Intercede or Criticize

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18...

God designed us to learn by observing. By taking note of “those who live according to the pattern” of Jesus-in-you, we’re able to see tangible examples of what it looks like to let the Holy Spirit transform us - our attitudes and behaviors - from the inside out (Philippians 3:17 NIV).

But as we develop our powers of observation, there will be times when we see a Jesus-one who is not living according to the pattern established by Jesus-in-you.

Then what do you do?

First, you don’t follow this Jesus-one’s errant examples; and second, you don’t criticize them, rather you pray for them.

Oswald Chambers says in My Utmost for His Highest: “When we discern that other people are not growing spiritually and allow that discernment to turn to criticism, we block our fellowship with God. God never gives us discernment so that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.”

When we discern a weakness or a fault in another believer, we’re to take our concerns to God, praying on behalf of our brother or sister.

This doesn’t mean we ignore or deny the fault or sin in our friend; but it does mean we peer past the fault and into the need in our friend that is feeding the fault. That gives us insight into how to pray for our brother or sister and how to offer support.

The discernment God gives us is a prayer alert for another Jesus-one, and woe unto us if we use that discernment in a self-centered manner, such as pointing a finger. The discernment is meant to push us toward the other-centered position of prayer and support in the Spirit of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV).

Our objective-in-Jesus is to love one another as God loves us, so that we support each other with “alert and always” prayers that give us the further discernment of godly solutions.

the highest privilege of man is talk to god through prayer without asking for an appointment...