Discerning
God's Will
There is probably no more asked question than, "how can I determine God's will for my life". How can I differentiate my desires, Satan's desires and God's desires? The truth is, God desperately wants to reveal His will to you because you're his child and he loves you. We have many misconceptions about God and his will for our lives. We must learn that in order for "Thy Kingdom" to come my will must go. George Mueller states that he begins by getting his heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. He stated that 9/10 of the trouble people experience in this area is that they have not factored their feelings and opinion out of the equation. Having done this Mueller said that he did not leave the result to a feeling or impression, or great delusion would be possible.
Here are some things that need to be a priority as we begin to seek God's will over our plans and problems:
God's way is not our way.
He is Holy, omniscient, omni present, omnipotent. Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. In Hebrews 11:35-38 God says His ways for our lives may include pain and loneliness. Some of His faithful followers faced opposition, refection and death. "The world was not worthy of them." His way is death on a cross. His way is humility, sacrifice, being misunderstood, temptations, loneliness, discipline, etc. Many times my preconceived notions about God get in the way of understanding His desires. He does not look at our life on earth as we do. We see through a glass darkly (I Cor 13). One day we will understand as we see Him face to face, now our eyes must be eyes of faith.Question:
Are you demanding your way or seeking God's way. God's way is not always understandable or easy, but it is always best. Can you identify an area of your life where you are demanding your way instead of God's?
God's Word is our only objective counsel.
Once we have renounced our will, we turn to the Bible to give us direction and guidance. Isaiah. 30 tells us that we carry out plans that are not His, forming an alliance with people, who have plans and resources that are not God's. Without consulting God, we seek help from the ungodly, worldly, fleshly enemy who has good tools. There is only one problem- they are not Gods plan. How many times have you chosen the easy way, the obvious way, rather than God's way? God's word will instruct you and train you in the way and show you his will.Question
Do you spend time in God's Word? Do you hide God's Word in your heart by memorizing scripture? Read Psalm 119:9-12.Gods will is usually ignored.
Many Christians are like Henry Ford, they have a better idea. They think that, because of God's love, His will has to be comfortable. As I read about the life of Joseph, Daniel, Job, Jesus, Paul, Jim Elliott, Corrie TenBoon, and countless others I see that to experience God's will they chose to follow God and His Word over what everyone else was doing. They chose not to rely on their conscience, or anyone's list of do's and don'ts. Many ignore God's will because of the price tag. Salvation is free but God's will is costly. It will cost you to serve the King of Kings. It will cost you relationships, popularity, possessions, fame, fortune, comfort, pride and money.(Luke 14:26) You cannot serve heaven and this world. You cannot serve God and money. Many miss God's will because it contradicts their own plans. Not that your plans are evil or even wrong, but they are just not God's.Question
Ask God to reveal to you an area in your daily life in which you are missing his plans because of blind spots? Read Isaiah 66:2.
God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit must be recognized and in control.
(Gal. 5:17-18)
The Spirit knows the will of God because He (not it) is God. He lives inside of you and wants to produce fruit (Gal. 5:22-23) that lasts (Jn. 15). He gives you an inward urge to do God's will (Phil. 2:13). He knows the thoughts of God and understands what God has freely given us (1 Cor. 2:12). Lost people cannot know or understand the things of the spirit , they are foolishness to him (1 Cor. 2:14). God's spirit is opposite, contrary to our old nature Gal. 5:17-18. The Holy Spirit often focuses on little things (Lk. 16:10). Proud people like to do big things. Quit looking for some big things you can do for the Lord. Get alone with Him and see that He is asking you to do things like prayer, submission, humility, honesty etc. The Spirit of God is silent when we are in sin. It is much like a bad burn on your hand. Your sensitivity is deadened. God's way and the sensitivity to the Spirit will return as you listen to him and obey him. When we obey the Spirit our character is developed. When we disobey we feel guilty, because we are guilty.Question
Is there an area of my life that I have yet to yield to the Holy Spirit's leadership? If you know an area of your life where you have been disobedient or where you have said no to the Spirit, go back there and deal with that issue, that person, that attitude.
George Mueller says "I seek the will of the Spirit of God through, or in connection with the word of God. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If I look to the Spirit alone, without the Word, I lay myself open to great delusions also. If the Holy Ghost guides us at all, He will do it according to the scriptures and never contrary to them."Peter Lord says in his book Hearing God has this to say about doing God's will:
"A spiritually double-minded person is an individual who has not made up his mind to do God's will, accept God's advice, or believe God's evaluation, no matter what it may be. Oh, yes, this person does want to hear from God! But after he has heard, he will make up his mind as to whether or not to follow what God says.If you are not sure that God will keep his promise - if you are afraid of what God's answer might be, if you have an area of your life not fully turned over to him or one in which you have strong desires and opinions of your own - then you will approach him with doubt, not faith and are double minded." James 1:6-8
Pray asking God to make you "single-minded" seeking His way, His Word, His Spirit.
