Discernment of Spirits for Beginners; Learning to Hear God and Defeat the Lies of the Enemy

Deanna Bartalini reviews an excellent book to help guide teens and young adults toward and closer relationship with God and a deeper faith.  

Discernment of Spirits for Beginners: Learning to Hear God and Defeat the Lies of the Enemy

By Dan Burke and Mary Ruth Hackett

Published by Sophia Institute Press

I Want to Hear God 

One of the most important tools in our spiritual life is our ability to know who God is, how He works in our lives, and how He speaks to us. We want to know His will, so, ideally, we can follow it. The trouble is, we are not often taught this and there are many voices that call out to us. The voices that are not of God push, pull, and tug at us to do things that are wrong for us or morally wrong.  

As a spiritual director, I speak to many people who want to know and follow God’s will for their lives. Over 500 years ago, St. Ignatius of Loyola gave us tools to help us learn to hear and understand what God wants from us, specifically. Nad now, Dan Burke and Mary Ruth Hackett have written an extremely useful and succinct book, Discernment of Spirits for Beginners; Learning to Hear God and Defeat the Lies of the Enemy, published by Sophia Institute Press. 

The target audience for this book is teens and young adults, a time when many are searching for answers but are unsure where to turn. The book takes the 14 Rules of Discernment from Saint Ignatius and reframes them in today’s world, using language and examples that will resonate and be understood by the reader. 

Discernment of Spirits 

In seven chapters all the Rules are covered. Chapter 1 clearly lays out the purpose of the book. We are reminded that we are engaged in a great spiritual battle:

You are already engaged in this battle whether you realize it or not. We are called not to be victims but victors over the demons. This call to arms and this very spiritual battle is what this book is about. 

The next six chapters focus on knowing who the enemy is, knowing yourself and your feelings, how to stay committed to good, what to do when you are stuck, and learning that you are not alone in your spiritual life. 

I thought the focus on emotions and how they can help us or lead us astray very well done.

If what you are feeling or thinking lacks faith, hope, or love, it is not from the Lord. Your father in heaven wants you to live a life filled with hope, faith, and love. 

Each chapter ends with questions for reflection and conversation. This book includes many practical ways to focus on God on a daily basis. Practical is a word I often use in describing Ignatian spirituality and what drew me to Ignatius. Dan and Mary Beth give real ways to incorporate faith into daily life, such as praying an Examen, mental prayer, combatting lies with Scripture, and of course, the Sacraments.  

They also remind us what life looks like when we are aligned with God:

When your compass is healthy, it means that your conscience, your will, and your intellect are all aligned to lead you to God. When your compass is taken off the mark by sin and selfishness, your intellect is darkened and your will is weakened. 

I think this would be a good book to read as the new year begins. It would also make a thoughtful gift for someone who is becoming Catholic, graduating high school or college, or simply desires to go deeper into their spiritual life.  

Is this a book you'd like to read? Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2025 Deanna Bartalini
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