is all that’s cool. The saturation that is

experienced will include not only the reception of the word, but the thinking and rethinking of it, and

of course, sharing it with others.

See Psalms 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart (mind), be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”

Is scripture a spiriscope? Read the verse above for what it says. Read it for what it does not say. Read it one section at a time, asking the appropriate questions.

When I speak of spiritual, I speak of the thoughts of the mind and the words of the mouth: which are matters that are rooted in their purpose and function. If an airplane does not fly, it is no more than a huge ugly car, and a road-hog. Spiritual thoughts and spiritual communications will not be found to exist separately from their purpose and function. The same may be said of non-spiritual thoughts and communications. The spirit discerned in the righteous is the spirit of God. That is to say, the mind discerned in the righteous is the mind of God.

It is the baseline, the standard by which all else is judged. In all of the known universe, a thing either grows or diminishes, waxes or wanes, lives or dies. Nothing is static, not even the dirt beneath our feet. So for the righteous, who derive from the God-mind, and practice the God-mind, the gain we realize in regard to knowledge and wisdom is seen as the work of God Himself. We may expect, therefore, that He will also support our communications to others.

See Psalms 20:1-4, “The Lord . . . Grant thee according to thine own heart (mind), and fulfil all thy counsel.”

That is precisely why the overall cognitive character of mankind is so dynamic. It is nonstatic in nature: living - unless it is forced into attrition. Just to look at the righteous, we see that there is turmoil within. There are ups and downs. Judge the next verse against the one following it.

See Psalms 21:2, “Thou hast given him his heart's (his mind’s) desire.”

See also Psalms 22:14, “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart (mind) is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.”

Types. Stereotypes.

In discerning spirits, one may refer to previous models. Comparison is, after all, one of the tools of thought. The mind assigns attributes from types already known. There is a church hymn, for example, that is titled: “Dare to be a Daniel.” We look at character traits in an individual, and we compare them to traits we have seen in others, or have learned of indirectly. This has been the case even in scripture. And, if we accept that the minds of the sons of men derive from the mind of God, we see also that God employs comparisons no less than men.

See Psalms 24:3-4, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord (who shall become a Moses)? or who shall stand (remove his sandals) in His holy place? He that hath clean hands (the things we do), and a pure (single or unadulterated) heart (mind); who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.”

Let us, then, review spiritual types. As we proceed, bear in mind that you know someone, somewhere, with comparable traits. How do we discern the righteous spirit, the upright in mind? 

The upright in mind will turn to God for help: Psalms 25:17, “The troubles of my heart (mind) are enlarged: O bring Thou me out of my distresses.”

Also, Psalms 61:2, “From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart (mind) is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

The upright in mind will open himself to spiritual inspection: Psalms 26:2, “Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins (conscience) and my heart (mind).”

Also, Psalms 139:23, “Search me, O God, and know my heart (mind): try me, and know my thoughts.”

The upright in mind will place his courage and confidence in God: Psalms 27:3, “Though an host should encamp against me, my heart (mind) shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.”

The upright in mind will display courageous patience in the face of life’s trials: Psalms 27:14, “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart (mind): wait, I say, on the Lord.”

Also, 2 Thessalonians 2:2, “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.”

The upright in mind will trust God, and rejoice in God’s real responses: Psalms 28:7, “My heart (mind) trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart (mind) greatly rejoiceth.”

The upright in mind will hope in God: Psalms 31:24, “Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart (mind), all ye that hope in the Lord.”

Also, Acts 2:26, “Therefore did my heart (mind) rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope.”

The upright in mind will display a jubilant character: Psalms 32:11, “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart (mind).”

Also, Psalms 64:10, “The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in Him; and all the upright in heart (mind) shall glory.”

Also, Psalms 97:11-12, “Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart (mind). Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.”

Also, Proverbs 15:13 & 15, “A merry heart (mind) maketh a cheerful countenance . . . he that is of a merry heart (mind) hath a continual feast.”

The upright in mind will be constant: Psalms 33:21, “For our heart (our mind) shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name.”

Also, Psalms 57:7, “My heart (mind) is fixed, O God, my heart (mind) is fixed: I will sing and give praise.”

