Discerning the Message
ABOUT DISCERNING A MESSAGE
Years ago, my son drew an elephant in a bathing suit, and gave it to me. In my female mindset, I interpreted it to be me… bulging. Later I tuned into a car radio sermon and heard: “If you see an elephant, don’t interpret it to be a snake!” The preacher said, “In other words, if it makes normal sense, then it’s good sense, so don’t make NONSENSE.” Giggling, I listened to the sermon which was about not twisting God’s Word (a good gift) into something weird.
When we begin to realize we are hearing from the Lord, understanding is so important. There are three main causes of misunderstanding. The first is the enemy. The second are giants in a personality. And last, it could be the Lord’s purpose for us having a temporary misunderstanding.
The enemy causes havoc in influencing our interpretation of the Lord’s Word. Paul said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? (Acts 13:10 KJ) The truth is turned around so that truth is twisted to say the opposite. An example might be one who receives a picture from the Lord of a bulb in the ground. He perceives he is the bulb which is what the Lord intended, but the enemy twists the truth around so the person thinks the Lord is not pleased with him because he is in the dark not knowing what is going on and not being fruitful in that state.
The most frequent cause of misunderstanding in a Christian’s life are the giants within the personality causing warped and twisted understandings. As mentioned before, giants create silent decay, generating wounds and vulnerabilities that stimulate one to hear through those wounds. This is why discernment of giants in what we are hearing is so important. Remember, giants are crooked patterns within personalities that do not reflect Jesus’ image.
They ruin interpretations of His message causing misunderstandings. An example of how the wound of a giant can influence God’s message: perhaps one receives a Word of encouragement. For many years he succumbed to patterns of self pity because of difficult circumstances and did not experience any outside comfort or relief. The unhealed giant wounds of self pity from the past are momentarily touched through the word of encouragement. Now the old pattern of attempting to comfort himself through self pity is triggered. Rather than receiving encouragement and being lifted up, the person uncovers an unhealed wound, beginning cycles of self pity. The exhortation is twisted, becoming a reason to become self-centered instead of God-centered. The person feels worse than he did before.
Or perhaps one has been bound by the giant of ambition, another may have a giant of desiring man’s approval. Both are stroked by comments from man, and they might think the Lord is giving His approval to be involved in certain programs, which in truth God does not sanction.
The third reason for misunderstanding is it may be the Lord’s purpose! Eli misunderstood Hannah praying in the temple. He thought she was drunken, and because he misunderstood, he came over to rebuke her. She said it was not so and explained her plight. The truth was manifested to him and his heart was moved to give forth a prophesy and blessing. God also allowed a misunderstanding about Jesus dying and rising again. “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew: for HAD THEY KNOWN IT, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE CRUCIFIED THE LORD of glory.” (1 Corinthians 2:7,8 KJ)
I went through a time when I wavered back and forth between truth and misunderstanding. The Lord desired this, for I had a lesson to learn and needed a proper foundation in my communication with Him.
As a review of the concept I have shared throughout this book (101+ Ways God Speaks and How to Hear Him), when the Lord began to speak to me by way of dreams, visions and pictures at night, He began to teach me a new language. It was built one night at a time, word upon word, until an extensive vocabulary was constructed. “I will bless the Lord Who has given me counsel; yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.” (Psalms 16:7 AMP, 17:3) Each night I heard from Him, all the while growing in vocabulary. Then the milk changed into chewable food. It was food that wasn’t just swallowed and assimilated. It had to be chewed and pondered during the day.
Sometimes it would take several days, even weeks for me to chew and swallow. And sometimes, I didn’t like it and spit it out! One time, for several weeks, the Lord kept reiterating one subject. I would stumble upon the exact interpretation, and immediately spit it out, saying, “No way! It can’t be!” He fed it to me over and over again. Each time I approached that door of understanding my flesh would recoil and I would retreat.
During this time I was having a very difficult time feeding my three year old his meat. I had cooked a soft and tender roast, and throughout the daily leftovers the “appearance” of that pot roast would change! He’d spit it out every time. Finally, the last day of the roast I ground it up, pulverized it in the blender and mixed it with miracle whip as a sandwich spread. This was a day of victory. He ate it!
