Holy Discernment

“Those who . . have their senses exercised to discern.” Hebrews 5:14 NKJV

“You need discernment for Godly conclusions, wise decisions, and righteous actions.”

My thoughts today are about “holy discernment.”

Everyone, unless there has been some unfortunate lack or loss, has the same five senses – the sense of sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. By these you translate experiences and interact with the world around you. Those natural senses provide indispensable information that you need to form conclusions, make decisions, and enact safe and responsible behavior. The more accurately you understand and translate your senses, the better your conclusions, decisions, and actions.

The Bible promises that God has provided something more, “for those who are (spiritually) mature, who have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong, and then do what is right.” Read Hebrews 5:14-6:3 NLT. In addition to the natural senses, God has given you the capacity for a spiritual sensitivity to guide you in His ways. See Proverbs 1:5/10:13/14:6/14:33/16:21/18:15 NIV.

“No eyes has seen; no ear has heard; no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him, but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit . . the man without the Spirit (of God) does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them for they are spiritually discerned . . for we have the mind of Christ” Please read 1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4 NIV.

Some have wrongly sought development of such an inner sense through para-psychology, occult practices, witchcraft, eastern meditation, and even demonic involvement – often to their confusion and harm. Often, unknowingly and out of spiritual blindness, sincere and seeking people can be drawn into practices that deceive and darken their soul rather than the promise of enlightenment. God alone has all that you need.

Misdirected for one’s own curiosity, or desire to peer privately into the unknowable future, or to acquire some manipulative power over their own life or others, people are hurt and less spiritually sensitive, not more.

God gives you this spiritual capacity beyond your five, natural senses particularly for insightful discernment of right and wrong. Wouldn’t it make sense, that if God were the source of this spiritual, inner sense He would best know how it would be developed and implemented for your good, and the practical benefit and spiritual blessing of others? Like your natural senses, there is a process for maturity in this.

(1) Saturate yourself in the Word of God daily; your personal knowledge and practical adherence to God’s truth is essential. See Psalm 1:1-3 NKJV. (2) Judge what you “sense” inwardly with the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:13-17 NLT. The Spirit and the Word always agree! (3) Grow in spiritual awareness and sensitivity to God’s voice, a little more everyday. See Hebrews 5:14 NIV/ John 10:27-28 NIV.

My prayer for you today is: be spiritually discerning; don’t be enticed and fooled.