The Importance of Discernment

Pastor E. Keith Hassell

I. One of our greatest needs in our day is for discernment

A. Jonah 4:11 (NKJV) “And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?”

II. What is Discernment? (Webster’s)

A. Discernment means, 1“to separate (a thing) mentally from another or others; recognize as separate or different” 2 “to perceive or recognize; make out clearly” vi. “to perceive or recognize the difference”

B. Types of discernment

1. Natural (five physical senses)

2. Spiritual (five spiritual senses)

a Hebrews 5:14 (NKJV) “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

C. The soul is influenced by one or the other

III. Discernment is NOT

A. Natural human judgment

1. 1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV) “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”

B. Natural human discernment causes misjudgment

1. Example: First impressions

C. Natural human discernment leads to pride—elevating ourselves as detective, prosecuting attorney, judge, jury, and executioner

IV. Spiritual discernment comes from God

A. Proverbs 2:3-5 (NKJV) “Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.”

V. Natural discernment is developed through training

A. Our natural senses are trained to discern between two natural objects

1. Example: Is it an apple or an orange?

a Sight: It looks like an apple.

b Touch: It feels like an apple.

c Hearing: It sounds an apple when it is sliced.

d Smell: It smells like an apple.

e Taste: It tastes like an apple.

f Discernment: It is an apple, not an orange.

VI. Spiritual discernment is developed through the word of God

A. Proverbs 28:7 (NKJV) “Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons shames his father.”

B. Hebrews 5:14 (NKJV) “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

C. Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV) “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

D. Why must we be trained by the word of God?

1. The word of God is our standard

2. The world and the devil have deceived us (Good is evil and evil is good, i.e. an apple is an orange and an orange is an apple)

3. Our minds must be renewed

a Romans 12:2 (NKJV) “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

VII. Scriptural Areas of Discernment

A. The fear of the Lord vs. the fear of man

1. Proverbs 2:3-5 (NKJV) “Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.”

2. Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.”

B. The knowledge of God vs. Worldly knowledge

1. Proverbs 2:3-5 (NKJV) “Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.”

C. Times and seasons

1. Ecclesiastes 8:5 “He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; and a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment,”

2. 1 Chronicles 12:32 (NKJV) “of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command;”

3. Matthew 16:2-4 (NKJV) “He answered and said to them, ‘When it is evening you say, “It will be fair weather, for the sky is red”; and in the morning, “It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.” Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.’ And He left them and departed.”

4. Luke 12:56 (NKJV) “Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?”

D. Judgment

1. Judgment is the process or procedure of deciding a case

2. Ecclesiastes 8:5 “He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; and a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment,”

3. 1 Kings 3:9 (NKJV) “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

E. Good and Evil

1. 1 Kings 3:9 (NKJV) “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

2. Isaiah 7:15 “Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.”

3. Hebrews 5:14 (NKJV) “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

F. The Holy and the Unholy

1. 1 Kings 3:9 (NKJV) “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

2. Ezekiel 44:23 (NKJV) “And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.”

3. Hebrews 5:14 (NKJV) “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

G. The Clean and the Unclean

1. Ezekiel 44:23 (NKJV) “And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.”

H. The Righteous and the Wicked

1. Malachi 3:18 (NKJV) “Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.”

I. True and False Servants

1. Malachi 3:18 (NKJV) “Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.”

2. Honest man vs. the swindler

3. Virtuous woman vs. the seductress

4. Man or woman of God vs. the

5. Righteous man vs. lawless man

6. Submitted man vs. rebellious man

7. Godly man vs. ungodly man

8. Man of truth vs. the deceiver

J. The Spirit of God vs. Other spiritual activity

1. 1 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV) “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

2. 1 Corinthians 12:10 (NKJV) “to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.”

K. The Lord’s Body

1. 1 Corinthians 11:29 (NKJV) “For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.”

VIII. It’s Time to CRY OUT for discernment

A. Proverbs 2:3-5 (NKJV) “Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.”