Happy Thursday! Have you ever questioned whether you were making a good or bad decisions? Have you taken risk, thrown caution in the wind and said let the chips fall where they may? Have you struggled with making good choices? Well today we are re-reading 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verses 7-11, with a focus on verse 10c “the ability to discern”. Join me as we learn more on spiritual gift number seven (7) of nine (9) listed in these verses.
“7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 8 To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice[b]; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.[c] 9 The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. 10 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,[d] while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. 11 It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.” – 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 NLT
Paul may have highlighted this spiritual gift because of the numerous false teachers in Corinth who were misleading members of the church. If church members had the gift to differentiate or discern the word of God that was delivered by a prophet verses a deceiver, then it was necessary for them to use this spiritual gift for the benefit of the church and church body.
The spiritual gifts assessment describes the gift of discernment of spirits as “the divine strength or ability to spiritually identify demonic spirits, falsehoods, distinguish between right and wrong motives in various situations. Matthew 4:11; Matthew 9:4; Matthew 16:21-23; Matthew 22:18; John 18:3-5; Acts 5:1-11; Acts 16:16-18; 1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; Hebrews 13:2; 1 John 4:1-6.
I believe God has given us the ability to distinguish right from wrong motives. However, we as Christians must open our eyes and be more aware of the demonic forces that persuade us to ignore falsehoods/lies or dismiss right and wrong motives in our homes, churches, jobs, politics and the world.
Sisters and brothers, if God poured this divine strength or ability into you, would you discern and be obedient to what God says or will you follow the majority/minority for your own internal motives?
Father God, thank you for the ability to understand right from wrong. Lord, thank you for the ability to see the truth from a lie. Lord, give us the strength and ability to do what is right, stand for what is right and live for what is right. Lord, unveil our eyes to see deceptive satanic attacks on our lives, homes, jobs and families. Lord, build us up and help us to stand firm in faith against the things that do not please you. Lord, may Your Word increase in our hearts and may Your Holy Spirit dwell within us in a mighty way. Equip us with this gift, Lord, so that we may bring glory to your name. In Jesus name, amen!
Keep praying! Keep Trusting! Keep believing!
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