A Prayer for Discernment
By Keneesha Saunders-Liddie
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever, they sound like the truth. - Ephesians 4:14
When you are diagnosed with a serious condition by a doctor, you seek a second opinion. It is very rare for someone diagnosed with cancer or any other disease to roll over and begin chemotherapy or other intensive treatments without having tests taken and confirmed. You may also speak to family and friends about the situation before deciding what course of action to take.
Just as we are cautious when we are diagnosed with malignant diseases, we should also be cautious when we listen to pastors and preachers ministering the Word of God. Every believer should be growing in faith and maturity by learning more about the God whom we love and serve through his written Word. However, there will be times that something is said in your pastor’s sermon, a blog post, a bible study or book that sounds familiar and similar to the truth, but it is not.
Prayer is a vital part of learning to discern right from wrong while listening to the Word of God. The preacher can interpret a scripture or phrase incorrectly, and that is understandable, but when people willfully try to trick us with lies so that we can be deceived, that is wrong.
When lies become truth in the life of the believer, we are exactly the way Paul described in our key verse. We will be tossed and easily fooled by every new belief and doctrine that comes our way. When the old passed away and we were made new in Christ; the process is still happening. God is still working on us, so, let’s use the Bible to back up everything we hear. Follow along in scripture and pray for the Holy Spirits help. Today, let us pray for discernment so that our hearts will be open to truth and reject the lies.
Close your eyes in reverence and approach God’s throne with me through Jesus.
Almighty Father,
I am so grateful for your amazing Word. I have the very words that you left for me to get to know you better! God, I come before you today to ask you to open my eyes so that I can behold wondrous things out of your word. I no longer want to live on baby food; I desire to know your Word more and more.
I ask that you help me to keep learning more about you from the ones whom you have called to minister. Father, you know there are many sheep in wolves clothing, there are many who have such a smooth handle on words that it can be difficult to decipher the truth from a lie. But I’m not worried, Lord. I know that you are able to lead me to the correct teaching.
Give me wisdom as I study your Word so that I can discern exactly what you have written for me to understand.
I also bring before you all pastors and ministers who are using your Word to deceive your sheep and not to shepherd. Be merciful to them, Lord, convict their hearts and give them fresh anointing to lead your people correctly.
In a time when the Word is twisted and Truth is muddled, I pray you grow this generation of believers into a people who have discernment. Thank you that when we ask for more of your wisdom, you always give it to us.
In Jesus’s name,
Amen.
Keneesha is a wife, mom and writer. She is an avid reader of wholesome romance novels and a lover of writing. She is currently pursuing her masters in Biblical Counseling as she believes in the sufficiency of scripture. As a pastor’s kid she fell in love with the way Jesus loved her at an early age and want to encourage others to live for him through her words. You can find more musings from her at https://womenlovinggodsway.com.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
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