Help! I Need Direction!
Topic: Discovering the plan of God for our lives.
Thesis: To know God's plan for your life comes from you knowing God personally.
Introduction:
People around the world are crying out for help. They want answers to their questions. They want insight. So they try physics, speaking with the dead, palm readings and the list could go on. But their questions are not answered.
Christians around the world cry out for help. They are going around asking everyone else but the Lord what they should be doing with their life. They run to Prophets time and time again. They ask many church leaders. They seem to ask for direction and insight but rarely seem to discover what God's plan is for their life.
The questions I hear the most seem to deal with knowing God's plan for individual lives. Here are the most common ones:
1. How do I know when God is speaking to me?
2. How do I know that God is active in my life?
3. How do I get to the point of trusting His word 100%?
4. How do I know with out a shadow of doubt that His promises are 100% accurate?
5. How do I adjust my belief system so it aligns with God and His ways?
6. How do I adjust my character so it aligns with God and His ways?
7. How do I adjust my behavior so it aligns with God and His ways?
8. How do I know the direction God wants me to follow in my life?
9. What do I do when I learn His plan for my life?
10. What do I need to do to experience God working through me?
11. How do I respond when God uses me and I know it?
12. How do I know this is really God?
These questions and areas of concern want to be answered by individuals. So many come to me or they seek out others to answer their questions. The problem that I see however is that the only person who can really answer these questions for the individual is God Himself. I want you to understand this very plainly. No one can answer these questions even if they tell you they can. You cannot answer these questions for yourself only God can do this.
We need to recall John 14:26 "The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things." Jesus said that the Holy Spirit is to be our teacher, our guide, our answer person and we must acknowledge Him as so.
Blackaby stated, "The Bible is God's Word to you. The Holy Spirit honors and uses God's Word in speaking to you. The Scriptures will be your source of authority for faith and practice. You cannot depend on human traditions, your experience, or the experience of others to be accurate authorities on God's will and ways. Experience and tradition must always be examined against the teaching of Scripture" (4).
T.S.- Therefore let's look at God's word and learn how to discover if the Lord is speaking to you and directing you.
I. The Bible reveals How God involved Himself with individuals.
a. We discover that when God spoke to individuals in the Bible they knew it was God.
i. Moses when confronted with the burning bush knew it was God.
1. Exodus 3:1-22; 4:1-18
a. Moses first saw the burning bush and he investigated this unusual sight.
i. When you see a sign go investigate it. Take the time to check it out!
1. It could be God trying to get your attention.
ii. Ortberg states, "He could have looked the other way, as many of us would. He would have just missed the Exodus, the people of Israel, his calling, the reason for his existence. He would have missed knowing God" (20).
b. When he approached God -God spoke out of the bush to him. Moses answered Him "Here I am." The key to hearing God is acknowledging him.
i. When God calls you need to answer.
c. Then the Lord gave Moses direction on what he was suppose to do. Moses listened so the conversation continued.
i. "Do not come any closer, and take off your shoes."
ii. Moses obeyed and he took off his shoes.
1. He listened and obeyed.
2. He showed respect and honor to God by taking off his shoes.
iii. God then again confirmed that He was who He said He was.
1. Moses responded by hiding his face.
2. He knew he was unworthy to be in God's presence.
3. He was afraid to look at him because of his sin condition.
a. He knew he was a sinner and unholy. 1st step in knowing God's voice intimately is recognizing you sinful condition and being ashamed by it.
4. He had awe and reverence for God
a. A key you must have to be in His presence and to be able to clearly hear his voice.
5. He at this point knew it was God!
a. Why because God lined up with what he knew about God.
iv. Then Moses gets more of the message- more details and the direction God has for his life.
1. Moses responds with humility
a. "Who am I!"
2. God assures Him that He will go with Him and use Him. Moses will not be doing it! God will do it through Him!
v. Moses double checks, is this really God ? If so how will the people know that I'm not a lunatic from the desert.
1. Lord told him what to say.
2. Then he gave him a staff which would be used to do miracles, signs and wonders.
3. It was also a miraculous sign to Moses to confirm once again who was in control of the plan.
ii. Nehemiah knew he had heard from God.
1. Nehemiah had a heavy burden on his heart to rebuild the city (Neh. 2;1-9).
a. NIV Nehemiah 2:1-10 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; so the king asked me, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart." I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?" The king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it." Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, "How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?" It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time. I also said to him, "If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?" And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests. So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.
b. The King saw the heavy heart of Nehemiah.
i. Nehemiah knew God had laid a task on his heart and it showed.
c. Nehemiah prayed to the Lord for direction and insight.
i. Once he was asked what's a matter he went to the Lord in prayer to receive insight into his burden so he could communicate clearly the vision God laid on his heart to the king.
d. God gave it and Nehemiah shared it with the king.
i. God gave him direction insight and wisdom. He shared what he learned with the king.
e. The king granted his requests
i. Why? I believe because he prayed before he asked.
f. Nehemiah was allowed to go - a miracle IN ITSELF.
iii. The apostle Paul knew he had heard from God.
