Developing Discernment
Read the Text: 1 John 4
Memorize the Text:
All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.
(1 John 1:3, CSB)
Consider the Text: 1 John 4:1-6
We live in a world that significantly influences people's lives. Unfortunately, the world's influence often tempts believers to accept half-truths and misrepresentations because of a failure to discern truth from deception. The very work of the evil one, Satan, is to destroy people's lives y using half-truths and deceptions. Thus, believers must develop the ability to practice discernment in all areas of life. The apostle John calls Christians to recognize this need for discernment and learn how to practice it.
THE PURPOSE OF DISCERNMENT
John begins by calling believers to discernment because it allows believers to recognize the danger of believing everything they hear, read, see, or engage. The apostle knows that false prophets declare false theology and ideology that often appear appealing. Accepting these false declarations from the flesh seems to support the ideology of one's life and makes one feel okay in their situation. In reality, such an approach to life leaves people with more significant confusion and wandering.
To deal with this threat, the apostle called for believers to "test the spirits." (4:1). As a believer, one needs to use two base criteria to judge a statement, declaration, or belief. First, we need to compare the ideology, statement, or declaration against the revelation of God's Word. If the belief does not align with the revelation of God, then it must be false. Then, to further test, believers should compare the ideology against the character of God. If the belief or act exists against the very character of the Lord, then it must be false. So discernment allows believers to test the ideas of the world against the unchanging, absolute truth of God's revealed Word and his character.
THREE KEY ACTIVITIES TO DEVELOP DISCERNMENT
Discernment occurs as one engages the Lord. Engagement takes intentional action because discernment is developed, not just automatically granted. The believer must lean into the critical study and practices to grow in discernment and use the discernment to live in faithfulness before the Lord and engage others with the truth. To develop discernment, the believer must engage the Word of God, speak to the Father in prayer, and trust in the presence, work, and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible must be the textbook that provides the metric for discerning truth from deception. The Bible is the infallible and inerrant Word of God, and as a result, it gives the needed truth to set the metric to judge the world's declarations, ideologies, and thoughts. It provides the required information to live a transformed life and serves as the foundation for every component of life. David penned the significance of the Word of God in Psalm 1 and detailed the difference between the one who obeys the Word and the one who rejects the Word. Thus, the believer must be the textbook for developing discernment.
The activity of prayer serves as the ability to speak to the textbook's author. As believers, we have the revealed Word of God and access to talk with the creator and author. Prayer aids the ability to discern because it opens the pathway to seek the Lord for clarity. The powerful nature of prayer occurs as we speak to the Lord in an authentic, passionate, and profound manner. Prayer happens when the real “I” says to the actual “THEE.” Therefore, a critical component of prayer is developing a prayer life that speaks to and listens to the Lord’s response.
The third key to help develop discernment is a life resting in the leading of the Holy Spirit. The indwelling of the Spirit means that believers have constant access to the Lord and live in the presence, power, and leading of the Lord. The Holy Spirit works in the believer's life to draw them away from the ways of the flesh and guides them toward the ways of the Lord. The presence of the Spirit opens the pathway to experience the freedom found only in the Lord and provides the needed guidance to promote the development of spiritual discernment.
As you evaluate your life, what voices of influence are present? Are you practicing discernment or blindly following what is declared without testing it to the Word of God? Take time today to analyze your faithfulness and commit to developing a more profound sense of discernment.
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
