Understanding the Will of God

What every Christian Should Know   •  Sermon  •  Submitted
0 ratings
· 54 views

Discerning Gods Will

Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
View more →

Understanding the Will of God

Acts 6:5–6 KJV 1900
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: 6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
Acts 9:5–6 KJV 1900
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Acts 9:6 KJV 1900
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
It is important to know God’s will.
acts 9.
Jesus said that His true relations are those who know and do the Father’s will:
“Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother” ().
At its most basic, the will of God is to repent of our sin and trust in Christ. If we have not taken that first step, then we have not yet accepted God’s will.
How to Know the Will of God

How to Know the Will of God

When Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus, Saul asked Him the two greatest questions anybody could ever ask: "Lord, Who are You?" and "What do You want me to do?"
Who do I marry ?
What should my college major be
Should I join the army?
Should I buy this house?
Should i take the promotion and leave to another state?
Jim Cornell
1995 - should he take promotion leave South jersey and move to DC area.
Prayed
Sought counsel of pastor and friends
Interviewed Pastors for a new church
Waited
When he left he knew it was Gods will
Myths about God’s Will :
It’s just for the super spiritual - pastors and missionaries
His will can be known:
It not just for the super spiritual
It’s a check list or road map to be followed
I must see a sign, hear some audible voice or have vision
It’s a mystery that I have to figure out

I Guidance Is Promised

Guidance Is Promised In , the Lord said to Saul, "...Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." Jesus could not have given him a better promise: to tell him what to do.
In , the Lord said to Saul, "...Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." Jesus could not have given him a better promise: to tell him what to do.
In , the Lord said to Saul, "...Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." Jesus could not have given him a better promise: to tell him what to do.
And God will guide you too. He has a plan for your life.
Psalm 37:23 KJV 1900
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: And he delighteth in his way.
psalm 3
Psalm 32:8 KJV 1900
8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
Guidance is promised in the Word of God. We have a Father above us, controlling all things. We have the Savior beside us, directing our steps. And we have the Spirit within us, impressing our hearts. We can know His will.
If His will is what is best for our lives why we he not reveal this to us?
Guidance is promised in the Word of God. We have a Father above us, controlling all things. We have the Savior beside us, directing our steps. And we have the Spirit within us, impressing our hearts. We can know His will.

II Three Essential Facts

Myths about the Will of God There are six common myths about the will of God that need to be destroyed:

a)God’s Will Will Never Contradict His Word

2 Timothy 3:16 KJV 1900
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
New Job will require you to abandon your family
Ephesians 6:4 KJV 1900
4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:1 KJV 1900
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Should I get an abortion ?
Myth #1: God will give you a roadmap for your life. God's will for you is not a roadmap — it is a relationship. If you stay in a relationship with Him, He will guide you each step of the way.
Should I steal , lie or murder
Many people seem to want to know what God’s plan is for their lives, but they overlook the fact that 98% of His will is already delineated carefully through His Word.
God is very clear about many, many aspects of His will. For instance, it is clearly His plan that we abstain from sexual immorality ().
If we do not obey the things that God has shown us clearly to be His will, why would we think He would reveal any further information regarding His plan for our lives? Obedience is an important first step.

b) God Will Can be Revealed by the Counsel of Others

b) God will can be reviled by the counsel of others

Proverbs 11:14 KJV 1900
14 Where no counsel is, the people fall: But in the multitude of counsellers there is safety.
Proverbs 12:15 KJV 1900
15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: But he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
prov
Review the decision or issue with a mature Christian
The church is designed to help you greatly with this. I would encourage you to be in church every single time the doors are opened.
The more you involve yourself with a community of believers, the greater your chances will be of finding godly men and women who can help you discern God’s will.
One key component to finding God’s will is to seek the input of godly advisors in your life. If you don’t currently have 3-4 godly mentors, then I would highly recommend that you seek them out right away.

c) Gods Will Can be Directed by Circumstances

Ruth 1:6 KJV 1900
6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread.
ruth 1.
Sons and husband are dead
One daughter-in law would return
This circumstance forced her to go back to Israel!
examples:
illness
loss of job
old age
Evaluate circumstances to see if God is directing you to move or make some type of decision....
Acts 16:6–10 KJV 1900
6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
Over the years, I have discovered that God is pretty good at opening and closing doors.
The US invasion of Kuwait in 1992-1993 changed my career .... was planning on spending time in Middle East
Urban Engineers I learned to speak publically and present projects ....

