Published April, 2002, reprint, 2003, 05, 07,10
In the year 2000 I was led to share on the matter of DEALING WITH OFFENCES and was later encouraged to publish this word in booklet form. It has proved to be a very timely word. Thousands of booklets have gone out to many countries.
This year the critical word for our times seems to be on the matter of DISCERNMENT. These messages were shared at Church of Zion in Vancouver, BC, Canada and again it was felt that they should be put into print. We trust that this also may be a timely and helpful word for the church.
With thanks to all those who offered suggestions and helped in proof reading and editing, we offer this booklet to our gracious Lord for His glory.
This booklet is freely offered to the body of Christ to be used as the Lord directs.
It may be duplicated, copied and used in whole or in part. It is NOT under copyright. If more copies are needed, be free to duplicate or see order information on back cover.
Albert Zehr, A-Z LIFE Publications, 10243 157A St., Surrey, BC V4N 2G7 Canada e-mail: ajzehr@shaw.ca
DISCERNMENT - for End Times
A Critical Need for These Times
Several days before New Year's day, 2002, I sensed the Lord asking me what I particularly desired for the coming year. He then took me to James 1:5, and said, 'If any man lack wisdom, let him ask and I will grant it." After some time in His presence I sensed that during the coming years there will be a great need for discernment. Contemplating this I prayed, "Dear Lord, I sense a personal lack in this area and sincerely ask you for an increase in discernment for the coming years."
The Lord responded, “For the days ahead discernment will be critically needed for all My people. Seek My face and prepare My people to know and exercise discernment.” Only by the constant exercise of discernment will My people see clearly and be spared from being confused and misled. Times are accelerating and there is not much time for trial and error. Both in personal, church and even business life discernment is critical.
During the following weeks I was led to prepare and share several messages on discernment. Many expressed great appreciation and the conviction that this was a very timely topic and I was encouraged to present the matter as it is contained in the following pages.
Definition of DISCERNMENT:
Discernment might be described as the capacity to see through the natural or immediate outward appearances. How often have we been disappointed because something or someone turned out to be quite different than what we had first expected? We may conclude that we were deceived or taken advantage of, but likely we were caught in making a superficial judgment. In other words we lacked the exercise of discernment. Later we come to realize that we did not perceive the real underlying facts and we begin to understand the real need for us to learn and exercise discernment.
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To put it in a more spiritual dimension we could say that discernment is the ability to perceive things from the Lord's perspective or to gain the mind of the Spirit. In all aspects of living our most critical need in every situation is to know the mind of Christ.
Discernment is actually an innate characteristic of the Holy Spirit and so it is also a characteristic of the new life that indwells our spirit. Since it is a "natural" quality of the Spirit that indwells us, it becomes the fruit of living in and by the Spirit. However, we are still human and live by the momentum of the old nature until it is "put to death" by allowing the Spirit to work and take over in us.
The dictionary defines discernment as the acuteness of judgment, to perceive differences between things or ideas. To differentiate between natural qualities may be helpful but we hope to move in a deeper dimension.
To discern does not mean that we see into the future but that we perceive the true reality of the present. By seeing the true reality of the present the future often becomes quite obvious.
I have been exercising in this matter -praying for a spirit of discernment as I listen to people present their cases. I am often surprised how the Lord grants me insight beyond any natural analysis. Now I see how so often in the past I merely read the surface and entered into the confusion of debate, rather then rising above to a clear perception according to the Lord's view.
Recently a man shared his frustration and what he considered to be justified anger over a long-standing situation. He listed the pros and cons, trying to be as objective as he could, asking if I would arbitrate between him and his father. I didn't focus on the details, but asked the Lord to show me the heart and the key to the matter. Eventually, he paused to hear my verdict. As I responded in accordance with what the Lord showed me, he broke down and wept. "Oh, God, I don't need an arbitrator, I need to repent and confess my bitterness, and ask the Lord and my father to forgive me!" He declared later that he made more progress in one evening then he had in years of attempting to analyze his problem.
