Many of God's people are in trouble today because they do not have a discerning spirit. They walk right into
Satan's traps and never even know what happened to them. One of them might say, “I can't imagine what went wrong.”
A person with a discerning spirit will be quick to explain, “Here's the trap Satan set and here's how you fell
into it.”
Each of us needs to develop a discerning spirit and to teach our children how to have a discerning spirit. A
discerning spirit is rooted in a knowledge of right and wrong. The time to begin teaching discernment, and to teach
right and wrong to our children, is not when they reach adulthood. We teach it to them from the time they are very
young children.
Moses told the Israelites they must thoroughly train their children in God's commandments:
These words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children,
and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise
up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write
them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deut. 6:6–9)
We must know right from wrong not only in theory, but in practice. We must know how to apply God's truth
to our lives and how to live in obedience to His commandments. That's why Moses said that we are to teach our children
God's commandments throughout the day, not just in a half-hour Sunday school lesson. We are to say plainly to them,
“This is right behavior, this is wrong behavior. This is God's commandment. This is the consequence for breaking
God's commandment. ”An education in right and wrong must occur twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year.
A child who is thoroughly trained in God's commandments and has been taught right from wrong has very little
trouble discerning Satan at work. He quickly picks up signals that tell him when things are not right; his conscience
is sensitive.
A child who is not taught right from wrong—a child who is allowed to do whatever he wants to do without consequence
and is told that all things are relative and that there are no absolutes—becomes a slow-moving target for the enemy.
He never sees what hits him.
There have been times when I've entered a room full of people and immediately sensed in my spirit that something
was not right. It's as if an inner alarm had gone off. At times the room was even occupied by a group of Christians—but
my inner spiritual radar told me that something was amiss, something wasn't right before God. In every case, I've
discovered that this inner discernment was correct.
I believe each Christian can and should be developing and exercising this kind of spiritual discernment. God
does not want His people to live in darkness or to be without an ability to detect evil at work. He has made every
provision necessary for us to acquire and grow in our ability to discern our enemy.
God's provision for us is twofold: His Word, and His Spirit. The Bible is our sourcebook for right and wrong.
God's Spirit is our teacher in helping us to choose good in our daily walk with Christ.
What the Word Says
A wise man's heart discerns both time and judgment;
Because for every matter there is a time and judgment (Eccl. 8:5–6)
What the Word Says to Me
What the Word Says
And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between
the unclean and the clean. In controversy they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My judgments. They
shall keep My laws and My statutes (Ezek. 44:23–24)
What the Word Says to Me
What the Word Says
For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food
belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use of their senses exercised to discern
both good and evil (Heb. 5:13–14)
What the Word Says to Me
• How are you being challenged in your spirit?
The Critical Importance of Knowing God's Principles
You will maintain or grow in your knowledge of right and wrong only by remaining steadfastly in God's Word.
If your parents did not teach you right from wrong at an early age, it is imperative that you retrain your mind.
You can do this by reading God's Word on a consistent, daily basis.
Believe what you read. Accept God's Word at face value. God means what He says. He says what He means.
Apply what you read. Put God's Word to use. Do what it says to do.
God's Word will renew your mind as you read it, giving you increasing insight into what God considers to be
righteous and unrighteous behavior, activities, and attitudes. In fact, I believe as you read God's Word on a daily
basis over time, your desires will change. You will no longer feel drawn to or comfortable in certain settings
or situations. You will develop a deep intuitive understanding that you simply do not belong in certain relationships
or groups.
Even if you had a wonderful Christ-centered childhood in which you gained a strong sense of right and wrong,
you benefit greatly by staying in God's Word on a daily basis. What you have learned in the past is reinforced
in your mind and heart. So much in our culture today presents an upside-down version of the truth—right is called
wrong (or rigid, insensitive, extremist, or narrow-minded), and wrongdoing is called right (especially “in certain
situations” and “given certain circumstances”). Blame is placed on everything except the exercise of free will
that God gave each of us to make personal choices. A steady and consistent reading of God's commandments helps
to keep us from falling victim to false teachings and human philosophies.
What the Word Says
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the
word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15)
What the Word Says to Me
What the Word Says
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Tim.