III Your Responsibilities

Myth #2: God is some sort of a celestial kill-joy. There are a lot of people who don't want to know the will of God because they are afraid of what they might find out. But suppose your teenage son says, "Dad, I'm convinced you're a godly man. I've decided, whatever you want me to do, I'll do it." Would you say, "He'll be sorry he ever said that. Let's see how we can make his life miserable?" Of course not! Don't be afraid of the will of God. It's what you would want for yourself if you knew enough to want it.
Myth #3: God only speaks to a certain category of persons. Some believe God has a will for ministers but not for the ordinary person. But God has a particular will for you whether you are a missionary or a secretary — a pastor or a plumber. God has a will for every life.
Myth #4: God hides His will. God does not hide His will from us. God wants to reveal His will. In the truest sense of the word, you don't find the will of God, the will of God finds you when you're walking in the Spirit.
Miracles — God may speak to you in a vision, a dream, or with an audible voice like He did Saul. But He does not normally guide this way. Since we have the New Testament, and the Bible is completed; these kinds of miracles are not greatly needed today. His Word — Much of the will of God for your life is found in the Bible. It is sheer arrogance for you to pray, "God show me Your will," when He has already shown it in His Word. The Spirit of God — Saul received the Holy Spirit (), and the Holy Spirit will lead you also. You need to be sensitive enough to hear the Spirit of God and know the voice of God. The wisdom of God. Notice Saul preached in the synagogues that Christ is the Son of God (). Where did he get this wisdom? God gave it to him supernaturally. Knowledge comes by looking around, but wisdom comes by looking up. His people — When God was speaking to Saul, He used Ananias to confirm His will (). When God is speaking to you about something, He will often confirm it to somebody else. Circumstances — God opens and closes doors. And what you think is happenstance is God's plan and God's way to guide you.
The way to know the will of God for the rest of your life is to do the will of God right now — obey what you already know. If you're interested in knowing the will of God in your life, say what the apostle Paul said, "Lord, Who are You, and what do You want me to do?"

a) Walk with God.

1) Walk with God.
Proverbs 3:5–6 KJV 1900
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.
For starters, if you are interested in knowing God’s plan for your life, then you must learn to walk with God. You need to develop a relationship with Him. Christianity is all about relationship rather than just religion.
For starters, if you are interested in knowing God’s plan for your life, then you must learn to walk with God. You need to develop a relationship with Him. Christianity is all about relationship rather than just religion.
You will cultivate that relationship best by spending time in His Word, taking time for prayer, and taking every opportunity you can to be involved in church and small group Bible study opportunities. When you seek these disciplines in your life, God will begin the first steps to revealing His plan to you.
You will cultivate that relationship best by spending time in His Word, taking time for prayer, and taking every opportunity you can to be involved in church and small group Bible study opportunities. When you seek these disciplines in your life, God will begin the first steps to revealing His plan to you.

The better we get to know a person, the more acquainted we become with his or her desires.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
For example, a child may look across a busy street at the ball that bounced away, but he doesn’t run after it, because he knows “my dad wouldn’t want me to do that.”
He doesn’t have to ask his father for advice on every particular situation; he knows what his father would say because he knows his father.
The same is true in our relationship to God. As we walk with the Lord, obeying His Word and relying on His Spirit, we find that we are given the mind of Christ ().
1 Corinthians 2:16 KJV 1900
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

b) Surrender your Will to God’s.

