1 Kings 22:19-23 and 2 Chronicles 18:18-22: Micaiah discerns that a lying spirit is responsible for false prophecy. Heart-based decision-makers are thought of as passionate, empathetic, and centered in their feelings. The problem is, I have also seen the Lord say to me, that is not what this is. However, it is the only thing that works. Minor Prophets Paul wrote. Because when we have faith in Him, we have faith in ourselves and vice versa., Another easy way to develop your spiritual discernment is by reading examples of it in scripture. sometimes without discernment, a notorious example of this (as was generally considered) being the murder of Bishop Patteson in 1871. . I like how Francis Frangipane describes this gift. For example, Jesus perceived a spirit of infirmity with a woman suffering from spinal curvature. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7). The Apostle Paul cast a demon out of someone who had a spirit of divination. Blue Letter Bible offers several daily devotional readings in order to help you refocus on Christ and the Gospel of His peace and righteousness. That's what this guide is all about. It stirs feelings of remorse and discontent. General Epistles In 1 Corinthians 12:10, discernment of spirits is listed as one the gifts of the Holy Spirit. As the New Testament was being completed the great majority of the revelation which believers had about Jesus Christ was in oral form. 3. Discernment is the ability to perceive and distinguish. Johannine Writings When you hear the words spiritual discernment, what comes to mind? We read of this in the gospel of John. A little while after that I started to smell fragrances. The Old Testament Occasionally, it can be hard to understand what God wants to tell us, but it becomes clearer when we study His word., Jesus spent most of his life making decisions about others and Himself that ultimately affected future outcomes. To discern is to understand and decide on a course of action regarding inspirations that influence our thoughts, words, and deeds either toward God to heaven or away from Him to hell.. This gift helps prevent confusion in the church for it guards against false teaching. Consequently the gift is still very useful today. Yet Ignatiuss language is useful because it recognizes the reality of evil. About us. However, its wisdom that measures discernment, allowing us to identify right from wrong and not just good and evil. His prayer to the Lord went as follows. Whatever the case may be, the church certainly needs to be able to discern between right and wrong, good and evil. The Gospels It may seem a little tricky at first, but here are some ways to develop discernment.. One was when a woman walked into church and sat near me. The gift of discernment of spirits enables the believer to discern good as well as evil. Jesus had earlier warned of false prophets who would deceive people. But God is always there. What should I be doing? The Gospels One of the ways that evil spirits can be discerned is when there is a demonic manifestation. Passwords should have at least 6 characters. Jesus predicted during the Last Supper that many of His followers would eventually bring about His death., Another example is in John 2:13-19, when Jesus became enraged by the merchants who were selling their wares in the temple. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect(Romans 12:2, ESV). On two notable occasions I have seen spirits in people. The 5 Signs Of The Spiritual Gift Of Discernment. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you., Spiritual discernment is a gift from God. What shall we do?' How can you learn to be optimistic? In other words, they do not rely on this unique gift. Our assessments, publications and research spread knowledge, spark enquiry and aid understanding around the world. The Bible warns believers about Satans deceptions. The Apostle Paul provides an example of the proper exercise of the gift. But then I started analyzing it, trying to determine what the different smells were, noting what was going on at the time, and recognizing similarities. Discerning The Holy Spirit John 1:32-33 - John the Baptist discerned the Holy Spirit upon Jesus. It is an interior search that seeks to align our own will with the will of God in order to learn what God is calling us to. I know that the Holy Spirit was working in the life of someone in the class and convicting them. When confronted with a man named Elymas Paul discerned that he was a false prophet. As Jesus Christ confirmed to us in His ministry through the Holy Spirit, discernment comes only from union to God and His word. May I use your experience as an example? A Prayer for Discernment Holy Father, Thank you for wisdom from Your Word and guidance from Your Spirit. In consolation, we feel more alive and connected to others. Evil is both greater than we are and part of who we are. I appreciate your thoughts on this. What Are Some Examples of Discerning of Spirits in the Bible? For example, God's Word is "spiritually discerned." To the human mind without the Spirit, the things of God are "foolishness" ( 1 Corinthians 2:14 ). "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart . J ames 1:5. The church needs those with this gift to warn believers in times of danger or keep them from being led astray by false teaching." According to spiritualgifttest.com, The spiritual gift of discernment is also known as the gift of discernment of spirits or distinguishing between spirits. The Greek word for the gift of discernment is Diakrisis. First Rule. Receive the Daily Devotional, Share prayers with others, and more on the Pray.com app. