discernment #2

Have you ever had trouble knowing “who” is talking to you? In the spirit realm we hear God’s spirit, and we hear satan’s. There are good angels that bring us messages from the Lord, and bad angels that bring messages from their lord. When we have God’s word written on our hearts, scripture enters our minds, and after we have watched a movie, the dialogue of the actors comes to our minds. We also hear our own thoughts. Altogether, there are 100s of 1000s of thoughts that enter our minds on a daily basis, making it difficult to determine the origin of any one thought, or “who” is talking to us.

In John’s first epistle we read that those spirits that are not from God will not confess Jesus has come in the flesh, yet the Lord’s Spirit will (1 Jn 4:2-3). Experience shows us that, if we challenge the source of our thoughts, the Lord’s Spirit is gentle and confirming, yet evil spirits do not like to be questioned. We can ask for the source of our thoughts and gain discernment this way. As we grow in determining which thoughts come from God we also grow in the ability to follow Him. And, as we mature, we walk like Jesus, becoming more like Him. The more we follow and do what the Lord shares with us, the more He continues to share with us.

This week I had a conversation with a fellow-believer on the subject of testing the spirits. I’d like to share the following story with you and what became apparent afterwards. I had just met my son at a restaurant, and after dinner, was driving home. On my way home I pass by the area where my sister lives, and the thought came to stop by and visit her. Since my friend and I had just been talking about testing the spirits, I asked where this thought to visit came from, but there was no reply. However, as I drove pass her street I felt grief in my heart. Pausing to listen, I heard the Lord say, “You are going to miss an opportunity to love your sister.” Puzzled, I asked the Lord why He didn’t confirm the original thought to stop and visit, since that must have been what He wanted. He answered “I don’t want to command you to give love. Love comes from your heart and is yours to give, voluntarily. You have this treasure in earthen vessels.” (see 2 Cor 4:7)

The Lord sees our thoughts of love as valuable. Paul wrote that we should “follow after love” (1 Cor 14:1), and that our works of faith express themselves through love (Gal 5:6). The truth is, we often do follow after love, yet without seeking to identify its source. We don’t question being lovingly affectionate to our children or spouse, and our family lives are knit together with love. Even our fellowship times are filled with thoughts of kindness and concern, definite fruits of loving one another. Though our ministry may be based on loving God (2 Cor 5:14), it is incomplete without loving people.

Paul also writes that discernment is based in love, for when we follow love we learn what is best, (Phil 1:9-11). We become pure and blameless, bearing the fruits of righteousness. Without practicing love, we do not learn how to be like God on this earth. Perhaps that is why we sometimes lose our direction as Christians; we are expecting to be told what to do. Though God often shares His thoughts and plans with us, He also wants us to choose on our own to love. We cannot chose to love if we reject thoughts arising from our hearts, where God’s treasure lives. You see, our own thoughts of love are evidence that we have this treasure in our hearts.

I drove around the block and pulled up to my sister’s house, and she was very happy to see me.