Written by Olivia Waters, UPCI Associate in Missions, Finland
EYES TO SEE: LEARNING SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT
When I first arrived in Finland, I thought I understood a great deal about the spiritual gifts. However, as I watched the Alphins operate in their day-to-day life (how they prayed, how they responded to those around them, and how they constantly moved in the Spirit), I began to realize that my understanding wasn’t yet complete. Thankfully, Bro. Alphin stepped in and gave me an unforgettable lesson about spiritual discernment.
During that lesson, Bro. Alphin taught me that discernment was not about being naturally intuitive, because that would have made it possible through my own ability. Discernment is a gift from God; it does not come from a human source – it is not something that I can do on my own. Instead, this gift from God is spiritual perception given through the Holy Spirit that allows those who receive it to sense what spirit is human, demonic, or divine. Bro. Alphin explained that when done correctly, discernment reveals what is truly driving a situation.
Within this teaching, Bro. Alphin taught two key questions to analyze to help develop discernment:
- What are you feeling?
- What do you see that supports that?
By analyzing these questions, I began to pay attention to my emotions in certain places and situations. Every time that I did this, I was able to see those emotions being supported by the physical realm in the actions of others. Bro. Alphin explained that the question of “What are you feeling?” can be answered in many different ways for many different people, as it can come by way of physical sensations (such as taste, feel, smell, hear, and see), mental images, and shifts in the atmosphere. Still, while it may vary based on the ways God speaks to people, it will never lead to confusion, for God is not the author of that.
Since that lesson, I began to apply spiritual discernment to my life in ways that I had not even thought of before. Through practice and pushing through the enemy’s attacks of frustration, I began to see the ways that the Lord honored my willingness and opened my eyes to the spiritual realm. It has already begun to impact my prayer life positively. Not only that, it has also helped me recognize when a conflict isn’t just personal, but spiritual. This gift of the spirit has elevated my understanding of the world around me by making me more dependent on the Lord, the source of all of my information about the things of the spirit.
LEARNING TO DWELL: MY JOURNEY INTO THE SECRET PLACE
During a time of difficulty in my preteen years, God introduced me to a “place” where I could meet Him in prayer. I never really knew how to describe it to those around me, but I did know that sometimes when I was in prayer, the Lord would take me to this peaceful, calming place in my mind where I was able to leave my worries behind and dwell in His presence. I could go into more detail about what I would see in that “place” or the deep awareness that I had of God’s nearness, but that is beside the point for now.
“The Lord longs for our souls to live in constant communion with Him.”
Fast forward a few years to this summer when I had the chance to go on an AIM trip to Finland with the Alphins, who are amazing people that live in a constant and genuinely grounded walk with God. One topic that they often spoke of that would always catch my ear was that of the secret place. Through their teaching, for the first time, I began to connect the biblical concept of the secret place (from Psalm 91:1: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”) to the “place” that the Lord would meet with me in prayer. The Alphins gave me a book – The Secret Place by William L. Sciscoe – to help me understand a bit more. This book really helped me come to a full realization of my previous experience and also gave me direction on how to pursue the secret place with intention going forward.
The key point of my understanding that shifted was that the secret place is more than just a fleeting encounter. It’s a dwelling. Before this, I had confined this “place” that I would go to in the Lord’s presence as something solely for private prayer time, but through the teachings of the Alphins and Bro. Sciscoe’s explanation in his book I learned that this secret place was something I could abide in constantly, where God could reveal His heart, shape me into His image, and equip me for His purpose in this lifelong invitation into His presence.
Whether it’s sitting still on a bus ride, picking up groceries, or even simply walking from one place to the next, the Lord longs for our souls to live in constant communion with Him. It is not something that can be successfully checked off and then moved on from, but it is something that grows with us throughout our lives. It is not contingent on age, calling, or experience, but is something that the Lord desires of us: to meet Him in that secret place.
A note from Nordic Missions: Bishop William Sciscoe was known to us as “Pastor” from January 1997 until his death on August 29, 2022. His memory as our spiritual father will linger with us forever, and his invaluable lessons are still reaping benefits many years past his sharing them with us.
William Sciscoe’s book, The Secret Place, is unmatched in its sharing of how one can attain understanding of that special place we Christians long to experience, and we strongly encourage you to pick up your copy today! Click to purchase in the USA; Click to purchase in Europe; Click to purchase in the UK.