By Brother Michel Lankford
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:15-17 (NASB)
The Third Principle of authentic Christian discipleship is that God's word contains many great promises. Most of God's promises contain qualifiers and conditions which reflect God's character. To receive the promises, we must obey the conditions in a manner that reflects God's character
This Blog Will Discuss:
- Learning God’s specific will for our lives:
- God has the universal will, but also a specific will for each individual He created (Ephesians 2:8-10 )
- Seeking and discerning God's direction is our responsibility (Ephesians 5:15-17).
- Some fundamental basic steps in seeking God's will.
There are people who are willing to concede that God has a general will for mankind, but they will claim that he has no specific will for individual human beings. Does God, in fact have a plan and desire for individual human beings, as well as for the human race in general? The truth is, absolutely! Let's take a look at Ephesians chapter 2.
Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that Not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (NKJV) From this single verse, we can learn some profound truths.· We are God's workmanship... From this, a wise person can correctly glean the fact that we do not belong to ourselves. We are a uniquely designed and uniquely loved work of art. A person with understanding will glean that if we are God's workmanship (God's unique creation) such a position comes both with privileges and with accountability to the one who made us.
· Created in Christ Jesus... From this, a person of wisdom and integrity will correctly understand that being created in Christ Jesus means that God's will for our individual lives will of course exquisitely reflect the character and attitudes of God's Son Jesus Christ.
· For good works... It seems almost unnecessary to mention, but some people are afraid to seek God's personal will for their lives because they are afraid that it will not be good or that they will not be happy. That is an unfortunate and erroneous belief system. God is love (1 John 4:7-8). God is good and his mercy endures forever (Psalm 106: 1). If you learn nothing else from these studies, please learn this. God's desire for our lives, is always for our absolute good. For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." (Romans 10:11NASB). Sometimes that's difficult to believe because our personal experiences have often fallen short of God's best desires for our lives. Sometimes this is been the result of our own sinfulness. Other times we've experienced less than God's best because of the sins of others. All of that notwithstanding, God's desires for our lives are always good. We must understand that our personal experiences are not the best indicators of God's desire for our lives. That's because too many of our experiences are brought about by human interference which can act as static to our spiritual receivers so to speak. That’s another topic. For now, let's focus on the fact that God's desires for our lives are always good. Since we were designed by God who is love, then it stands to reason that the only way will be truly happy and fulfilled as human beings, is to discover and learn to carry out those good works for which God designed us.
· Which God prepared beforehand... Now this is an extremely powerful phrase. Can you see the dynamic implications? God the Almighty Creator of the universe not only designed and created us, but in his infinite love, knowledge and wisdom, He knew that the only way a human being could be fulfilled is to be productive; to learn, grow, and do something infinitely worthwhile with their time. Being the ultimate loving parent, He not only created us, but He prepared (meaning God planned out with specific and deliberate forethought) some good works for us to fulfill during our time on earth.
· That we should walk in them... Notice that God says, "that we should," not that we automatically would walk in them. A wise and discerning person will understand from this that we always have a choice whether or not to fulfill God's best desires for our lives. While we legitimately owe God our love, loyalty and obedience, (which by the way carries infinite rewards), in his love God will not demand that we love and obey Him. He leaves the delicate and perilous choice up to us.
Our primary mission in life is learning to discover the good works, which God prepared beforehand, for us to fulfill, and that we cooperate with God to accomplish those things. It is the only way that we can be completely satisfied and fulfilled with our lives. With God's help I will throughout the study attempt to give you a step-by-step skeletal framework that you can use to discover God's will for your life. Keep in mind that God may work with you slightly differently, but these rudimentary principles will most likely always be there.
Seeking God's will and direction for His specific will in our lives is our personal responsibility before God
We don't hear much about it these days, but even though we are saved by grace through faith in what Jesus Christ accomplished through his death and resurrection, seeking God's will and direction for our personal lives is the responsibility of each individual believer. We don't hear much about that anymore in modern-day Christendom. However, by definition a valid relationship involves at least two individuals. In order to be a living and thriving relationship, each party in the relationship has to contribute something. Now, our relationship with God is not an equal partnership by any stretch of the imagination. We even need God's help to contribute our portion of the relationship successfully, but we must contribute into the relationship nonetheless. Otherwise we do not have a valid relationship with God at all. A portion of our contribution into our relationship with God is our willingness (our will) and our energy. After God has opened our hearts to believe and receive the gospel of Jesus Christ , part of what we contribute is our ongoing willingness and energy into actively seeking and obeying God's direction:
"I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me. Proverbs 8:17 (NASB)... (cf. Proverbs 2:4, 5; James 1:5-8)
Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7 (NASB)
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 (NASB)
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:15-17 (NASB)
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but did you notice that the word diligence is often used in direct correlation to how we are to seek after God. Beloved, please do not be deceived. even though we live under the grace of God through what Jesus Christ accomplished, this did not eliminate our need to be diligent in our relationship with the Lord. God's not always going to drop absolutely everything automatically into our lap simply because we believe His Son and we think we are cute, and entitled. Knowing God's will and direction for our lives will require that we direct our will and our diligent efforts into s seeking after it. The good news is that if we do choose to direct our will and apply our diligent efforts into seeking God's will and direction, we are guaranteed success (Matthew 7:7-8).