I. The need:
In this section we will simply enumerate some of the reasons why discernment is desperately needed in these times. Later many of these matters will be further developed.
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To know the times.
1 Chronicles 12:32 tells us that, "the men of Issachar understood the times and knew what Israel should do." In these days we all need to be "men of Issachar," to be able to understand the times we are living in.
It seems that most people, and unfortunately many believers, pass through life with little awareness of the times they are living in. In the fifteenth century many believers lived and walked close to Martin Luther and had no idea that this was a time of reformation. Even Martin Luther harassed the Anabaptists without discerning that they were recovering truth beyond his limited vision.
Through the centuries many have also jumped onto frivolous "end-time" movements under zealous misguided leaders only to learn later that they had been duped. This tendency will increase and only those with clear discernment will be able to navigate through the rapids without detours, or even shipwrecks.
In Matthew 16:2-3 and Luke 12:56, Jesus said that the Pharisees could interpret the weather, but they were unable to interpret, or discern the signs of the times. As we move into the later days we are told that many will even perform signs and wonders, but not all will be of God. It is desperately crucial that we have discernment both to know the times, and also to determine the validity of ongoing activities.
The Lord gave me this prayer, "Lord, help me to be open, but not gullible, and help me to be discerning but not critical." In my experience He is answering this prayer. I recommend it to all who "don't want to miss out" but also "don't want to be taken for a ride."
Many who joined the celebration when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday had no idea who was before them. A week later they shouted, "crucify Him" with absolutely no discernment as to the times they were living in.
Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that there is a time for everything. This does not mean that it just happens, but often we must discern the proper time, so that we will know when to keep and when to throw away v. 6, when to speak and when to keep silent v. 7.
Ecclesiastes 8: 5b -6 "the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure. For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter . . ." This certainly refers to discernment in action. Beyond knowing the times we live in we must also learn to know the proper time and procedure for anything.
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To understand ourselves and our personal reactions.
I believe that the first and most critical need for clear discernment is that we come to know and understand ourselves. We cannot discern another beyond what we are able to discern ourselves. If we are self-deceived, how can we clearly see through the deception around us? For this we must come to know our spirit and be actively joined to the Holy Spirit. “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God" (1 Cor. 2:11).
We must come to know the difference between the soul and the spirit. This is further confirmed in Heb. 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Later we will see how critical it is to allow the Word to divide our soul from our spirit if we wish to have discernment.
As we proceed we will see again and again that in these times we must let the Lord expose every thought and motive in our being if we wish to have discernment. Our weaknesses and faults are a problem only if we cover them up or refuse to acknowledge them. As long as we cannot see or acknowledge them we will not see them in others. If we do we will simply react in judgment and condemnation. Have you noticed how often people are very upset by the very weaknesses in others that they have themselves.
Each time we acknowledge and confess our sin and weaknesses He generously forgives and His transforming grace changes us. He also imparts grace and forbearance which we can then readily extend and dispense to others.
The Holy Spirit does shine into our spirit but it must shine through our soul. If our soul is clouded with self, ambition, pride, greed, prejudice or jealousy, the resulting discernment will be tainted. To discern the real condition of others
When we meet or minister to others do we simply see the outward facade and react with natural sympathy, or do we discern their real inward condition? Suppose you are disciplining your child by withholding dinner. At this point a well-meaning friend arrives, takes pity and feeds the child. While the friend is being naturally kind, he is actually interfering with the father's discipline. When someone comes to me for help, can I discern whether the Lord is disciplining
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him or whether he is being attacked by the evil one?
When someone is crying can I recognize whether they are reveling in self pity or needing comfort for a real wound? When someone else offers to help me can I detect whether he is seeking my favor or sincerely wants to help me out of love?
