Paul admonishes us in one place to put on the whole armor of God that we may stand against the wiles (or schemes) of the devil. What are those schemes? Do we know? Are we aware of his crafty and deceptive ways? In warfare, military men study the enemy to know his tactics. Business men study their competition so they can know how to compete more effectively. God does not want us to be ignorant of our enemy’s ways either. We should not become “devil conscience” where we see a devil under every rock and behind every tree, but as wise stewards of the grace of God, we do need to know how the enemy is working against God and His purpose that we may not be taken unawares but rather stand unmoved in the full provision of God. (Eph. 6:10-20)
Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of his days for not discerning properly. Paul encouraged the Philippian church to abound in discernment. How do we discern what is of God and what is not? How do we properly discern without becoming critical? To properly discern a situation that is confronting us and still maintain a proper attitude is challenging. Some have resolved the issue by taking the position of “judge not.” Others have erred to the other side by becoming very critical and judgmental of situations and people that leaves them isolated and useless as a channel of God’s grace and love. We must not go to either side in this matter, but rather allow God to give us His discernment, seeking to move in wisdom and love towards every person and situation we face. (Matt. 6:3, Luke 12:56, Phil. 1:9, Heb. 5:14)