True Discernment
Would you agree this day and age requires discernment? This kind requires intimacy with God. We are not going to be able to rely on our natural instinct or senses, neither can it come from other people. That’s not to say others don’t have anything good to offer; however, what each of us needs comes from God alone. This does not discount someone having a Word from Him. What it does mean is we need to go to Him first.
True discernment actually resides inside the believer through the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 reveals that He manifests through us in various ways. One of those ways is discerning of spirits (verse 3). Not only does He reveal the nature of a spirit (i.e. Christ, angelic, demonic, etc.); He also reveals the spirit behind motives. Moreover, Holy Spirit gives us the words of knowledge and wisdom. It would be foolish to say we don’t need Him, because we have the Bible.
It’s important to realize, we cannot truly understand the Bible without Him, either. It is spiritual in nature, which requires the Spirit to understand it. If we lean on our own understanding, we’ll be more apt to misinterpret the Word, which is of no private interpretation (see 1 Peter 1:20). Similarly, the things we see and hear in the world can be misleading. Depending on our point of view, we can also misinterpret what’s going on before our eyes and ears.
1 Corinthians 2:12-16 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that He may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Who is Your Source?
2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Unfortunately, many gather to themselves teachers based on their personal biases. Some prefer self-deception, because they want to do their own thing without consequence. Others are genuinely looking for truth, but run to others before running to God. Paradoxically, some fail to recognize some of those are false teachers. Ironically, some they call false teachers are not false. This is why it’s important to ask the Lord to whom we should listen. He may even tell us not to listen to anyone in the moment.
People do have good things to share with the Body of Christ; nonetheless, the time to listen to them may be for another time or season. Often, God wants to speak to us directly, especially if He desires to give specific directions for us, or address situations in which we find ourselves. Jesus said His sheep hear His voice, and this is definitely the day and age in which we need to be listening!
