There was a period of time when my pastor consistently talked about the need for every Christian to be discerning. At the time, I thought- if you are not discerning, you can always talk to those who are. I have also heard people say that only very “spiritual Christians” discern; as though it is something special for a select few. I have found however, that not only is it available to all Christians; it is a big necessity.
Hebrews 5: 14 “Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.”
This skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong makes us discerning and the bible says it is available to the mature who allow their spirits to be trained by the Spirit of God through His word.
Having considered a few things that have happened in my life and around me, I have found that when we do not have this skill, we can keep going round and round the same mountain in life and never go forward. One may never even know that one isn’t moving forward because there is some motion going on just that it isn’t taking you forward. If you do not have the skill, you will fight useless and/or every battle, you will not recognize the things that you need to recognize in life to go forward e.g. mate, enemies, friends and you will wrongly interpret situations. If one interprets a situation wrongly, you are bound to act wrongly and if you do, you may loose a chance of life forever.
Mathew 28: 1-2a “Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning…Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone and sat on it.”
An earthquake is usually a sign that terrible things are about to happen. People will lose their lives, homes and family members. It usually brings great pain, loss and suffering. Earthquake can also describe a great shaking in the life of a man. However, this time the earthquake signaled the resurrection of the first begotten of the father; the one that had conquered life and death and liberty was about to be proclaimed to mankind. If at the time, there were undiscerning scientists they would have done their best to prevent it. If God had shown some of us that there would be an earth quake (because sometimes He does not give us the total picture so we may not know why) we would have prayed it out of the way but this was one earthquake that would turn our lives around for good forever.
If you pray the earthquake away, the angel may never come down and then the stone may never be rolled away. Sometimes we deceive ourselves when we say things like “oh God is a loving God and would use a less painful or difficult method” but what if that particular angel who is equipped to roll away the stone is always preceded by an earthquake?
The same way, I have found in life that one does not have to fight every battle. If it is not one necessary to take you into the fulfillment of your destiny, it would be an unnecessary battle; one put in place by the enemy to make you dissipate energy. Worse still, death can actually occur because we failed to be discerning.
May God help us go through the training that will make us discerning.
This is a battle cry to the church of Christ!
ReplyDeleteWe absolutely need discernment; for in the exercise of every legitimate right, the enemy sets a trap.
Deception is the greatest weapon of the enemy in these end times. Hence, the Bible says that in the last days, even the very elect shall be deceived.
Only discernment can defeat deception!
God bless you.