Finding God's Will For YOU
This is not done in a week long seminar- it is a life long pursuit. It's the journey not the destiny as they say. Jesus said "Have faith in God" (Mk.11:22) In this objective we must trust God's ability to speak and communicate to us and not trust our ability to hear him.
Rom.12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 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.
Col.1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Eph.5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
First you believe his word that he wants you to know it -"understanding what the will of the Lord is", "filled with the knowledge of his will" and that he will fill you with it. Phil.2:13 "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." "The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands." Psa.138:8- Believe he will because he said! And his grace is greater than our sin (Rom.5:19-21). Don't faint (Gal.6:9) in the 2nd or 3rd watch (2 Cor.12:8, 1 Ki.17:21, Mt.26:44, Mt.14:25, Jdg. 20:18-28). Rather say "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me" (Gen.32:26) and take the promises by force (Mt.11:12) of importunity (Lk.11:5-13).
Next you sanctify yourself by faith in the death and resurrection of Christ.
Appropriate his death first by taking up your cross & denying yourself- "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world" So you perfect holiness (2 Cor.7:1) by separating yourself and severing yourself from all worldliness and lusts.
Appropriate his resurrection following him- "be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind", "be filled with the Spirit", "walk as children of light", "the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth". Remember James 4:13, 15 "Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."
Again, you do all this by faith in the power of his resurrection and his death:
Rom.8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
2 Pet.1:3-4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
As you abide in Christ and his words abide in you your will becomes sanctified (Jn.15:1-7) and your desires change (Heb.4:12). Delight thyself also in the LORD and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart- Psa.37:4 The desire of the righteous is only good- Prv.11:23
God will begin to work in you that desire which is pleasing to him. For example: This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.- 1 Tim.3:1
You must stubbornly and persistently lay hold on his promises (Heb.6:11-19) regardless of your staggering and wavering in unbelief. Shall our unbelief make the faith of God without effect? (Rom.3:3) No. Keep pressing in praying "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief" (Mk.9:24) Forget your weakness and focus on his strength. Forget your blindness or deafness and remember his healing power to cause you to see and hear. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil.1:6). He hath said "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Prv.3:6) Even though you don't see it now you patiently wait for it. (Rom.8:25, Heb.6:15) Flee to that refuge of hope set before you (Heb.6:11-19) through the power of the Holy Ghost (Rom.15:13) being fully persuaded that what HE has promised HE is able also to perform. (Rom.4:21) What if I confuse my ideas with God's will? You still trust him to divide the "soul and spirit" and discern the "thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb.4:12) Do we judge ourselves? Nay, but as Paul said "I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts" (1 Cor.4:3-5)
God will begin to work in you that desire which is pleasing to him. For example: This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.- 1 Tim.3:1
You must stubbornly and persistently lay hold on his promises (Heb.6:11-19) regardless of your staggering and wavering in unbelief. Shall our unbelief make the faith of God without effect? (Rom.3:3) No. Keep pressing in praying "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief" (Mk.9:24) Forget your weakness and focus on his strength. Forget your blindness or deafness and remember his healing power to cause you to see and hear. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil.1:6). He hath said "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Prv.3:6) Even though you don't see it now you patiently wait for it. (Rom.8:25, Heb.6:15) Flee to that refuge of hope set before you (Heb.6:11-19) through the power of the Holy Ghost (Rom.15:13) being fully persuaded that what HE has promised HE is able also to perform. (Rom.4:21) What if I confuse my ideas with God's will? You still trust him to divide the "soul and spirit" and discern the "thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb.4:12) Do we judge ourselves? Nay, but as Paul said "I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts" (1 Cor.4:3-5)
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb.12:1-2
We must not allow others to live vicariously through us for our lives, we belong to God alone. Even if in the pursuit of his will our closest friends and family come to hate us or be disappointed. (Mt.10:33-37, Lk.12:51-53, 14:26-27, 9:59-60) Or when facing "bonds and afflictions" we must not 'save our lives' lest we lose them (Mt.10:39). Rather we must 'take up our cross' and determine as Paul- "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." (Ac.20:24)
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