How to Tell if a Thought is from God or the Devil w/ Fr. Gregory Pine, OP

In this clip, Fr. Gregory Pine provides a framework for understanding if a thought or idea is from God, from yourself or from the Devil—also known as: Discernment of Spirits.

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[ChildofGod]

God will provide, all we have to do is have faith. Me and my children are facing eviction this month. I’m suffering I lost my job because I declined the vaccine. I declined due to my pre existing health condition (Lupus) and heart disease. I’m on a bunch of medications already including blood thinners. I’m a single mom, my husband passed away three years ago around this time it’s so hard I feel alone. But it’s my faith in God that will carry me through this hard time.

[andrewangelopacheco]

St. Catherine of Sienna in the "Dialogue" asks God the question, "How do we know when an inspiration is from God or if it's from the devil", God gave her the answer, "When inspiration is given to you and your first reaction is joy followed by confusion then it is from the devil as the devil cannot grant Peace. When inspiration comes and you react with fear followed by a greater desire to love and serve me then it comes from heaven". I find this a perfect measuring stick.

This question is what brought me back to the Church. I realized that the thoughts that arise in my mind are not my own conscious decision, and that realization compelled me to seek to align my will with God's will and open myself to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit because of the horror of the possibility of being an instrument of the will and inspiration of any other source.

[pamkunz]

I was arguing about this very topic this morning in my own mind. I finally realized it was my will, not the Lord's, that was fighting for dominance. Once this became apparent, I was able to recognize all the rationalizations my mind was trying to trick me with. I'm not always this successful but I do find a big red flag is when I'm arguing with myself.

[thisgirl]

There were a few times in my life when I needed to make an important decision. I prayed to the Holy Spirit, and woke up with an answer in my heart. And a knowledge/conviction that it came from him. It was amazing.

[LeeEngle]

This little talk sounds like you heard my confession yesterday. I need wisdom and discernment along with humility - thank you for the message to aid me along the way

[FrJohnBrownSJ]

Thank you. It's interesting to see a good Thomist look at the methods St. Ignatius is known for. Pray for good men to answer God's call to enter the Society of Jesus.

[drakonidesthevigilant]

I was at Mass some months ago and after the Priest had consecrated the host I saw with my mind's eye 👁️ a man in the front row with a pillar of spiritual "fire" above his head 🔥
This color of this pillar was a color no mortal eye has ever seen but the nearest colors I can compare it to are red gold purple very striking and beautiful.

That man whom I witnessed was in the midst of the Holy Spirit. God bless him

I experience bouts of clear seeing or clairvoyance but I can never will it to happen. It's the occasional gift of the Lord. Oh, and I've had some profound spiritual experiences during Mass especially when the Priest is consecrating the Host or Invoking the presence of the Holy Spirit. Usually a profound inner peace

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[SciVias]

Bless you, Father, & your persistence in Christ. Someone else didn't want this posted!

[signlanguage]

I feel so sinful and weak like I have no virtues. Please pray for me that the lord will deliver me from my inclination to want to sin.

[TheMediable]

This is a true blessing my priest told me to look up discernment of spirits and now this video pops up

[lilamaria]

Excellente catéchèse !
Merci beaucoup Fr Gregory!
Pax et Bonum
🙏🙏🙏

[GraceElaineSings]

A Pints With Aquinas episode on discernment of spirits from a million years ago was how I found this channel!!

[AbbyElizabeth]

I find that God prompts me in really obvious ways. He doesn’t say specific words to me, but He will plant an idea in my mind. Sometimes it’s the idea to ask a friend to go to mass with me. Sometimes it’s to share my feelings and telling people about important moments that I have had in prayer life that I think could help them. An idea comes to me to pray for certain people- people I haven’t thought about in a long time. When I feel unworthy and unloved and feeling incredibly lowly, Satan tells me to not tell anyone. To keep going. It’s selfish to share my feelings. WRONG. In those moments I know it’s not God making me feel unworthy or lowly. It’s Satan creating doubt in me. He plants this doubt because he knows I already struggle with OCD and anxiety and hopes to thrive there, to pull me away from God. The great thing is that whenever I feel I shouldn’t tell someone how I feel, I know I actually MUST. God wants togetherness. He supports our efforts in Building His Kingdom but he knows our weak humanness and asks us to seek support in Him directly and through those virtuous relationships around us.

[michelemcdermott]

Okay Father Pine, this is a listen to at least 2 more times ( for me, it is)! And I do pray for you🙏🙏

[wendyflanagan]

A difficult subject to get across but Father Gregory you did your best. This was my first time listening to you. I am a Catholic but I confess to having listened to Derek Prince, a late English evangelist with a deep love for God. Somewhere amongst his YouTube Ministry he explains Discernment brilliantly. My son is called Gregory Peter Andrew Flanagan. Please pray he returns to the Catholic faith after a difficult time. Thank you and God bless you for teaching us.

[angelafloodgate]

Great topic Thank you! Best rule of decrement for me, still is this one from St. Albert the Great: “Let this be the test for you of whether any thought, word or action of yours is of God, whether you are made more humble because of it, more inward and more recollected and established in God. If you find it is otherwise in yourself, you should be suspicious about it, whether it be not according to God, unacceptable to you and not to your benefit.”

Experiencing the subtlety and pervasiveness of my pride I am having a hard time denying the my total depravity.
Its so painfully clear that Ido not have any Life in myself.

[luisblanco]

I would add that God's voice is humble in the sense that it is not angry or vengeful. The idea would have to be conformed to God's surrender on the cross. He abandoned his own defense for love of his enemies. There are many words and actions that would have been just for him to take but he chose to only say forgive them Lord for they do not know what they do. That kinda gives you a similar vibe of how ideas from God have to be in the same humble state.

[tomlabooks]

Just wonderful. And I can’t believe Fr. Pine had to re-start his video 8 times, when he’s so unbelievably articulate when he talks about any topic.

[roisinpatriciagaffney]

Thank you, Father Pine.
Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, pray for us.
St. Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us.