Knowing God's Will For Certain

KNOWING AND OBEYING GOD’S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE

Mt. 21:28-30 - "What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ’Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ’I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ’I will, sir,’ but he did not go. "Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered.

God only reveals His specific will when we are following His general will.

Purpose precedes function.

Lk.16:10 - Faithful with little, for the sake of the little, first!

2 Tim.2:15 - Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Mt.22:37-40 - Jesus replied: "’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ’Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

1 Peter 2:2 - Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.

2 Tim.3:16-17 - All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

1 Thes.5:17 - pray continually

Mt.28:18-20 - Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

2 Peter 1:3-11 - Read.

James 1:2-4 - Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Rom.5:3-5 - Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Maturity, stability, growth, multiplication, work, etc.

Your ability to know God’s will for your life depends on your willingness to obey whatever His will may be. For the Christian there can’t be a middle ground. His will is the ONLY way to experience the victorious Christian life. We can learn this the easy way (like Paul) or the hard way (like Jonah).

Jonah: Jonah 1:1-2 – God calls Jonah, Jonah 1:3 – Jonah rejects God’s plans for his life, Jonah 2 – Jonah repents – puts God back in a place of authority, Jonah 3 – God speaks a second time.

Paul: Acts 9:5-6 – Paul (Saul at the time) is told go into the city and be told what he “must do”, Acts 15-18 – Paul obeys “At once.”

There is a Biblical principal that if we know God’s will and choose to go our own way He’ll let us, the resulting consequences are not His fault (but he will often use these to develop maturity in us).

He won’t violate our free will.

If we aren’t being obedient to what He has already called us to, His will will seem very cloudy and unsure.

When we choose to obey what He has already called us to, the rest of His will becomes clear also.

There is a second Biblical principal that if we seek God’s will with the proper motivation (obedience out of love) He will never withhold His will – but will always make it clear exactly when we need to know it.

Knowing God’s will is a lifestyle that flows out of a relationship with Him. To know God’s will you must start with an attitude of obedience, then follow these Biblical principals.

Verses: Jer. 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans

to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Eph. 2:10 – “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,

which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Rom. 12:1-2 – “Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies

as living sacrifices, Holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of