Discernment

Discerning good from evil is not always easy.  Some things are easier than others and we can act on them immediately but some things come in disguise.  Where do you draw the line between judgment and a negative attitude and real discernment?  How can we know if Satan is deceiving us?  After all, the Word says that Satan is the father of all lies and a deceiver. Then there is another question, how do we know when we deceive ourselves or have been deceived?

I am definitely not an expert in this area and I don’t claim to be.  The reason I am writing about this subject is that I heard someone say some things last night and when I got thinking about what they said this morning, it bothered me.  I got thinking about the person’s motives and wondering if their motives were what they were said to be, or was there some deception going on there.

I know in order to really discern the scripture you have to be taught by the only true teacher, the Holy Spirit.   All spiritual things have to be spiritually discerned and without the Holy Spirit dwelling within you, you can never truly have a real understanding of the Word of God.  I think everyone knows that there are many people walking around that have been deceived and many don’t even know it.

When I think about our government officials and how many times we have been deceived by them it is horrible, it seems like almost every day deception is uncovered.  It is not only in our government it is almost everywhere you look.  Knowing all this I know it is very important to know the truth.  

Jesus said in Matthew 7:15, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”  In Jesus’ day there where many false prophets and there are many false teachers today. When I say this I am talking about teachers that are deliberately teaching false doctrine whether it be in church or in school or anywhere else people are teaching.  

This is what discernment means:  a keen perception or judgment.  The reason I say that people allow themselves to be deceived is that they don’t spend time studying whether what they hear or read is the truth, it is much easier to take someone else’s word for it.  I think it is very important to study the Word because you will find great insight and wisdom on its pages to help you discern right from wrong and good from evil and many other things, plus every Christian needs to be studying and learning to help keep themselves from being deceived.

I am going to put some scripture in here in case you are wondering about spiritual discernment.  Paul said this about the subject in 1 Corinthians 2:12-16, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.  But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.  But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.  For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM?  But we have the mind of Christ.”

When we are born–again by God’s grace, through our faith in Him, we are covered with the righteousness of Christ and we have the mind of Christ, we receive spiritual discernment.  As we depend on the Holy Spirit to teach us the Word, it becomes easier to understand and it also becomes our desire to know it and to hide it in our hearts.  Without the Holy Spirit the non-believer cannot possibly understand the Word or the things of God.

But when someone tells you something that isn’t in the Word it can be hard to discern the motive behind what is being said and it is easy to jump to our own conclusion and judge wrongly.  There are some things we need to trust the Lord to give us true discernment in, as we seek Him in prayer because He is the only one that knows the thoughts and intents of the heart of a person.  The Word says to ask, seek and knock and you will receive.  If you find yourself in this predicament, trying to discern someone’s motives, don’t be too quick to judge, seek the Lord and put the person in His hands.  God bless you and have a great day!!