Discernment Is Not The Problem
Bill Somers
Mount Gilead Ohio USA
Matthew 21:23-27
23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of
the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest
thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which
if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these
things.
25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they
reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say
unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a
prophet.
27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them,
Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
People are asking what is really going on in Florida. So let’s take a look at two possible explanations and see what makes more sense.
Some are saying the Florida Outpouring is not a real revival. True enough, it’s an outpouring of healing and evangelism. And it’s not the great end time outpouring of the Spirit that we have been praying for, at least not yet.
So try and follow this logic.
Since the outpouring is not a real revival, it must be a false revival. DUH!
Since it is a false revival, all the manifestations are faked. DUH!
Since the manifestations are all false, the healings must be demonic. DUH!
Since there are demonic healings, the entire outpouring must be a deception. DUH!
Since this entire business is a deception, this must be the great end time delusion. DUH!
Now try this approach.
Since God is moving in great power, the enemy is showing up and trying to spoil things.
He will throw in some strange fire and get some skeptics upset.
Then he can sow lots of discord and discredit the outpouring.
And maybe that way, he can stop the move of God before it goes any farther. Hey it worked before! Since you can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, that’s all it takes!
Discernment
Discernment: keenly selective judgment: good taste and judgment;
knowledge, understanding, grasp, appreciation, familiarity,
recognition, perception,
Encarta® Thesaurus © 2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed
for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
People are moaning about a lack of discernment. Discernment is not the biggest need. It’s what you do with the discernment you have. The biggest lack is a Christ like attitude. The accuser of the brethren is said to operate day and night. Revelation 12:10. Jesus is said to ever intercede before the father in heaven. Hebrews 7:25.
Which one are we going to come in agreement with? Do we curse or do we bless?
Now there is the case of a Pharisee who went up to pray Luke 18: 10-13. He had discernment, and he used it to accuse the publican of being among the extortionists, the unjust, and the adulterers.
The Christ like attitude is seen in John 8:1-11. There Jesus knew [discerned] that the Pharisees were liars, since they misquoted the Law of Moses. And he knew they were also guilty of obstructing justice, by not bringing in the other guilty party in a case of adultery. Leviticus 20:10. Did he accuse them in front of all the people in the temple? Did he expose their corruption? Or did he give them space to repent?
What Are We Looking And Praying For?
Here are a couple passages that speak a promise of restoration to God’s people, after a time of strife. I believe these foretell the end of the Civil War and the joy of the coming Kingdom of God in the great end time revival. Come Lord Jesus.
Isaiah 29:17-24
17 Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a
fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?
18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of
the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men
shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
20 For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and
all that watch for iniquity are cut off:
21 That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that
reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.
22 Therefore thus saith the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house
of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.
23 But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of
him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall
fear the God of Israel.
24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they
that murmured shall learn doctrine.
Isaiah 52:6-10
6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that
day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.
7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good
tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that
publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they
sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.
9 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for
the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and
all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.