Finding God's Will For Our Lives  
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     Finding God’s Will For Our Lives        September 2004

During the past few weeks we have studied the basic doctrines of Christianity as revealed in the holy scriptures. We have looked at the minimum requirements for salvation, found out that we should be baptized after receiving Christ as Lord and Savior, that we should have fellowship with other Christians, that we should have a firm foundation of sound doctrine, and that the normal Christian life should include being happy joyous and free. Having done all of this we need to add to it making sure that our tithes and offerings are in accordance with the teaching of the scriptures. Then we can begin to find out God’s plan for out lives and what it takes to receive the desires of our hearts. When we are walking close to God, his will and our desires become one and the same.

In the Old Testament it was necessary for the people to come to a person such as Moses or Samuel to discover God’s will.

(Exo 18:14-16 NIV)  When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?" Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will. "When they have a difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws."

Today we have the bible and the Holy Spirit to lead us to God’s will on an individual basis. Notice that Moses was simply relating God’s laws and statutes to the people,and from those laws god’s will wqas determined. It does not take some mystical experience to determine God’s will for our lives. We need only to follow his word.
First Things First

First of all we must realize that all things were created by God for his own purpose and pleasure.

(Rev 4:11 KJV)  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Even though God did not create us so that he could be our servant and jump through our hoops whenever we have a request, it is his will and his desire that each and every one of us achieve and accomplish our utmost potential in this life and in the life to come. The way we accomplish that is by lining up our will with God’s will, by asking him to make our desires his desires. When this occurs we will be in God’s will and be happy doing it. To get to that point requires both prayer and a thorough study of the word.

God’s Plan For Our Spiritual Behavior

(Mat 5:48 NIV)  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

(Mat 6:1-6 NIV)  "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

God’s will for us is primarily outlined in his word. It is confirmed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit and often confirmed by the counsel of other strong believers who are already walking in God’s will themselves. Finding God’s will requires prayer. Prayer is our link to God. But, to receive an answer from the Lord we must be sure that our desires and motives are correct. We can do that by checking our beliefs, desires, motives and attitudes against the model prayer that Jesus gave to his disciples.

(Mat 6:7-15 NKJV)  "And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. "Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Dissecting The Prayer that The Lord Gave to His Disciples

1. Our Father - Recognizing who God is.
2. Who art in heaven - God is in heaven and we are on earth.
3. Hallowed be thy name - Hallowing God’s name means recognizing his holiness. He is perfect, we are not.
4. Thy kingdom come - Remember that this world is not our home, God’s kingdom in the future is.
5. Thy will be done - Pray that God’s will be done on earth, heaven, and in our lives.
6. Give us this day our daily bread - Recognize that God is our provider and be thankful for it.
7.  Forgive our debts - Forgive us for all of our sins through Christ.
8. As we forgive our debtors - We must also forgive those who have sinned against us.
9. Lead us not into temptation - Do not let us be tempted beyond what we can endure.
10. But deliver us from the evil one - Do not let us be ensnared by the wiles of the devil.
11. Forgive others - As God is merciful, so must we be also.

If we are in accordance with the conditions outlined in the prayer above our next step is to insure that the requests we make to God are truly in line with God’s desires. They should be if we have honestly met condition number 5 above, “Thy Will be done.”

What Jesus Said About God’s Will

(John 6:38 & 7:17 NIV)  For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me... 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.

If we follow God’s word our understanding will come later.

What Is God’s Will, According To The New Testament?

First of all we have to believe that it is possible for us to know God’s will for our lives. If we truly believe the scriptures we can put that question to rest immediately.

(Eph 5:17 KJV)  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Greek for “Unwise” (aphron, af'-rone) Mindless, stupid, ignorant, egotistic, rash, or unbelieving: Foolish - unwise.

Not only is it possible for us to know God’s will for our life’s, in Ephesians it implies that we are ignorant, stupid and foolish if we do not know it.

(Acts 20:27 NIV)  For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.

Paul writes that he has proclaimed the whole will of God to the early believers, and we have his counsel preserved for us in the scriptures.
Do Not Be Conformed To The World

(Rom 12:2 KJV)  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Let the Holy Spirit Intecede for You In Prayer

(Rom 8:27 NIV)  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

(Rom 8:29 NIV)  For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son...
 
(1 Th 4:3-4 & 7 NIV)  It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God..... For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

(1 Th 5:18-20 NIV)  give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.

(1 Pet 2:15 NIV)  For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.
The Works Of The Flesh And The Works Of The Spirit

Paul, in the book of Galatians lists both the works of the flesh, and the fruit of the spirit. First he lists the works of the flesh. It is God’s will that we avoid the works of the flesh. We can be sure that these things are never right to do.

Galatians 5:19-20 NIV the acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

Following this he lists the fruit of the spirit, against which there is no law. These are the things that God desires us to practice through the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Fruit does not just appear on the vine or tree fully ripe. It buds and then grows gradually to maturity. It is the same with our spiritual growth. As we grow in grace we gradually aquire the characteristics listed above.

Galatians 5:14 NIV the entire law is summed up in a single command: "love your neighbor as yourself."

Following Gods plan is also easy once we know what it consists of. We avoid evil and do good.

(Job 1:8 NKJV)  Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?"

He has said in his word, that whatever an opportunity that is placed before us to do good, we should do it. He himself will take the responsibility of giving us plenty of work, the work he wants done. He has prepared these works for us in advance, before we were even born.

Ephesians 2:10 NIV for we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Colossians 3:23 KJV and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Being Content In Unchangable (By Us) Circumstances Is God’s Will

Paul also taught that we should learn to be content with our circumstances when they are beyond our ability to change them. We need to trust God to change them for us.

Philippians 4:11-12 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.... I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

How can we determine God’s will when the problem we face is not answered directly in the Bible?
When we are faced with difficult choices and are seeking to do God’s will and we have no example of our exact situation related in the scriptures, then we have to use an alternate method of determining God’s will. What we can do is use the principle of doing whatever is best for being a good witness for Christ and promoting the great commission as the guideline or tiebreaker.

No matter what situation we face when the choice is to do A or B, we can pray and ask God to show us what will give him the greater glory. It’s a good rule of thumb to remember when making major decisions or even some types of minor ones, ones that might show a bad witness for Christ if a certain path were followed. It may not really matter what color car we drive or what type of furniture we buy but when deciding on who to date or marry, whether or not to marry at all, what school to attend, what job to take, where to live, what church to serve in, and any major decision, the thought of “what is best for my being a good witness for Christ” can help clarify the situation and make a decision easier.

When We Are Absolutely Sure We Are Currently Walking In God’s Will Our Desires Are The Same As Lord’s Desires

(Psa 37:4 NIV)  Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

(Psa 40:-10 NIV)  I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart." I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.

(Psa 145:19 NIV)  He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;

(Prov 10:24 NIV)  What the wicked dreads will overtake him; what the righteous desire will be granted.
We Need To Hold Fast Unto God’s Will Until We Go To Him Or He Comes To Us

(Heb 10:36-37 NIV)  You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay.

God has promised that all things will work for the good, to them that love him and are called according to his purpose. What this means is that to those who have faith and are walking in his perfect will, following his plan for them, he will make everything work out for his good, and theirs.

Romans 8:28 KJV and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

We are created for Gods purpose, no him for ours. When we align ourselves with Gods will everything will eventually work for his (God’s) good our good. When we are walking in God’s will our desires will be fulfiled, because our desires and his desires are one and the same.

(1 John 2:17 NRSV)  And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.