Sunday, 28 November 2021
BE CIRCUMSPECT AND DISCERNING
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace (Romans 8:6).
In Matthew 16:21-23, we see an interesting scenario between Jesus and Peter. The Master had made it clear to His disciples that it was necessary for Him to go to Jerusalem, submit to an ordeal of suffering at the hands of the religious leaders, be killed, and be raised back to life on the third day.
Then the Bible says that Peter took the Lord aside to speak to Him privately and began to reprove and charge Him sharply, saying, “God forbid, Lord! This must never happen to you!” The Master then turned to Peter and said, “…Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men” (Matthew 16:23).
He immediately turned Peter’s mind to the source of his information; He turned Peter’s mind to the spiritual. This says a lot about the spirituality of Jesus. He wanted Peter to know when an information is from God, or when it’s from the devil.
When information comes to you, you have to know where it’s coming from. Is it from the Kingdom of God, from the devil or from the world? Satan is the prince of this world, so information from the world is corrupted by Satan. Moreover, you’re not of this world (John 15:19); therefore, you can’t live by the information that comes from the world.
Walk in understanding and discernment. Be spiritual. Through the ministry of the Word and the Spirit, the Lord graciously grants you the ability to discern and walk in His perfect will always. He wants you to be circumspect, cautious, prudent, vigilant and established in His Word, which is the true light that gives you direction and guidance.
If any information comes that’s not of the Lord, geared to sway you from the right path, by His Spirit, you’d hear His voice as you follow the truth of the Gospel. It’s one of the reasons the Pauline prayers for the Church are so important. In Colossians 1:9, he said, “For this cause we… do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” Affirm this for yourself always. Every so often, declare that you’re circumspect and wise; you’re filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and discernment. Hallelujah!
PRAYER: Dear Father, I’m circumspect, wise, perceptive and discerning, trusting you wholeheartedly in all things, leaning on your Word, and acting only on your instructions. I’m rooted and grounded in the Word, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
Ephesians 5:15-17; Colossians 1:9
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: 2 Peter 2 & Ezekiel 39-40
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: John 15:20-27 & 1 Chronicles 28