How Can I Know God's Will? Part-1

“So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.“ (Ephesians 5:17) 

This will the first in a two-part series about knowing the will of God.  Over the years, I have had many people come to me expressing their frustration about the lack of clarity in knowing God's Will for their life. My wife and I have also struggled with this throughout our ministry, both as missionaries and in church planting.  After many hours of prayer, consulting with trusted brothers in Christ, and discussion of the issues with my wife, I think I have a few ideas which may be of help to each of you.  So, here we go.

How can a person know God’s will?  How do I know God’s will for my life?  People ask me that all the time. “I don’t know God’s will for my life.  Where should I live?  What kind of career should I choose? What kind of job do I want?  Who do I marry?  What church do I go to?  What about a ministry?  I’ve have ten ministries in front of me, I have the paralysis of analysis.  I don’t know which one to choose.  Why are there so many options?  How can I know God’s will?”  You know how it goes. 

 

There are other people who think God’s will is some kind of a trauma.  You know, you’re running down the street in the rain, you slip on a banana peel and your nose lands on a map of Africa.  And this is the call of God....Africa!  I’m going, Lord!  Or a voice out of heaven in the middle of the night, “Go to India,” and you’re waiting for the voice and all the voice is really saying to you is, “Stop snoring,” or something like that.

Let me see if I can help you by looking at Scripture.  But before we do that, let me give you a little logical progression, in answering the question, “What is God’s will?”

First, we want to make several assumptions.  Assumption number one, “God has a will for your life.”  Is that a fair assumption?  I think it is.  God is sovereign and God has a purpose for your life.  He is not ambiguous, He is not undecided.  He has a specific will in mind for your life.

Now, if assumption number one is true, then assumption number two must be true, and that is, “He wants you to know what it is.”  Is that a fair assumption?  I mean, why would God have a will for your life and then frustrate Himself by not wanting you to know what it is?  Of course He wants you to know what it is.

And then assumption number three, “He would keep it in the most obvious place, and it will be obvious.”  God does have a will for your life because He has a will for everything and everyone.  Therefore, God would want you to know what that will was, so you could fulfill the purpose for which He has designed you.

Happily, God has revealed His will in His word, and it is always available.  You need only to search for it. We can pause at any time and open up the Bible, and read God’s will for our lives.  For example, let’s just look at the “big two.”

God’s two eternal purposes take the place of all else, and would lead us to a life lived in His will.  First is that “all might be saved.”  That is, reconciled back to Him after having severed that relationship when we sinned. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 tells us, “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (See also 2 Peter 3:9)

Secondly, once saved, we are to grow more into Christ’s image.  “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)  

The reading of the word is much more relevant to our lives when we understand that we are to see Jesus’ life and endeavor to live the same way.  That is God’s will.  Plainly, it’s only the Bible that gives us the clear meaning of God’s perfect and pleasing will! If we are walking closely with the Lord and truly desiring His will for our lives, God will place His desires in our hearts. The key is wanting God’s will, not our own.

“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” (Psalm 16:3)

Join me again on Wednesday for Part 2 of the discussion on "How I Can Know God's Will." 

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Don't miss the complete series:
How Can I Know God's Will - Part 2

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