How To Know the Will of God
1 John 5:14-5:15 - "And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of peace and boldness) which we have in Him (we are sure that if we ask anything according to His will (in agreement with His plan). He listens to and hears us."
Illustration: He was a churchgoing man who loved to hear good preaching and discuss Bible truths. He and his family faithfully attended services twice every Sunday. But in his home this man was a tyrant. On one occasion he even struck his wife.
When his pastor learned this, he tried to counsel him. He warned him that if he continued his violent behavior he would one day be a lonely, unloved man. But the warning went unheeded.
That man’s wife has since left him, and his married daughters want nothing to do with him. His pastor’s words have come true. Today he is lonely and rejected by his family.
The people of Ezekiel’s day were a lot like that old man. They enjoyed listening to the prophet speak God’s message, but they went on living wickedly and didn’t take his warnings seriously. And just as the prophet had predicted, the Babylonians came and made them a captive nation. Only then did they realize that they had made the serious mistake of hearing God’s words but not heeding them. But it was too late to avert divine judgment.
Lord, help us to apply Your truth to our lives so that we may experience Your love. Help us to be both hearers and heeders. (Our Daily Bread)
Hindrances to Knowing the Will of God -
1. Failure to submit to the law of the Father, the love of Son of God and the liberties of the Holy Spirit. (James 4:1-4) People who do not have these three in balance are often distorted in their perception of the will of God as they fall into the traps of legalism, social gospel concerns or abusing their liberties.
Illustration: Campus Crusade for Christ reports that in 1970, one of four people who heard the 4 spiritual laws, prayed to receive Christ. In 1980 it was one of nine people who responded to the gospel’s message. In 1990 it was 1 in 19. Americans are becoming more resistant because people are drifting away from a reverence, respect and realization of Jesus who came to seek and save those which are lost. (Luke 19:10)
2. Unwillingness to confess and forsake all sins of omission sins of commission sins of disposition or sins of wrong assumptions. (Psa. 66:18) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I Jn 1:9)
3. Failure to spend quality time with Lord in your devotions asking God to reveal every aspect of His will and His plans to you. (Psa. 143:8) "Let me hear your lovingkindness in the morning. Make me to know the way in which I should walk for to you I lift up my soul."
4. Failure to keep our eyes on Jesus instead of on circumstances or other people. Heb. 12:1-4 "Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, not minding the shame, and is now set down on the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such suffering of sinners against Himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds."
5. Unwillingness to seek Godly council and to follow good advice. (Is. 1:1-5)
6. Associating oneself with bad Companions (I Cor. 15:33)
7. Lack of endurance(James 5:10)
8. Unwillingness to discipline yourself for the purpose of Godliness. Tim. 4:7 8)
9. Unwillingness to delight to test and to commit all of your ways to the Lord. (Psa. 3 7:3-5)
10. Unwillingness to undergo thc apprenticeship that arc necessary for discovering all of the will of (God. (Merely being a hearer of the word without making applications principles. (James 1:22)
11. Allowing yourself become discouraged by Critics or circumstances. or mistakes. (I Pct. 2:15)
12. Lack of commitment to Christ His church or His great COmmission hl Matt. 22:19.
13. Failure to be led by the Spirit but choosing to be led by fleshly desires. impulses and subjective feelings. (Rom. 8:6-8)
14. Poor choice of priorities. (Matt. 4:19 20)
15. Failure to admit that we are all helpless to know the will of God with our own wisdom. God knows we are helpless without the inspiration illumination and teaching of the Holy Spirit. (Matt. 7:7)
16. Trying to compare yourself with others rather than following Jesus Christ.
17. Failure to take Up your cross daily and denying yourself (Luke 9:23 24)
18. Failure to put away the works of thc flesh and put on the fruits of thc Spirit or the characteristics of Jesus Christ. (Gal. 5:19-23)
19. Failure to rise above your difficult circumstances and trust God to work out all of the promises contained in Romans 8:26-38.
20. Unwillingness to grow into all aspects into Christ. (Eph. 4:15 16)
21. Unwillingness to work in harmony with other Godly people. (2 Tim. 2:24-29) Failure to organize your prayer list your plans and your ministry objective. (Prov. 21:5)
Principles in Finding God’s Maximum Will For You -
1. Surrender all of your rights to the Lord and be willing to learn by applying the scriptures. (John 7:17)
2. Get around Godly men and women and imitate their faith their examples. (Heb. 13:7)
3. Set aside at least 30 minutes every morning asking thc Lord to guide you in every aspect of your day. (Psa. 143:8 Mark 1:35)
4. Create a prayer list that allows you to cover the essential things that God wants you to do. Sing praise to God worshipping Him while learning more about His attributes of His goodness truth and love before asking Him for anything.
