Having come this far, we must now explain exactly how discernment comes. It is available. It can be exercised, and there are a number of clear channels through which Christian discernment comes.

There is some overlapping in the channels of discernment, much as one sees television channels sometimes overlapping one another.

But there are distinct channels for God-given insight.

Channel 1-The Word of God

We speak here of the Old and New Testaments, inspired by the Holy Spirit and completely and utterly trustworthy. The Bible, rightly and clearly understood, will solve all kinds of discernment difficulties.

The Scriptures plainly claim for themselves complete inspiration and freedom from error. 

Every word of Holy Scripture is inspired or "God-breathed: (Gk. theopneustos). Without impairing the intelligence, individuality, literary style, or personal feelings of the human authors, God supernaturally directed the writing of Scripture so that they recorded in perfect accuracy His comprehensive and infallible revelation to man. If God Himself had done the writing, the written Word would be not more accurate and authoritative than it is.

The inspiration of Scripture is attested by O. T. writers (2 Sam. 23:2-3; Isa. 59:21; Jer.1:9) and by

hundreds of instances where the expression "thus saith the Lord" or its equivalent is used. Christ affirms the inspiration of the O. T. (Matt.5:18; 22:43-44; Mark 12:36; John 10:35). The apostles bear the same testimony (Acts 1:16; 4:24-25; 28:25; Heb. 3:7; 10:15-16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21). By means of divine inspiration the writers of Scripture spoke with authority concerning the unknown past, wrote by divine guidance the historical portions, revealed the law, penned the devotional literature of the Bible, recorded the contemporary prophetic message, and prophesied the future. Inspiration extends equally to all Scripture, although only a small portion was given by direct dictation of God (e. g. Exod. 20:1; Lev. 1:1; Deut. 5:4).

The inspiration of the N. T. was also authentiticated by Christ (see John 16:12, note). The apostles claimed inspiration for their portions of the N. T. (1 Cor. 2:13; 14:37; Gal. 1:7-8; 1 Thess. 4:2; 15; 2 Thess. 3:6, 12, 14). Paul quotes both Deuteronomy and Luke as Scripture (1 Tim. 5:18; cp. Deut. 25:4; Luke 10:7). Peter declares all Paul's Epistles to be Scripture (2 Pet. 3:16). Although the N. T. sometimes quotes the O. T. loosely, in paraphrase, or interpretively, this is never done in a way to deny the authority or accuracy of the original text. The early apostolic church received the N. T. Scriptures as the inspired Word of God as they were written, though formal recognition of the entire canon came more slowly. Because the Scriptures are inspired, they are authoritative and without error in their original words, and constitute the infallible revelation of God to man.¹

How to understand the Scriptures is also very important. The primary law of exegesis is appropriate here: "If the literal sense makes common sense. seek no other sense."

Further, all that one finds in the Bible is set in a meaningful context. That context simply must not be ignored.

Poetry is poetry even if it is in the Bible. There are passages in the Bible which are clearly allegorical, but simply to accept biblical literature for what it actually says is usually sufficient. As one person has observed, "It is not the things in the Bible that I do not understand that bother: me; it is the things I do understand."

Idolatry, for example, stands so clearly condemned in the Bible that only literary fools could surmise otherwise. The Bible discerns.

The New Testament makes clear that a believing wife is not supposed to leave her unbelieving husband if he is content to dwell with her (1 Cor. 7:10-15). So if a wife receives a "word from the Lord" telling her to get rid of her ungodly husband. she knows, if she knows the Bible. that particular word is not from the Lord at all. The Bible has discerned, and knowledge of that Word has given the answer.

The Proverbs speak cautiously about a person who winks with his eyes and makes signs with fingers and toes (Prov. 6:13). People who carry on like that deserve to be under a question mark. And so far as the Bible is concerned, they are.

Lists of such things could be multiplied endlessly here, but the real point is that the Bible is unfailingly discerning. Undoubtedly, it literally has a million answers, and our recourse is "to the law and to the testimony" (Isa. 8:20). That is where we learn wisdom. That is where we become discerning. And no one who neglects or distorts the Word of God will ever be discerning.