The upright in mind will both delight in and receive the gifts God gives, in other words, he practices his relationship with God: Psalms 37:4, “Delight thyself also in the Lord: and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart (mind).”

The upright in mind will center his thoughts on the communications of God: Psalms 37:31, “The law of his God is in his heart (mind).”

Also, Psalms 40:8, “I delight to do Thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart (mind).”

The upright in mind will gladly share those good things that God imparts: Psalms 45:1, “My heart (mind) is inditing (communicating) a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.”

The upright in mind will concern himself with, and communicate higher matters: Psalms 49:3, “My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart (mind) shall be of understanding.”

The upright in mind will know where his higher nature comes from: Psalms 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart (mind), O God; and renew (regenerate) a right spirit within me.”

The upright in mind will concern himself less with form and ceremony, and more with true worship: Lamentations 3:41, “Let us lift up our heart (mind) with our (and not just our) hands (actions) unto God in the heavens.”

The upright in mind will take God with him wherever he goes: Jeremiah 51:50, “Remember the Lord afar off.”

The upright in mind will recognize the lines of demarcation: Numbers 24:13, “I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak?”

The upright in mind will be in concord with God: Isaiah 26:3, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.”

The upright in mind will take the high road: 1 Peter 1:22, “Seeing ye have purified (distilled) your souls (angelic counterparts) in obeying the truth through the spirit (mind) unto (to accomplish) unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart (single mind) fervently (genuinely).”

The upright in mind will treasure those things that are of value to God: 1 Peter 3:4, “But let it be the hidden (invisible) man of the heart (mind), in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”

The upright in mind will know what is good for them: Jeremiah 32:39, “And I will give them one heart (mind), and one way, that they may fear Me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them.”

The upright in mind will know God intimately enough to trust Him: Psalms 62:8, “Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart (mind) before Him: God is a refuge for us.”

The upright in mind will be a seeker: Psalms 77:6, “I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own (owned by God) heart (mind): and my spirit made diligent search.”

The upright in mind will not be politically correct: Psalms 94:15, “But judgment (discrimination) shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart (mind) shall follow it.”

(Explanation of discrimination: There are water and dust, and they cannot be the same for they

are different. Should they meet halfway, they are neither water nor dust, but mud. It is the worldly

mind that desires mud.)

The upright in mind will display a higher code of conduct: Psalms 101:2, “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way . . . I will walk within my house with a perfect heart (mind).”

Also, Proverbs 3:3, “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart (mind).”

The upright in mind will be open to instruction from those recognized as more knowledgeable: Proverbs 4:20-21, “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart (mind).”

Also Proverbs 22:17, “Bow down (humble) thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply

thine heart (mind)unto my knowledge.”

The upright in mind will feast on the smarts of God; will learn only from those who have the mind of God: Jeremiah 3:15, “I will give you pastors according to Mine heart (mind), which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

The upright in mind will practice effective faith: Mark 11:23, “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart (mind), but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

The upright in mind will be responsive to the communications of God: Jeremiah 23:9, “Mine heart (mind) within me is broken (opened like a seal) because of the prophets . . . because of the Lord, and because of the words of His holiness.”

Also, Ezekiel 3:10, “Son of man, all My words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart (mind), and hear with thine ears.”

The upright in mind will be like Jesus: Matthew 11:29, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (mind): and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

The upright in mind will choose God: Mark 12:30, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart (mind), and with all thy soul (attained self), and with all thy mind (core self), and with all thy strength (soul): this is the first commandment.”

The upright in mind will remember: Luke 2:50-51, “And they understood not the saying which He spake unto them. And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but His mother kept all these sayings in her heart (mind).”

Also, Luke 2:19, “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart (mind).”

The upright in mind will be practitioners of God’s truths: Luke 8:15, “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart (the spirit of a sound mind), having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”

The upright in mind will consider his fellow man: Luke 10:27, “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”

Also, Lamentations 2:11, “Mine eyes do fail with tears . . . for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city.”

The upright in mind will support and strengthen one another: Acts 2:46, “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart (mind).”

Also, Philippians 2:1, “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies.”

The upright in mind will display thoughts and intentions similar to those of God: Acts 13:22, “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after Mine own heart (mind), which shall fulfil all My will.”

Also, Ephesians 6:6, “Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart (mind).”

