How to know the works of Holy Spirit?

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white_jasmine

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How can we recognize if we are being guided and warned by the Holy Spirit? If you know some online Roman Catholic articles, please do share them here. I am mostly seeing non-Catholic articles which I think are different from the teachings of Roman Catholic church.
 
I will quote a a catholic book (also the saints are a great place to learn, I am still learning )
“The experience of the Church and the saints demonstrates a general law: what comes from the Spirit of God brings with it joy, peace, tranquility of spirit, gentleness, simplicity, and light. On the other hand, what comes from the spirit of evil brings sadness, trouble, agitation, worry, confusion, and darkness. These marks of the good and the evil spirit are unmistakable signs in themselves.”
— Fr. Jacques Philippe, p. 51 “In the School of the Holy Spirit”
 
It often follows some basic rule, which we call the discernment of the Spirit, meaning there can be different types of spirit – the Holy Spirit, the human spirit and the Evil Spirit. Thus you have to make sure or at least confident and reasonable enough it is not the latter two. In other word, you have to rule out them out first.

By this rule, the Evil Spirit is dangerous and destructive to your spiritual life, our human spirit is not that destructive but usually does not have real effect on your growth. It is the Holy Spirit that can really edify and make you grow in the Lord.

Discernment should always call for another person or a group of mature Christians to help you to figure that it is really the Holy Spirit. Some basic rule, like being said, is whether it is in line with the Church’s teaching and the Bible. These may not necessary be from the Holy Spirit for you but at least they are not wrong or against the Church.

After that it should be tested, in the short and the long run. The latter means, does it bear good fruit or not?

The Holy Spirit brings good fruit, and unlike the Evil One, it will bring you peace in yourself.
 
Spiritual direction from a good spiritual director. Generally speaking feelings and visions should not be trusted.
 
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