That very day a friend phoned and asked me if I had considered “such n’ such?” You guessed it, the subject was the “meat” He had served me over and over. Maybe I wasn’t so far off after all… Just maybe, just perhaps it could be so. Before I went to sleep I said, “Is it really so Lord?” That night He gave me a picture of that roast on my son’s plate and said, “I changed the form so you would swallow it!”
Coming to the chewable stage of His manna I had yet to learn this important lesson. I went through a whole season, hearing very clearly, knowing He was speaking; but everything I heard could be interpreted two ways in drastic contrast. I had no way of knowing which of the two He was speaking. They were always in opposition. I was on a spiritual swing-set, going back and forth, wavering, and vacillating between two opinions. What an exhausting season! I ended upside down like a turtle with my feet anywhere but on solid ground. I had no stability, no hope of ever understanding God, no confidence; I was a zero.
I needed that season of weakness to know my limitations and my need for His help in understanding Him. He had so carefully built our language and vocabulary. He would speak, and I could hear. But interpretation is just like revelation — it can not happen without HIM. I learned that particular season how important Holy Spirit is in understanding what the Lord speaks.
Much of discernment is a matter of logical deduction but not without Biblical knowledge and the Holy Spirit’s help. The enemy has a subtle strategy of adding his lies to something that is recognized as truth. He knows we are too smart to listen to something that is drastically opposed to our understanding of the Lord. Because of that, we need to be equipped with a good foundation of the entire Bible, both the Old and the New Testament. We need to know it in context as well as understanding the types, shadows and symbolism. “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11 KJ) “For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.” (John 5:46 KJ) “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4 KJ) Obviously we can not know all this at once, it is a lifetime pursuit, but as our Biblical knowledge grows, so will our discernment. We need to rely on the Holy Spirit to give us discernment in everything that comes our way. In every instance, do not rely on your own power, just pray and ask the Lord for help! He understands your plight and your concerns.
To begin the discerning process, there are times when the message seems true to our understanding of the Lord, yet our spirit will be repulsed. That is a wonderful help when it happens, but even that needs discernment to separate our flesh from our spirit. Our flesh can be threatened by hearing the Lord confront with truth. Sometimes we will hear something subtly correct and have no feeling in our spirit at all. That is when the discernment of a message and understanding our own giants is so important. If it is the Lord and we remain repulsed, He will continue to bring the same message to us in other ways until we receive it!
He loves us very much and understands our struggles. The Lord brings us through the journey of discernment, and understands our struggles to separate and receive only Him. He knows our heart in wanting to fight the battle of overcoming darkness.
Here are some basic things to remember when practicing the discernment of a message:
- CHECK FOR QUICKENING
“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63 KJ)
All the Lord’s Words, no matter what form we hear them, must be quickened by His Holy Spirit. The Bible says, only what is quickened by His Spirit will give life. Quickened is an obscure Biblical word, but without its power, our relationship with Him is limited to a dead language. The literal Greek meaning of the word quicken is to “make alive, or give vitality.” It’s like the cartoon of the man ignoring the slow down sign. All words are just words until they are quickened and we finally realize they apply to us.
I remember hearing a story about a woman who brought her shy, unbelieving husband to church. He quietly listened to the entire sermon. Many things he heard related to his personal life (were quickened). Later, when confronting his wife, he said how embarrassed he was that she had told the pastor all about his personal problems. She was astonished because she hadn’t said anything.
Quickening happens when you hear a story, etc. and all of a sudden it connects with your personal life. His quickening power says, “Listen to this, I’m talking to you!”
His quickened Words are like a puzzle piece that perfectly fits the shape of your life — You could have a need, or be in a set of circumstances, or whatever, and when the Lord quickens something it becomes applicable, it has a niche — a place to fit. Quickened Words from the Lord are always relevant.
Sometimes a puzzle piece will appear to have the right shape and size but when you apply it, it is not a perfect fit. Quickening is not what appears to fit. Quickening is a realization that it does fit. When it fits, your heart knows it.
