Living Word Windhoek
The Gift of Discernment - Sunday 25 July 2021
Sunday 25 July 2021
Locations & Times
Living Word Windhoek
12 Acacia Street, Windhoek, Namibia
Sunday 9:00 AM
Prayer during lockdown
If you or a loved one are sick and you need prayer or support, please contact our church office.
Testimonies
Share your stories with us if God has been good and faithful to you in any way from healing to provision to comfort in this season.
Whatsapp: 081 693 7055.
If you or a loved one are sick and you need prayer or support, please contact our church office.
Testimonies
Share your stories with us if God has been good and faithful to you in any way from healing to provision to comfort in this season.
Whatsapp: 081 693 7055.
TITHES & OFFERINGS
THE GIFT OF DISCERNMENT
- A gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Learning to use the insight God gives us (to distinguish between good and evil, truth and deception, real motives behind people's actions).
- It gives us the ability to bring God's will, rule and Kingdom into a situation.
- We need to learn how to respond to that insight through the Holy Spirit's guidance.
- A gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Learning to use the insight God gives us (to distinguish between good and evil, truth and deception, real motives behind people's actions).
- It gives us the ability to bring God's will, rule and Kingdom into a situation.
- We need to learn how to respond to that insight through the Holy Spirit's guidance.
The purpose of the gift of discernment, why do we need it?
It is essential that we are equipped to deal with spiritual enemies to win the battle and walk in victory.
The purpose of the gift of discernment:
1. To lift the veil that covers the unseen spiritual world.
2. To enable us to see what God sees (1 Samual 16:7) - e.g. we can discern the condition/ motives of the heart.
3. To protect us against deception (John 10:10).
4. To help us distinguish all kinds of spirits - especially God's angelic realm and the work of Holy Spirit around us.
1. To lift the veil that covers the unseen spiritual world.
2. To enable us to see what God sees (1 Samual 16:7) - e.g. we can discern the condition/ motives of the heart.
3. To protect us against deception (John 10:10).
4. To help us distinguish all kinds of spirits - especially God's angelic realm and the work of Holy Spirit around us.
What can hinder the gift of discernment in our lives?
- There are things that can block us from hearing God's voice clearly. The less we hear from God, the weaker our ability to discern the spiritual atmosphere around us.
These elements create noise in our lives that can block the gift from operating:
1. Self-will: when we are so focussed on our wills and wants, we neglect to seek God's will in a situation.
2. Ignorance of God's character and principles: we do not understand His heart and who He is or how He works.
3. Unbelief: a combination of fear about a situation and doubt that God can work or do good in the situation.
4. Feelings of unworthiness or guilt: if we see ourselves as unworthy of His love and affection.
5. Busyness: we are too busy to spend quiet time in the Lord's presence, we create our own noise through more time working, hobbies, sport etc.
6. God-directed anger: when we blame God for our circumstances, resentment towards God.
7. Will-fully harbouring sin: holding on to a sinful pattern or habit - separates us from God's presence.
- There are things that can block us from hearing God's voice clearly. The less we hear from God, the weaker our ability to discern the spiritual atmosphere around us.
These elements create noise in our lives that can block the gift from operating:
1. Self-will: when we are so focussed on our wills and wants, we neglect to seek God's will in a situation.
2. Ignorance of God's character and principles: we do not understand His heart and who He is or how He works.
3. Unbelief: a combination of fear about a situation and doubt that God can work or do good in the situation.
4. Feelings of unworthiness or guilt: if we see ourselves as unworthy of His love and affection.
5. Busyness: we are too busy to spend quiet time in the Lord's presence, we create our own noise through more time working, hobbies, sport etc.
6. God-directed anger: when we blame God for our circumstances, resentment towards God.
7. Will-fully harbouring sin: holding on to a sinful pattern or habit - separates us from God's presence.
Once we operate in discernment, how can we test the validity of what we see/ hear/ experience?
Here are some good guidelines to test anything by if we either believe we've heard from the Lord or seen / experienced something in the Spirit or discerned something about a situation or person:
1. Does the revelation edify (inform/enlighten), exhort (encourage), or console? (See 1 Corinthians 14:3, 26)
2. Is it in agreement with God's word? (See 2 Timothy 3:16)
3. Does it exalt Jesus Christ? (See John 16:14, Revelation 19:10)
4. Does it have good fruit? (See Galatians 5:22-23)
5. If it predicts a future event, does it come to pass? (See Deuteronomy 18:22)
6. Does the person/ situation turn people towards God or away from Him? (See Deuteronomy 13:1-5)
7. Does it produce freedom or bondage? (See Romans 8:15, 2 Timothy 1:7)
8. Does it produce life or death? (See 2 Corinthians 3:6)
9. Does the Holy Spirit bear witness that it is true? (See 1 John 2:27)
Here are some good guidelines to test anything by if we either believe we've heard from the Lord or seen / experienced something in the Spirit or discerned something about a situation or person:
1. Does the revelation edify (inform/enlighten), exhort (encourage), or console? (See 1 Corinthians 14:3, 26)
2. Is it in agreement with God's word? (See 2 Timothy 3:16)
3. Does it exalt Jesus Christ? (See John 16:14, Revelation 19:10)
4. Does it have good fruit? (See Galatians 5:22-23)
5. If it predicts a future event, does it come to pass? (See Deuteronomy 18:22)
6. Does the person/ situation turn people towards God or away from Him? (See Deuteronomy 13:1-5)
7. Does it produce freedom or bondage? (See Romans 8:15, 2 Timothy 1:7)
8. Does it produce life or death? (See 2 Corinthians 3:6)
9. Does the Holy Spirit bear witness that it is true? (See 1 John 2:27)
How can we unlock the develop this gift of discernment? (Where does discernment start?)