1. Acts 9: 4,5 NIV He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied.
a. Jesus appeared to Paul. Paul fell to the ground.
b. The Lord spoke and Paul -inquired s this you Lord?
c. The Lord communicated that he was persecuting the one he claimed to follow. Paul admitted it! Catch this key when God corrects you accept that you are in the wrong and then follow what you are to do next.
2. Galatians 1:11-24 I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostles--only James, the Lord's brother. I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. Later I went to Syria and Cilicia. I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." And they praised God because of me.
a. Paul did not seek man's advice he sought after God.
b. Yes he spent time with some of the apostles to learn more about Jesus. But he received his call and direction from the Holy Spirit.
c. Then he went out and did what God told him to do!
d. He did not question God again he just obeyed!
3. Epigram: "Never put a question mark where God has put a period." John Rice
T.S.- God does speak to individuals who have or desire to have a personal relationship with him.
II. The key in knowing God's voice starts with a relationship with Him personally.
a. You cannot side track this step!
i. Parrot states, "In the midst of my spiritual struggle, a well meaning pastor told me that 'an atheist does not find God for the same reason a thief does not find a policeman. He is not looking for him'"(166).
ii. Les shared that in his search for an intimate relationship with God that one day on highway 55 in Chicago he had heard and met with God. He stated, "That's when I realized I didn't need answers; I wanted a relationship. Just as I didn't need gifts upon my father's return, I didn't need answers from God. I needed to be with God "(167).
b. You have to make the commitment to want a relationship with Him.
i. Which means you want to give up your will to do His will.
c. Parrot states, "…faith is not so much believing in God, as it is being with God"(167).
d. Les does put things into a balanced perspective when he notes that asking God questions is valid. In essence we need to ask. He states, "We forget that if a question is not seriously asked, one will miss the richness and depth of the answer. In fact the most destructive thing we can do to our relationship with God when it is passing through a period of honest uncertainty is to silence our doubts and repress our questions."(167).
T.S.- To know God's voice you must have a relationship with him and spend time with him to know his voice.
III. The second key in knowing God's voice is learning what it sounds like and what it says.
a. To hear God speak is to know his voice-you only get to know his voice by spending time with Him in prayer and by reading His Word.
1. NIV John 10:2-4
The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
2. Jesus stated, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:26).
3. Illustration: God Told Me About The Peanut
a. Testifying before the senate Agriculture Committee on the value of the peanut, George Washington carver, who was an infant was traded for a broken -down race horse, he said that he got his knowledge of peanuts from the Bible. Asked what the Bible said about peanuts he replied, "The Bible does not teach anything regarding the peanut. But it told me about God, and Gold told me about the peanut."
b. It's amazing as you get to know God better he answers and shows others things that are not in the Bible. They will always align with the guidelines laid out in His word though! He will answer a lot of our questions about things in real life.
c. Les states, In the City of God, Augustine expressed a universal human feeling when he said, 'Oh Lord, thou hast made us for thyself, and we are restless until we find our rest in thee.' Without an authentic relationship with God, we are left empty and detached. There is in all of us, at the very center of our lives, an aching, a burning in the heart that is deep and insatiable. Most often we try to quench that yearning with a human relationship. We try to fill the gap in our existence with a friend or lover. But no human relationship-no matter how wonderful-can ever complete us "(172,173).
T.S.- When you spend time with God you know his voice and then you have to make the decision to obey his direction.
IV. The third key in knowing God's plan for your life is to listen to what he tells you to do especially the first step..
a. The Biblical examples shared earlier knew what to do in response to God's call.
i. Moses - Knew he was lead the people out of Egypt but step one was he had to go to Egypt (Exodus 3:1-22)
ii. Paul - Knew he was to go start preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles and the Jews (Acts 9:19-22)
iii. Nehemiah - Knew he had to rebuild the city so he started with the walls.
b. Whenever God speaks to us there always comes the choice to believe God's instruction and direction or not. But if you really listen and believe you will obey and do it. Note it almost always comes in increments. We get instruction for step one then we get instruction for step two and so on.
i. Blackaby states:
1. You will have to believe God is who He says He is.
2. You will have to believe God can do what He says He will do.
3. You will have to adjust your thinking in light of this belief.
4. You trust God and then obey.
5. When you obey, God does His work through you and demonstrates that He is who He says He is.
6. Then you will know God by experience.
7. You will know He is who He says He is.
c. When we know we have heard from God and know what he has directed us to do we need to do it. The key to continue hearing from God is the willingness to obey and respond to his instruction.
