A reader wrote to me, asking what the purpose of the Seer gift was. I did a quick search on this site, and was sort of surprised that basically nothing came up that was very helpful. Therefore, I adapted the email I sent back into this post.
Before we get to the purpose of seers, let’s sum up exactly why you and all other humans are here.
The Purpose of Humans
Ultimately, God designed people to function to bring the rule and reign of God –the Kingdom – from heaven to earth and into the furthest reaches of the cosmos. It’s humankind’s best destiny to function this way.
The story of the Bible outlines this destiny from the very first page to the very last page. Because humans have a flawed perspective of who they are, who God is, what the New Covenant is, and what the Kingdom is, people have really screwed things up.
Jesus Christ came to remake us into our true identity and set us on the path to our true destiny. Then Jesus sent his disciples out into the world continue this work. This is what being made in the image of God really means: to function as God’s imagers on earth.
God designed us to partner with the Holy Spirit in making the entire cosmos a fit place for God’s presence. This means bringing order to chaos, defeating the effects of sin, and overturning the works of enemy spiritual forces, starting with our lives, our families, our homes, communities, and so on.
To that aim, God has granted some people the ability to perceive things in the spirit realm.
Types of Seers
In how I use the term on this site, there are basically two kinds of seers:
Type 1. Those who are born with the ability to perceive things in the spirit realm, and
Type 2. Those who develop the gift after having a spiritual encounter.
The Seer Continuum
Seers’ abilities function along a continuum. Seers on one side see spiritual things very clearly all the time.
On the other side of the spectrum, they only see things when their physical senses are most calm, as when they are asleep, and they see things in their dreams.
Type 1 Seers
These seers are born with the ability to perceive things clearly in the spirit realm. They can’t help it. It’s just how their brains are wired.
The purpose of the ability to perceive things in the spirit realm is whatever the person wants it to be… but the best purpose would be to further the rule and reign of God on earth (i.e., advance the Kingdom of God), which is why God created humans in the first place.
Similarly, no matter how people are gifted, no matter what their cognitive or physical abilities, they were designed to best use the gifts God has blessed them with to further the Kingdom.
How does this work for Type 1 Seers?
Simply put, they serve as an early warning system that something isn’t furthering God’s rule and reign (the Kingdom).
For instance, young children are often quite honest when they tell us that something dark is going on and they are scared. It behooves adults to pay attention, and then take corrective actions.
Hint: the corrective actions aren’t to punish the children or to tell them there aren’t really monsters under the bed, but to find what is inviting dark spiritual influences and get rid of it/stop it. I go into considerable detail about this in Peace in Your House.
Seer Report: Responding to Bad Dreams
Children tend to be more spiritually sensitive than adults. A child who has frequent terrifying dreams might be picking up on faint but ominous spiritual signals that something amiss is invading or at work.
Adults need to pay attention to these dreams and take corrective action to reverse whatever it is attracting the evil (essentially bring more of the Kingdom of God into their homes). Readers of Peace in Your House will know what I’m talking about.
Seer Report: Combating Demons in Public
Sometimes seers – children, teens, or adults – can discern what kind of spirit is operating and then take necessary action to combat it. This can be in the form of prayer, but it might be something else, like getting rid of certain sins or items in our lives.
For instance, one teen seer shared with me how she saw a demonic spirit of depression on someone at the mall. She approached the man and asked if she could pray against “the spirit of depression.” Notice, she saw an intelligent entity with a spiritual assignment on him, but he just assumed she was being metaphorical. He agreed to the prayer, and she broke the spiritual assignment right in the mall and sent the demon away. The man felt instantly better and was amazed.
Seer Report: A Shadow Descended on Christmas
A few nights ago, our daughter described to me a terrifying vision in her bedroom. I responded with some fervent prayer, which seemed to bring comfort. She slept okay, but the next night, she told me and her mother that she felt on a dark spiritual force had settled on the house on Christmas.
Coincidentally, I had become sick, and my wife and I were grumpy with each other for no good reason.
Anyway, we began exploring what had caused it. Could it be a particular Christmas gift? A curse released? Prayers against us? A demonic assignment?
My point is simply we began to take action in response to our seer daughter informing us what she was picking up from the spirit realm. We are actively seeking to bring more of the Kingdom in our family, which entails finding out just what has brought this dark spiritual force against us.
Seers are our early warning system or God’s intelligence network, and when we pay attention to their reports, we are better equipped to overturn the works of the enemy, combat the effects of sin, and bring more of the Kingdom into our lives.
Type 2 Seers
The second type of seer is the person who develops the gift after a spiritual encounter. For instance, sometimes when someone becomes a Christian or are filled with the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit gifts them with this ability.
