FINDING GOD'S WILL
INTRODUCTION
Stand to your feet and open your Bibles with me today. We are about to embark on a journey that will transform how you approach every decision, every crossroad, every moment of uncertainty in your life. The question that keeps believers awake at night, the question that causes anxiety in the hearts of sincere Christians is this: What is God's will for my life?
You are not alone in asking this question. From the moment you surrendered your life to Christ, you entered into a relationship that demands direction. You need to know where God is leading you. You need to understand what He desires from you. The good news I bring you today is that God has not hidden His will from you. He has not made it a mysterious puzzle that only super-spiritual saints solve. His will is revealed, available, and accessible to every believer who genuinely seeks it.
Paul writes to the Romans with urgency. He addresses believers who face the same struggles you face. They lived in a pagan culture. They worked in corrupt marketplaces. They raised children in an immoral society. Sound familiar? The apostle gives them the key to finding God's will, and that same key unlocks the door for you today.
I. SEEKING GOD'S GUIDANCE - Proverbs 3:5-6
Turn with me to Proverbs 3:5-6. Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, gives us profound instruction. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."
Notice three critical components in these verses.
1. There must be complete trust. Not partial trust. Not backup trust. Not trust-with-reservations. Solomon says "with all your heart." This means your entire being, your whole self, your complete confidence rests in the Lord. You stop depending on your education, your experience, your connections, your financial planning. All those things have their place, but they are not your ultimate security.
The Bible points out something powerful here. The heart in Hebrew thought represents the center of your being. This is not emotional sentimentality. This is the core of who you are. When you trust the Lord with all your heart, you are saying, "Lord, I place the control center of my life entirely in Your hands."
2. You must resist self-reliance. "Lean not on your own understanding." Your natural mind is darkened by sin. Your reasoning is contaminated by selfishness. Your perspective is limited by your finite knowledge. The natural people have no understanding of spiritual things. 1 Corinthians 3:19 tells us, "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God." Your best thinking got you into trouble before Christ saved you. Your best planning apart from God leads to frustration and failure. Jeremiah 10:23 confirms this truth: "O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps."
Let me tell you about a time when I thought I knew better than God. Years ago, a ministry opportunity came my way. Everything about it looked perfect. The salary was higher. The position was more prestigious. The location was more desirable. I prayed about it, but honestly, I had already made up my mind. I leaned on my own understanding. I took the position. Within six months, I was miserable. The ministry was toxic. The leadership was corrupt. I had walked right out of God's will because I trusted my own judgment more than His direction.
3. You must acknowledge Him in everything. The phrase "in all your ways" means every decision, every relationship, every business deal, every investment, every conversation. Nothing is too small for His concern. Nothing is too large for His control. 1 Corinthians 10:31 reinforces this principle: "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." When you acknowledge Him, you are bringing Him into the decision-making process before you act.
The promise attached to this obedience is stunning. "He shall direct your paths." The Hebrew word for "direct" means to make straight, to make smooth. God removes the obstacles. He clears the confusion. He opens doors that need opening and closes doors that need closing. When you follow these three principles, you position yourself to receive divine guidance.
II. KNOWING GOD'S PLANS - Jeremiah 29:11
Now turn to Jeremiah 29:11. The context is crucial. The Jews are in Babylon. They are captives in a foreign land. Everything looks hopeless. False prophets are telling them what they want to hear. But God speaks through Jeremiah with a message that has encouraged believers for thousands of years: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Listen to what God is saying. He thinks about you. His thoughts toward you outnumber the grains of sand on the seashore. Psalm 139:17-18 declares, "How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand." Scientists estimate there are ten to the twenty-two power grains (10^22) of sand on Earth. One hundred billion times one hundred billion. That is how many times God thinks about you.
But what is the nature of His thoughts? They are thoughts of peace, not evil. This does not mean you will never face hardship. The Jews were in captivity. But God was working even in their captivity to accomplish His purposes. He was purging their idolatry. He was preparing them to be witnesses. He was allowing the land to rest. What looked like a disaster was divine design.
The three reasons God allowed the captivity.
