Last night my friend Brent Engelman with ThePropheticTraining.Com briefly discussed an issue that has bothered me over the years.
Have you ever been around people who confess having the gift of discernment, but all they see is evil? Perhaps they see the good as well, but all they discuss is the evil.
I have had several people in my life who have walked in that gift. One friend in particular had a very difficult time with people who made her radar ping. Maybe it was easier for me to understand that God loved the person because I am a merciful, but she leaned more towards being judgmental and critical.
In the book of Hebrews, Paul discussed those who were immature versus those who were mature.
Hebrews 5:11-14
We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (NIV)
The New American Standard Version states in verse 14 that “solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”
Paul is saying that the mature believers PRACTICE the Word of God and the gifts of God — therefore they see and distinguish GOOD and EVIL.
Perhaps those who only focus on evil haven’t matured yet or are wounded/angry individuals. I have seen these type of people in my own life. Three people in particular stand out in my mind. Each one bears heart-wounds and I can say with certainty that they really don’t grasp God’s great love for them. I can also say that a few of them are not grounded in God’s Word. The gifts were given freely, but without understanding of God’s Love and His Word — there is danger.
Do you remember these scriptures about love?
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
The gifts that God gives His people are beautiful. They are to strengthen, edify, and build up. Gifts are given without us earning them, so it is possible to use them in a way that doesn’t bring glory to God or to help others. Paul said that without LOVE those gifts don’t profit us anything. We are nothing without LOVE.
I’m glad Brent brought this up last night. It is a great reminder that we all need. (Brent teaches walking in the prophetic on a FREE webinar each Tuesday night (8pm EST). I would love to see you there. Just click here to join us (click on LIVE STREAM).
