I’m in a season where I’m gleaning wisdom from a trusted elder. My friend Bertha suggested Frances Frangepange’s potent booklet on Discernment. It was so excellent; I took notes on the main points.
Perhaps sharpening your discernment is your next level with God. If so, this quick guide I created for myself might help you stay focused and on tract.
When growing in wisdom of the spiritual realm, we must remember:
The purpose of everything in life is to bring us into the image of Christ. To survive Satan’s assault, we are forced into Christ’s likeness. This is our soul’s highest goal!
Our attack against Satan is in our areas of knowledge. Satan’s counterattack is in our areas of ignorance.
It is not Satan who defeats us, it is our openness to him.
Once Satan discovers his attack on you is causing you to run towards Christ, he will withdrawal.
It’s better to develop godly virtues than to spend our day praying against Satan.
We are not called to focus on Satan or the battle, except where that battle hinders our immediate transformation into Christ’s likeness.
True discernment will not come until we crucify our instinct to judge.
To appropriate the discernment that is in the ‘mind of Christ’ we must first find the heart of Christ.
Christ’s goal is to save, not judge.
If we are to truly help men, we must remember we follow The Lamb.
We are not only called into Christ’s life but into His mission as well.
Before our perception develops, our love must develop until our normal attitude is one of forgiveness.
If we don’t move in divine forgiveness, we will walk in much deception. We will presume we have discernment when, in truth, we are seeing through the veil of a ‘critical spirit’.
The judgmental carnal mind always sees the image of itself in others. Without realizing it is seeing itself it assumes it is perceiving into others. Jesus refers to people who judge as hypocrites.
The way we help is not by judging, but by seeing clearly!
To help someone, you must first win their trust. This entails consistently demonstrating an attitude that does not judge or instinctively condemn.
If you seek to have a heart that does not condemn and if you truly crucify your instinct to judge, you will have laid a true foundation for the gift of discernment.
True Discernment:
Comes from abounding love. (Love that leaps out from us towards others. Motivated by long term commitment.)
True discernment comes from a tranquil and pure heart, one that is almost surprised by the wisdom and grace in the voice of God.
If you want discernment, you must become aggressively calm. This is not a passive stare of mind but an expectant, focused, waiting upon God.
True discernment come from our sensitivity to Christ in the realm of the spirit. Love is motivation, peace in your heart and a poised and waiting attitude towards God.
False discernment:
Is: based on mistrust, suspicion, and fear. There is a coldness around it; it does not originate in love but comes out of criticism.
False discernment sees the outside of a person or situation, but pretends to know the contents of the heart.
False discernment is always slow to hear, quick to speak and quick to anger.
“As Thou didst send Me into the world, I also have sent them.” John 17:18
“I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” John 12:47