2) Surrender your will to God’s.
Romans 12:1–2 KJV 1900
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Many times when we say we are seeking God’s will, what we are really wanting to say to God is this: “OK, God, here’s what I’m planning to do.
Many times when we say we are seeking God’s will, what we are really wanting to say to God is this: “OK, God, here’s what I’m planning to do.
Now I need you to rubber stamp this, all right?” I must tell you that this is not really effective in finding His true will.
Before God will begin to reveal His will to you, you must be committed to doing whatever it is that He desires for you to do. God will likely be slow to show you His plan if He knows you will likely not do that plan anyway.
Jesus was willing to die for us, so shouldn’t we be willing to live for Him?
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Jesus was willing to die for us, so shouldn’t we be willing to live for Him?
When we surrender to Him, that is when He really begins to direct our steps.
Often, we want God to give us specifics—where to work, where to live, whom to marry, what car to buy, etc. God allows us to make choices, and, if we are yielded to Him, He has ways of preventing wrong choices (see ).

1 Thessalonians 4:3 KJV 1900
3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
Many people seem to want to know what God’s plan is for their lives, but they overlook the fact that 98% of His will is already delineated carefully through His Word. God is very clear about many, many aspects of His will. For instance, it is clearly His plan that we abstain from sexual immorality ().
Many people seem to want to know what God’s plan is for their lives, but they overlook the fact that 98% of His will is already delineated carefully through His Word.
God is very clear about many, many aspects of His will. For instance, it is clearly His plan that we abstain from sexual immorality ().
If we do not obey the things that God has shown us clearly to be His will, why would we think He would reveal any further information regarding His plan for our lives? Obedience is an important first step.
4) Seek godly input.
One key component to finding God’s will is to seek the input of godly advisors in your life. If you don’t currently have 3-4 godly mentors, then I would highly recommend that you seek them out right away.
Think of it this way: you should understand that you are basically a composite of the five people you spend the most time with. So, then, it is vital that you choose those five people well. If you choose to surround yourself with godly advisors, they will be instrumental in helping you discern God’s plan for your life. But if you surround yourself with people who are far from God, your hope of finding His best for your life will be greatly diminished.
Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
The church is designed to help you greatly with this. I would encourage you to be in church every single time the doors are opened. The more you involve yourself with a community of believers, the greater your chances will be of finding godly men and women who can help you discern God’s will.

c) Understand Your Uniqueness

1 Peter 4:10 KJV 1900
10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
God has created you to fulfill a specific role in this world. There is no one else who can achieve completely what God has purposely created you to do.
God has created you to fulfill a specific role in this world. There is no one else who can achieve completely what God has purposely created you to do.
God has gifted every one of us to perform a special mission for which we alone were created. How amazing is that? Wow!
God has gifted every one of us to perform a special mission for which we alone were created. How amazing is that? Wow!
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
God has gifted every one of us to perform a special mission for which we alone were created. How amazing is that? Wow!
So, when you seek to discover God’s will for your life, pay attention to how He has gifted you. His plan for you will always be directly related to the gifts that He has bestowed upon you.
The great news is that you will automatically be good at whatever it is that He has called you to do!
My job is not to learn to play the french Horn, to sing to cook for crowds

d) Pray and Listen

John 10:10 KJV 1900
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Jeremiah 33:3 KJV 1900
3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
During my prayer time, I meditate on questions such as the above. Often, God will start flooding my heart with ideas and information regarding one or more of those questions.
You see, I used to do all the talking when I prayed to God. But then, several years ago, I read Bill Hybel’s book, Too Busy Not to Pray. That book completely changed the way I approached God through prayer. Since reading that book, I have added a significant component to my prayer life: listening. I take time to listen to what God might have to say to me.
Practically, the way I go about this is to bring a notepad with me when I sit down to pray. Then I write at the top of several pages things like the following:
I write as fast as I can as He speaks to my heart. What a glorious experience that is to sense His Spirit on me, guiding my thoughts and words.
“What is the next step in my career?”“What is the next step in my ministry?”“What is the next step for my family?”“What is the next step for my marriage?”“What is the next step in my education?”“What is the next step in my finances?”
During my prayer time, I meditate on questions such as the above. Often, God will start flooding my heart with ideas and information regarding one or more of those questions. I write as fast as I can as He speaks to my heart. What a glorious experience that is to sense His Spirit on me, guiding my thoughts and words.
Through experiences like this, He has shown me many times with great clarity what His will is for my life. I long for those experiences when He speaks to me like that. Those times are truly life changing

Enjoy the Ride!

