Spiritual Discernment
I recently received a phone message stating that my Walmart account had been hacked and someone had attempted to use my personal information to make a significant purchase. Naturally, I called the number to inquire about this. I was connected to a person who proceeded to ask me several questions - during which I became increasingly cautious and sensed that this was an elaborate scheme - I immediately ended the call. This inner sense was based on my natural instincts, coupled with rational thinking. The experience made me think about the term spiritual discernment, which can be described as the ability to see things from God’s perspective and to distinguish truth from lies when it comes to the Scriptures and the Christian faith.
The Scriptures and Spiritual Discernment
Throughout Scripture, we are encouraged to seek discernment. For example, Proverbs 2: 1-7 reads:
“My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver and search for her as hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity.”
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Philippians 1:9-10 And this is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ…”
The Holy Spirit and Discernment
The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2: 13-14 argues that only the Holy Spirit can reveal the things of God and contrasts this with human-centered knowledge and understanding: “This is what we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.”
Spiritual discernment was critical during the early church as a means of mitigating against false doctrines and false teachers and remains critical in the 21st Century church. As Christians we are encouraged to ask for discernment not only as a means of distinguishing between biblical and non-biblical truths but also as a means to guide us in making choices in our daily life that are in alignment with God’s kingdom purposes for our lives. This discernment can be obtained through the written word of God as revealed in the Bible and empowerment by the Holy Spirit.
Denny Barnett