This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment; so that you may approve the things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ; Philippians 1:9-10

As believers we have the ability to perceive things beyond the normal five senses; we have the ability to perceive within our spirits hidden qualities, sources and attitudes about events or individuals and even the foundations and motivations of circumstances taking place in our lives. The scripture records occurrences when Jesus received spiritual insights such as in Matthew 16:8, 22:18, Mark 2:8, Luke 8:46, 9:47.

Through the Spirit of God we can gain spiritual insight into the people and events around us. Yet how can we develop this sensitivity in our lives?

We have to move away from the world’s way of thinking by renewing our minds through continually meditation on God’s word.

We have to progress in our relationship with the Lord, to develop and stay sensitivity to his voice and guidance for our lives.

And finally, we do one more simple thing: take time to listen. Have you ever noticed when you first wake up in the morning that often you have some flashes of inspiration or insights into solutions to problems. These are spiritual perceptions that have been implanted in your spirit while you slept. Now, if you make it a daily practice to write these down you will discover that there is more spiritual insight in your spirit than you are aware of. That, after you write down one thought, others will follow. There have been times when I have woken up in the middle of the night and wrote outlines for entire messages. In addition to his, the better you are at applying these spiritual insights you, then more you will receive. It is just as Jesus said in Mark 4:24-25:

He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you who hear. For whoever has, to him will more be given, and he who doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he has.”

Thus, it is important that we do not allow the spiritual insights that the Lord has imparted to us slip away. For if we fail to utilize them, then they may never return to us. God is our source for spiritual perception; He has the answers, the wisdom and the instructions that we are searching for.