Ephesians 6.10
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
Standing firm against the attacks and deceptions of the enemy requires discernment and discipline. There are four verses in Proverbs chapter 14 that speak to the discipline of discernment. The contrast is crystal clear: Wise people have discernment; foolish people do not.
“The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving.” (Proverbs 14.8)
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” (Proverbs 14.12)
“The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.” (Proverbs 14.15)
“One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.” (Proverbs 14.16)
Having discernment means being self aware (see yourself clearly), and being situationally aware (see events and situations clearly). The foolish person lacks awareness of both self and situations. His discernment is seriously impaired. He does not see himself clearly, nor does he see situations clearly.
The causes of the lack of discernment:
· High trust in self, low trust in God.
· Directed by feelings.
· Failure to invest the time to think.
· Acting on impulse.
· Adopting what is popular. Conforming to social pressure.
· No spiritual or mental discipline.
The consequences of the lack of discernment:
· Self-deception.
· Blind to the reality of what’s going on around him.
· Blind to the reality of what’s going on within him.
· Gullible and vulnerable to being manipulated and exploited.
· Reckless and careless.
These consequences are devastating. Proverbs warns that the foolish man pays the ultimate price for his lack of discernment: “It’s end is the way to death.”
More tomorrow …