God sends His puzzle pieces to us a piece at a time, and they find a place that fits perfectly with all the other Words He has been sharing. It takes time to work a puzzle, some pieces come to us upside down and backwards. Yet if it is HIS message, it will prosper no matter what the enemy or a giant has tried to do with it. His Word will turn and find the place that fits in perfect connection with other quickened Words that have found their niche (been confirmed and made secure). This takes time. His desire is for us to be planted in a sure place. “And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure plaand and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house.” (Isaiah 22:23 KJ)
When one is searching, the enemy may bring puzzle pieces that appear to be the right color, shape, or size. But only God’s piece will fit perfectly. The enemy’s attempt to snare will cause a distortion of the picture. We are not immune to taking something the enemy has planted and trying to make it fit.
It is just like forcing a puzzle piece that has been cut the same shape but not quite the same size. When placing the two together, there will either be a gap between the pieces, or the fit will be such a squeeze a “bump” will occur. This may delay the puzzle and disrupt its unity, but the more pieces of God’s Word that come together, the more the enemy’s puzzle piece will look alien. This takes time.
There are other times when God’s Words can be like a dormant seed. What He has said may remain buried, hidden in the ground, for many years. When thee ise is right, He takes that Word and quickens it with life. Many years ago the Lord told me about a man who lived south of me but the Lord never shared his name. For a long time, I wondered who it was, then finally I just forgot about it. It wasn’t until long after I’d met this person, that I remembered what the Lord had told me, and sure enough, that person fulfilled exactly what the Lord had said. The knowledge was dormant and for all purposes dead, until the Holy Spirit brought it to memory and quickened it with life.
Identifying His quickening power is a vital concept in hearing Him speak. This is especially true when we wonder if what we heard is the Lord. Do you wonder if God is trying to say something to you? Check His quickening power. The words make an empty thud without it.
The two disciples were walking on the road to Emmaus, thoroughly preoccupied with recent events. They did not recognize Him when He walked with them and discussed the scriptures. Moved and touched (quickened) by what He said, they asked Him to stay with them.
“[Stay] with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him [revelation]; and He vanished from their sight. (Luke 24:29-31 NKJV)
As the Lord speaks, He suddenly “reveals” that He is the One speaking.
Revelation is the sudden awareness of the Lord’s Presence or Word. It is the realization, “OH! That was God speaking to me!” The Lord sometimes hides the fact He is saying something to you, then suddenly it “dawns” on you, it is HIM. Revelation in the Greek Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Dictionary means to disclose, reveal, make manifest, appear, to lighten [as illumination or to bring to light].
“OH it’s Him!” cannot happen with logical facts. His Words become obvious only by His Presence. We cannot teach His Presence, but we can identify it. Learning to recognize His Presence through revelation is important in building a common language with Him.
Quickening and revelation are foundations within a new Christian’s relationship with the Lord, but though these concepts are primary, they also continue throughout our entire Christian experience. They are vital to our relationship with Him, because His Word will ALWAYS be quickened to us, and He will not stop revealing Himself until we know Him as He is, face to face.
Remember to always apply the quickening test to anything heard. His Words to us will be a quickened message to our hearts, and they will always bring us life. (John 6:63) If it isn’t quickened then let it go. Life is too short to waste ourselves on words that speak nothing and go nowhere. The concept of quickening is the most basic test of all that is heard, and it is also the simplest. It is easy to forget this while trying to wade knee-deep through the discernment process.
Only God gives good and perfect gifts, which are a reflection of Himself. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” (James 1:17 NKJV) The enemy cannot give a good and perfect gift. But he tries to disguise his so called gift to look like one. Ask yourself some questions about what you’ve heard; how did it make you feel? Did you receive peace, joy, or comfort? Or did it create a division in your relationship with the Lord, for instance feelings of guilt, confusion, fear, remorse, anxiousness, etc.?
A good verse to test what is heard is: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4:8 NKJV) Ask yourself, if the thought you heard lined up with the qualities of that verse.
WORD TO PONDER: WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?
When I labored and created the earth, I looked over everything that I made and saw that it was very GOOD. I also gave gifts of creativity so that mankind could understand that what is created comes out of the heart of the person creating. The creation is a message that in someway represents the person behind it. What I created was good, because I AM GOOD.
Live in such a way that men will see your GOOD works and glorify Me, for a good man will bring forth good things from the good treasure stored in his heart. When I walked the earth, I went about doing GOOD and healing all who were oppressed by the devil. I give GOOD gifts to My children and I do not change; I AM GOOD. Every GOOD and perfect gift comes from Me. I AM and always will be, the GOOD Shepherd.