1. Believe in the Word of God and that it is His self-revelation.
2. Believe that we are in a spiritual kingdom with spiritual warfare going on (Reference Ephesians 6)
3. Believe and be assured that discernment is a good gift from the Holy Spirit (it is a much needed gift to the church, to set people free, to help us know truth in times of battle and we can ASK HOLY SPIRIT for the gift)
4. Make discerning what the Holy Spirit is doing in your life, the main focus instead of the devil (best use of this gift is to discern what HS is doing in your / others' lives at any given moment)
5. Make prayer our first response! (Ask the Lord for the bigger picture of what you are discerning, what is His plan for it?)
6. Seek God for His redemptive plan (God has a plan for good, to overturn demonic strategies and extend His Kingdom - we are part of this mission. ASK HOLY SPIRIT for the gift of prophecy to hear what He says and to declare it over the situation)
7. Stay in a faith-filled community (Discernment can be hard to navigate in the beginning, we need each other as iron sharpens iron, not to withdraw and isolate)
8. Do not let fear rob you of your gift (2 Timothy 1:7)
1. Believe in the Word of God and that it is His self-revelation.
2. Believe that we are in a spiritual kingdom with spiritual warfare going on (Reference Ephesians 6)
3. Believe and be assured that discernment is a good gift from the Holy Spirit (it is a much needed gift to the church, to set people free, to help us know truth in times of battle and we can ASK HOLY SPIRIT for the gift)
4. Make discerning what the Holy Spirit is doing in your life, the main focus instead of the devil (best use of this gift is to discern what HS is doing in your / others' lives at any given moment)
5. Make prayer our first response! (Ask the Lord for the bigger picture of what you are discerning, what is His plan for it?)
6. Seek God for His redemptive plan (God has a plan for good, to overturn demonic strategies and extend His Kingdom - we are part of this mission. ASK HOLY SPIRIT for the gift of prophecy to hear what He says and to declare it over the situation)
7. Stay in a faith-filled community (Discernment can be hard to navigate in the beginning, we need each other as iron sharpens iron, not to withdraw and isolate)
8. Do not let fear rob you of your gift (2 Timothy 1:7)
As believers, we have the Truth but we must want and desire it!
It is the same with any of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We need to desire it, talk about it, share your experiences and grow together. Pray about it, reach out to the Holy Spirit for it, search Him for it, pursue it.
"Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, will be filled"!
Stay in the Word of God, become a student of the Word of God and you will see yourself grow in this more and more.
PRAY WITH US TODAY:
Lord, we thank you that you are a good God and that you give us good gifts.
We thank you today for the gift of discernment, for protecting us, for guiding us in all truth.
Give us the ability to walk in the grace of discerning your voice from all the other noise around us.
Teach me how to discern your voice. Help me to be a wise steward of your grace. Teach me how to discern good from evil.
Holy Spirit, please give me a heart to listen to you as you fill me now with the spirit of wisdom, discernment and love.
"May you experience the fullness of the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ - Ephesians 1:17-19"
In Jesus name, Amen.
It is the same with any of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We need to desire it, talk about it, share your experiences and grow together. Pray about it, reach out to the Holy Spirit for it, search Him for it, pursue it.
"Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, will be filled"!
Stay in the Word of God, become a student of the Word of God and you will see yourself grow in this more and more.
PRAY WITH US TODAY:
Lord, we thank you that you are a good God and that you give us good gifts.
We thank you today for the gift of discernment, for protecting us, for guiding us in all truth.
Give us the ability to walk in the grace of discerning your voice from all the other noise around us.
Teach me how to discern your voice. Help me to be a wise steward of your grace. Teach me how to discern good from evil.
Holy Spirit, please give me a heart to listen to you as you fill me now with the spirit of wisdom, discernment and love.
"May you experience the fullness of the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ - Ephesians 1:17-19"
In Jesus name, Amen.
Church office hours:
Tuesdays - Thursdays: 9-5pm
Fridays: 9-2pm
Prayer:
Whatsapp us on 081 693 7055 or email us at info@livingword.com.na.
We would love to connect and pray with you. All prayer requests will be handled confidentially at all times.
To join our Whatsapp News group:
Whatsapp us on 081 693 7055.
Tuesdays - Thursdays: 9-5pm
Fridays: 9-2pm
Prayer:
Whatsapp us on 081 693 7055 or email us at info@livingword.com.na.
We would love to connect and pray with you. All prayer requests will be handled confidentially at all times.
To join our Whatsapp News group:
Whatsapp us on 081 693 7055.
Banking Details:
Living Word Namibia
Account name: Living Word Namibia Trust
Bank: First National Bank Namibia
Branch code: 280172
Account number: 622 689 73 916
Living Word Namibia
Account name: Living Word Namibia Trust
Bank: First National Bank Namibia
Branch code: 280172
Account number: 622 689 73 916
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Podcasts: anchor.fm/living-word-namibia
Youtube: click to 'Subscribe' and on the 'bell' to receive notifications: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1AmaTP57bA1gG8-vRMn97A