Moreover, we could stop right here, and this message would be complete enough because a solid knowledge of God's Word is the primary and basic source of discernment. New converts and untaught believers are often carried away into error simply because they are untaught and therefore easy prey for the enemy of their souls. The Bible literally opens men's eyes.

Channel 2-The Holy Spirit

The passages in John 14, 15,16 make clear that the Holy Spirit has come into the world to be the divine Advocate and Guide for the church. It is His clear goal to lead Christian believers into "all truth" (John 16:13).

That being so, it is also clear that the Holy Spirit is in the business of giving wisdom and discernment to Christians. I have seen cases where the Holy Spirit has given biblical references or scriptural texts to persons in need of help. I have seen a demonized person in desperation call out scriptural references unknown to her. One of the Christian workers would simply read the text, and a power would be expelled by the reading of the text alone.

Preachers often have the experience of receiving additional insight and flow of material in the warmth and glow of biblical preaching. Some of this may be human enthusiasm alone, but most often, I believe, the Holy Spirit brings the extra dimension.

Who can doubt then .that the Holy Spirit brings discernment? He needs to be recognized. Appreciated. Respected. He must not be grieved or quenched. He wants to fill and control the Christian. He wants to exercise the spiritual gifts through the believers. He wants to adore and exalt Jesus Christ. But He is the Spirit who searcheth the hearts, who knows all things. Because He is a Spirit, He communicates with the human spirit.

The ancients got "yes" and "no" answers from God. Since they did not possess a complete Bible, more direct means of consultation were used. A prophet interceded and received discernment and guidance by direct revelation.

In the New Testament age believers have the Word and direct access by prayer. In this day, some suggest, the inner witness from the Holy Spirit may be negative or positive according to God's will. In any case both Paul and John talked about the inner witness. And it is true, the Holy Spirit communicates directly to the human spirit. "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children (Rom. 8:16, NIV). He will never deny the Word He has inspired, so all of us ought to know as much of the Bible as we possibly can.

But we have a marvelous Helper, too. The Comforter has come.

Oh, spread the tidings 'round
            Wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound;
            Let every Christian tongue
Proclaim the joyful sound:
            The Comforter has come!
The Comforter has come,
            The Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from Heaven,
            The Father's promise given;
Oh. spread the tidings 'round
            Wherever man is found
The Comforter has come!²

And with His coming, penetrating Christian insight and discernment have become possible.

Channel 3-The Body

The church is the Bride of Christ. It is also His body, assembled and joined together by the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12 are the classic passages explaining this mystical relationship in the kingdom of God.

We are members one of another. And as the eye needs the hand and the mind needs the feet, so the members of our Lord's body are mutually interdependent. Since the gifts are given severally as God wills and since no one has all the gifts, an interdependence exists. The children of God need each other, and they obtain discernment from one another.

My wife and I frequently interact this way. When one has an idea or a proposal for a course of action we "bounce it off" the other. We are looking for a reaction. Many times the reactions will give us discernment.

The writer of the Proverbs put it this way, "In multitude of counselors there is safety" (Prov. 24:6). And it is true. Decisions reached which have been subjected to the scrutiny of other minds are likely to be safer and saner decisions.

And we are foolish indeed if we feel we have no need of others.

Some discussion of authority in the church is in order. The Scriptures teach that Christians should obey those that have the rule over them (Heb. 13:7, 17). This has been abused, of course, and some believers have been spiritually imprisoned by zealous overseers. But authority is a protective device. It allows the discernment of the body to have time and space to work. I personally have had and still do have Christian brothers over me in the work of the Lord. I do not find the relationship stifling. I find it protective - and helpful in discernment.

The spiritual gifts resident in the church contribute to discernment. Some spiritual gifts such as the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge are likely to contribute quite directly to Christian discernment, as is the gift of discerning of spirits which we shall discuss next. These gifts that contribute to discernment are in the body, and should one assume he has no need for the checks and balances the membership of the body brings into the life of a Christian, he is confused, if not deceived.

The discerning gifts, if allowed interplay in our lives, bring safety and protection to the body.