Remove your focus off the devil. Overcome evil with good. Abhor evil and cling to good. Never repay evil with evil. But instead pursue good. If you want to see good days, refrain from speaking evil. Turn away from evil and do good. Beloved, all in the world is very simple. You have only 2 choices: good or evil, coming from the kingdoms of light or darkness. You need to make your choice and stick to it until the end, knowing Who I AM and Who keeps you. Separate and discern what you are listening to. You need to separate the mixture and choose the good part. A good report makes My body healthy for I know the good plans I have for you, to give you a future and a hope.
Jer 29:10-12 NLT
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for GOOD and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
It is the Lord’s desire to bring us into Jesus’ full image and stature of maturity. “Unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13 KJ) What He speaks will build us towards that direction. Did what you hear build you up into Jesus’ image – did it sound like something Jesus Christ would have said? Satan cannot exalt Jesus as Lord and Savior. The enemy’s purpose will be to display power and control, especially glorifying man and self-image, which is the exact opposite of exalting Jesus Christ.
A message from the Lord will always reflect His character. The upcoming list about knowing God gives Biblical foundations as to Who God is and defines His attributes. Its summary is applied here as a checklist:
- Does the thought reflect the qualities of love?
- Check for a mixed message; note its purity, and life giving qualities.
- Make sure it doesn’t condemn, does glorify Jesus, has the motive for building wholeness, provides peace and refuge.
- Watch that it reflects His Fatherhood, disciplines in love, guides into His truth, feeds and sustains, provides, covers and protects.
- Check that it strengthens, nurtures, is righteous and just, reflects that He is all powerful, all present, and all knowing.
- God is Love. (I Corinthians 13:4-8 AMP)
- God is Life. (John 6:63 NKJV)
- God is our Refuge. (Psalm 91:1,2 NKJV)
- God is Peace. (Psalm 107:28-30 KJ)
- God is Whole. (Exodus 3:14 KJ)
- God is Discipline. (Hebrews 12:6-10 AMP)
- God is our Provider. (Genesis 22:8 KJ)
- God is the Bread of Life. (John 6:48 KJ)
- God is our Strength. (Exodus 15:2A KJ)
- God is our Banner. (Psalm 60:4 NKJV)
- God is our Counselor (John 16:13 KJ)
- God is Just. (Deuteronomy 32:4B,C KJ)
- God is Truth. (John 15:26 KJ)
- God is a Deliverer. (John 3:17,18 NKJV)
- God is our Shepherd. (John 10:11 NKJV)
- God is our Everlasting Father. (Isaiah 9:6 KJ)
- God glorifies Jesus. (John 16:13,14 KJ)
- God is our Righteousness. (Jeremiah 23:6B KJ)
- God is Holy. (Proverbs 30:5 KJ)
- God is Merciful. (Exodus 34:6 NKJV)
- God is Forgiving. (Exodus 34:7 NKJV)
- God is Comforting. (Isaiah 66:13 NKJV)
- God is Gracious. (Exodus 33:19 NKJV)
- God is Wonderful. (Isaiah 9:6 NKJV)
- God is Omniscient. (Psalm 147:5 KJ)
- God is Omnipresent. (Psalm 139:7,8 NKJV)
- God is Omnipotent. (1 Chronicles 29:12A,B)
In summary, His Words to us always speak, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32 NKJV) And for the most part, understanding discernment is that simple. The thought can be easily discerned simply by lining it up with the qualities of God and the Bible. It can be a process of choice through logical checks and balances of His character, balanced with His quickening power. If the message lines up with Jesus Christ and His Word, is quickened by His Spirit to give life, then the message can be swallowed.
No matter what, use discernment in what you see, hear and understand, concerning any message, not only yours, but from others as well. If you have heard a message and it does not reflect the goodness of God, then the message is impure. If you hear a word through an appointed gift of God, and it does not reflect His qualities, the message is impure. Do not esteem the reputation of man and ministry over the discernment of the message. If you hear anything from various ways, even if they are true, but do not reflect Him and His character, then discern the message and the source.
