Empath vs Holy Spirit: What Does the Bible Say About Empaths?

[Lotuspetal_uk]

Does anyone have any scripture based literature which addresses this. Whether the characteristics of a person gifted with discernment are similar to what is described as an empath?

Ever since I got saved, I would say that the area where I feel at peace with are my dreams, and praying/intercession. I rarely get visions and occasionally get a Word of Knowledge.

When I pray about someone it's as though I 'feel' what they are going through and thus can pray into that situation, or I would be praying and moved to tears for that person and would then receive scripture to share with the person which encourages them. I had occasions with work colleagues where after being around them I feel compelled to pray for them and then afterwards they open up to me with the issue that I had been praying about.

I saw a thread here to do with someone asking whether a believer can be an empath. I had never heard of the term tbh and so had to google it. There was a site which identified as being Christian which basically listed the characteristics of someone who was an 'empath'. It listed things such as the person preferring to be around pets/animals or by water/nature. That the person feels exhausted if they are surrounded by crowds for extended bits of time. That the person can usually tell when someone is lying. That the person cannot stand being around someone who is negative/passive aggressive. That such a person draws narcissists to them which again drains them. Basically from the list I identified with the majority of the descriptions.

The purpose of my thread is one of testing this. There is way too much occultic/ New Age sites which uses this phrase, so I am basically asking whether anyone else has researched this in line with scripture. There is no definition of an empath in the Bible or something which makes reference to the term 'empath' and so before I chuck this out, I was wondering what everyone's thoughts were.

In the Bible is this part of the prophetic gift? Is being an empath (this being the personality traits that the website had listed) a spiritual gift from God? If you are an intercessor, do you sometimes become overcome with compassion for the person you're praying for to where you are moved to tears?

I will try to locate the website again and edit this OP with it in but in the meantime feel free to pop in your thoughts especially if you have looked into this already.

God bless and thanks.

 

[Hall]

I think being an empath is a personality, some Christians are and some Christians aren't. We do become more compassionate towards others when becoming a Christian, and that somewhat resembles an empath personality.

 

[Lotuspetal_uk]

I know this sounds like a daft question (forgive me as this is new) - so would it best be described as a personality trait rather than some kind of 'gifting'?

 

[Sanoy]

I remember reading from the Chief Exorcist of Rome, Amorth, that the difference between Charisms and psychic like stuff is that Charism will not leave someone tired. However I don't know if that counts when it comes to an empath because they are not physically tired but psychologically and emotionally tired. Not from using it, but from it allowing stuff through. And you are never tired from positive people.

Are Charism turned on when we need them or they left on? If the former I have my doubts about being an empath because some of it doesn't work to any good. Some of it's random information, some of it just makes you want to leave, and some of it pains you.

I just don't know, and I'm afraid to call something a Charism if it isn't.

This will be a weird question, but have you ever witnessed anything weird or supernatural as a child? A yes or no is enough, you don't have to describe it.

 

[Lotuspetal_uk]

I remember reading from the Chief Exorcist of Rome, Amorth, that the difference between Charisms and psychic like stuff is that Charism will not leave someone tired. However I don't know if that counts when it comes to an empath because they are not physically tired but psychologically and emotionally tired. Not from using it, but from it allowing stuff through. And you are never tired from positive people.

Thanks Sanoy. I get mentally tired to the degree that I need a good 20+ minutes when I get home (after being either out in the shopping crowds/work), where I can sit in solitude and pray or sit in silence. During the summer I get by via getting out in the garden. I've been looking back on my life and observed that I only really noticed this on getting saved. Prior to that I don't recall experiencing this.

Are Charism turned on when we need them or they left on? If the former I have my doubts about being an empath because some of it doesn't work to any good. Some of it's random information, some of it just makes you want to leave, and some of it pains you.

I just don't know, and I'm afraid to call something a Charism if it isn't.

This will be a weird question, but have you ever witnessed anything weird or supernatural as a child? A yes or no is enough, you don't have to describe it.

Not particularly - I had an invisible friend pre-school. At 15 I went on vacation to a Carribbean island and could not bear to be in a dungeon. It turned out that the same area use to torture runaway slaves. Outside of those two incidents I can't remember.