When choosing co-workers in ministry or business it is critical to exercise discernment. Much frustration and many broken relationships could be avoided if we would leam to discern before we commit on the basis of apparent compatibility.
Can we distinguish between someone who is being critical or someone who is expressing a prophetic insight which the Spirit has revealed to them? Many prophetic voices have been stomped on because others could not recognize a prophetic voice. Many times only keen discernment can distinguish between rebellion and prophetic voice.
To know the strategies of the enemy.
We do not wish to give undue attention to the enemy however, in order to be discerning we must be aware of his schemes, so that he might not outwit us (2 Cor. 2:11). We must be aware that one of his main activities is, "to blind the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel" (2 Cor. 4:4).
Knowing this can save us from the counter-productive exercise of warring against our unbelieving friends. I finally learned that the problem is not my apparent stubborn, unbelieving friends, but the powers of darkness that veil their hearts and fill their minds with doubt and suspicion. Knowing this, I begin to employ the authority that God has given me in my spirit in prayer to bind the evil forces at work in my friends. In many situations they soon begin to soften and their attitudes change. Some even think that it was I who have changed! Many are now my trusting friends and some are my brothers!
Peter, who had first-hand experience in being deceived by the enemy advised us that, "the devil prowls around looking for someone to devour," so we must know, "how to resist him" (1 Peter 5: 8-9). To resist him we must be able to discern his activity and his lies and what is really truth.
A person was suffering from severe nightmares. We needed discernment to ascertain where the enemy was finding legal ground to harass him. We discerned that somehow he was giving the enemy ground, either by grieving the Lord and causing His face to turn aside or wandering into the legal territory of the enemy.
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We could detect no evidence of satanic materials or strongholds in his home. He assured us that he was not living in willful sin. We did, however, find that he was very critical and spoke negatively about the church and church leaders. The Lord then showed us that this brother was depreciating the church, i.e. "the Lord's wife," and was rebelling against His delegated authority. These actions grieved the Lord, removed the brother from a proper spiritual covering and gave the enemy access to harass him. Only as these matters were addressed were the enemy's grounds for attack able to be removed and victory over this torment assured. To exercise the spiritual gift of discerning of spirits
The aged and experienced Apostle John advises us that there are many spirits, some are of God and some are not and we must differentiate between them (1 John 4:1). For this purpose we need the gift of "discerning of spirits" which Paul tells us about in 1 Cor. 12:10. This is no doubt a unique ability to distinguish between the Spirit of God, the spirit of man, and- the spirit of Satan and his agents. While this is the particular gift of some, I believe we all need to be prepared to exercise it in our spiritual journey, especially as the last days' battle heats up (2 Thes. 2:2).
There is coming a dramatically increasing need for dealing with demonic activities. Some will need deliverance, others may simply need teaching and revelation to know their position in Christ. We desperately need discernment to detect the need and the proper approach for each situation..
When we pray for healing we must discern whether a sickness is the result of demonic spirits, self destructive behavior, past experiences, or health mismanagement. Many times, before effective healing can be realized, the root causes must be addressed.
We have been finding of late that persons who cannot overcome certain addictions, sicknesses and oppressions are often being harassed by evil spirits. I have begun to write a booklet on healing and spiritual deliverance and hope to release it soon. In the meantime, the Lord instructed me that while deliverance is much needed, discernment is a priority and an absolute necessity for effective deliverance. To pray effectively
The Apostle Paul, who was given much discernment, declared that he was not running aimlessly nor beating the air (1 Cor. 9:26). He knew where the target was and the most effective way to hit it. It seems that many times our prayers are a barrage of good suggestions propelled at the Lord.
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However Jesus said that effective prayer involved praying according to His will (Matt. 6:10; 18:18-20). Here again we see a need for discernment, otherwise we may exhaust ourselves and even end up praying [according to] our natural desires which may well frustrate God's purposes.
