How To Pray For The Spirit Of Discernment

Praying for the spirit of discernment to come to you is similar to asking God for help in exercising good judgment, making sound decisions, and applying prudence in every choice or judgment you make. So, it is not surprising that discernment is related to wisdom. It is an integral part of being wise. In Proverbs 17:24, it is written that the discerning person sets his face toward wisdom. Being wise means exercising discernment or good judgment. For example, if you desire to be generous to someone in church, you don’t randomly pick someone who seems to be in need. You talk to the person, ask questions, and discern if the person is in need. Being discerning also means distinguishing what is right from what sounds right, most especially in today’s age, when truth is often diluted.

Heavenly Father, give me the spirit of discernment, and I will always move in that spirit as I make decisions in my life. Help me be wise, prudent, and discerning as I live. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

The Importance of God’s Word

Let’s say Robert is choosing someone to pursue and marry. Before him are Jane and Samantha. Jane and Samantha are both believers; they attend church every Sunday to worship the Lord, serve in the ministry, participate in discipleship efforts, go on short-term missions, and exercise spiritual discipline. In terms of attraction, Robert is more physically attracted to Samantha, while Jane is just an average-looking woman. However, Robert saw that Jane pursues and values virtue while Samantha doesn’t. He sees that in terms of reverence toward God and tenderness of the heart before the Lord, Jane excels.

In God’s Word, Robert reads from 2 Peter 1:5 about Peter’s exhortation of supplementing one’s faith with virtue. As he also seeks a godly woman, he learns from Proverbs 31:30 that a woman’s fear of the Lord matters the most. He sees that strength and dignity are Jane’s clothing (Proverbs 31:25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.) and that she adorns herself not with extravagant garments but with godliness (1 Peter 3:3-4). And so, with prayer and discernment, Robert decides to pursue and marry Jane.

The sample scenario above is a situation in which discernment and good judgment had to be exercised. Both women were believers; at face value, both are great partners to have. Both women could worship the Lord, do ministry together, and much more; however, the crucial piece invisible to the undiscerning eye is one’s reverence and tender heart before God. In our sample scenario, Robert could only discern that because of God’s Word.

For us to be able to exercise discernment or good judgment, we must have our minds renewed by God’s Word (Romans 12:1-2). It is only when we have our minds transformed and think the way Christ thinks that we will be able to determine that which is good, pleasing, and acceptable before God. That is why Psalm 119:105 says that God’s Word is our lamp to our feet. When we decide which step to take, His Word serves as our lamp—our basis for thinking and deciding.

God’s Word is important when discerning which choice to make and even shaping our very motives, desires, and thoughts. As we desire to do something and we need to evaluate our hearts, we use God’s Word to discern. In Hebrews 4:12, it is written that God’s Word is like a double-edged sword that pierces through the bone and marrow and discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

So, as we pray for the spirit of discernment to be upon us, we also have a responsibility to do the Word; that is, be faithful in reading God’s Word and having the Holy Spirit renew our minds so that we may think like Christ and discern like Christ by looking at everything through the lens of God’s Word. When presented with diluted truths such as caring for yourself, loving yourself, and putting away those who have hurt you, we can discern that though it sounds sensible at first, it is contrary to what God has called us to do, which is forgive, die to ourselves, and exhibit Christlike love to others (Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.; Luke 6:36; John 13:34-35). Self-care is not entirely a bad thing; for example, proper rest is healthy self-care. However, in an age when self-care has become a primary concern, the Bible still calls us to die to ourselves and put the interests of others before us without losing ourselves (Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.).

 

The Importance of Discernment

Why, then, should we develop discernment according to God’s Word? It’s because as we journey through life, there will surely be times when we have to make an important choice or decision. Often, there are significant matters in our lives to which we must apply good judgment. The example we gave above about Robert praying and thinking about who to pursue and marry is one example. Another scenario in which choice is necessary could be which job offer to accept. Especially if pressed between two good choices, a person must exercise discernment or good judgment as to which choice would be wiser and more beneficial to his or her spiritual growth. Proverbs 14:15 states that a simple person believes everything, but the prudent one gives much thought to their steps.

Also, discernment is critical to distinguish absolute truths from half-truths. As mentioned, what is difficult to judge correctly is when we are presented with two ideas, choices, thoughts, or concepts, and both appear to be good choices. However, we must determine what is right from what is almost right or sounds right. The world will bombard us with many fake truths. What we absorb shapes us, so we are to apply discernment and good judgment to everything we absorb, whether rooted in the Word of God or not.

Praying for the Spirit of Discernment

Provided we read God’s Word and meditate on it, we can pray for the spirit of discernment by asking God to help us move in the spirit of discernment as we live our lives and make our decisions. Prayer is communing with God; we have the confidence in Christ to come before God’s throne of grace and ask Him for the grace and mercy that we need (Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.). That includes asking for the spirit of discernment, for having such spirit and moving from within it is still God’s grace and mercy upon our lives.

We also pray by asking God to give us wisdom, understanding, and discernment. For example, in (James 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.), it is written that we are to ask God for wisdom when we need it. Though it may not explicitly use “discernment,” the same principle can be applied. As you pray and ask God for discernment, your confidence is that wisdom comes from the Lord, and so does knowledge and understanding (Proverbs 2:6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.).

 

Father in heaven, I pray for the spirit of discernment to be upon me. Help me to always move in such a spirit, especially when I make choices in my life. Help me to always be faithful in reading Your Word. May my mind be renewed by it, think according to Your Word, and discern which is good, acceptable, and pleasing to You. Give me wisdom, understanding, and discernment, Lord. Wisdom comes from You alone. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Our very motivation for being discerning in our choices is we want to glorify and honor God. Discernment comes in handy, especially if we are presented with choices that all look the same. An excellent example is when Solomon exercised sound judgment in discerning the baby’s real mother (I Kings 3:16-27). As judicious as Solomon’s solution was, his discernment and wisdom came from the Lord.