Thank you again,

 

[DreamerOfTheHeart]

Does anyone have any scripture based literature which addresses this. Whether the characteristics of a person gifted with discernment are similar to what is described as an empath?

Ever since I got saved, I would say that the area where I feel at peace with are my dreams, and praying/intercession. I rarely get visions and occasionally get a Word of Knowledge.

When I pray about someone it's as though I 'feel' what they are going through and thus can pray into that situation, or I would be praying and moved to tears for that person and would then receive scripture to share with the person which encourages them. I had occasions with work colleagues where after being around them I feel compelled to pray for them and then afterwards they open up to me with the issue that I had been praying about.

I saw a thread here to do with someone asking whether a believer can be an empath. I had never heard of the term tbh and so had to google it. There was a site which identified as being Christian which basically listed the characteristics of someone who was an 'empath'. It listed things such as the person preferring to be around pets/animals or by water/nature. That the person feels exhausted if they are surrounded by crowds for extended bits of time. That the person can usually tell when someone is lying. That the person cannot stand being around someone who is negative/passive aggressive. That such a person draws narcissists to them which again drains them. Basically from the list I identified with the majority of the descriptions.

The purpose of my thread is one of testing this. There is way too much occultic/ New Age sites which uses this phrase, so I am basically asking whether anyone else has researched this in line with scripture. There is nothing in the Bible which makes reference to the term 'empath' and so before I chuck this out, I was wondering what everyone's thoughts were.

In the Bible is this part of the prophetic gift? Is this (this being the personality traits that the website had listed) part of discernment? If you are an intercessor, do you sometimes become overcome with compassion for the person you're praying for to where you are moved to tears?

I will try to locate the website again and edit this OP with it in but in the meantime feel free to pop in your thoughts especially if you have looked into this already.

God bless and thanks.

Christians are profound empaths -- we even love our "Satans" (Adversaries, enemies).

Sociopaths are just terms created by ignorant people who are not connected to the end of the tree of creation. They are branches that fall off, they never even had hope for eternal life.

 

[Lotuspetal_uk]

Christians are profound empaths -- we even love our "Satans" (Adversaries, enemies).

Sociopaths are just terms created by ignorant people who are not connected to the end of the tree of creation. They are branches that fall off, they never even had hope for eternal life.

Thank you Dreamer of the Heart.

Would you say that similar to terms such as 'sociopaths' that the term 'empath' are nothing more than this world's attempt to explain someone?

 

[DreamerOfTheHeart]

Thank you Dreamer of the Heart.

Would you say that similar to terms such as 'sociopaths' that the term 'empath' are nothing more than this world's attempt to explain someone?

Very much so. People are barbarians in context of the future via the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

 

[Sarcoline]

Definition of empath in the Bible
"A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial:


8 to one is given a message of wisdom
through the Spirit,
to another, a message of knowledge
by the same Spirit,
9 to another, faith by the same Spirit,
to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
10 to another, the performing of miracles,
to another, prophecy,
to another, distinguishing between spirits,
to another, different kinds of languages,
to another, interpretation of languages.

11 But one and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as He wills."(1 Corinthians 12:7-11).

Definition of empath:

• A person thought to have the ability to perceive or experience the emotional state of another individual.

• Informal One who has a well-developed capacity for empathy: “He was also something of an empath, intuitively alert, it would seem, to what was going on behind those faces” ( Roberta Smith )

Read more at Empath dictionary definition | empath defined

 

[Lotuspetal_uk]

Thank you so much Sarcoline

I appreciate all of your responses to this.

Since creating the OP I've managed to locate the website that had the questions:

Christian Empaths? Burden Bearers!

This is beginning to make sense in terms of things that I've gone through offline. In my line of work, I've tended to feel like a failure - not realising that I was bringing home a lot of baggage from students and work colleagues which had been making me ill. More recently I've had a couple of contracts where I have realised to pray for the particular person, as the Holy Spirit puts it on my heart. I was at a school last week where the lady was off with stress/anxiety. On my first day home I felt stressed and anxious and I could feel my BP suddenly rising (the first time in over 2 years). I realised that I needed to pray for the woman and I asked the Lord to confirm I was on the right track (still learning) by showing me that the lady was back at work. Earlier this week she was back at work and the school didn't need me.

Thank you guys again as it is helping me prayerfully as the Holy Spirit 'irons out' some
stuff within me.