Also, Isaiah 58:6, “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?”

Also, Colossians 3:12, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.”

The upright in mind will be open-minded and hear God speak even when through the agency of another human: Acts 16:14, “And a certain woman named Lydia . . . which worshiped God, heard us: whose heart (mind) the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.”

The upright in mind will be adamant in what they know is true: Revelation 20:4, “I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God.”

Also, Romans 6:17, “Ye have obeyed from the heart (mind) that form of doctrine which was delivered you.”

The upright in mind will know where to find God: Ephesians 5:19, “Speaking to yourselves . . . in your heart (mind) to the Lord.”

The upright in mind will be compassionate and capable, powerful but not brutal: 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

The upright in mind will be honest: Psalms 32:2, “Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not (accuses of) iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile (duplicity).”

The upright in mind will be eternal: 2 Corinthians 4:16, “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man (spiritual persona) is renewed day by day.”

The upright in mind will be true to his or her word: Numbers 30:2, “If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.”

The upright in mind will be the willing servants of mankind: 1 Peter 5:2, “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.”

Also, Philemon 1:7, “We have great joy and consolation in thy love, because . . . the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.”

The upright in mind will be the spiritual Israel: Hebrews 8:10, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people.”

The upright in mind will take life on the chin: 1 Peter 4:1, “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.”

The upright in mind will exhibit a zeal that inspires others: 2 Corinthians 9:2, “I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.”

The upright in mind will reflect the God that indwells them: 2 Corinthians 13:11, “Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.”

The upright in mind will advance and promote the truths spoken by Christ: Philippians 1:27, “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ . . . that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith (certainty) of the gospel.”

The upright in mind will work together: Philippians 2:2, “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”

Also, 1 Corinthians 1:10, “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

The upright in mind will be problem solvers, not finger pointers: Philippians 2:3, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

The upright in mind will allow the smaller issues to work themselves out: Luke 12:29, “And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.”

The upright in mind will evince a change in thinking, not merely a rehashing of worldly tenets: Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

The upright in mind will evince the unquenchable Spirit: Jeremiah 20:9, “His word was in mine heart (mind) as a burning fire shut up in my bones.”

The upright in mind will constantly show progress and forward momentum: Psalms 44:18, “Our heart (mind) is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from Thy way.”

The upright in mind will have a better sense of priorities: Psalms 62:10, “If riches increase, set not your heart (mind) upon them.”

The upright in mind will know a true relationship with God: Psalms 73:1, “Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart (clear mind).”

The upright in mind will wrestle with spiritual issues: 2 Corinthians 2:4, “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart (mind) I wrote unto you with many tears.”

The upright in mind will practice skills the worldly decry: Ecclesiastes 8:5, “A wise man's heart (mind) discerneth both time and judgment.”

The upright in mind will rise above social and emotional dogmas: Proverbs 4:23, “Keep (maintain) thy heart (mind) with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

Also, Isaiah 51:7, “Ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart (mind) is My law.”

Also, Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart (mind); and lean not unto thine own (worldly) understanding.”

The upright in mind will exercise mental abilities: Proverbs 14:33, “Wisdom resteth in the heart (mind) of him that hath understanding.”

Also, Proverbs 16:23, “The heart (mind) of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.”

Also, Proverbs 2:2, “So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart (mind) to understanding.”

The upright in mind will be a living, growing power: Isaiah 60:5, “Then thou shalt see (understand), and flow together, and thine heart (mind) shall fear (revere), and be enlarged (augmented).”

Also, Psalms 119:32, “I will run (follow) the way of Thy commandments, when Thou shalt enlarge my heart (augment my mind).”

The upright in mind will communicate matters of value: Matthew 12:35, “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart (mind) bringeth forth good things.”

Also, Genesis 49:21, “Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.”

The upright in mind will help others drop all weights that limit and constrain: 2 Corinthians 6:12, “Ye are not straitened in (hindered by) us, but ye are straitened in (hindered by) your own bowels (emotions).”

The upright in mind will be a link in a strong chain-of-command: Proverbs 3:1, “My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart (mind) keep (continue) my commandments.”

Also, Ephesians 3:16, “To be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man.”

The upright in mind are able to connect the dots: John 14:1, “Let not your heart (mind) be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.”