3:16–17)
What the Word Says to Me
What the Word Says
Guard what is committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely
called knowledge—by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith (1 Tim. 6:20–21)
What the Word Says to Me
What the Word Says
And do not be coformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what
is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom. 12:2)
What the Word Says to Me
The Simplicity of the Truth
Don't try to complicate or read your own meanings into God's Word. God has not made His Word too difficult for
you to comprehend. You may benefit from a translation of the Scriptures that presents God's truth in more modern
English so you can better understand the language of the Bible. But the truths of the Bible are actually
quite plain. We are the ones who make the Bible complicated in our attempts to justify our own desire to sin or
to “explain away” the passages that we find difficult to obey.
Paul warned the Corinthians that “as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted
from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3).
What happened in the Garden of Eden? Satan came to Eve and asked, “Has God indeed said … ?” He planted a doubt
in her mind. He implied that Eve may not have accurately heard God or that she had come to a wrong conclusion about
what God meant. Eve began to read into God's commandment more than God had said. She replied, “God has said, ‘You
shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die’ ” (Gen. 3:3). That's not precisely what God had commanded
Adam. He had told Adam, “Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat.” Eve added something
to God's Word.
Next, Satan tried to get Eve to believe that it would be good for her to eat the fruit of the tree because it
would make her more like God. If she was more like God she wouldn't die, because God will never die. Satan complicated
the message. He introduced confusion and questioning. If Eve had stayed obedient to God's plain and simple commandment
she would have been fine. The commandment was straightforward and easy to understand. The same is true for virtually
all of God's commandments.
If you do not understand parts of God's Word, ask God to reveal to you what you need to know in order to live
your life in a way that is pleasing to Him. The fact is, you may not need to have a full understanding of the depth
of every verse in the Bible. Some of the information in the Bible is likely to be understood fully only after we
are with the Lord in heaven. But, we can be assured that God will reveal to us everything we need to know in order
to live godly lives each day we are on earth. We can trust the Holy Spirit to teach us and remind us of the truth
we need as we face specific situations, decisions, and choices.
What the Word Says
The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your
remembrance all things that I said to you (John 14:26)
What the Word Says to Me
What the Word Says
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given
to him (James 1:5)
What the Word Says to Me
What the Word Says
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will fins; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who
asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened (Matt. 7:7–8)
What the Word Says to Me
Getting Rid of the Clutter
Much of what we take into our minds is of no eternal use to us. It has virtually no benefit in helping us live
our daily lives. It serves as clutter and it results in confusion. Not only do we need to turn to God's Word on
a daily basis, but we need to turn away from the messages and sources of information that present an image
of the world that is contrary to God's desire.
We must refuse to listen to false teachers—those who often appear to be Christians but in fact do very
little to lead a person to Jesus or to help a person walk in close relationship with the Holy Spirit. We must also
refuse to listen to teachers of falsehood—those who present messages to us that are impure, violent, rooted
in greed, or which present human beings as the center of the universe.
What the Word Says
Remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless
genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edificationwhich is in faith. Now the purpose of the commandment
is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have
turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things
which they affirm (1 Tim. 1:3–7)
What the Word Says to Me
What the Word Says
Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving
spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron
(1 Tim. 4:1–2)
What the Word Says to Me
What the Word Says
Reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness (1 Tim. 4:7)
What the Word Says to Me
• What new insights do you have into the importance of discernment and how to acquire it?
• In what ways are you being challenged in your spirit?
Staying Sensitive to Your Surroundings
Many Christian people have crashed in their spiritual lives because they had no spiritual sensitivity to what
was happening around them. We must ask the Holy Spirit to help us remain alert and aware of the opportunities,
challenges, and temptations that come our way.
Throughout the Scriptures we find the admonition to “watch.” We are to watch so we can guard against enemy attack.
We are also to watch for what the Lord desires to bring our way; we are to remain sensitive always to the blessings
and opportunities that the Lord desires to give us. We must watch for ways in which God wants to use us to bring
blessings to others.
In ancient times, watchmen were assigned to stand on the walls of fortified cities. They worked in shifts that
provided round-the-clock coverage. Their responsibility was twofold: watch for the approach of enemies who were
intent on attack, and watch for the appearance of the king's emissaries or the king himself. Our role as discerning
Christians today is the same: we are to watch alertly and consistently for the Lord's appearance in our midst as
much as we remain alert to the possibility of enemy attack.
