Discernment is an overlooked Spiritual discipline in many churches. But in reality, spiritual discernment should be inside, warning you that something is wrong. For example, you visit someone's home and everything appears in order. But you can cut the air with a knife. Even though nothing visible confirms it, your spirit detects that something is wrong in that home.

Israel's King Solomon cries out to God for help.

1 Kings 3:9-12

(9)So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong for who is able to govern this great people of yours?" (10) The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. (11) So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.

1 Cor 12:8-11

(8) To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, (9) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, (10) to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another the ability to speak in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. (11) All theses are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

DISCERNING OF SPIRITS

a gift of the Holy Spirit that enables a person to judge whether one who speaks in tongues or performs miracles does so by the power of the Holy Spirit or by a false spirit

APOSTOLIC AGE

That period of church history covering the time between the Day of Pentecost and the death of John, the last apostle

The Greek word for discernment-diakrino-simply means to make a judgment or a distinction. Discernment has one primary function: to distinguish right from wrong.

Discernment is not a function of the mind; it's a function of the Holy Spirit which is in union with your soul/spirit. When the Spirit sounds a warning, your mind may not be able to perceive what's wrong when your spirit is tro