Discernment and Guarding Against Deception


Discernment and Guarding Against Deception विवेक और धोखे से बचाव

Introduction भूमिका

We live in a time where truth and lies often look very similar. Many voices claim to speak for God, yet not all are from Him. Jesus Himself warned that false prophets and false Christs would arise to deceive—even showing signs and wonders (Matthew 24:24). Therefore, every believer must develop discernment, stay rooted in Scripture, and walk in a Spirit-led life. हम ऐसे समय में जी रहे हैं जहाँ सत्य और झूठ बहुत समान दिखाई देते हैं। अनेक आवाज़ें दावा करती हैं कि वे परमेश्वर की ओर से बोलती हैं, परन्तु सब सच में परमेश्वर से नहीं होतीं। यीशु ने स्वयं चेतावनी दी कि झूठे मसीह और झूठे भविष्यवक्ता उठ खड़े होंगे, यहाँ तक कि चिन्ह और अद्भुत कार्य भी दिखाएँगे ताकि धोखा दें (मत्ती 24:24)। इसलिए हर विश्वासी को विवेकशील होना चाहिए, पवित्रशास्त्र में जड़ें जमाए रहना चाहिए और आत्मा के नेतृत्व में जीवन जीना चाहिए।


1. Discernment विवेक

📖 2 Corinthians 11:14 – “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” 2 कुरिन्थियों 11:14 – “क्योंकि शैतान आप ही ज्योतिर्मय स्वर्गदूत का रूप धरता है।”

  • Deception does not always look evil. Sometimes it looks attractive, spiritual, or even holy. धोखा हमेशा बुरा दिखाई नहीं देता। कभी–कभी वह आकर्षक, आध्यात्मिक या पवित्र प्रतीत होता है।

📖 Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:11 – God strictly forbids occult practices. लैव्यव्यवस्था 19:31; व्यवस्थाविवरण 18:11 – परमेश्वर ने टोना–टोटका,

  • Consulting mediums, horoscopes, spiritists, witchcraft, and fortune-telling are counterfeit ways of seeking knowledge apart from God.  ज्योतिष, आत्माओं से परामर्श, जादू–टोना और भविष्य बताने के कार्यों को सख़्ती से मना किया है।

  • These open doors to spiritual deception. ये बातें आत्मिक धोखे के द्वार खोलती हैं।

📖 1 Samuel 28 – King Saul sought a medium when God was silent. 1 शमूएल 28 – शाऊल ने जब परमेश्वर से उत्तर न पाया, तो उसने एक माध्यम (medium) का सहारा लिया।

  • This shows the danger of desperation without discernment. Instead of repenting and waiting on God, he turned to the enemy. यह दर्शाता है कि पश्चाताप करने और परमेश्वर की प्रतीक्षा करने के बजाय, वह शत्रु की ओर मुड़ गया।

📖 2 Kings 21:16; 2 Chronicles 33:6 – King Manasseh practiced sorcery, witchcraft, and even child sacrifice. 2 राजा 21:16; 2 इतिहास 33:6 – राजा मनश्शे ने टोना–टोटका, जादू–टोना और यहाँ तक कि बाल बलि तक की।

  • His lack of discernment led the entire nation astray. उसकी विवेकहीनता ने पूरे राष्ट्र को भटका दिया।

📖 Acts 16:16–19 – The slave girl with a spirit of divination spoke words that sounded good. प्रेरितों के काम 16:16–19 – भावी बताने वाली दासी अच्छे शब्द बोलती थी।

  • But Paul discerned the spirit was not from God and cast it out. पौलुस ने आत्मा को पहचाना और उसे निकाल दिया।

  • This shows we must test not just words, but the spirit behind them.परन्तु  इससे हमें सिखाई देता है कि हमें केवल शब्दों को नहीं, बल्कि उनके पीछे की आत्मा को परखना चाहिए।

📖 1 John 4:1 – “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” 1 यूहन्ना 4:1 – “हे प्रियों, हर एक आत्मा की प्रतीति न करना, परन्तु आत्माओं को परखना कि वे परमेश्वर की ओर से हैं या नहीं।”

  • Discernment means examining teachings, visions, dreams, and prophecies against the Word of God. अनुप्रयोग: बहुत से विश्वासियों का धोखा खाना उनकी सच्चाई की कमी के कारण नहीं, बल्कि विवेक की कमी के कारण होता है।

💡 Application: Many believers are deceived not because they lack sincerity, but because they lack discernment. "बहुत से विश्वासी इसलिए धोखा खा जाते हैं क्योंकि उनमें निष्ठा की कमी नहीं होती, बल्कि विवेक (आत्मिक परख) की कमी होती है।"

