THE BATTLE OF DISCERNMENT Posted 1.31.08
1 Kings 13
What do a telephone, wedding ring, baby’s ultrasound photo, and prayer journal all have in common? They all represent keys to winning the battle of discernment! The telephone represents communication, the wedding ring speaks of commitment, the ultrasound can be an amazing confirmation, and my prayer journal expresses the changes of God in my life regularly!
Discernment in its most foundational form is seeing things as God sees them. Like anything worthwhile and life-changing, it requires practice, hard work, and discipline. We shake our heads at people who think they can be expert golfers or musicians without the appropriate time and work commitment. I likewise marvel at Christians who assume they can know the ways of God by simply calling themselves His. Our salvation is a relationship that must be developed and nurtured daily to be all God truly desires it to be. It is an ongoing process not a one-time event.
How do we win the battle of discernment? Communication with God, Commitment to God, Confirmation by God, and Change for God!
COMMUNICATION WITH GOD (Read 1 Kings 13:1-6)
As we read about the man of God from Judah coming to Bethel one phrase repeats itself, “By the word of the LORD” (verses 1, 2, 5), and two others echo the emphasis, “This is what the LORD says…The LORD has declared…” (verses 2, 3). Communication with God begins with asking the question, “What is God saying?” and then listening for His answers.
We serve a God who speaks. He speaks through His Word and prayer without partiality. He loves people and endeavors to protect and mature His relationships with them. If we spend time communicating with Him, we must focus on His wants, His direction and path for each day’s adventures.
That God had to bring someone from Judah to speak His Word in Bethel is no surprise. We read previously how Jeroboam created a false religion and drew all northern Israel away from the Lord. Do not be surprised if in your communication with God He sends you somewhere unexpected. I picture this man of God to be somewhat like Amos.
In Amos 7, the prophet recounts how he was at home, a shepherd, minding his own business basically when God called him to prophesy. Where is God sending you today? He may lead you as close as the grocery store or as far away as another country. Discerning His plan and obeying is the key.
Receiving a Word from the Lord requires complete trust as well. I wonder if this man of God had any idea that the king himself would be present at the altar the day he went to speak against it. His life was in danger and yet he did not retreat. He spoke God’s Word soundly and boldly and trusted God with the outcome.
I love God’s intervention on the man of God’s behalf. As Jeroboam demands his seizure, God paralyzes the accusing arm. So powerful! You can trust God when He orders your steps.
Finally, embrace the truth that at the heart of all God’s communication is His love for people. The man of God’s directive against the altar, rather than Jeroboam himself, indicates the enormous distance the king had put between himself and the Lord. But God is always reaching, always providing opportunities to restore broken relationships. Even when He punishes or disciplines, His heart resounds with love and desire. When we represent Him, we should exemplify these characteristics as well.
What does your communication with God look like? What are the results of that communication? How do you respond?
Discernment increases as we develop our ability to communicate with God regularly.
COMMITMENT TO GOD (Read 1 Kings 13:7-17)
These verses not only give us more insight into the details God spoke to the man of God about his mission, but they also provide us an important lesson in commitment: do not give in to the temptation to compromise.
It would have been so easy for the man to rationalize his acceptance of the king’s invitation, “Perhaps I can witness to him more. I could really use a bite to eat after all that drama. The king seems nice enough.” Do not do it! When God gives direction it is always with His omniscient mind, and He simply wants complete obedience.
When faced with a change in plans, the best advice is to go with the very last instruction the Lord spoke to you. I take God’s words to me as “until further notice.” While He can alter our course at any time, make sure it is Him and not people.
Keep moving forward. Verse 14’s description of the man of God, “sitting under an oak tree” haunted me. I know the man must have been tired and was obviously hungry, but I can’t help thinking if he just hadn’t stopped, he would have gotten home and moved on with his life in the Lord. Keep moving forward.
Verse 16 is also revealing when he said, “I cannot turn back...” Godless rabbit trails and back tracking in the Christian life can be destructive. Finish the job. Stay the course.
I will say it seems the old prophet is trying to reignite his discernment and walk with the Lord, but it came at an awful price to the man of God.
CONFIRMATION BY GOD (Read 1 Kings 13:4-6 (again), 18-32)
I loved looking at my baby’s ultrasound picture, especially in the early part of my pregnancy before I was “showing.” It was that tangible reminder that a precious life was in my womb.