T.S.- These examples also highlight the 7 realities of experiencing God as noted by Blackaby in Experiencing God pages 33-38. Lets look at his seven.
V. The seven realities of experiencing God common to the Bible.
a. Reality #1 - God is always at work around you.
i. We need to understand that God is working out His supreme plan for our world.
1. NIV Revelation 1:16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
2. NIV John 7:17 If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
ii. Reality #2 - God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.
1. NIV Romans 5:5 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.
2. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
3. NIV 1 John 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
iii. Reality #3 - God invites you to become involved with him in his work.
1. Finney's Invitation- Charles a young lawyer was sitting in the cities law office in the state of New York. Finney in the office by himself noted that the Lord just started to deal with him. He heard, "Finney, what are you going to do when you finish your course?" "Put out a shingle and practice law." "Then what?" "Get rich." "Then what?" "Retire." "Then what?" "Die." "Then what?" And the words came thundering, "The judgment!" He at this moment got up and ran into the woods. He prayed all day, toward the end of the day he vowed never to leave until he made his peace with God. He saw himself at the judgment seat of God. For four years he had studied law, and now the vanity of a selfish life, was he going to live for the enjoyment of the things of this world. He could. It was his choice. Finney came out of the woods that evening, after his long struggle, with the mindset of living for the glory of God. He decided to say yeas to God and no to himself. He said from that moment on God took over and filled him with joy and God used him to win over a million people to Jesus. God used a lawyer as a preacher and teacher and he labored for 50 more years impacting a huge multitude. (Church Herald)
2. You see when God speaks to you he will offer you an invitation but it's your choice to say yes.
iv. Reality #4 - God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways.
1. John 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
2. It's important that you know these mediums are how God speaks to us.
3. But, you must also have a love relationship with him
a. What about miraculous signs? Often we Pentecostals seek signs to confirm God's Word. Instead of doing the one on one time with Him.
i. Jesus condemned the Jewish nation because they did this he called them a generation that was evil and adulterous.
1. Mt. 12:38-39NIV Matthew 12:38-39
Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you." He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
ii. Key here is not to seek the sign but seek the giver of signs Jesus! Get to know him. Do not run from prophet to prophet looking for direction. Run to Jesus for direction.
iii. Get to know his voice-not others.
iv. The key a relationship with HIM!
v. Reality #5 - God's invitation for you to work with him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.
1. Esther 4:12-17NIV Esther 4:12-17
When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther's instructions.
2. If God shares a vision to you 90% of the time it will scare you to death. Because only He can accomplish it and you know it!
vi. Reality #6 - You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing.
1. Abraham had to move, I had to move!
2. Moses had to go to Egypt, I had to come to Amery!
3. Esther had to risk her life, I had to risk mine (not really!)
4. This is where a lot of people fail, they do not move.
5. This action point is the hinge pin of doing God's will for your life.
vii. Reality #7 - You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you.
1. Experiencing God is what the Christian walk is about.
2. It's an awesome experience.
3. You get to have an encounter with the God who created the Heavens and the Earth.
4. It's beyond words
Conclusion: The question is how do I know when God is directing me?
1. It all starts with a personal relationship with Him.
a. It's a relationship based on love!
2. It takes the willingness to stop what we are doing and listen.
a. This is where most fail - they never stop and listen!
i. Illustration of Chicken with his head cut off 'God wants me to do something! They run around and around!
3. It's imperative that we take notice around us and see what God is doing and then become apart it.
a. This is important to realize - God wants you to be apart of what He is already doing. He wants to see if you are committed to serving.
b. Then other doors will open when you are faithful!
4. We need to be assured that when God does direct you He will confirm that it is of Him by three means:
a. By the Bible- It will line up with His standards and His character
b. By other Godly men and women who will confirm what is in your heart.
c. By the confirmation of the Holy Spirit
5. It is also imperative that when you know it's God show Him respect and reverence.
6. Be assured that the call of God will cause a crisis of belief.
a. It will be scary but realize you are not doing He is!
b. Moses was scared!
c. It will terrify you because you know it's not going to be done by you.
7. The next step is to obey and pursue His direction.
a. This is an action step.
b. Once we know we then must step out in faith.
8. You will have to make the major changes in your life to accomplish what the Lord wants you to do.
a. You must be willing to sacrifice and change.
9. Once you take the plunge with God you will experience the Lord like never before.
a. You will experience God in a more intimate way when you work with Him.
10. You will be amazed at what the Lord is doing through your life.