It’s startling, but when this happens, the gift is certainly meant to be used for further the Kingdom and serve the Body of Christ. It’s a calling on the seer’s life. It’s up to the seer whether or not he or she will use the gift accordingly and humbly.
Gifts do not equal Maturity
Many people receive a spiritual gift and then make many poor assumptions about themselves or the gift. They might assume they are special or have achieved a spiritual maturity others haven’t attained.
Receiving a spiritual gift isn’t related to maturity or “specialness” or even granting authority to someone. It’s related to serving to bring the Kingdom (the dynamic rule and reign of God) to earth at whatever walk of life someone is in.
In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit once blasted King Saul, causing his body to be overheated and to fall over, unable to move (“slain in the spirit”) all day and night, while prophesying. Those nearby wondered if he was suddenly a prophet.[ref]See 1 Sam 19:23-24.[/ref]
He wasn’t. At this stage in his life, Saul was in open rebellion against God. He wasn’t mature or theologically sound. And yet he experienced a powerful spiritual gift, at least temporarily. This encounter with God’s gifting did not cause Saul to repent, unfortunately. He continued to abuse his authority.
It behooves those who receive powerful spiritual gifts to wield them with humble service, in submission, love, and grace. This is how the Kingdom of God functions on earth.[ref]Mark 10:42-45[/ref]
Serving God Means Serving Others First
God’s desire for us is not to do unto others as we would have done unto us. That thinking sums up the Ten Commandments, the Old Testament Law and the Old Testament Prophets. It is Old Covenant thinking!
Instead, Jesus gave us a new commandment: Love and do unto others as God has loved and done unto us.[ref] John 13:34[/ref] This is New Covenant thinking and is a far higher calling than the “Golden Rule.”
Practically speaking, this means to “put others first from a position of love and service.”
Thus, using our gifts to serve God means serving others, putting them first while loving them as God has loved us. Serving God is exactly contrary to how the world perceives success, but it’s your true destiny, your true purpose.
God grants us the freedom to use his gifts to serve God or to serve ourselves. Said another way, we can live according to God’s desires or according to someone else’s desires.
Too many spiritually gifted people believe that because they are gifted, their desires are God’s desires, and so they follow their desires first, when in fact, God’s desires something else. This error explains why there is so much spiritual abuse in the Church. Many people will use their spiritual gifts to further themselves or their church or their ministry, which may obliquely further the Kingdom of God, but often does damage to it.
The Purpose of all Spiritual Gifts
The point of spiritual gifts isn’t to build up ourselves or our ministries, but to advance the Kingdom on earth.
The bottom line is this: the seer gift is meant to be used to further the rule and reign of God – the Kingdom of God – on earth as it is in heaven. This is best done through serving from a position of a humble nature rooted in love and grace.
Well written and explained
Enjoyed the article. I fit the Type 2 Seer. However, “Seer Continuum” option 1 or option 2 did not represent how and when I see. Maybe the majority seers fit in one of the two explanations but not all?
This continuum needs a little work. I’m still thinking it through.
Where in the Bible is this mentioned, exactly? I can’t find it anywhere, and considering how it is God’s word, I really am doubting this is real.
Where are seers mentioned in the Bible? You mean, like people who can see angels? The Christmas story is full of people who saw angels. Check out these links for more of where this is in the Bible.
Biblical examples of the seer gift running in families:
How to think biblical about spiritual gifts and abilities.
And Yes, the Seer Gift is Biblical.
To gain a biblical worldview that begins to accept the reality of the supernatural, check out these articles.
Why is it so limited? Seeing as a word is just the vehicle of knowing…. by hearing, smelling, reading, tasting, seeing, feeling, … what about the active side? Sending, touching, changing, influencing, telling/calling/ informing, commanding, praying, supporting, praising, thanking 🙂
By the way..
Just lovely the story with you and your daughter and your wife.
Maybe your daughter picked up the grumpy spirit…
And by the way the grumpy spirit comes to me quite often and im convinced mostly it has nothing to do with me… i get to think it is somebodys anger about me not doing what they want me to do. Some type of anger directed towards me ….
Does this sound familiar with you…. a close relative maybe?
Thank you for this nice platform!!
A joy to find people alike
Thank you, and a great reminder about the grumpy spirit maybe coming from someone else. Our daughter (now 13) is sometimes extremely temperamental and it’s important we don’t forget this principle!