Conversely, to focus on one gift to the exclusion of all others creates a caricature of the gift. No one would want a nose a yard long or an ear that had to be tucked into one's pocket.

But when all is in order, the body provides discernment. We ignore it at our peril.

Channel 4-The Discerning of Spirits

This gift of the Holy Spirit has often been called the gift of discernment, but it is not that. It is the gift, the charism that enables one to discern spirits (1 Cor. 12:10). Admittedly, it is related overall to the penetrating insight we are calling Christian discernment, but the gift bears a direct relation to the spirit world. According to the Bible, there are at least four different kinds of spirits - the Holy Spirit, of course; the human spirit; angelic spirits; and finally, the fallen or evil spirits. The gift of discerning of spirits has to do with the intricate workings which take place in the spiritual world. A person with this gift should be more aware than other Christians of the action and interaction of these spiritual forces.

It should be clearly stated that the discerning of spirits is not a gift available to all. Some Christian believers have received it in the providence of God. It may be God's will for others to receive it since the gifts are divided severally as He wills.

One does not have the express statement that not all will receive the gift of discerning of spirits. In 1 Corinthians 12:29 (NIV), Paul did place a Greek negative before all his questions, "Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have the gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?" For that reason the obvious answer in each case is no. But the implication so far as context and the basic meaning of the text is concerned is this: some have the gift of discerning of spirits, and some do not.

Since this discerning of spirits is also listed among the most supernatural of the gifts, I believe it is safe to assume that it tends to be supernatural in its manifestation. Rightly or wrongly, one tends to become acquainted with it in dramatic incidents.

I know a Christian brother who is remarkably gifted along this line. On one occasion when he stepped out of the car in front of a house where he had gone to visit, a woman bound by occult powers began to scream out in the back yard. Probably more accurately, the demons began to scream through the woman, "Get that man out or here. Get that man out of here!" The arriving evangelist could not see the woman at the rear of the house. Nor could the woman see who had arrived, but the demons knew. Just as the demons long ago knew Paul (Acts 19:15), they know some people today. They know especially those who are gifted with the discerning of spirits. The evil spirits are especially vulnerable before Christians so gifted, and they rightly fear them. Their domination of human victims is threatened by the function of this dramatic and wonderful gift in a believer.

More could certainly be said about this important gift, but that is beyond the scope of this book. What I have written elsewhere could be helpful to some.³ I must add here that the discerning of spirits may be so sharp that the gifted will know the name and numbers of demons along with the specific methods needed for their expulsion.

I would like to underscore here, that there are some Christians endowed with unusual abilities, specifically, the gift of discerning of spirits. They have an extra dimension of discernment not available to all except in the context of the loving, caring, communicating body of Christ, Since the penetrating Christian insight under discussion here is that general wisdom which is clearly available to all, I repeat, discernment does not come exclusively through the gift of discerning spirits. To depend only upon a gift, often subjective in nature, available to only some of God's children is unnecessary and foolish. But to ignore this important gift is the height of foolishness, too!

Channel 5-Experience

This will be surprising to some of my readers, but it is true nevertheless. Discernment comes by experience. That is why an adage "Experience is the best teacher" has had such a long life. "But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" (Heb. 5:14, NIV).

Discernment comes with time.

Trial and error. Age and experience. That is why Paul went about ordaining elders, not "youngers." That is why gray hair is one of the indications of discernment.

It is true that sometimes old men are fools; and there is no fool like an old fool. Age in itself does not assure discernment. But discernment comes with the exercise of the senses, and that takes time.

Why are senior pastors most conservative? Bishops and superintendents most cautious? There is a reason. It is not always discernment, of course, but sometimes, many times, it is.

Again the Bible demonstrates its reliability.

Channel 6-Patience

This section will not be lengthy, but it will be important. And it is related to experience as a factor in discernment. The passage of time itself clarifies issues.

In the United States, for example, the controversy over biblical inerrancy was intense. If the errancy propronents, as many believe, were really on a path of apostasy a generation or two will clarify the issues.