There are times when through discernment we see the factors in a problem but it may not be the acceptable time to share what we see. This is where intercession comes in. No doubt this insight was given to us so that we may be able to intercede more effectively until the time for disclosure comes. There are times when the situation is so heavy and the answer so foreboding that even our words are inadequate. Fortunately, these are times when we can pray by the Spirit in words that even we ourselves cannot understand (Rom. 8:26).
Sometimes the Lord drops an awareness about His desire into our spirits. This is somewhat like a conception. It may then need to be carried and nurtured by prayer for an extended period of time. If we speak of it before its time it may well be aborted. Eventually, it will come due and will be birthed to become the genuine fulfillment of what He had revealed to us earlier. Here we see an initial discernment of revelation and then a further discernment relative to knowing the time of fullness for a matter. To work or lead effectively
Anyone who has been called into leadership constantly needs discernment. When King Solomon was overwhelmed with the responsibility of leadership he pleased God by asking for discernment (1 Kings 3:9). What an assurance it is to know that in the most impossible situations He can give us His answers through the exercise of discernment. We do not need to rely on ourselves. The judges in Old Testament time were great examples of leaders who needed to exercise discernment. To some extent every leader is called to be a judge.
II. Bible examples:
Much revelation concerning discernment can be gained by studying the biblical characters. From these we will see that discernment is not just dropped on us as an answer to prayer, but results from submitting ourselves to God's work in our lives. Let us consider a few.
Jacob: Many times discernment is gained only by difficult experiences. This seems to be the case with many saints, especially Jacob. In his earlier years he went through many difficulties because he was so strong and trusted in his
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own abilities. However, in his later years when his natural sight was almost gone, he exercised amazing discernment. By this time he no longer trusted his natural sense, or the preference of others, but he perceived God's mind for the future of his sons. He clearly sensed God's mind concerning his grandsons and crossed his arms to lay his right hand on the younger child (Gen. 48: 17-19).
Our natural strength must be broken. As our trust shifts from our own ability and personal insight and becomes totally dependent on the Lord we will begin to pick up that still small voice that makes known His mind.
Joseph: At times revelation seems to come well in advance of wisdom. Joseph was not only a dreamer, but a very perceptive and prophetic young boy. He had, however, not yet learned discernment. He blew his brothers away and almost got himself wiped out (Gen. 37:5).
Only after much testing, only after his pride and presumption were dealt with, was he able to discern the Lord's way and time for action. Much later, when Joseph's unsuspecting brothers appeared, he was finally able to discern their hearts. He could also exercise the wisdom to wait for the appropriate time to deal with them according to God's mind (Gen. 43-45).
Joshua: Discerning a situation is not a guarantee of constant discernment. In Joshua 5:14, Joshua recognized that the man who approached him was the angel of the Lord and fell on his face. If Joshua had been blinded by pride or position he would have rebuked the man. But as a result of his proper discernment he received a clear word from the Lord and instructions for the coming event.
However, in the situation with the Gibeonites in Joshua 9, discernment was sadly lacking, and the men of Israel were deceived. The Gibeonites wore old shoes, dusty clothes, carried cracked wineskins and moldy bread to convince the Israelite leaders that they had come from a far off country. Joshua 9:14 tells us that, "the Israelite men sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord." In other words, they ate up their story, but did not discern the Lord's mind. Consequently they were deceived and the results produced much frustration in the years to come.
We must leam that outward appearances can be deceptive and only discernment guided by the Holy Spirit can preserve us from being deceived. Let us learn to "inquire of the Lord," even if the outward facts appear obvious.
Eli: Little Samuel kept waking up thinking that Eli
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had called him. It took Eli three times before he perceived that it was the Lord who was calling Samuel (1 Sam. 3:8). Sometimes the Lord graciously gives us a number of chances to get the message.