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
Psalm 37:4–5 KJV 1900
4 Delight thyself also in the Lord; And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
I love this passage, because it shows me that, when I am walking with the Lord, He will actually let me do many really cool things that I actually love to do!
pslam 37.4-5
7) Listen to your heart.
In addition to listening to the Spirit, I also recommend listening to your heart. To understand my point here, consider the following passage:
Organize a Race
In addition to listening to the Spirit, I also recommend listening to your heart. To understand my point here, consider the following passage:
Speak to People about Salvation
When you are close to Him, He actually begins to shape your desires so that you desire the things that He has already called you to do.
4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. (NKJV)
When you are close to Him, He actually begins to shape your desires so that you desire the things that He has already called you to do.
I love this passage, because it shows me that, when I am walking with the Lord, He will actually let me do many really cool things that I actually love to do! When you are close to Him, He actually begins to shape your desires so that you desire the things that He has already called you to do.
When you are close to Him, He actually begins to shape your desires so that you desire the things that He has already called you to do.
So then, His plan actually becomes a super-exciting adventure. I always have the most fun in life when I am doing God’s will.
And that is because He shapes my “wanter” to want to do the things for which He has actually created me.
God often clearly demonstrates His plan for our lives by lining up circumstances in obvious ways. And He also shows us what His will is NOT for us to do in that same way. It is not His will for you to take the job that is not offered to you. If you are 5’ 6” tall and weigh 125 lbs., it is not likely that God has created you to play professional football.
He even did that for the Apostle Paul and his enterouge in Acts. Take a look at this passage:
6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. 7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. 8 So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.
So, even Paul had to face closed doors in his ministry. God often uses closed doors to show us clearly what He does NOT want us to do. And He also uses open doors at times to show us what He DOES want us to do. Of course, this does not mean that every open door is definitely God’s plan, but it does help to give you some basic direction.
A Closing Thought:
The next time you begin to ponder God’s plan for your life, I would encourage you to mull over the above eight keys. Use these principles to help you to hone in on His plan. And when you seek His will earnestly, you will find it!
For more, visit Sensible Faith.

What Am I asking you to Know?

Gods Will is promised

Gods will never contradicts His word

God’s Will can be forwarded by circumstances

God’s Will is revealed by obedience

God’s will is knowable and provable. says, “Do not conform any longer 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.” This passage gives us an important sequence: the child of God refuses to be conformed to the world and instead allows himself to be transformed by the Spirit. As his mind is renewedaccording to the things of God, then he can know God’s perfect will.
Knowing God’s will is sometimes difficult because it requires patience. It’s natural to want to know all of God’s will at once, but that’s not how He usually works. He reveals to us a step at a time—each move a step of faith—and allows us to continue to trust Him. The important thing is that, as we wait for further direction, we are busy doing the good that we know to do ().
Often, we want God to give us specifics—where to work, where to live, whom to marry, what car to buy, etc. God allows us to make choices, and, if we are yielded to Him, He has ways of preventing wrong choices (see ).
The better we get to know a person, the more acquainted we become with his or her desires. For example, a child may look across a busy street at the ball that bounced away, but he doesn’t run after it, because he knows “my dad wouldn’t want me to do that.” He doesn’t have to ask his father for advice on every particular situation; he knows what his father would say because he knows his father. The same is true in our relationship to God. As we walk with the Lord, obeying His Word and relying on His Spirit, we find that we are given the mind of Christ (). We know Him, and that helps us to know His will. We find God’s guidance readily available. “The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, / but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness” ().
If we are walking closely with the Lord and truly desiring His will for our lives, God will place His desires in our hearts. The key is wanting God’s will, not our own. “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart” ().
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more