Thank you so much for this thorough response to the question. I do believe that it was I who asked quite some time ago. I was so freaked out when I realized my daughter could see things everywhere all of the time and i was afraid for her for many reasons, including people thnking she was crazy. I too am a seer from childhood but her abilities far exceed mine. When I realized she sees them everywhere, that was when I drove 7 hours to meet with a certain pastor whom I trusted to discuss the gift with. Although, as a believer, I generally knew, I still needed something even more specific. Anyway….i just wanted to thank you again.
Good article. Your definition of a type 1 seer is a real seer. You are born with the gift it can not be earned or merited. Type 2 is actually having the gift of prophecy. When you become a Christian or filled with the Holy Spirit God can speak through you and show you things. Of course God can use anyone rather their a Christian or Holy Ghost filled or not. I was taught having a gift of prophecy and being a seer are 2 totally different things but also one in the same to some degree. In a sense seers have a calling on their life like a born warrior and prophets are picked to help join the fight. Kind of like the same difference with “many are called but few are chosen.” It’s all for the advancement of the kingdom but there is a difference. I enjoyed the reading.
I’m a born seer & couldn’t agree with you more!! I definitely feel like as a seer we are on the forefront of the spiritual battleground. I’ve always known I’m not of earth bc how could I possibly be homesick if this is my only home (yep I know how insane that sounds)? Your comment helped me know there are others out there!! I’ve desperately searched for even a glimmer of others & found nothing until now. Are you a seer too? Are you a prophet? You must be from home as your discernment is grand. Thanks for commenting 💓
How can someone develop the gift.
Dear David, praying for others gifts of the Holy Spirit, that they not be ignorant, that they use their gifts in glory to God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Pray for their spiritua inheritance, pray they become an oracle of God. Pray that their spiritual gifts always be administered through the word of God.
I’m a born seer. I have tirelessly searched my whole life for answers. Thank you for this blog! At one point – around 2 or 3 I remember being able to control the flow of tiny red dot-lights. I noticed they were always moving very fluidly and wondered could I shape them or give them other color values & I could at will. During the day the dots are not nearly as fluid & act more like “visual snow” & are white / grey in color. I remember being excited to go to bed bc it would be pitch black & then the show would start. I would watch until my little eyes closed for sleep – sometimes “talking” to them or shaping & coloring them all night. Almost like a virtual coloring book or light bright. I’ve noticed as I’m older (36) I can still controlled the flow but cannot make precise shapes or colors as I once could. The dots are still tiny pinpoint red lights as they were upon remembering seeing them since I could remember. They never scared me & my parents just thought I had a very large imagination & I do but there is definitely a difference between seeing in the Mind vs seeing in reality. More on this topic perhaps? I noticed your daughter is on her teen years as you stated. My years as a teen were tumultuous esp in the heightened state i experienced life in. (Everything seemed amplified infinitely compared to “normal” people). It made life hard & I wished I had a real support system I could openly engage in these experiences that no one seemed to get or see. Keep being her rock 💓. Thank you so much for helping me get the confirmation I’ve known all along in my heart.
Thanks for this info! I believe I was born with this, as I saw manifestations of evil as a child and in adolescence. About two years ago I began having overwhelming encounters of worship of Yahweh, and there was a fierce battle where I saw/perceived much evil, but then also much beauty!! I thought I was just going totally crazy! Praise Him, He’s brought me through that and now I see mostly during worship, both beautiful and not so beautiful stuff, and during ministry prayer. But also, the Lord illustrates things to me in the natural.Thanks for being here so I gain more info. about what has been happening! <3 One of the funniest ones was when He directed me to look in a certain direction and I saw 2 signs together: One sign was an Icee ad, and the other was a street sign for interstate 20/20, so He was telling Me “I see 20/20”! 😀
There are also “feelers” that are “Seers” too. I sometimes have night visions and dreams, once in awhile a clear mental photo. Every day of my life though–whether I want to or not–I “feel” vibrations. Could be heavenly/glory/angelic/fire/etc, could be someones human spirit, can also be warfare demonic. I don’t see as much as I like to but when I feel fire all over my body and know an angel is nearby (or one of many other very strong physical feelings) I consider that to be a “seeing’ gift also. Like Bob Jones wrote in an article once…if I were to put a fresh loaf of bread under your noes while your eyes were closed–you’d be able to smell the bread, touch the bread, feel the steam of it, taste it, hear how it sounds when you touch it–etc. I considered these other senses to be part of the Seer gift as well. I don’t “see” as much as I’d like to (I do in certain seasons).
Anyway. I just thought I’d share and see what your thought were? I’m enjoying your content. 😄
Nice, I had a conversation with God one day and He said the purpose of the gift is to know Him. Which fits into the big pic of bringing His kingdom. Then later that morning I turned on an audio book by Blake Healy, “profound good” and in the forward it is mentioned that the purpose of the gift is to know Him.