This means we must be continually alert for ways in which to share the gospel with others who do not know Jesus
as their Savior. We must be aware of what God is desiring to do in us and through us as ambassadors for Christ
on earth. We must be on constant alert for opportunities to do good and to give words of loving encouragement to
our fellow Christians.
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you “watch.” I believe He will move quickly to answer that prayer.
What the Word Says
Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matt. 26:41)
What the Word Says to Me
What the Word Says
Be serious and watchful in your prayers (1 Peter 4:7)
What the Word Says to Me
What the Word Says
But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.… For when they
say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they
shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You
are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep,
as others do, but let us watch and be sober (1 Thess. 5:1, 3–6)
What the Word Says to Me
What the Word Says
Blessed is he who watches (Rev. 16:15)
What the Word Says to Me
• Can you recall a time when you experienced a negative consequence primarily because you were not sensitive
to your surroundings or to what the Lord was desiring to do in a particular situation?
• In what ways are you being challenged in your spirit?
Remain in Complete Submission to God
The flip side of submission is reliance. When you are submitted to someone, you are at the same time
reliant on that person. For example, when you yield or submit your personal defensive power to another person,
you become reliant on that other person to protect and shield you. When you submit your ability to provide for
yourself to another person, you become reliant on that other person to meet your needs. When you submit to the
decision-making authority of a person above you, you become reliant on that person to exercise wisdom and justice
on your behalf.
This is a very important concept related to spiritual discernment. With our finite mental ability, we simply
cannot discern clearly all of the tactics and influences of the devil. The devil is not omnipotent, but he is more
powerful than any human being. The devil is not omniscient, but he knows more than any human being. The devil is
not omnipresent, but he's been around a lot longer than any human being on earth today. The result is that the
devil has cunning tricks that are beyond our abilities as human beings to perceive or understand.
In order to exercise sound spiritual discernment, you must submit to God's authority and become reliant on God's
discerning power to work in you. Your submission to God includes your submission to the authority of His Word,
the Bible. God expects you to do what He tells you to do. As you obey His commandments, He takes on the responsibility
for all of the consequences related to your obedience. When you trust God's Word to be true, it is then up to God
to be faithful to His Word and to perform what He has said He would do on your behalf.
Your submission to God also includes submission to the authority of the Holy Spirit over your life. As a Christian,
you are not abandoned to survive on your own in an evil world. But neither are you given free reign to do whatever
you want to do. You are in a line of authority under God the Father, and the Holy Spirit is your immediate supervisor.
Submission to and reliance on the Holy Spirit must be ongoing in your life; it is a daily submission, not a one-time
event.
How does this relate specifically to discernment?
Your prayer and mine must be, “Holy Spirit, I submit myself to You. I want to do only what You want me to do.
I want to shun evil and pursue good. I am trusting You to reveal to me any sin in my life, any error that I am
about to make. I am putting myself into a position to be totally reliant on You to show me which choice to make,
which path to pursue, which opportunity to seize, which relationship to forge, which call to answer. I am also
totally reliant on You to reveal to me the presence of evil or an attack of the devil on my life, and to show me
how I might resist the devil and overcome him. Help me.”
What the Word Says
Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust,
And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies (Ps. 40:4)
What the Word Says to Me
What the Word Says
I am poor and needy,
Make haste to me O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
O LORD, do not delay (Ps. 70:5)
What the Word Says to Me
What the Word Says
My eyes are upon You, O GOD the Lord;
In You I take refuge;
Do not leave my soul destitute.
Keep me from the snares they have laid for me,
And from the traps of the workers of iniquity.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
While I escape safely (Ps. 141:8–10)
What the Word Says to Me
Discernment Develops as We Stay Focused on God
Our ability to discern develops as we
• stay in the Word on a daily basis.
• stay sensitive to what is happening around us and to those we encounter who may be in need.
• stay submitted to God's commandments and to the daily direction of the Holy Spirit.
Our focus must be tightly on God and His plans, purposes, and principles. When we are walking closely with the
Holy Spirit, discernment comes naturally and quickly.
Discernment is critical if we are to sidestep the traps that the devil has set for us. In fact, discernment
is the key to our avoiding many of life's troubles and trials.
• What new insights do you have into discernment and its relationship to overcoming the devil?
• In what ways are you being challenged in your spirit?
From Overcoming the Enemy: Discover God's Plan for Winning Spiritual
Battles by Charles Stanley. Copyright 1997 by Charles Stanley.
