Hebrews 5:14 (LSB) 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern both good and evil.
As we recently wrote, God tells us that we must “test the spirits to see whether they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).
That principle is critical to our spiritual wellbeing.
Testing the spirits can sometimes be straightforward. We compare what people say or do with God’s word and see if they line up with what it says.
Other times, it can be more difficult than this.
Many times, things can be said or done that appear to line up perfectly with God’s word, making them seem genuine and legitimate.
This is where we must “go to the next level”, so to speak.
When something appears to be legitimate, and seems to be speaking truth, we must also discern the spirit behind what is being said or done.
This could be considered “advanced testing” of the spirits.
This is something that cannot be done methodically, as in simply comparing what we see or hear to God’s word. It is done solely by the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to show us what is real and what is not.
The verse at the beginning of this devotional spells it out perfectly, stating that we will learn, through maturity and practice, to discern both good and evil.
This ability is not something we learn overnight. It is not something that just happens.
It comes from a combination of immersing ourselves in God’s word, cleansing ourselves from the ways of the world, and learning to always listen for the voice of God.
This will allow us to learn to see and hear what is behind the words and actions around us.
As we do this, God will begin to open our spiritual eyes and ears, revealing things to us that we would otherwise miss completely.
So, let us not only test the spirits, but also discern them, that we might know who or what is behind the things we see and hear.
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
49 N Lamplighters Walk
Hampstead, NC 28443
401-439-3780
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