Ultimately, that’s what the Kingdom – (by which, I mean God’s dynamic rule and reign)- is all about!
I am in the can see in dreams, and sudden image when awake..
Doug, Do you have a gift of discerning Gifts?
Id say Im a SEER 2, it happened while praying for a humans soul at her death, I was with her.
I have volunteered teaching in a Catholic church.
There seems to be stars that linger, like they are other Angels… could I be someone that helps souls cross? Ive seen Jesus in a closed vision, he was blessing me…
I emailed you today if youd like to chat.
Thank you!!
KristinM
Can you contact me.
How do you gain more power?
Kristen I would love to talk with you about some of your experiences!! Mine have also involved stars A LOT! I have seen what appear to be big stars moving around and even floating down towards me. But I have also seen the moon do the same thing so I believe that is def God, maybe making it look to me like he is moving the moon. Idk how else to describe it. Lol. Still waiting for some of the answers from God.
I am not a seer in the traditional sense, but was able to use my phone camera to see demons in a home. After having those pictures on my phone, I now have those demons in my home. I am at a loss for relief. Amy Bradley has been working with me and told me to contact you. The demons have made me highly sensitive to electricity. I believe they did this to dominate my personality. Please help if you can.
Pam
So Pam, are you saying that you couldn’t see the demons before using your phone and now you can see them in your home? What could this mean?
Thank you for the topic. I`m struggling with this gift and healing gift. Last year, I helped my own sister with a demonic spirit that was making her sick .It was hidden in a jewelry holder that a friend gave her as a gift. It was the first time that I actually free my sister with this type of evil spirit. I told her not to tell any body about it, as I am scared people will think I am a freak.
I totally understand. Do you believe in negative energy? or is this a different ballgame?
I started to see the spirit realm a few months ago (accidentally).
I was brought up an Atheist (by ex Roman Catholic parents) so it has been a huge shock to me.
First I saw it watching videos on YouTube and then I could get videos to “glitch” and I saw unbelievable images; and now I can see it in the sky/in nature and on peoples faces/necks.
So you are not alone.
That’s a really interesting experience. Thanks for sharing!
rebuke them in Jesus name and don’t let the spirit of fear control you
I AM ALSO A SEER
I am a Prophet and a Seer. May i say these are Gifts and Anointings we’re born with, and are evident as children. John The Baptist leaped in the womb, showing understanding and perception. Samuel heard The Lord as a child and understood. David as a teen with the Gidt of Faith and by it slew the giant. As I child I would just know things ahead of time. Like catching a scent on the wind which catches your attention so you look to see what the smell is or where it’s coming from…and I would just See..which comes with a Knowing..you just Know what you’re seeing is this or that. As a child they would just come in seeing visions or dreams or perceptions. It’s always been this way.. but at 21 when I was Saved gradually after a few yrs things changed. And The Holy Spirit began to teach me (I’m skipping a lot). I am able to hear in the spirit things taking place. I can see where a person is spiritualy I exercise the gifts (Heb. 5:12-14). It’s as we follow The Lord and are doers of righteousness He helps to cultivate discernment and other areas…this is the course to becoming sons of God and reaching the place of being Led by the Spirit. On the other hand…When a person is Saved having never exhibitng being anointed suddenly begins to experince events like visions and sensations and “Prophetic words” this is always the work of an enemy. They teach the verse about doctrines of devils but never say how they get there.. Satan transforming/ disquises himself as an angel/messenger of Light..and “Because” they’re not anointed or may not have the anointing or gifts a Prophet would have (which would be stronger) they don’t discern “this is not God”. And so their 1st experience is with a fallen angel or Spirit counterfeiting God.. and they believing its God accept whatever their told because they’re being conditioned. “For many shall come in My name saying I am Christ (which means anointed) and shall deceive (causing them to wander or roam from truth) many.” That’s where we are. Which is why so much Error and false doctrines and false Prophecies have permeated The church.
Hope this helps.
Do you have a list of examples on how seers use their gift for the good? Cleansing homes, healers (what type), etc?
Jessica, I’m sorry for the delayed response.
The seer gift is for you. It’s often not for a seer to share what is seen, unless the Lord prompts. The visions allow the seer to know how to minister to someone, to encourage a closer walk with the Lord.
This is the heart of what my book and our podcast/youtube discussion is getting at. The book should be out in a few weeks, but the YouTube vids are live… it’s also can be found on podcasting apps, so I hope you give it a listen.