Growing in Discernment

By Tosin Lawal

Devotional Reading: And she did this for many days. But Paul was greatly aggravated, and turning to the spirit, said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out right away. Acts 16:18HCSB

Have you ever found yourself in situations where you struggle to decipher the right thing or step to take? Have you ever found yourself in situations where you are constantly struggling with what the mind of God is about a matter? Today’s devotion’s focus is on growing in discernment.

Discernment has to do with detecting what is right in any situation that looks seemingly right but is wrong. It has to do with discerning what God says concerning a matter per time or season. While every sane Christian like you desires to know the mind of God per time and wants to live a smart in a world full of deceptions that look like the truth, the truth is some of us often struggle with discernment. Being discerning differs from being suspicious.

The Bible talks about the gifts of discernment of spirits in 1 Corinthians 12, where a person is by the spirit able to discern specially the operation of spirits, be it of God and that not of God. The operation of this gift is seen in Acts where Paul and Silas on their way to the place of prayer were met by a slave girl who could predict the future by the influence of an evil spirit.

This lady cried after Paul testifying that He (Paul and his ministry team) are servants of God most high, proclaiming to them the way of salvation.
As true as her confession was, Paul knew she was speaking under the influence of an evil spirit by the spirit. Thus, he rebuked the spirit and sent it away. The Apostle Peter likewise exercised discernment when Ananias and Sapphira told him lies in Acts 5.

As a Christian, in the world we are today, you need to be sharp in your discernment if you don’t want to fall into the many deceptions that might come your way. As a businessman, student, or whatever you are engaged in, you need to be discerning. The gift of discernment of spirits is an operation of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit wants to be involved in our daily activities and wants to ensure we win daily. One reality common to both Paul and Peter is that they are men that had a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Building our relationship with Jesus daily does something beautiful to our lives. The actual truth is that the more you develop your relationship with God through consistent daily fellowship with God in prayers, meditation and reading his word, the more you grow naturally in discernment. The easier it becomes for the Holy Spirit to help us be more discerning.

Prayer and Confession
Lord, help me be consistent in building my relationship with you so I can grow in discernment.

Further readings: Acts 5:1-10, 1 John 4:1-3
Reading Ecclesiastes: Ecclesiastes 6-12