Society tells us that we gain wisdom by study, accumulation of knowledge, and application of common sense. These are fine and even good pursuits, but they won't result in spiritual discernment. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church and told them that man's wisdom was folly. His instruction on this can be found in 1 Corinthians 1, which includes this from verse 25: "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." I love that! Iyou you desire to gain spiritual discernment, that in itself shows a measure of spiritual discernment. Biblically, spiritual discernment, or wisdom, has to do with the capacity of knowing truth, and comes from saving relationship with Jesus Christ. To know Him better and grow in your relationship with Him, and you will also gain spiritual discernment—a growing ability to know the truth.
Jesus said it Himself: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'" (John 14:6). Paul relates wisdom directly with Jesus: "And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord'" (1 Corinthians 1:30).
Spiritual discernment is granted by God and grown by training in righteousness and prayer. In Hebrews, we read, "But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil" (Hebrews 5:14). Notice how Paul, who in the book of Philippians, identifies Jesus as the source of love, knowledge, discernment, and righteousness: "And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God" (Philippians 1:9–11). However, the description of Satan as the "father of lies" comes from a passage in the Gospel of John. Jesus was addressing a group of religious leaders in Israel, who were accusing him of being from Satan. He responded by telling them that they were liars, and that proved that they, not He, were of the Devil. Jesus said: "When he (Satan) lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44c). He also told the group of accusers that they were the children of the Devil because they were spreading lies about Him and refusing to see the truth. So, Satan is not only the father of lies but of those who suppress the truth!
From the beginning, Satan has been a liar. He told his first lies to Eve, to deceive her and draw her away from God (Genesis 3:1, 4). He was the first liar, which makes him "the father of lies." God speaks the truth and Satan says the opposite, and man is confused. Ever since the garden of Eden, this has been happening. Satan uses the world system to disseminate his lies (1 John 5:19), and the lies are always growing in number and complexity.
We know that God speaks the only truth. John said, "We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this, we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error" (1 John 4:6). John was drawing a distinction between the teachings of Jesus' apostles and the contradictory teachings which were leading people astray. John and the other apostles suffered greatly, dedicating their lives to the truth. The majority of them died horrible deaths rather than deny the truth about Jesus—His life, His death, His return to life, and the way of salvation for all men through His resurrection (John 3:16). John was saying "We are speaking the truth. Anybody who says the opposite is a liar." Watch closely, this is how Satan operates: he takes God's truth and twists or contradicts it so that people are led away from Him. God is love (1 John 4:7–8). But Satan says "how can a loving God allow so much suffering?" God says Jesus is the only way to heaven (John 14:6). Satan says "a good person of any belief system can get there." Jesus spoke of everlasting torment for those who reject Him (Matthew 25:46). But Satan says "there's no hell." God claims to exist and to be a personal Being that interacts with us (Hebrews 11:6). But Satan says "God is dead." How many of Satan's lies listed here have ever reached your ears? Unfortunately, since we are finite and fallen, we are susceptible to these lies. So, Satan continues to use them, and rehash even the original lie he told in the garden ("Did God really say…?") in order to get us off track. The Bible is attacked often and viciously by false religions and worldly men who want us to think that the Bible is not literal, is not authoritative, is not reliable. Why do so many people put so much thought and effort into contradicting the Bible? Because Satan is working to convince us that God is the liar—and that is the ultimate lie.
To gain spiritual discernment, we must seek God. First, we are instructed to pray for wisdom. James 1:5–8 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." And, we must look for wisdom in God's Word. "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16–17). As we seek to know Jesus more, ask God for discernment, study God's Word to learn truth, put truth into practice in our lives, and rely on the Holy Spirit within us, we will grow in spiritual discernment.
Until He comes,
-Pat-
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