1. To eradicate idolatry. The Jews kept returning to idol worship. So God let them go to Babylon, where they would be surrounded by idols until they got sick of them. Jeremiah 24:7 records God's promise: "Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart." When they returned seventy years later, they never worshipped idols again.
2. To evangelize effectively. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego became powerful witnesses in a pagan land. Daniel 3:25 describes the pagan king seeing the Son of God in the fiery furnace. Daniel 5:14 shows Daniel interpreting dreams for kings. Daniel 6:22 records God sending His angel to shut the mouths of lions.
3. To restore the land physically. 2 Chronicles 36:21 explains, "To fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years." The land needed to rest, and during the captivity, it did. Leviticus 25 had commanded Sabbath years for the land.
You need to understand this principle. When you are walking through difficulty, God is not punishing you. He is preparing you. When you are facing what looks like failure, God is setting you up for future blessing. His thoughts toward you are of peace. He has an expected end for you, a future filled with hope.
III. WALKING IN GOD'S WILL - Ephesians 5:17
Finally, turn to Ephesians 5:17. Paul writes, "Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is." This verse ties everything together. You have sought His guidance. You have understood His plans. Now you must walk in His will.
Paul begins with a negative command. Do not be unwise. Do not be foolish. Do not be senseless. What does foolishness look like? Foolishness is knowing what God wants but doing what you want. Foolishness is having access to divine wisdom but relying on human reasoning. Foolishness is wasting your time on things that do not matter for eternity. Matthew 16:26 asks the penetrating question: "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?"
Then Paul gives the positive command. Understand what the will of the Lord is. The word "understand" here means more than intellectual knowledge. This is experiential knowledge. This is wisdom that transforms behavior. God's will deals primarily with morality rather than personal choices about where to live or what job to take. God's will is your sanctification. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 states clearly, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification." God's will is your spiritual growth. God's will is your transformation into the image of Christ.
Let me give you a practical example. A young couple came to me asking if they should move to another state for a job opportunity. They wanted to know God's will. I asked them questions. Would this move help or hinder your spiritual growth? Would you be part of a healthy church? Would you have time for ministry? Would this decision honor God? When you ask these questions, you are seeking to understand God's will. His will is not mysterious. His will is revealed in Scripture. His will is sanctification, service, and surrender.
Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:15 to walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise. This means you pay attention to how you live. You are careful. You are deliberate. You redeem the time because the days are evil. Every moment matters. Every decision has eternal consequences. You are not drifting through life. You are not coasting. You are intentionally walking in the will of God.
The emphasis of the word of God is on something powerful. They say wise living makes good use of time in an evil age. It seeks to learn God's will. And it is controlled by the Spirit, not by alcohol or any other substance. Ephesians 5:18 commands, "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit." When you are filled with the Spirit, you are guided by the Spirit. When you are guided by the Spirit, you walk in the will of God.
IV. THE THREE KEYS TO FINDING GOD'S WILL - Romans 12:2
Now we come to our main text, Romans 12:2. Paul writes, "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." This verse gives us three keys to finding God's will.
Key number one: A yielded body. Look at Romans 12:1. Paul says, "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." Before you seek God's will, you must surrender your life. Total commitment is required. The British athlete C.T. Studd said it best: "If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice is too great for me to make for Him."
Your body represents your whole life. You are not holding anything back. You are not negotiating with God. You are laying everything on the altar. This is not some emotional experience that fades when the music stops. This is a daily decision to say, "Lord, I am Yours. Use me as You see fit." Philippians 4:13 gives you the strength: "I do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Key number two: A separated life. Paul commands in Romans 12:2, "Do not be conformed to this world." The world here is not the planet. The world is the system that humanity has built to find happiness apart from God. The world has its own politics, entertainment, music, values, and priorities. Satan is the god of this world. 2 Corinthians 4:4 identifies him clearly: "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers." He controls its systems. He influences its culture. He shapes its thinking.
J.B. Phillips translated this verse powerfully: "Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold." The world presses you to conform. Your coworkers pressure you to compromise. Your neighbors pressure you to fit in. Your family members who do not know Christ pressure you to tone down your faith. But you are not of this world. Galatians 1:4 tells us Christ "gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age." You are crucified to the world, and the world is crucified to you. 1 Peter 1:14 commands, "As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance."