God has very creative ways to confirm His presence and plans in our lives. He promised the man of God a sign at the altar and gave it quite convincingly (verse 4-5). I appreciate this particular affirmation since the actual prophecies would not be fulfilled for three hundred years!!!
But I also admire God’s immediate intervention when Jeroboam threatened to seize the man. I imagine the whole scene as chaotic and the man of God thinking, “This is not exactly how I thought it would work out,” and then “Bam!” God steps in and reveals Himself in a fresh and especially powerful way. What a mighty God we serve!
It is critical to trust God’s timing, though. I know many a Christian who has become disillusioned with God because circumstances or situations were not “fixed” on their timetable. Allow me to reiterate: these prophecies would not be fulfilled for 300 years! Why? I do not have all the answers, but I have no doubt it is intricately related to our God’s unfathomable patience and immeasurable love. He would give Jeroboam and his family plenty of time to repent and return to Him. How great Thou art!
Another easily overlooked confirmation is the subsequent healing of Jeroboam’s arm. I imagine this part of the adventure was not scripted, and he is trusting his discernment and operating in the Spirit, and oh, how God blessed his prayer of faith.
I had one of these moments several years ago. A friend’s mom was in the hospital with a broken back. As I was preparing to leave from a brief visit with her one day I asked if she had any specific prayer requests. She was slow to answer and obviously embarrassed but finally blurted out, “I need to urinate!” The doctors had told her this was a major setback in her recovery, and she felt powerless. Well, I have no problem praying for the restoration of bodily functions, so off I went in intercession.
When I walked in the door at home, the phone was ringing. Her bladder was empty! What a sweet confirmation from the Lord. Don’t dismiss such blessings as coincidences or luck. God is moving in our lives, and these signs reveal His glory to us and those around us (see John 2:11). Allow Him to build your faith and discernment through them.
There is never a good time to relax your discernment, but one of the easiest times to do it is described in verse 18. The man of God held firm to his commitment until another “believer” told him God wanted a change.
While I gladly advocate receiving godly advice from others, I am equally committed to each individual “filtering” all advice through the Holy Spirit. Listening is fine. Making the final decision must be between you and the Lord. Do not let others make spiritual decisions for you. All of our discernment “bells and whistles” should start blowing madly when someone claims they know God’s will for our lives – especially if it completely contradicts something God has already told us, as was the case in 1 Kings 13.
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And THE PEACE OF GOD, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (emphasis mine) That peace is the key to discernment. God wants you to know His will more than you want to know! Take time to develop the discipline and understanding of this peace. God will honor it.
Disobedience leads to confusion and punishment. When the old prophet received a true word from God, the man of God must have been startled and thoroughly disoriented. His ultimate death seems harsh, and I don’t pretend to understand it all, but I trust God’s sovereignty and wisdom, and I do understand the pain that comes from disobedience.
Verse 28 adds a final note to obtaining God’s confirmation. The killing of the man of God by a lion, who neither destroyed his body nor touched the donkey or prophet, is a supernatural confirmation. At times God will go to great lengths to make a point to His children. The prophet’s words in verse 31 reveal the impact all of these events had on his life – he knew God had spoken and acted, and he believed.
What do you need confirmation for in your life? Where are you looking? Who or what do you depend on to affirm your life decisions?
Discernment grows as God confirms His work in our lives.
CHANGE FOR GOD (Read 1 Kings 13:31(again) -34)
When we reread verse 31 it seems likely the old prophet was allowing God to change him. He was probably God’s servant before Jeroboam began the idol worship in Israel and fell away with the rest of his people. The man of God stirred a fresh curiosity in him and God took advantage of his open heart and met him there. I look forward to heaven and hearing the rest of his story.
Unfortunately, verse 33 makes it clear that Jeroboam did not change at all. It seems incredulous that this king would see God’s hand so clearly yet continue to go his own way, and yet, people respond to God with equal indifference every day. I pray I will not!
May our daily prayer resound, “Lord, change me however You desire!”
What needs to change in your life?
Discernment increases as we allow God to change us daily to be more like Him!
The battle of discernment is raging around us daily. Let us experience victory by communicating with God, committing ourselves to God, receiving confirmation from God, and being changed by God.