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Always remember to "test the spirits." 1 Jn. Silf points to many of the elements of discernment but will leave most people wanting to know more. In 1 Corinthians 14:1, Paul says, 'Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit' This brings us to the third level of discernment. Some people, like the person I mentioned earlier, can literally see into the spiritual realm. Why am I no longer satisfied by something I once loved? The Book of Acts records the incident as follows. Discernment of Spirits: 3 Rules Rule 1: Be attentive to false consolations. The Affective Dimension of Discerning and Deciding (PDF) Among the easiest ways to cultivate spiritual discernment is to have consistent communication with the Lord. For me, it has always started out with good stuff, something of God, before I see or sense something thats not. Discernment of spirits is the interpretation of what St. Ignatius Loyola called the motions of the soul. These interior movements consist of thoughts, imaginings, emotions, inclinations, desires, feelings, repulsions, and attractions. A listing of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 mentions wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues. The truth is, spiritual discernment can be any of the above and much more, depending on the situation. What Does "My People Perish for Lack of Knowledge" Mean? GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, (Hebrew/Greek Search by English Definition), * 'Number Delimiters' only apply to 'Paragraph Order', Search verses, phrases, and topics (e.g. Like Solomon of old, we need to ask God for such discernment in these spiritual matters. Praydreaming allows me to ponder those deep desires and to discover and say yes to Gods grace-filled path for my life.. . Similarly, peace or happiness can be illusory if these feelings are helping us avoid changes we need to make. Indeed, it is much needed. What I was seeing was a man and not a woman. Discerning, making decisions, figuring out what we are called to, and choosing between different directions in life can be a challenge. From experience he knew that some thoughts left him sad while others made him happy, and little by little he came to perceive the different spirits that were moving him; one coming from the devil, the other coming from God (Autobiography, no. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to cultivate spiritual discernment., When you want to become good at something, you practice using the best techniques available to you. Again, we seem to have another type of evil spirit which existed. Raised to Walk is an outreach of Bright Sheep Ministries, International. Luke-Acts Thus, once the New Testament was finished, the gift was no longer needed because revelation from God became complete. Major Prophets You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. However, you can cultivate and develop greater spiritual discernment within yourself., The rewards for doing so are great. There is the also view that this gift was given to distinguish between the work of the Holy Spirit and various evil spirits specifically demonic activity. Historical Books Giving without a Whisper by C. H. Spurgeon, Know, Known, Knowledge, Unknown - Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, David Guzik :: Hechos 9 La Conversin de Saulo de Tarso, David Guzik :: Mateo 4 La Tentacin de Jess y Su Primer Ministerio en Galilea, David Guzik :: Hechos 2 El Espritu Santo Es Derramado Sobre la Iglesia, David Guzik :: Apocalipsis 20 Satans, el Pecado y la Muerte son Finalmente Eliminados, David Guzik :: 2 Timoteo 3 Los Tiempos Peligrosos y la Preciosa Verdad, David Guzik :: Apocalipsis 12 La Mujer, el Nio, y el Dragn, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jesus and the Holy Trinity (Walter Martin), Matthew 18-19 (1982-85 Audio) (Chuck Smith), Genesis 1:1-8 (1979-82 Audio) (Chuck Smith), John 12 - Sir, We Would See Jesus (Chuck Missler), Genesis 2-3 (1979-82 Audio) (Chuck Smith). Like a "dove" From this understanding of the gift, it would have ceased to exist once that divine revelation ceased and the New Testament was completed. It's stressful when someone you love is undergoing surgery. General Epistles The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are unique skills and abilities given by the Holy Spirit to faithful followers of Christ to serve God for the common benefit of his people, the church. Maybe you think of a spiritually-based way to make big life decisions, such as marriage or a new job. I dont even remember what the lesson was on, but I remember the sense of that movement very clearly. Proverbs 3:5-6. