Once, Jesus shared with His disciples how He would suffer and die at the hands of His false accusers in order to fulfill the full intent of God. One of His disciples, Peter, attempting to discourage Him, quickly objected. But Jesus was fast to see what was behind the remark: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns” (Matthew 16:21, 23).

Jesus, of course, knew much more than Peter could comprehend. He possessed discernment, which is the ability to see and interpret things that are far beyond ordinary human understanding.

Today, we desperately need that same spirit of discernment. There is never a shortage of people who posture themselves as preachers of the Gospel while remaining inward wolves. For example, doomsday Kenya based cult leader Paul Mackenzie was convicted on 191 murder charges after forcing his followers—most of whom were innocent children—to starve themselves to death. Among his horrific teachings was forcing people to fast continuously, brutally flogging those who resisted, and proclaiming that education and healthcare were instruments of Satan.

God has not left us without protection from such deception. First, He has given us His Word. Apostle James advises us to have a firm faith:”But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6). Being deeply rooted in the Word of God gives us a rock-solid foundation.

Furthermore, we must pray that the Holy Spirit comes and gives us wisdom. When Solomon became king and was faced with heavy decisions, he prayed: “Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”(1 Kings 3:9).

When we practice discernment, it shields us not only in spiritual matters but also in our everyday lives. The world contains many devious individuals whom we might meet and initially trust as friends. When we are truly discerning, we can easily spot these dangers and protect ourselves.