The Scriptures are full of exhortations against haste and in favor of patience.

 It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way (Prov. 19:2, NIV). (Italics added)

 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness (1 Tim. 6:11, NIV). (Italics added)

 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised (Heb. 10:36, NIV). (Italics added)

Our children often wanted us to make decisions in a hurry. But life is just not that way. Decisions taken in haste are often wrong.

Once when I had to make a very vital decision about offering a kidney to my dying cousin, my father said, "Whatever you do, don't do it in a hurry." Ultimately, my cousin received another kidney and two extra years of life as a result. The important factor was time. With it came discernment of God's will.

A few years ago, a friend in the United States phoned us at our publishing house in Canada. He needed thirty-five thousand dollars, and he needed it quickly or he would lose control of his distribution company for Christian books. I did not have the money to buy the shares he offered, but at the same time an interest in 1,400 Christian book racks all through the Southern United States would be interesting to any Christian publisher.

In discussion afterward, the concensus of two concerned friends was, "This is undoubtedly an opportunity, but we must not hurry."

Time proved that the man ultimately did not need to sell the shares, and he did not lose control of his company. Time, vital time, allowed the issues to unfold and allowed us to see the issues as they were.

Channel 7-Full Surrender

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Rom. 12:1-2, NIV).

There is a very real sense in which abandonment to God provides a large measure of discernment - so much so, that I venture to say abandonment of oneself to God, to the will of God, to the Word of God will certainly produce discernment.

The verb used in Romans 12: 1 and 2 is an aorist which demands a once-and-for-all abandonment to God.

A parallel idea exists however in Ephesians 5 where the Apostle exhorted, "Be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit" (Eph. 5:17-18). And the sense there is "Be filled continually."

Personally, though I abandoned myself to God long ago, I do not remember whether or not it was coincidental to my conversion, though I think not. But it was done, and it is still in force.

Still sometimes the words of the hymn seem to apply to me, "Prone to wander, Lord I feel it." For that reason I renew my vows to God. I ask Him repeatedly to fill me with the Holy Spirit. Though I do not perform these actions to receive further discernment, I am beginning to realize that these actions do result in discernment - discovering and knowing God's will as experienced in these passages of Scripture.

I was born in Grande Prairie in the Peace River country of Alberta. My first encounter with the possibilities of full commitment to Christ came at the Peace River Bible Institute in Sexsmith, Alberta, a still flourishing, interdenominational Bible institute. There, it seemed, the speakers always challenged the young people to dedicate their lives to God, to surrender fully to God. Usually in those meetings we were asked to stand if we wished to signify our assent. I remember that the young people stood row upon row. That we did it year after year, I now realize. As I look back in retrospect I realize that many of us who made that full surrender have been called into numerous fields of Christian endeavor.

In my own spiritual pilgrimage and ministry, I abandoned for a time the preaching of the idea of presenting our bodies a living sacrifice unto God. I did not disbelieve it; rather, I believed it to be an essential requirement for being filled with the Holy Spirit, an experience which I emphasized. In later years, I came full circle. In our summer conferences, we tended once again toward a service somewhere in the schedule in which full surrender or renewal of those vows was our object and purpose.

We do not pursue these things for discernment's sake. We pursue them because we believe them to be right.

Further, I am persuaded that every Christian should abandon himself to God's will and that he should renew these vows from time to time. This is godly good sense.

This surrender also reveals God's perfect will. It brings the penetrating insight in Christian discernment we need so much.

When we abandon ourselves to God, we should be clearly giving ourselves to the God of the Bible who sent His only Son, Jesus Christ into the world and who manifests Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit today.

The Muslim who dedicates himself to Allah is misdirecting his devotion as is the careless charismatic who is allowing his senses to be orchestrated by a Jesus that may be sensual and antichrist even though apparently Christian. We must abandon ourselves to the Jesus Christ of the New Testament.

Channel 8-Godly Discipline

At the very heart of Christianity is discipleship; devotion to Jesus Christ is logically followed by appropriate disciplines. Not surprisingly, discipline sharpens spiritual discernment and insight.

