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Learn To Have True Discernment |
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True discernment is truly belonging to God with your whole heart and becoming as familiar as possible with his character. It is also listening carefully to what others say, they way they say it, voice reflections, and also what's not said but implied. This does not mean that we can put words in other people's mouths, or just come to our conclusion about what was said. I am talking about really listening to people and letting the Holy Spirit talk back to you and tell you what you need to know. You may not always get the whole picture about a person, but if you really listen to the Holy Spirit, he can show you enough about that person to tell you what He really wants you to know - either good or bad. Sometimes when someone is speaking that we don't respect or like, we tend to just tune out and not pay attention. We don't think that they would have anything to say that we should hear. Sometimes that's the way the Holy Spirit chooses to let you know things about people and where they stand and what's really in their heart. If you really listen, most people can speak volumes without even knowing it. This can be especially helpful in spiritual warfare in discerning who to trust and who not to trust with things. In Exodus 32:28-29, Pharaoh only let the people go so he would stop having to put up with the plagues that were coming on him and his people because of the Israelites. He didn't do it for the right reason. DISCERNMENT IS UNDERSTANDING A PERSON'S MOTIVES FOR DOING EVEN THE RIGHT THING. IF THEIR MOTIVE IS WRONG, SATAN CAN STILL WIN SOME BATTLES IN THAT PERSON'S LIFE EVEN IF THEY ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING. REMEMBER THAT GOD LOOKS AT THE HEART, NOT THEIR OUTWARD APPEARANCE. In Job 12:11 Job says "Doth not the ear try words?" It is the task of the ear to discriminate between wise and unwise words. Job 34:3 says "The ear trieth words as the mouth tasteth meat". Just as our palate decides if we like certain foods, we should also listen with care to things that are said to decide if they are wise or unwise and if we will let them change us or if we discard them. Psalm 119:125 - "I am your servant, give me understanding (discernment and comprehension) that I may know (discern and be familiar with the character of) your testimonies. (Amp. Bible) The more we are familiar with God's character, the more discernment and wisdom we can have. Proverbs 2:1-6 says to cry after knowledge and lift up your voice for understanding. Seek after it as silver and search for it like hidden treasure. Then you shall understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. The Lord gives wisdom and out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. A man of true understanding keeps silent and does not belittle and despise people. True discernment does not let others tell you what is right or wrong just because they have their own opinion of it that is not necessarily based on the Word of God. True discernment always looks to the Holy Spirit for guidance and not just what another person says. We can't truly discern about a person or thing without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Without that, it just becomes how we feel in the flesh about a certain thing or person. Proverbs 3:5-7 says "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the Lord, and depart from evil. If we do these things, God will give us wisdom and discernment in any situation, no matter how difficult! But always remember that wisdom and discernment should be tempered with love and mercy. God gives us much more of both of these than we could ever deserve. So we should keep that in mind when having discernment about others. It's easy to have discernment about a person or particular thing and make a judgment right then. The thing is that you never know where that person may be in their walk with God, and you don't know what God plans to do in their life. They may not be where they need to be, but God may want to use you somehow in their life. If you only go by the discernment you have, then you are likely to deem them as unworthy and write them off. God takes each one of us exactly where we are and starts to work in our lives from there. He slowly brings us along to where He wants us to be. He treats us with much love, grace, and mercy even though none of us could ever do anything to deserve it. Pray that God will give you His love and compassion toward others. Ask Him to help you to look at others the way that He looks at them. If you can do this, you can always be a vessel that God can use to do the work that He wants to do in the lives of others - whatever that may be.
Text written and authored by Cathy Deaton and is her own work.
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