Perceiving Men’s Thoughts

June 24, 2020December 14, 2023 Discerning, Perception, Interpreting

PERCEIVING MEN’S THOUGHTS

Hearing someone’s thoughts
Hearing someone’s spirit
Hearing His still small voice
Perceiving motives and intents

Sometimes when I hear His still small voice it is what the Bible calls “perceiving men’s thoughts.” Jesus functioned in this gift.

Luke 5:22-23 NKJV

But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts?”

Matt 9:4 NKJV

But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?

Ps 139:2 NKJV

You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.

Heb 4:12 NKJV

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

This can be literally hearing what someone is thinking. Or this can be perceptions and inklings of someone else’s motives or even feelings as in a word of knowledge, or perceptions given through the Lord’s still small voice of what they are thinking. It is HIS voice, but I understand the Lord has revealed the intents and motives of another for His specific purpose.

PERCEIVING IN ONE’S SPIRIT

In the following case Jesus perceived in His spirit, not actually heard their thoughts. It is interesting that in the Greek this was Jesus own spirit, not the Holy Spirit. He was in tune with His spirit which recognized what was going on.

Mark 2:8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned among themselves, he said unto them, Why reason you these things in your hearts?

We as people are triune, composed of body, soul and spirit. ( CLICK “WHO AM I” for a popup ) In 1 Cor 14:14 it says that our own spirit prays when we pray in tongues. Our spirit is awake, it never sleeps and it is the pure part of us that is always connected to God and knows His will and heart.

When I hear this way, often I have been in prayer over a person and suddenly I will hear “them” say something about the subject of what I was praying. I am not hearing the person themselves speak to me, but the Lord has opened up the heart of that person’s need and I am hearing their spirit speak. Other times I might receive a flash of a person come to my mind and at the same time I will hear their needs so I can pray.

1 Thess 5:23 NKJV

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

LITERAL HEARING

Elisha the prophet could literally hear and see what was spoken behind closed doors. This was done through the gift of the Holy Spirit that makes all things manifest.

2 Kings 6:12 NKJV

And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.”

PERCEIVING MOTIVES

The story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 is a scriptural example of Peter perceiving their thoughts and motives, through the Holy Spirit.

Acts 5:1-3 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also knowing it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land?