The need for the gift of discernment of spirits in the church today

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. (1 Corinthians 12:10)

The gift of discernment of spirits is very important gift the church in general is lacking.
Discernment of spirits is the ability to hear and see the spiritual realm. It's also the ability to know what spirit is manifesting, its intention and plan whether of God or the devil.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that a Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. (1John 4:1-3)

This was one of the gifts that was greatly manifested in the early church. It exposed the works of darkness which took place in the church and the fear of the Lord was so great in the Church.

But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. (Acts 5:3-5)

The story of Ananias and Sapphira is a good example. Can you imagine what loss the church would have gotten into then if the apostles didn't have this gift?

Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.”
(Acts 16:16-17)

Today so many Christians have fallen into the trap of the devil because of their inability to test and try all spirit especially in the aspect of prophecy and doctrines. Paul had an encounter with the girl who had a familiar spirit who followed them about proclaiming they were men of God. The proclamation were right but the spirit was a wrong one. Paul was able to know this because of the spirit of discernment.

The church in this last days need this gift as a lack of this has greatly affected the influence of the church on the world.

It is time rise up and pray for the churches worldwide and for ourselves as individuals for the manifestation of this gift.