Harmony Throughout the Body
The Lord’s Agape love works in harmony with the gift of discernment to change people’s lives for the good. But if discernment isn’t used in tandem with God’s love it can become critical and negative instead of insightful and positive.
Look at Paul the Apostle who one minute is writing to his beloved church to ‘kick the man out of the congregation’ who was sinning with his stepmother, and the next letter writing, ‘have some mercy, he’s repented, let him back in’. (1 Corinthians 5)
Discernment is a powerful gift and Paul used it well because he was in the presence of the Lord day and night.
The Anointing to use the Gifts Comes Through Time Spent With God In Prayer
We live distracted lives. When we are not walking as closely to the Lord as Paul, we can often get ‘in our flesh’ as it’s called. Our minds shift from spiritual to worldly things, lower elements of life, mundane daily routines and our mind frame shifts from spiritual to carnal.
We can get spiritually lazy when we don’t make time to pray and meditate on God’s word. This is when the gift of discernment can be misguided and become critical and harmful rather than a force for good.
Prayer makes God’s spiritual gifts work optimally for the building up of the Body of Christ.
Listen to Correction, It Will Lead to Positive Good for All
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Hebrews 12.11
There is a balance that is crucial to master or the Lord will not be able to trust us with more responsibility in the Kingdom of God. What’s worse, we can end up doing harm to the body of Christ instead of good.
And I’m thankful when there is anyone kind enough or brave enough to call me out on my ugliness and lack of self-awareness should I find myself operating in the gift of discernment without the love of God. I see this as God working through others to realign the body of Christ, to which we all belong, and this can only be a good thing for all the body, once corrected.
So that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
1 Corinthians 12:25-27
Should the Gift of Discernment Be Used In Any Other Capacity Than Spiritual?
This is a good question. I think it can be used in all areas of life but it shouldn’t be used as a defense mechanism or as a means to win an argument. It remains a spiritual gift. If we use it outside of its God-given power, it can become a force that tears down instead of a force that gives insight and direction.
It is a powerful gift given by the Holy Spirit that breaks the chains and destroys the yokes of the enemy off of people’s lives.
So make sure the anointing is strong (keep up our prayer life) and that God is behind it. Otherwise it can become a destructive force without God’s love infusing it. Don’t be the stream that runs both fresh water and salty water, as it can spoil the entire flow.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4:8
