Soul of the church - prayer!
The gift of discernment is one of the spiritual gifts of the Holy Ghost that the Bible mentioned. That is the gift that protects every Christian from harm, while posing a dangerous threat to evil workers. Why? That’s because it helps Christians to distinguish between truth and error, good and evil, and the spirit of God versus the spirit of deception.
While this gift is vital for the security and health of the church, Christians with genuine discernment are rare. Even when they are present, they are often misunderstood, hated or rejected. Most church people don’t like them. And if you ask them why they hate such believers, they will accuse them of being arrogant, brash, disrespectful, and so on. They seem not to know that it takes a ton of courage to expose or confront evil and things that are bad.
There are, however, some hidden reasons why most church-goers hate these men and women God has blessed the church with. Here are some of them.
Few Are Called to Discernment
The Bible makes it clear that spiritual gifts are given according to God’s will (1 Corinthians 12:11). Not everyone receives the same gift, and discernment is no exception. Discernment requires deep spiritual maturity, prayer, and a close relationship with God. Unfortunately, many Christians do not seek to grow spiritually to attain this level.
Hebrews 5:14 says, “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” This is because many pastors have stunted the spiritual eyes of their members to shallow things. Such things include craving for blessings, material things and a constant fight against the supposed enemies of their progress in life.
For this reason and more, only a few believers invest the time and effort to develop this kind of spiritual sensitivity. As a result, the number of people with this gift is small.
The Role of Discernment in the Church
Discernment is a protective gift. It helps the church to stay aligned with God’s truth. Those with this gift can sense false teachings ones they hit. They can detect hidden sin made to look innocent. And, no one with the ability to deceive or one who possesses a deceptive spirit in him can escape their watchful eyes and prudent spirits.
They act as spiritual watchmen. For example, in Acts 16:16-18, Paul discerned that a slave girl’s prophecy came from a demonic spirit and he cast it out. Without discernment, the church becomes vulnerable to spiritual attacks and compromise. No wonder many of our sisters and brothers have married their own death without knowing.
Why They Are Hated
Despite their importance, Christians with discernment often face rejection. Here are some reasons why:
- They Expose Sin and Error People do not like to see their flaws exposed. A discerning believer often points out areas where the church or individuals have strayed from God’s will. This makes others uncomfortable. John 3:20 says, “Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.” And those that this gift injures will do everything in their powers to stop that from happening. Yet they call themselves Christians.
- They Challenge the Status Quo Many churches are comfortable with their traditions, routines, and leadership structures. A discerning person may question practices that are unbiblical or spiritually harmful. This can create tension. Jesus Himself faced rejection for challenging the religious leaders of His time (Matthew 23:27-28).
- They Are Misunderstood Discernment is often mistaken for judgmentalism or negativity. When someone warns about spiritual dangers, most Christians label them as being divisive or overly critical. Yet, their intent is to protect and guide the church from danger, not to divide and destroy it.
- Spiritual Warfare Those with discernment face intense spiritual opposition. Satan hates them. And that because people with discernment expose his plans against a target people. As a result, discerning believers often encounter hostility, not just from people but from spiritual forces as well (Ephesians 6:12). No wonder mysterious things happen to them a times and many misunderstand that to be the result of their critical behavior.
What the Church Should Do
The church has to turn around and recognize the value discernment brings to it. I can only suggest some practical steps the church can tale to support those with this gift:
Encourage Spiritual Growth:
Teach members to seek God earnestly and grow in maturity. This will help more believers to develop the gift of discernment.
Create Safe Spaces:
Allow discerning individuals to share their messages. Do not intimidate or try to shout them down. Rejecting or ridiculing them is not doing the church any good. Instead, whenever they finish, the church should make out time to review what they have said. It will allow everyone to know if that is from God, man, or from Satan. This hasty judgement and exclusion of these men and women is harming the church more than we can tell.
Test Everything:
Encourage the church to test all teachings and practices against Scripture. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says, “Test everything. Hold on to what is good.” Be patient enough to find out from the Bible if what the discerner said has Biblical support.
Pray for Unity:
Ask God to help the church embrace and support those with discernment. They are part of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:21-25). Treating them as if they are demons is only giving Satan the freedom to deal with the church the way he wants.
Educate the With the Gift:
Yes, educate them. Instead of shouting them down, teach them how to communicate their message without insulting people. They should package it to carry elements of courtesy and respect, even though painful. This does not mean they should water down their messages to make it look soft.
Teach them how to use such diplomatic expressions like, “With due respect…” “I wish I am not the one to say this…” “I am begging you…” “Sir, it is you…” “I don’t like what I have seen, heard, or observed that is…” yes, teach them to control their emotions. They Bible aptly says the spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet. People should not see them as taking laws into their own hands or acting on the behalf of God. Let them deliver their messages and end it there.
Conclusion
The gift of discernment is a blessing to the church not a curse. It, however, comes with a lot of challenges. Those who possess it are few because it requires deep spiritual dedication and maturity. Many churches, especially leaders, often hate and reject them because their insights expose sin and challenge anything that is wrong. Yet, their role is vital in protecting and guiding the church. Let us pray for more discernment in our churches and for the courage to accept those whom God has called to this ministry.
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