Basic Biblical Principles of Discernment
Discernment Principle 4: Confirm with Experience
Does this teaching, practice, or manifestation have confirmation from real life experience?[iii] A person should never base his or her discernment solely upon experience apart from the Word of God, but Spirit-inspired experience may confirm the validity of the teaching, practice, or manifestation. Mark notes the importance of confirming the Word of God by experience, writing, “And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed” (Mark 16:20). The Word was confirmed by the testimony of Spirit-inspired experience—the signs that followed.
The author of Hebrews emphasized the role of experience in developing discernment: “But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil” (Heb 5:14). The Greek word hexis, translated “practice” means habit, constant use, or repeated experience,[iv] a discernment that guided by the Spirit through the experience of the senses that have been repeatedly exercised (the Greek word for train is gymnazo—to exercise). It is through repeated training and repeated experience through practice that discernment is learned. Yes (if in harmony with Scripture)—green light; maybe—blinking yellow light; no—red light.
Discernment Principle 5: Examine the Fruit
Does teaching, practice, or manifestation bear good fruit? This was one of the key discernment principles used by Jesus: “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit” (Matt 7:16-18). Some of the fruit-bearing questions we can ask are:
- Is Jesus Christ lifted up and glorified?
- Does it edify spiritually?
- Are people saved, and/or are lives transformed?
- Does it bring people closer to Jesus?
- Does it build godly character?
Green light if the answer is “Yes”; Red light if the answer is “No”; Blinking Yellow light if there are continuing questions or the answers are mixed.
Discernment Principle 6: Receive Supernatural Discernment
Image: Harshal Desai
Pray for the gift of discerning of spirits to shed light. “But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. … to another the distinguishing of spirits” (1 Cor 12:8, 10). Many times the Holy Spirit gives a witness or a check where Scripture says nothing. You intuitively in your spirit through the Holy Spirit sense a peace (green light) or lack of peace (yellow light or red light). Robert Jaffray, pioneer missionary statesman of The Christian and Missionary Alliance, called it “a supernatural God-given instinct.”
A biblical example of this gift is demonstrated by Peter when he tells Simon the Magician: “For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity” (Acts 8:23). Even though Simon had made a confession of faith in Jesus Christ, Peter perceived supernaturally that something was still not right in Simon’s inner being. Through discernment of spirits, he specifically “saw” a spirit of bitterness and chains of sin remaining in Simon’s life.
Category: Biblical Studies, Summer 2019
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