2. Scriptural Foundation पवित्रशास्त्र में जड़ें जमाना 

📖 2 Peter 2:1 – “There will be false teachers among you… secretly introducing destructive heresies, even denying the Master.”  2 पतरस 2:1 – “तुम में झूठे शिक्षक होंगे, जो छिप–छिपाकर विनाशकारी विधर्म लाएँगे, यहाँ तक कि स्वामी का भी इन्कार करेंगे।”

  • False teaching always begins subtly. It may sound right at first but leads away from Christ. झूठी शिक्षा अक्सर धीरे–धीरे शुरू होती है। पहले सही लग सकती है, परन्तु अन्ततः मसीह से दूर ले जाती है।

  • Our safeguard is the Word of God, rightly studied and applied. हमारी सुरक्षा परमेश्वर का वचन है, जिसे ठीक से अध्ययन करके और जीवन में लागू करके पाया जाता है।

💡 Application: If we don’t know the truth deeply, we won’t recognize a lie quickly. Like a banker learns to spot counterfeit money by studying the real currency, believers must study Scripture to spot deception. यदि हम सत्य को गहराई से नहीं जानते, तो झूठ को शीघ्रता से पहचान नहीं पाएँगे। जिस प्रकार बैंक का कर्मचारी असली नोट को ध्यान से पढ़–सीखकर नकली को पहचानता है, वैसे ही विश्वासियों को शास्त्र को गहराई से सीखना चाहिए।

3. Spirit-Led Life आत्मा के नेतृत्व में जीवन

📖 1 Corinthians 12:14 – We are one body with many parts, guided by the Spirit. 1 कुरिन्थियों 12:14 – हम एक शरीर हैं, जिसके अनेक अंग हैं, और हम सब आत्मा के द्वारा चलाए जाते हैं।

  • Discernment is not just individual—it happens in the community of believers as we test and confirm truth together. विवेक केवल व्यक्तिगत नहीं, सामूहिक भी है। विश्वासियों का समुदाय मिलकर शिक्षा और आत्माओं को परखता है।

📖 1 Corinthians 16:13 – “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” 1 कुरिन्थियों 16:13 – “जागते रहो, विश्वास में स्थिर रहो, पुरुषार्थ करो, बलवन्त बनो।”

  • A Spirit-led believer is watchful, firm, and courageous.

  • The Holy Spirit leads us into truth (John 16:13) and strengthens us to resist deception. पवित्र आत्मा हमें सत्य की ओर ले जाता है (यूहन्ना 16:13) और धोखे का विरोध करने की सामर्थ्य देता है।

💡 Application: Discernment grows when we live daily in the Spirit—through prayer, worship, obedience, and fellowship. विवेक तभी बढ़ता है जब हम आत्मा में चलते हैं – प्रार्थना, आराधना, आज्ञाकारिता और संगति के द्वारा।

Conclusion

Discernment is the believer’s shield in times of deception. विवेक ही धोखे के समय में विश्वासियों की ढाल है।

  • Without discernment, we may mistake darkness for light. बिना विवेक के हम अंधकार को ज्योति समझ बैठेंगे।

  • Without Scripture, we may be swayed by every teaching. बिना शास्त्र के हम हर शिक्षा से डगमगाएँगे।

  • Without the Spirit, we may lack the strength to stand firm. बिना आत्मा के हमारे पास दृढ़ खड़े रहने की सामर्थ्य नहीं होगी।

✅ Therefore इसलिए:

  • Test everything by God’s Word. हर बात को परमेश्वर के वचन से परखो।

  • Stay rooted in Christ. मसीह में जड़ें जमाए रहो।

  • Walk daily in the Spirit. आत्मा में प्रतिदिन चलो।

And when the trials of the last days increase, we will not be deceived, but will be able to stand before the Son of Man (Luke 21:36). और जब अन्त के दिनों की कठिनाइयाँ बढ़ेंगी, तो हम धोखे में नहीं पड़ेंगे, परन्तु मनुष्य के पुत्र के सामने खड़े होने योग्य पाए जाएँगे (लूका 21:36)।

✝️ Final Exhortation:
Let us be watchful, prayerful, and Spirit-filled believers who discern truth from error and stand firm until the Lord returns. आओ हम जागरूक, प्रार्थनापूर्ण और आत्मा से परिपूर्ण विश्वासियों की तरह बने रहें, जो सत्य और असत्य में भेद करें और प्रभु के लौटने तक दृढ़ बने रहें।



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