MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Location: file:///C:/D5596AE8/developingdiscernmentessentialtospiritualgrowth.htm Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Developing Discernment: Essential to Spiritual Growth

Developing Discernment

Ess= ential  To  Spiritual  Growth<= /o:p>

 

 

The  Importance  of  Discernment

 

1.         = It’s an Essential Part of Our Spiritual Growth and Development=

 

        &= nbsp;   Hebrews 5:13-14

For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed= to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good a= nd evil.

 

2.         = It’s Essential In Order to Keep from Being Deceived and Led Astray

 

        &= nbsp;   2 Timothy 3:13-14

But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to wors= e, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them

 

The  Purposes  of  Discernment

 

1.         = To Make Moral Judgments Between Good and Evil

 

Philippians = 1:9

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,

 

2.         = To Make Reality Judgments Between Truth and Falsehood

 

        &= nbsp;   1Thessalonians 5:19-22, es= p. v. 22

Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophet= ic utterances.

         &= nbsp;  But examine everything carefully;= hold fast to that which is good;

         &= nbsp;  abstain from every form of evil.

 

  &nbs= p;         “But”  Gk. De de=  =         A strong adversive

 

            Satan, disguised as an angel of light, wants to confuse the people of God.

            (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

            Scripture warns repeatedly of:

            =             &= #8220;Deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons”&nbs= p; (2 Tim 4:1)

            =             &= #8220;Destructive heresies”  (2 Peter 2:1)=

            =             &= #8220;Myths”   (1 Tim 1:4 & 2 Tim 4:4 &= amp; Tit 1:14)

            =             &= #8220;Commandments & teachings of men”  (Col 2:22)

            =             &= #8220;Foolish & ignorant speculations”  (2 Tim 2:23)

            =             &= #8220;Worldly fables”  1 Tim 4:7)=

            =             &= #8220;Philosophy and empty deception”  (<= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Col 2:8)

            Jesus warned of wolves in sheep’s clothing=   (Matt 7:15)

            Paul warned about savage wolves  (A= cts 20:29)

 

3.         = To Make Ethical Judgments Between Right and Wrong

 

John 7:23-24=

"If a man receives circumcision on the Sabb= ath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I m= ade an entire man well on the Sabbath?

"Do not judge according to appearance, but = judge with righteous judgment."

 

The  Dangers of  Lacking  Discernment<= /p>

 

Are you DECEIVED BY:

   &nbs= p;       

The Deceitfulness of Sin

=  

Hebrews 3:13

But encourage one another day afte= r day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

 

The willful repression of the truth due to a desire to choose sin, creates spiritual delusion and spiritual blindness.

 

Romans 1 – God ultimately abandons such people to the devastating effects of their own sin!

 

1 Thess. 5:23 – Avoid every form of evil!

“Avoid” or “abstain” =3D very strong verb meaning “hold oneself a= way from”

“Evil” =3D  harmful, injurious, malig= nant

Emphasizes the complete separation of the believer from evil in both teaching and beha= vior

 

Run from every sin – It will destroy you!

Sin binds, Sin blinds, Sin grinds!!!!!

Fortify yourself against sin!

Practice the Puritan art of mortification!!!

Put to death the deeds or works of the flesh or sinful nature!

 

The Devices of Satan

 

   &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;       Depravity (life-dominating sins) – Attempts to put you in bondage!

Doubt R= 11; Attempts to neutralize your faith!

   &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;       Discouragement – attempts to persuade you to quit!

   &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;       Division – Attempts to tear apart families and churches!

   &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;      He constantly sows the seeds of division.

   &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;      Thus he neutralizes the church’s ministry.

   &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;      Thus he tarnishes the church’s testimony.

 

      = ;      The Depravity of Your Heart

 

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;   Jeremiah 17:9<= /o:p>

"The heart is more deceitful = than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?<= /i>

 

   &nbs= p;        The Doctrines of Demons

 

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;   1 Timothy 4:1-2

But the Spirit explicitly says tha= t in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitf= ul spirits and doctrines of demons,by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron

 

        &= nbsp;   The Deceitfulness of Riches

 

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;   Mark 4:19

but the worries of the world, and = the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

 

The  Development of  Discernment<= /p>

 

1.         = Correct Your Vision

 

            Cleaning up sin in your life will give you spiritual understanding and perception.

 

2.         = Feed Your Mind

 

        &= nbsp;   Get in the Word of God and utilize other tools of truth.

 

3.         = Exercise Your Conscience

 

            Heb. 5:14 – Discernment is a skill that must be developed through experien= ce.