Let me be clear. Separation does not mean isolation. You do not run away to a monastery. You do not hide in a Christian bubble. Jesus said you are in the world but not of the world. Mark 10:42-45 shows Jesus engaging with sinners and tax collectors. Luke 11:43 and Luke 11:46-52 record Him confronting religious hypocrisy. You stay engaged with the lost world around you, but you refuse to adopt its values. 1 Corinthians 7:31 instructs, "Those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away." You are a thermometer, not a thermostat. You do not adjust to the culture. You change the climate of the culture.
Key number three: A transformed mind. Paul says in Romans 12:2, "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind." The Greek word for "transformed" is where we get "metamorphosis." This is the word used to describe what happened to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Matthew 17:2 describes it: "He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light." His inner glory burst through His physical body. The same word describes what happens to you when you keep your mind on Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:18 explains, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory."
How does this transformation happen? Through the Word of God. The word of God is emphatic about this. Your mind is renewed by consistent study and meditation on Scripture. Ephesians 4:22-24 describes the process: "Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." Colossians 3:10 adds, "Put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him." You do not read the Bible for information. You read it for transformation. You encounter the Living Word. Hebrews 4:12 declares, "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword." Jesus said in John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:14 continues, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." When you open Scripture, you meet Jesus. When you meet Jesus, you are changed.
Too many believers treat the Bible like a newspaper. They read for facts. They gather information. They learn principles. But they miss the Person. The Bible is not an information book. The Bible is God's revelation of Himself. Psalm 46:10 invites, "Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 119:24 testifies, "Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors." When you approach Scripture to touch the Lord, to hear His voice, to know His heart, transformation occurs. Romans 10:4 tells us, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." Revelation 1:8 declares, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord." Romans 10:10 adds, "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Paul says when you have these three keys operating in your life, you will prove the will of God. The word "prove" means to test, to discern, to experience. You will not know about God's will. You will know God's will. You will experience it. You will walk in it. And you will discover that His will is good, acceptable, and perfect.
CONCLUSION
Let me bring this message home. Finding God's will is not complicated, but it is costly. You must trust Him completely. You must resist your own understanding. You must acknowledge Him in everything. You must yield your body. You must separate from the world. You must transform your mind through the Word.
When Jesus walked this earth, He perfectly modeled this life. He said in John 5:30, "I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me." In John 6:38, He declared, "I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." Jesus lived in constant communion with the Father. He sought the Father's guidance. He knew the Father's plans. He walked in the Father's will.
You are called to the same life. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 says, "This is the will of God, your sanctification." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Timothy 2:3-4 adds, "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 1 Peter 2:13-15 instructs, "Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake...For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." 1 Peter 2:20 continues, "For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God." James 4:4 warns, "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?" The will of God is not hidden. The will of God is revealed in Scripture. The will of God is for you to become like Jesus.
Stop trying to figure out God's will through human reasoning. Stop asking for signs and fleeces. Stop looking for mystical experiences. Get into the Word. Surrender your life. Separate from the world. Let the Spirit transform your mind. When you do these things, you will walk in the will of God with confidence and joy. Luke 12:47 reminds us, "And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes."
The days are evil. Time is short. You have no time to waste living according to your own plans. God has a purpose for your life. He has a plan that is good, acceptable, and perfect. But you will only discover it when you follow the biblical pathway He has laid out.
I close with this challenge. Examine your life today. Are you trusting the Lord with all your heart, or are you leaning on your own understanding? Are you conforming to this world, or are you being transformed by the renewing of your mind? Are you seeking God's guidance, knowing His plans, and walking in His will?
The choice is yours. God will not force His will on you. But He invites you to discover the joy, the peace, the fulfillment that comes from living in the center of His perfect plan. Surrender to Him today. Seek His face. Study His Word. And watch as He directs your paths into the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.
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Blessings,
Pastor JM Raja Lawrence
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
email: lawrencejmr@gmail.com
Mobile: +91 9933250072
