First, let’s take a moment and pray.
Lord, we come before You heavy-hearted yet
full of hope. We lift up all those impacted this weekend by man’s relentless
thirst for conflict, the pride that fuels division, and the wounds of a world
not yet healed. We ask for Your peace to fall like rain on the battlefields of
this earth—both physical and spiritual. May the suffering of so many find its
end in Your mercy. We pray for healing, for restoration, and for the speedy
return of You, our Lord and God. Come quickly, Jesus. We are ready. In Your name,
Amen.
Reading the Room and Feeling the Energy
Today I want to talk about something I know
many of you feel, but maybe haven’t named before. It’s the ability to read
energy—not just the physical presence of people, but the atmosphere of the
room, the tension in the air, the unspoken truth hanging like fog. If you have
this gift, you know exactly what I mean.
It’s not something you learn. It’s something
you live with. Like breathing. Like blinking. You just walk into a
space—whether it’s a living room full of family or a corporate boardroom full
of masks—and you know. You know if they were just talking about you. You
know what the topic was. You know the truth without a word being spoken.
I used to think it was just me. I thought
maybe I was being paranoid or overly sensitive, or worse—prideful. But it
wasn’t any of those things. It was a spiritual gift I hadn’t yet understood how
to use. The problem wasn’t the gift itself; the problem was how I internalized
it. I took that energy and made it about me. Every vibe, every whisper, every
cold shoulder—I owned it. And it dug straight into the wounds of my insecurity.
But over time, especially after I surrendered
my life to Jesus, I started to see it differently.
From Insecurity to Discernment
Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:7-10
that the Holy Spirit gives different gifts to different people—some wisdom,
others knowledge, faith, healing, prophecy, and yes, discernment of spirits.
That’s what we’re talking about here.
Discernment is not paranoia. It’s not
overthinking. It’s a Holy Spirit–given gift to sense what’s going on beyond the
surface.
Now, instead of making it about me, I pause
and ask, “Lord, what are You trying to show me? Is this my battle, or am I just
here to notice and pray?” That shift—from insecurity to discernment—has made
all the difference.
And let me be clear: if you don’t have this
gift, that’s okay. But be aware—others do. And if you’re trying to hide
something, manipulate, or posture… they will see right through it. You might
not feel the shift in the room, but they do. You can’t lie to the Spirit of
God.
A Season of Awakening
I remember just after I became separated—a
season that almost undid me—it was also the beginning of one of the most
profound awakenings I’ve ever experienced. I was broken, raw, and wide open.
And when you’re cracked wide open, that’s often when the Holy Spirit breathes
fresh wind into the space.
That’s when I began to explore the depths of
my gift. I realized I wasn’t just reading energy—I was reading people’s
thoughts. I could sense the inner dialogue of others, like reading the
pages of their private journals. No words spoken, no visible cues—just a
knowing that settled in my spirit.
And to be honest, it scared me.
Because it felt like a breach of privacy, and
in a way, it was. I wasn’t asking for permission. I wasn’t trying to be nosy.
It was just… there. And right then, I realized that even a gift from God can
become something dangerous if it’s not submitted back to Him.
The Line Between Light and Darkness
Even before I became a Christian, I had this
awareness that certain abilities—spiritual sensitivities, intuitive
insights—could be used for good or evil. There’s a real thin line between
discernment and manipulation. And if you’re not grounded in truth, it’s easy to
slide into using these gifts for self-gain.
The world calls it “reading the room,” “empath
energy,” or “psychic vibes.” But I knew I didn’t want anything to do with black
magic or spiritual darkness. I didn’t want to open a door that Jesus hadn’t
invited me through. So I stopped trying to develop the gift in that way.
Instead, I started asking God to purify it.
Like David prayed in Psalm 139:23–24:
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See
if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
And that’s exactly what He did.
Truth Feels Like Peace
Here’s something I’ve come to learn and trust:
when someone is speaking truth—real truth from a place of love and alignment
with God—it feels like peace.
You don’t have to scramble to fact-check it.
You don’t have to perform or explain or prove it. It just settles in your soul,
like warm oil poured over a wound. That’s how the Holy Spirit speaks—through
peace.
Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace of Christ
rule in your hearts.”
That word rule means to act as an umpire, deciding what’s in and
what’s out. Truth is in. Chaos is out. Peace is the signal.
So if you're trying to navigate a
relationship, a decision, or a storm—ask yourself: does this feel like peace?
If not, back up and pray.
Honouring the Transition
This morning at church, our senior pastor Dan
shared a message as he prepares to transition into semi-retirement. He’s been
such a pillar—strong, wise, steady. He talked about becoming more like Christ
and the importance of making church attendance a priority.
And as he said it, I felt that same peace. No
hype. No manipulation. Just truth. And in that truth, strength. That’s when you
know the Holy Spirit is present—when the words don’t need decoration. They
land, and you feel it in your bones.
I don’t know what the future of my local
church looks like without Dan at the helm, but I do know this: the Church
belongs to Jesus. And He’s not going anywhere.
From Energy to Ministry
One of the most healing realizations I’ve had
in the past few years is that this gift—the ability to feel, to sense, to
discern—is not a burden. It’s a ministry. When I walk into a room and feel the
heaviness, I no longer panic. I no longer shrink. I breathe, I pray, and I ask
God, “How do You want to use me right now?”
Some days it’s to encourage someone who’s
barely holding on. Other days it’s to intercede quietly, say nothing, and just
be present.
But here’s the thing: it’s not about me. It’s
about the Kingdom.
Three Ways
to Use Your Gifts to Expand the Kingdom
- Use
Discernment to Speak Life, Not Criticism
Proverbs 18:21 reminds us, “The tongue has the power of life and death.” If you have the gift of discernment or intuition, you already know what people are wrestling with. Use that knowledge to build them up, not tear them down. Speak prophetically, not pathetically. Speak to the truth of who they are, not the shame of where they’ve been. That’s Kingdom work. - Create
Safe Spaces for Others to Be Seen and Heard
Romans 12:15 calls us to “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” When you can read energy, you can tell when someone needs a hug instead of a lecture. When someone needs silence instead of solutions. Use your sensitivity to tune into what people need, not what they say. That’s how Jesus ministered—He saw the unseen. We can too. - Surrender
the Gift Back to God, Daily
James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” Your gift—whatever it is—is not yours to possess. It’s yours to steward. That means praying daily, “Lord, keep me from using this for selfish gain. Use it for Your glory alone.” Whether your gift is discernment, encouragement, wisdom, or leadership—keep it surrendered. That’s how it multiplies.
Final Thoughts
We are living in a world that’s full of noise,
chaos, and confusion. People don’t need more polished speeches. They don’t need
more hype. They need truth. They need peace. They need to know someone sees
them, feels them, and still chooses love.
That’s what Jesus did. That’s what we get to
do.
So if you feel everything deeply, if the
weight of the room sometimes exhausts you, if you sense things others
don’t—don’t run from it. Don’t numb it. Don’t hide it. Surrender it.
And if you’re someone who doesn’t feel those
things, be aware: others do. Lead with gentleness. You never know what
spiritual war someone else is discerning while they smile at you in silence.
May we all—whatever our gifts—grow more into
the likeness of Christ.
May we discern with love, speak with truth, and serve with peace.
And may we live every moment expecting the return of our Lord, and yes Lord…
make it snappy.
We’re ready.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Amen.
“Real truth feels like peace” AMEN
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