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Use these prayers for discernment to ask God for wisdom to help you discern His will in whatever tough situation you are facing.
There will be many situations in life that will require discernment – the ability to judge a situation, intention, or a person well.
This isn’t meant as a way of being judgemental. In fact, the bible encourages discernment and even mentions it among the many gifts of the Spirit.
One of the things that every believer should seek after is spiritual discernment. In Corinthians 2:10, Paul mentions the idea of discerning the spirits. This refers to the God-given gift to recognize falsehood and to identify deceptive doctrine and teachings. Since the Holy Spirit is the one working through us, we can ask God to increase our discernment and our ability to sense when something or someone twists the truth.
The New Testament church experienced many false teachers, who tried to steer them away from the simple gospel. It has only increased in modern-day churches, as many have come to twist scripture and deceive people. But how will we know whether we are being deceived or misled? Through discernment.
It is important to note that it will be hard to discern deception when we are not familiar with the truth. It is only through diligent study of God’s word, that we can spot deception. It is a case of reading the scriptures for ourselves and knowing who God is and what is in accordance with His word. When we grow in discernment, we hold God’s word in high honor.
Discernment is not only important when it comes to God’s Word, but also the teachings, ideas, or philosophies that people bring before us. It is beneficial to many areas of our lives. Discernment allows us to distinguish between good and evil.
Interestingly enough, the English word for aesthetic comes from the Greek word for discernment. Which means insight and moral perception. But it is not only something that is limited to head knowledge, it also involves the practical application of that knowledge. Discernment helps us gain insight and act based on that knowledge.
If you are seeking the gift of discernment, and you want to grow in discerning the truth from deception, and grow in practical discernment in your daily life situations, these prayers are for you!
Prayers for Discernment
The prayers below include:
- Prayer for a Heart of Discernment
- Prayer For A Renewed Mind
- Prayer for Discernment Again Spiritual Deception
- A Prayer To Discern God’s Will
- A Prayer To Grow In Wisdom
You may also need these prayers to help you during this time:
- 7 Prayers For Clarity & Direction
- 6 Comforting Prayers For Peace
- 8 Prayers When You’re Worried
- 6 Fervent Prayers For Self Control
1. Prayer for a Heart of Discernment
” I am your servant; give me a discernment that I may understand your statutes.”
– Psalm 119:125
Heavenly Father,
I ask that You would grant me a discerning heart. A heart that seeks to know You, and to know the truth of Your word. But more than that, I ask that You would grant me a heart that seeks to keep Your mind. Please open the eyes of my heart to understand Your word, to take it to heart, and to apply it to my daily life.
May my ears be attentive to Your word, and may my eagerness to follow it increase. Help me to make Your word my treasure, and to measure everything against it. Please keep me from trusting in my own wisdom, and learning on my own understanding. Protect my heart from the false attraction of deception.
Help my heart to be sober and discerning. May Your word cover every inch of my heart, and be my very driving force. Please guard my heart from the things and people who try to lure it into a trap. May Your Spirit fill me with discernment, and lead me on the path of truth. In Jesus’ name, amen.
2. Prayer For A Renewed Mind
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
– Romans 12:2
Lord,
I confess that it can be so easy to conform to the pattern of this world. Sometimes I live as though I am of the world, but I know that You have called me to live in the world but not be of it. Please forgive me for those times. I ask that You would renew my mind, and help me to get rid of my old pattern of worldly thinking.
The way of the world is foolish, but Your ways are life and truth. Help me to choose life and truth, instead of foolishness. I cannot transform my mind through my own abilities. It is only through Your word that my mind can be transformed. Please increase my desire to get into Your word and to become equip with the truth. Help me to discern between worldliness and godliness.
Please apply Your word to my heart, and mind, that I might live by it. As I get into Your word, I ask that You would grant me discernment and help me to test and approve what Your good, pleasing and perfect will is. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.
3. Prayer for Discernment Again Spiritual Deception
“The Spirit clearly says that in the later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.”
– 1 Timothy 4:1
Lord,
In these times there are so many who have taught in Your name. But not all who claim to be from You, have Your Spirit in them. Thank You for granting me Your Holy Spirit. I ask that You would grant me discernment against the deception of deceiving spirits. Spirits that bear Your name but do not know or seek Your heart.
Please protect me from spiritual deception. Help me to study Your word and to become adequate for every good work. I know that I cannot fight off, stand up to, or discern falsehood when I am not rooted in the truth. Please help me to discipline myself in the studying of Your word, and not to be lead astray.
I not only pray for myself, but for my loved ones and those who have committed to follow You. Whether they are new Christians or have professed to be Christians for years. I know that no one is safe from deception, not unless we seek Your word, and do not compromise it. I pray that the churches and people who are bringing deceptive doctrines into Your church would be exposed, and that the darkness would be brought to light. Help us to test every spirit. May only Your truth shine and stand firm against all lies. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.
4. A Prayer To Discern God’s Will
“Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.”
– Hosea 14:9
God,
There is no amount of human wisdom that could compare to Your perfect and complete wisdom. Even in times when I may not be able to see the full picture of a situation, You lead me in Your wisdom, and guide me in Your good and perfect way.
Thank You for caring for me, and loving me. Thank You for guiding me in Your wisdom. I ask that You would grant me both discernment and wisdom. May it not be found in my own understanding or in the ways of the world. But may it be rooted in the knowledge that Your ways are right.
As I look towards the future, remind me that it is You who hold it. Help me to make wise decisions. I ask that Your Holy Spirit would lead me in Your will for my life. Help me to distinguish between my own voice and the voice of Your Spirit. Please guide me in the decisions that lie ahead of me, and help me not to make decisions that are led by my feelings. Lead me in Your wisdom and guide me in Your truth. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.
5. A Prayer To Grow In Wisdom
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
– James 1:5
Lord,
I ask that You would fill me with Your wisdom. Your word says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Though one may possess all the wisdom of the world, if we do not fear You, or have reverence for You, our wisdom is in vain. Please keep me from pursuing all the wisdom of the world, while I neglect the wisdom of God.
I ask that You would help me to grow in my reverence towards You. Help me to see You more clearly, that I may grow in awe of who You are and seek to know You more and more. Please grant me wisdom and discernment that I may follow in Your truth. May I not simply keep this wisdom and knowledge to myself, but share it with those who do not know You yet, and use it to build up my brothers and sisters in Christ.
May the knowledge of Your word transform my heart and mind, and lead me on the path of life. Help me to discern between what pleases and what dishonors You. And help me to apply the wisdom of Your word to my life each day. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.