David: There are many cases where David exercised discernment and some where he did not. One example worth noting for our study is found in 2 Sam. 14:1-19. Here a wise woman was set up by Joab with a touching story to persuade David to have sympathy for his rebellious son Absalom. However, David discerned that she was speaking for Joab and she acknowledged that no one could get away with anything in front of him!
It does seem that David's natural sympathy for his son Absalom began to cloud his discernment and eventually allowed an environment for Absalom9 s fatal rebellion. It is very difficult to exercise clear discernment when family or deep natural sympathy is involved.
In 2 Samuel 16, while David is fleeing from Absalom, Ziba brings him provisions and honors him. At this moment David is carried away by Ziba's graciousness and does not perceive that he is being deceived, because the provisions were actually sent by Mephiposheth (2 Sam 19: 24). It is not easy to have clear discernment when we are hurting and someone is nice to us.
In the next incident David is being cursed by Shimei. Although he is encouraged to react he perceives that Shimei is acting according to the Lord's instructions. Here we see remarkable discernment in the midst of opposition. If we are sober and discerning, we will recognize when even our opposers can teach us something!
"Let a righteous man strike me -it is a kindness; let him rebuke me -it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it (Ps. 141:5, shows us one of David's secret for learning discernment.
The Shunammite woman: This woman discerned that Elisha, who ate a meal at her house, was a holy man of God and so she prepared a special room for him. For this she received a son, and this son was brought back to life. No doubt this is a type of the coming Messiah (2 Kings 4: 9-37).
Nehemiah: When the Lord begins to move in an exciting way some people will be attracted because they like excitement without sharing the same vision. Some will want to participate with motives of ill intent. This was the situation when Nehemiah began to rebuild the wall. He needed discernment to recognize what peoples' real motives were and
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who was for and against him (Neh. 6: 12).
Jesus: We see the ultimate example of discernment in Jesus. He could always perceive peoples' intentions, whether good or evil. He was never deceived and spoke only what the Father was speaking (Matt. 22:18; Mk 2:8; Luke 5:22; 20:23). Disciples: Frequently the disciples were caught short of discernment, especially in relation to Jesus' comments about His coming crucifixion. Often our natural sympathies or fore-drawn conclusions cloud our ability to discern (Luke 9:45).
Peter: Although Peter had earlier problems in discernment he matured in this area. In Acts 8: 20-23 he correctly discerned the motives of Simon the Sorcerer. He was also able to recognize God at work with Cornelius in spite of it being contrary to his past traditions (Acts 10:34).
Apostles: These men learned much through their mistakes and by being with Jesus. It was only because they were able to rise above pride, competition and seniority that they could perceive Paul's calling and anointing (Gal. 2:9). Can we discern when a person has a calling to lead or do we simply measure by natural and traditional qualifications for acceptance of the Lord's servants? Can we discern when another person has an anointing to lead in a certain situation where we usually take the lead?
Paul: He was filled with the knowledge of the Old Testament and led by the Holy Spirit. He learned to put to death the deeds of the flesh and was released to discern the will of Christ. He accurately discerned the evil spirit in Elymas (Acts 13:8). Even though he was surrounded by his peers he did not succumb to the pressure to be "politically correct" when challenged by Peter's duplicity (Gal. 2:11-14).
III. How discernment is acquired and employed:
Requires a new birth:
For real spiritual discernment the primary and absolute requirement is regeneration. Until the human spirit is indwelt by the Holy Spirit a person is still confined to the finite and natural realm. In John 3: 3 and 8:47, Jesus made it clear that unless a person is born again they cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven. Since discernment is actually a matter of seeing with spiritual eyes, being born again is the first requirement to "see" from God's view.
Furthermore, Paul tells us that without the Spirit one cannot understand spiritual things (2 Cor. 2:15). While we may have a measure of natural discernment without the Spirit
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indwelling us we can neither hear nor understand, let alone discern spiritual things. This is why it is impossible to explain the new birth to an unregenerated person.
In the natural realm we can say,