Unmasking Satan’s Strategies: Discernment Vs. Suspicion (Part 3) Series

But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. ( Hebrews 5:14)

Brethren, we are dealing with a crafty enemy who always desires to keep on fighting the wrong battles. He is so cunning that if you are not watchful, he will cause you to focus on issues that he is not involved in and then neglect issues in which he is deeply involved. Let us look at two words that look very similar but are worlds apart. One is from God and the other is from the devil. DISCERNMENT OF FROM GOD; SUSPICION FLOWS FROM THE DEVIL.

Discernment focuses on the unseen spiritual realm. Suspicion focuses on the natural realm. In other words, discernment adheres to the principle that we do not war against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12). It does not focus on the behavior of a person, but rather on the unseen spiritual influences behind the behavior. True discernment is always about becoming aware of the enemy’s motives at work in a situation. Suspicion, on the other hand, always reduces a battle to flesh and blood. In the church, it often manifests in a “us vs. them” situation, drawing battle lines among believers. It makes another person the enemy, all while providing a covering for the true enemy to operate in obscurity. Worse yet, this counterfeit serves as a diversion by distracting us from discerning the actual strategies of the enemy. In the end, the Church looks a lot like a dog chasing its tail – spending our energy diagnosing, labeling, and judging others rather than being productive for the Kingdom.

Discernment develops in a climate of humility. Suspicion thrives in pride. If your church is filled with pride, competition, and a religious spirit, it will also be filled with suspicion. I have seen churches where leadership sent “spies” into the congregation to catch people sinning and disobeying church rules. Insanity! On the flip side, I am finding that true discernment always carries with it some weightiness. Because discernment comes from a shepherding heart, there is a weightiness caused by an awareness of my responsibility to respond well to what I discern. If I do not feel reverence or a weightiness about what I am sensing about someone else, then it is not holy.

Discernment promotes and protects unity. Suspicion results in division. It understands how important unity is to the Kingdom of God. It pursues restoration and promotes trusting behaviors. But suspicion breeds division. On one end of the spectrum, it makes people paranoid and defensive, often leading to withdrawal. On the other end of the spectrum, it leads to the formation of unhealthy alliances centered around common suspicions. This is important – true discernment will never gossip or slander ever!!!! Suspicion is eager for a validating audience. If what you “sense” about another person makes you want to run and tell others, it is not from the Holy Spirit. Period. This is a vital test for examining the source of our thoughts about others. If you find a church filled with gossipers, you will find suspicion lurking around every corner.

Discernment operates naturally in a repentant heart. Suspicion operates out of a hard heart. Discernment is the result of a heart that is sensitive to the things of God. Nothing makes you more sensitive than a heart positioned in repentance before the Lord. This is the heart that wants to be moved by the slightest revelation of sin. For this reason, discernment almost always begins with the Lord dealing with your heart on an issue first. In other words, God would not speak to you about a situation that you are unwilling to first hear about yourself.

God would not trust you with the tender issues of other peoples’ hearts and circumstances if you are not trusting Him with the tender issues of yours. If you want to be a steward of discernment, you must first steward the Spirit’s discernment of your own motives. If you are unaware of how the enemy’s strategies are affecting your own motives, you will most certainly be unable to see how they are affecting another person.

Remain blessed and let`s operate in DISCERNMENT AND NOT SUSPICION.