5. Continually ask thc Lord to teach His will in all situations and be ready to record and remember from Experience. (Eccl. 10:10)
6. Use the scripture as the chief authority for determining the will of God. (Psa. 1 19:105) Follow God’s priorities and not your own. (2 Pet. 1:3-8)
7. Do not be swayed by your emotions or the pressures of others. They do not know you or understand your perspectives. (Psa. 1:1-3)
8. Pray with thanksgiving while committing every aspects of your life to the Lord every aspect of y our life to Lord in your pursuit of 100% of His will.
9. Be willing to learn from your mistakes and do not grow weary in well doing or becoming frustrated, resentful or discouraged.(Gal. 6:6-10)
10. Be willing to accept rebukes corrections and advice from Godly people.
11. Be willing to be humble and put away your pride in seeking the will of God for the entire control of your life.
12. Do not be a sprinter but a marathon runner in the race of life. (I Cor. 9:24-27)
Helps in Knowing God’s Will
1. Pray in a way that gives perfect peace that passes human understanding. (Phil. 4:6-9) As we pray in accordance with the will of God He will fill our mind, emotions and body with a supernatural peace that transcends human capabilities. Let us be sensitive to the fact that when we grow fearful, anxious or worries or angry that we are misaligned with the will of God. People who try to drive their cars without aligning their tires up will soon have to spend money on expensive repairs. Similarly, people who do not do the will of God are often drifting off course to their own detriment.
2. The Good, Acceptable, and Perfect Will of God - The more we obey God, the more He will reveal to us about His will. "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what the will of God is. That which is good, acceptable and perfect." (Rom. 12:1-3)
A person cannot know God’s will unless one is obedient to the characteristics of God’s character of holiness, truth, and righteousness. The Lord has an ideal plan for every individual’s life that will be found through prayer the scriptures and obedience. (Jer. 29:11) Our example for following 100% of thc will of God is found in Jesus Christ in whom arc hidden all thc treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Col. 2:3)
3. Finding the will of God for you life will involve seeking Godly council trusting in the Lord with all your heart auld not relying on your own insight and being willing to do whatever the Holy Spirit wants you to do. Prov. 15:22,Prov.3:5,6,John 16:13) Jesus said, "If anyone will do my will He will know whether I speak from God or from myself." (John 7:17) One must be willing to do God’s will in order to see the Lord manifest or reveal His plan to us.
4. One becomes more discerning of the finer aspects of the will of God through experienced in righteousness. (Heb. 5:14) "But solid food is for the mature who because of practice and experience have their senses trained to discern good and evil." One’s mind is gradually transformed through years of trust and obedience to thc Lord sensitizing it to higher levels of the will of God. (Rom. 12:1 ) God open reveals just enough of thc w ill of God for our mind will and emotions to handle. (Psa. 37:23)
5. The Bible reveals thc will of God through its teaching. rebukes, corrections and training aspects so that we can be equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16 17) "All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness. So that the man of God is equipped, thoroughly furnished for all good works." God gives various spiritual gifts to help channel us in the areas of His will that we will be most effective. (Eph. 4:11 12)
6. God uses the cooperative efforts of thc people in His church to accomplish long lasting challenges in communities (Eph. 4:1 1-18) God will never give us more responsibilities than we are able to handle. (Lk. 16:10 ) "He who is faithful in the little things, will be made responsible for much." We cannot expect to receive greater appointments from God unless we prove ourselves to be obedient in small assignments.
Results of Doing All of the Will of God - That you may prove by your thinking and emotions spirit and lifestyles you are conforming more to the image of Christ in every area of life. (Rom. 12)
People who want to feel better, reduce stress, and shed unwanted pounds are discovering that walking may be the best exercise of all. A fitness philosophy of 10,000 steps a day, which first took hold in Japan, is gaining popularity in other countries. Experts advise starting slowly and working toward a higher goal, realizing each day that every step counts.
It’s even more important to stay spiritually fit by "walking with God," which the Bible describes as an intimate, growing relationship with the Lord. "Enoch walked with God three hundred years" (Genesis 5:22). "Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God" (6:9). Both men are mentioned in Hebrews 11, where they are commended for their faith. "Enoch . . . had this testimony, that he pleased God" (v.5). "Noah . . . became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith" (v.7).
To walk with God, we need to keep in step without running ahead or lagging behind. Along the way, we talk with the Lord, listen to Him, and enjoy His presence. We trust His guidance when we cannot see what lies ahead. It is not just the destination that’s important, but the journey we take together.
There’s no better time than now to begin walking with God, because each day every step counts. (Our Daily Bread)
