Discernment Series - Activating Your Spiritual Gifts (2 Part Audio Download)

Andrea will walk you through a fresh biblical understanding and answer the great question: what is biblical discernment?
Below are notes from the first few minutes of the teaching.
 
Discernment: Part 1
Definition of discern: 
to detect with senses other than vision; to come to know or recognize mentally (Webster’s dictionary)

Job 4:16 “It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; A form was before my eyes; There was silence, then I heard a voice: (NASB)
Matthew 16:3 (Jesus speaking) And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? (NASB)
Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. (NASB)

Definition of discern: 
to detect with senses other than vision; to come to know or recognize mentally (Webster’s dictionary)

God gave us 5 senses for a reason and a purpose:
Touch
Taste
Smell
Sight
Hear

Hebrews 5:14 NASB
But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
We practice the gift of discernment and train our senses on how to discern good and evil
Go to leadership and get feedback on what you are discerning; test it with others and with the Word
What you discern does not need to be shared with everyone


1 Corinthians 12:10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. (NASB)
Discernment is a spiritual gift given to strengthen the body of believers.


Greek word used for discern: diakrisis which means “a thorough judgement which distinguishes "look-alikes," or things that appear to be the same”


Angels and demons: spirits of good and spirits of evil


1 Corinthians 12:10 NASB 


For our struggle is not against flesh and blood (man), but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness (spirits) in the heavenly places.

Your battle is not against another person but against the spirit that can operate through a person.



Ephesians 6:12 NASB

“Often in spiritual warfare, we discover that the visible issue is not the real issue and the apparent enemy is not the real enemy. We are not fighting people, but the spirits that manipulate immature or sinful attitudes in people. These spirits seek to gain access to our churches, families, and cities. They must be discerned and resisted by the church in prayer and spiritual warfare.”