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select an Ending Point Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. For people who have closed themselves off from God's grace, the good spirit disturbs and shakes up. By William A. Barry, SJ Discernment - discernment of spirits - is first of all about telling apart the motions arising from these three sources and, in his 'rules for discernment' (and elsewhere), Ignatius gives an eloquently pithy catalogue of what the work of the good and bad spirit looks like in the human heart, in terms of the motions they inspire. : Rules 1 and 2. Discerning of spirits is the God-given ability to detect (and distinguish between) the presence and identity of both good and evil spirits. The gift was used to determine the source of a certain spirit. This is altogether different from seeing spirits. Its the ability to evaluate situations and choose courses of action while staying aware of the moral implication of all options., Yet, we need to recognize that discernment isn't something that just happens but requires hard work and attentiveness. Wisdom Literature Today, O God of all days, give me an experience of your heart. Sometimes an experience of sadness is a moment of conversion and intimacy with God. When you are facing obstacles, Jesus is always in your corner. The Discerning of Spirits "To another discerning of spirits" (1 Cor. These interior movements consist of thoughts, imaginings, emotions, inclinations, desires, feelings, repulsions, and attractions. Luke-Acts By providing my email I agree to allow Pray.com to use my email for marketing purposes, and I agree to the. 2 Peter 1:3 says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." Ignatius Loyolas rules for discernment provide a framework, not a program. This gift is a Spirit-given ability to distinguish whether the source of what is presented is of Divine, human or demonic origins. The presence of the Holy Spirit is awesome. They do not receive special messages from God; they use the Word of God to "test the spirits" to see which line up with God and which are in opposition to Him. Ephrem the Syrian, in the interpretation of the same passage, stated that the gift of . If you still need extra discernment in your day, you can download our app through the App Store or Google Play. There is a vast difference between natural discernment and spiritual. What Is the Gift of the Word of Knowledge? 1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is meditative prayer. I think the real danger to the church is not outside, but within and the gift of discerning of spirits is there to sound the alarm as well as to identify areas where intercession is needed. This seems to indicate that there are a number of different types of evil spirits that can lead us astray. Copyright 2009-2023 Loyola Press. Johannine Writings On the other hand, the evil spirit wants such people to continue in their confusion and darkness. The church needs those with this gift to warn believers in times of danger or keep them from being led astray by false teaching.. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select a Beginning Point John wrote of the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. He explained it in this manner. The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, The most intense situations Ive experienced have been at my church as well. It is something of an art. Our hearts are divided between good and evil impulses. Just a couple of times so far and they have been minor. The gift of discernment of spirits is the ability between spirits that are divine, demonic, or human. Recently it was a beautiful fragrance. The Whole Bible In this connection we need to bear in mind that the Christian ministry is a ministry in the spiritual realm. Minor Prophets 1. Discernment of spirits is a gift of the Holy Spirit. 1. Minor Prophets Others see the gift as having reference to good and evil spirits. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation. Discernment is defined, in the modern secular sense, as the faculty of discerning; discrimination; acuteness of judgment and understanding by dictionary.com. The Spirit, then, gives us spiritual discernment. Examples Of Discerning Of Spirits In The Bible The Gift Of Discerning Of Spirits In The Life Of Jesus I personally love the Apostle Peter. Suggested Prayers for Discernment Here are some suggested short prayers for a discerning spirit: Lord, God, please give me an understanding heart and a sensitivity to Your ways. Oops! It is the ability to determine between what was genuine revelation from God and that which is false. Pentateuch In the Spiritual Exercises, Ignatius provides various rules for the discernment of spirits (Spiritual Exercises, 313-336). Anderson is promoting discernment that is connected to the good life, not discernment as an expos. . by Franz Meures, SJ The Holy Spirit gives the gift of discernment to enable certain Christians to clearly