The classic example is that of the Savior himself. As the Divine Son of God possessing all the attributes of God, there was probably no deep need for Jesus to be fasting when He was being tempted by the devil in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11).

Still, our Savior was fasting. Could He have seen through the satanic strategies without this extra discipline? Certainly. Of that there can be no doubt.

At the same time, His example is powerful indeed. Christians today who face crisis and temptation know that the meeting of these difficulties in holy discipline is clearly illustrated in the Bible.

Accordingly, we are saying here that holy and godly discipline is assuredly a channel of true Christian discernment.

Channel 9-0bserving the Enemy

In some ways, I'm inclined to omit this section as I perceive it to be quite unusual though certainly not mischievous nor perverse.

Succinctly stated, I believe that sometimes we become truly discerning when we detect the activity of Satan, when we finally observe his direction and intent.

To be anti-devil is fairly good Christianity, even if it is back door theology!

When the Apostle Paul was being followed by a demonized girl who continually cried out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved" (Acts 16:17, NIV), he finally turned on the devil. Apparently the enemy was caught like a rat out of his hole.

The spirit was driven out, The fortune-telling ability disappeared, and the girl was delivered. Paul's actions, his discernment, followed a recognition of what Satan was seeking to do.

Probably I am sympathetic to this as well because on one occasion my wife and I discovered God's will in just this way.

In 1967 we were seeking God's will. We had sold our house, stored our furniture, and I had ceased taking evangelistic bookings. And while we waited we prayed.

One morning, as I drove to an early morning prayer rendezvous with a friend, I suddenly heard a voice. Whether or not this was audible I cannot say; real, it certainly was. The voice announced, "You cannot learn Spanish."

Apparently it was an answer. One of our options at that time was the study of Spanish. But later in the day as I pondered what had happened, I became more and more uneasy. And the Shepherd's voice I knew was neither spooky nor queer.

Finally the realization dawned, "That was Satan, not God," And logic brought me to a decision, "If Satan says I cannot learn Spanish, then surely I can, and I will."

The time for enrollment in a Spanish course had nearly passed, so we phoned a missionary language school in Texas. Could we come, we wanted to know.

"No room" was their response.

Though there was initial distress, our hearts remained buoyant. Finally, I wrote to the language school to tell them we were coming anyway, room or no room.

The audacity of it shocks me today.

But before the letter had gone even a few hundred miles, we received a phone call over thousands of miles. There had been a cancellation. There was room after all. So we moved our family to Texas. We studied the melodic language called Spanish. I became fluent enough to preach without notes, and in many of my years of ministry I have preached far more frequently in Spanish than in English. My wife and I have gone on to study French, and I gained preaching facility in that tongue as well.

Moreover, a whole cross-cultural missionary evangelistic ministry opened before us.

And strangely enough, the key to discerning God's delightful and perfect will was finally discerning the maneuvers of the enemy.

My advice: Do not expect or seek discernment in this way. But it may happen.

Channel l0 - Christ, the Living Word

The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account (Heb. 4:12-13, NIV).

This passage, so often erroneously applied only to the written Word of God, applies definitely to the Living Word of God: Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The personal pronoun used in Hebrews 4:13 clearly refers to a person, an all-knowing creature before whom everything is naked and uncovered: Jesus Christ, obviously.

Now He is also declared to be a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart.

And, of course, when you think of it, we have come full circle. Christ is the secret of all discernment. His indwelling presence is certainly the key to understanding, wisdom, penetrating insight, and Christian discernment.

Little wonder that great men of God like Dr. A. B. Simpson became so enamored of the concept. "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). Christ is literally the total answer for every need in the Christian life.

Allow the Lord Jesus to dwell in you and manifest Himself through you, and you will share His holiness, manifest His faith, and demonstrate His discernment.

1. C. I. Scofield, ed., The New Scofield Reference Bible, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1967), p. 1,304.

2. Frank Bottome, "The Comforter Has Come," Hymns of the Christian Life, rev. and enl. (Harrisburg: Christian Publications, Inc., 1978), p. 144.

3. Foster, The Third View of Tongues. p. 65.

Chapter 8