Why is discernment so necessary?

“He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy.  He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.”   I Cor. 12:10 NLT

When you discern something you are potentially protecting both yourself and others from spiritual peril.  So important is the ability to discern that Christ has specifically gifted the Church with a very special gift to ensure that it happens.

Yet, those who are gifted with discernment are often seen as judgmental, critical and therefore: unloving.

What other gift of the Holy Spirit results in such rejection and dismissal as that of discernment?

But what other gift of the Holy Spirit is needed more now than ever before?

In these days of spiritual deception, and the many workings of the enemy we need discernment, we need the ability to perceive and understand spiritual forces, whether good or bad.  

There are many today who seem to accept almost anything or anyone who comes along if they simply speak of Christ and knowing Him.  These are days however, when we must be on our guard and ever mindful of the tactics of the enemy to infiltrate the Church and to deceive God’s children.

If we are truly born again Christians we have the Spirit of God within us and we have the anointing that is spoken of in I John 2:27: “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.”

Because of the Holy Spirit and because of this anointing we, as God’s children have an ability of discernment that the world does not have and because of it we will not be deceived.  We will know truth from falseness, light from darkness, and the things of God from the things of the enemy. 

Though we have the capacity there seems to be many who just do not know it and do not know how to trust what it is that the Lord has given to them.

 Why is discernment so necessary?

Because Satan is real and he has with him evil forces that are able to do works of damage against the Church, a Nation, and individuals.   We need to realize that Satan is ever working to infiltrate a church and cause problems, problems between people, problems with getting out the truth of God’s Word, and problems with getting people to accept something false as if it is true.  When it comes to the Bible he is always trying to twist it and bring confusion.

In 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 we read:  “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ, and no wonder for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.  Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”

Here is why we need discernment; it is so we can discern false apostles, deceitful workers, and those who would transform themselves into ministers of righteousness.  You see Satan has the ability to make himself appear as an angel of light, come into the Church with his ministers and steer us in the wrong directions.  

The word transform simply means the ability to disguise; therefore we will need discernment to see through their disguise.