recognize and distinguish between the influence of God, Satan, the world, and the flesh in a given situation. One could argue that during Jesus time on earth, he used discernment to heal and teach others.. To another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kind of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10). Any copying, redistribution, or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of Loyola Press is expressly prohibited. Many others believe that it seems more accurate to assume that God could give the same gift today to Christian leaders, to help them determine whether certain messages or teachings are from the Lord. Recently, I have started to see, literally, things. When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" ( John 1:47 NRSV). This enables us to make sound decisions through logic and not to overlook details while also demonstrating empathy and understanding the viewpoints of others., There are countless examples of discernment in the Bible. Therefore, the church needs to be on constant guard against false teaching. Pray.com is the easiest way to incorporate prayer into your daily life and grow your faith journey. Poetical Books In the New Testament and the lives of the saints we have clear examples of the need to test every spirit and determine if they are from God or represent God's will or from the enemy of . When you need guidance, turn to God. . The gifts of the Holy Spirit are part of the "everything we need" to fulfill His purposes for our lives.. We also read about this through Jesus words the Book of Revelation. Sign up for a free PRAYaccount and youll begin receiving our Weekly Wisdom Devotionals, sent to your inbox every Tuesday. Another way is to seek spiritual counsel from those with a knowledge of God. I think that is because we are all unique and God wants a personal relationship with us. For example, Jesus saw something good in the man Nathanael. Wisdom Literature Note: MLA no longer requires the URL as part of their citation standard. Having faith in our decisions strengthens our relationship with our Heavenly Father. The believers needed to be able to discern the true prophets from the false. Hence the gift of discerning, or distinguishing of spirits, was given. The goal of discernment is to live according to the thoughts of God, practically and spiritually. Ive read several books on this, but I found James Golls book, The Seer, to be particularly helpful because he described how the developing of the gift of discerning of spirits started, not just what he experiences now. I believe I am a seer. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people? Gift of discernment examples "To clearly distinguish truth from error by judging whether a certain behavior or teaching has a divine, satanic, or human origin." 1 Corinthian 12:10 Those who have the gift of discernment are ready to help others know and understand their own spiritual gifts. John 3:16, Jesus faith love), The Whole Bible John 4:19 Verse Concepts The woman *said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:14, ESV). To help you pray for them, here are six police officers' prayers. So even in the gifts of the spirit, there may be major groupings, but he doesnt hand out carbon copies to everyone. I dont know how much of the avoidance is conscious, or if its an unconscious thing on their part and a result of the deceiving spirit they are under the influence of. Something went wrong while submitting the form. Now I pray for the person I am experiencing. Thank you for leading us and making Your wisdom available to us. As with some of the other spiritual gifts, the gift of discernment of spirits is believed by some to have been necessary only until the Bible was complete. The eighth: Let him who is in desolation labor to be in patience, which is contrary to the vexations which come to him: and let him think that he will soon be consoled, employing against the desolation the devices, as is said in the sixth Rule.1. Here discernment according to the Second Week rules is highly refined: the Enemy, like the good spirit, gives genuine spiritual consolation, such that only great attentiveness and careful application of the rules permit accurate discernment. "Discernment of spirits" is the term given to the judgment whereby it is possible to determine from what spirit the impulses of the soul emanate, and it is easy to understand the importance of this judgment both for self-direction and the direction of others. As Paul says, we are togrowin the gifts, and that means that we have train up in them. Spiritual discernment frees you from the manipulations and deceptions of others, allowing you to live the life that God created you to live.. The gift can be exercised by all believers. Required fields are marked *. Especially helpful for spiritual directors. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select a Beginning Point Poetical Books John wrote about the necessity of doing this. This was the main, if not the only purpose, for the gift. For most of us, they arent going to descend in full force all at once. Discernment takes practice. In the beginning, I was just caught up in the experience and not paying much attention to anything else. Thank you! In the Spiritual Exercises, Ignatius provides various rules for the discernment of spirits (Spiritual Exercises, 313-336). I am very grateful for that. The other time was when I looked at a young lady but instead saw an ugly face of a spirit with two wide opened eyes and a widely opened mouth. The gift was given to distinguish between the Holy Spirit and the working of evil spirits. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). Both logos and ethos have strengths and weaknesses, but it can also be unwise to use just one or the other when making decisions. Good and evil spirits operate according to the spiritual condition of the individual. Then I started smelling bad scents and sensing along with it presences that werent good. The Bible makes it clear that the devil is a real person as are his demonic followers. If I try casting it out, for I have thought it was a familiar spirit, I cannot. Good and evil spirits operate according to the spiritual condition of the individual. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Here's a breakdown of the definition of spiritual discernment and what it means in Christian life. We are told that deceitful spirits will always try to infiltrate the church especially toward the end of the age. We are indeed locked in a spiritual battle. When you think about it, God is the only one who can offer real spiritual discernment, so it makes perfect sense to ask for His help. For me, I think the smells were a training tool the Holy Spirit was using to help me develop the discerning of spirits. Once God ceased giving divine revelation to humanity there was no longer a need for this gift. Tim Challies, author of The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment, says that "the Bible tells us that discernment is the mark of those who have spiritual life, the mark of those who have attained spiritual growth and the mark of those who have attained spiritual maturity." (emphasis added) Discernment and the mature Christian should go hand-in-hand according to Discernment in a Nutshell by Joseph A. Tetlow, SJ, How Do I Know Im Experiencing God? While we should always test from the Bible first, I think it also helps to hear real life stories from the present day to help identify what we are experiencing. The nature of the gift is not explained or defined. Ignatius believed that these interior movements were caused by good spirits and evil spirits. We want to follow the action of a good spirit and reject the action of an evil spirit. I see and hear spirits, usually Gods Presence and angels, but also human spirits and demons. Carla Alvarez is the founder of Raised to Walk and a contributor at An Unexpected Journal where she writes about the Christian faith, a Communications Director at Legacy Marketing Services where she uses her BS in Marketing to create communication strategies for business, and a third grade Sunday school teacher where she uses her MA in Apologetics to keep up with questions from eight-year-olds. Blue Letter Bible study tools make reading, searching and studying the Bible easy and rewarding. In the Book of Acts, we have the following episode given to us. Pauline Epistles But the First Rule of discernment is simple: It is to recognize and obey what the LORD tells us to do through the Church. A verification email has been sent to the address you provided. We see this i n Luke 13:11-13. Consequently this gift would have more to do with spiritual warfare than discerning prophetic messages. This post is based on Week Two of An Ignatian Prayer Adventure. Therefore, Barnabas was able to discern that John Mark could be useful in the Lords work. A succinct summary of Ignatiuss advice for handling desolation. Part 1 in a 3-part series on discernment: What Is Discernment? For people who are trying to live a life pleasing to God, the good spirit strengthens, encourages, consoles, removes obstacles, and gives peace. The ability to recognize false teaching and false teachers is an ability given by God referred to in 1 Corinthians 12:10 as the "discerning of spirits."Since false teaching is one of the greatest hindrances to the progress of the . The word that came to me was conviction.. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12, ESV). John wrote about the need to tests the spirits. Now this judgment may be formed in two ways. What does the Bible say about as a man thinketh. Jessica Van Roekel is a woman on the journey to wholeness through brokenness. The purpose was to know if a prophetic message was divine or from some other source. B) The gift of discerning of spirits (or distinguishing of spirits) was also seen at the same moment. The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living Timothy M. Gallagher 4.52 998 ratings87 reviews St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, is one of the most influential spiritual leaders of all time, yet many readers find his Rules for Discernment hard to understand.