Wisdom and God's Will
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Every day the average person makes about 35,000 decisions.....
Some are relatively insignificant - Corn Flakes or Fruit Loops?
But some can be monumental and life-altering...
-Do we buy this house? Do I say “yes” when he proposes? Do I go to IU or Purdue?
I have people ask me all the time.....How do I know if it’s the “right” decision? How do I know if it’s God’s will?
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
If you and I are going to be wise, we must understand what the will of the Lord is....
Understanding the God’s Will
Understanding the God’s Will
3 Aspects of God’s Will
3 Aspects of God’s Will
God’s Prescriptive Will (Perfect Will)
God’s Prescriptive Will (Perfect Will)
If God could write a “prescription” for your life (and He did by the way) this would be it.
He loves you and wants HIS best for you. (as a Father)
God promised Abraham and his descendents the land of Canaan (the promised land)
And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
This is God’s will that is always good!
God’s Permissive Will
God’s Permissive Will
“If God is sovereign and can do anything..why do bad things happen?”
We have freedom..we get to choose (even if we choose to rebel)
“If God is sovereign and can do anything..why do bad things happen?”
Here’s why…God gives mankind a choice.
We have freedom - we are not robots.
So God allows some evil -it’s not His prescribed will, but He permits it.
Israel - Faced with the current inhabitants in the land failed to trust God, longed for the “greener” pastures of Egypt and ultimately wandered in the wilderness for 40 years as a result. An entire generation died (did God allow it? - yes…because He allowed them to choose)
Israel
Let me give you a very practical application....marriage.
What is God’s prescribed will?
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
One man, One woman, One flesh - FOR LIFE!
But he lets us choose…our spouse, the way we treat our spouse, whether to work through our problems....
He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
Divorce is never God’s prescribed will , it’s never what He intended or wanted for our lives.....but He allows it (and the consequences that come with it)
God’s Prevailing Will (Providential Will)
God’s Prevailing Will (Providential Will)
This is that aspect of God’s will that is going to happen regardless of our choices, or what may appear to be at the time.
Despite Israel’s choice of disobeying God and lack of trusting Him, His sovereign plan and promise could not be thwarted - by them or their enemies.
When Israel was a child, then I loved him, And called my son out of Egypt.
In His prescribed will God told Israel to go into the promised land - don’t go down to Egypt.
In His permissive will God allowed Israel to rebel and go into Egypt.
In His prevailing will God brought Israel out of Egypt into the promised land.(Under the leadership of Joshua initially and then finally the complete fulfillment during the millenial kingdom)
For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.
Another Illustration…Jonah
-2 Jonah go preach to Ninevah (God’s prescribed will)
But Jonah fled to Tarshish, found a ship, paid the fair and went on a cruise (God’s permissive will)
But the Lord sent a great wind into the sea and there was a tempest (storm)....and God had “prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah” (God working)
And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah a second time (God’s prescribed will hasn’t changed)
And Jonah entered into the city and preached against it. (God’s prevailing will)
God’s Will and God’s Plan
God’s Will and God’s Plan
God’s will is the same for every believer and is clearly revealed in the Bible.
God’s will is the same for every believer and is clearly revealed in the Bible.
God’s prescriptive will is that we be conformed into the image of His Son. ()
God’s prescriptive will is that we be conformed into the image of His Son. ()
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
God’s will involves your relationship with Him and can be accomplished by any believer, regardless of circumstances.
God’s will involves your relationship with Him and can be accomplished by any believer, regardless of circumstances.
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.
It is God’s will that you be saved. ()
It is God’s will that you be saved. ()
God’s permissive will allows us to make choices concerning our conforming process.
God’s permissive will allows us to make choices concerning our conforming process.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
It is God’s will that you live a life that is set apart ()
It is God’s will that you live a life that is set apart ()
For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
It is God’s will that you be thankful in every situation. ()
It is God’s will that you be thankful in every situation. ()
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
It is God’s will that you submit to authority in your life. ()
It is God’s will that you submit to authority in your life. ()
Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
It is God’s will that when you suffer, it is for doing well, not evil. ()
It is God’s will that when you suffer, it is for doing well, not evil. ()
For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
It is God’s will that you be transformed by the renewing of your mind. ()
It is God’s will that you be transformed by the renewing of your mind. ()
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.
These are all part of God’s prescriptive will…What He wants for our lives that is best for us and pleasing to Him.
We have a choice in each one of these.....
But regardless of our choices, for each child of God there is God’s prevailing will..
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom. 8:
All things....All circumstances…All decisions (even our sinful ones) can not thwart God’s purpose of each of us becoming like His Son.
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
God’s prescriptive will for your life is found in the commands of scripture.
God’s prescriptive will for your life is found in the commands of scripture.
Is it God’s will that I love my wife?
Is it God’s will that I forgive those who have wronged me?
Is it God’s will for a child to obey his parents?
It is God’s will that I walk in the spirit and demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, longsuffering…)
AND THIS IS GOD’S WILL FOR EVERY BELIEVER, IN EVERY SITUATION - AND THAT’S NOT GOING TO CHANGE JUST BECAUSE YOU THINK YOUR SITUATION IS UNIQUE.
God’s plan for your life is unique and will be revealed through 3 resources.
God’s plan for your life is unique and will be revealed through 3 resources.
Who should you marry? (thankfully God’s plan for TJ Byers was different than God’s plan for me)
What career path should I take? (Thankfully, God’s plan for Scott Mcminn was different than God’s plan for me)
Should we buy this house? What college should I go to?
These are God’s unique plans for each of us....
But how will we know..He reveals it through 3 key resources....
The Spirit of God
The Spirit of God
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
J
And when the spirit is guiding (the fruit of the Spirit will be evident)
Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance
Making a decision - Does this align with and demonstrate love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance?
And He will never lead contrary to the next resource...
So the Spirit is one of the resources that will guide us to make decisions according to God’s plan for our lives…but He will always guide in conjunction with the next resource...
Making a decision - Does this align with and demonstrate love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance?
The Word of God
The Word of God
God’s plan for your life is never going to run contrary to His prescribed will for your life (found in the pages of scripture)
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: And in keeping of them there is great reward.
Making a decision - Has God already revealed His will on this? Because His plan for my life will never go against His will for my life!
And His will for my life is laid out pretty clearly in scripture!
The Church of God ()
The Church of God ()
Where no counsel is, the people fall: But in the multitude of counsellers there is safety.
These are people that believe what you do.
These are people that contain the same Holy Spirit as you do.
These are people that have the same purpose of life that you do.
These are people that know you, your circumstances, your past....
You are in the same Body - what you do impacts them.
You cannot find God’s plan for your life until you are first submitting to His will for your life.
You cannot find God’s plan for your life until you are first submitting to His will for your life.
So shalt thou find favour and good understanding In the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.
Be who God wants you to be and He will show you what He wants you to do.
Be who God wants you to be and He will show you what He wants you to do.
Delight thyself also in the Lord; And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.