Some basic steps in seeking God's specific will for your life:
Some of these things may seem very elementary, but honestly it's neglecting the small stuff that does the greatest damage sometimes:Step One: The Spiritual Heart Checkup: This is an all-important first step. If you have an honest desire to be a disciplined follower of God in Jesus Christ, there will be different times in your life when you feel the need to seek God specific will for your life or within a particular situation. You might be seeking God's will in any number of situations. Maybe you're considering a new job, moving to a new home, considering adopting a child, or taking on a new ministry or project of some sort. All of these, and any other situation important to you is important to God. Any time you are seeking out or reviewing God's will for your life, it's important to do a spiritual heart checkup. I will explain.
The spiritual heart checkup is something we need to do any time we are seeking God's leading and direction in our lives. The spiritual heart checkup is a soul-searching exercise where you are intentionally asking yourself some key questions. It's important to check yourself out on these questions before you seek God's will in a given situation
a.) Am I really willing to hear God in this situation? Please, whatever you do, do not assume that you are always prepared to hear God. No matter how much you love God or how well-intentioned you may be, our human will can often get in our way when we're trying to obey God.
b.) What are my desires and wishes for this situation? Do I feel anxious or worried that God may want something different than I want for myself in a situation? What are my fears and concerns in this situation that I can see right now? If you are feeling anything like these, it's important to get those worked out with the Lord because they can color or distort how you interpret God's directions for your life. Remember to cast all your cares upon Him (Jesus) who cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).
c.) Am I genuinely determined to obey what I hear from the Lord? God, could you please reveal anything in my heart or my will that could hinder me from hearing and obeying your voice in this situation.
Make no mistake about it. There is no more important human task then to discover and do the will of God for our lives. It's a joyous, but often challenging adventure. The reason that we have to begin with a heart checkup is that seeking God's will does have at least one element of danger. I'll explain. You see, seeking and doing God's will carries with it enormous blessings, both for our temporary lives on earth and our eternal lives with Him. Perhaps the biggest danger of seeking God's will is that of responsibility. Once we discover what God's will is for our lives we have added responsibility to obey Him. If we are ignorant we bear responsibility for not finding out what He wants us to do, but if we know what He wants us to do and disobey it, it's far worse. James 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. (NKJV) That is why I say that it's important to do a heart checkup when you're seeking God's will, in order to make sure that you are fully prepared to do as God directs.
Step 2: Obey What You Know First. Remember, God only reveals Himself and His Son to those who've already made the determination in their hearts and their will to obey Him (John 14:21; John 15:14). He only reveals Himself and his will to those who are already walking in the direction of obeying what He has already revealed. He gives fresh revelation and understanding as you are moving ahead with what you already know to do. Please DO NOT expect God to give you extraordinary revelation of Himself, if you are not already walking in the direction of obeying what He has caused to be written in black-and-white, or red and white. Beloved, let us not deceive ourselves. If we do not make it a practice to obey what is Written in God's word, then we will not be able to be faithful with what God reveals either. It is deceptive vanity to believe otherwise.
It may sound very basic, but it's critical. Many times it is not the difficult things that undermine our success with God, but neglecting the simple. The second step of discovering God's will in your personal life is to make sure that you are doing the universal will of God while you are seeking. I cannot tell you how many times I've sought God for specific direction in my life and I was having difficulty discerning His leading. More than once I've heard God speak to my heart: "Obey what you've already heard, and I'll give you more." If you are seeking God's will and having trouble discerning what his direction is, double check and ensure that you are at least following God's universal will first. Luke 16:10-12 "Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? (NRSV) Remember that in God's kingdom, the little stuff REALLY counts. It prepares us for bigger opportunities God has planned ahead for us.
Step 3: Develop Your Prayer Life Once again, it may sound very basic or obvious, but an effective prayer life is absolutely imperative when we're trying to learn how to discern God's will for our lives. Let me be clear. When I talk about having a prayer life I'm not talking about reading off your grocery list of desires and concerns to God. When I talk about an effective prayer life I refer to developing the habit of two way communication with God. Every time we pray, we should give God the opportunity to speak to us for little while. You might be thinking to yourself, how will I know in its God speaking to me and not my own self. The answer is, at first you won't always know, but you will learn with practice. On the other hand, if you don't purposely give God the opportunity to speak, if you don't practice listening to his voice, it's almost a solid guarantee that you'll never get the chance. You may not make a mistake is often, but neither will you have much opportunity to succeed.
While you are praying, something may come to your consciousness that interests or challenges you. Make a quick note, just a few words to jog your memory so that you can pray about your impressions again at a later time. Remember, practice makes perfect. Make it a regular practice to give God an opportunity to talk back to you when you pray.
Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 (NASB)
Psalms 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. Psalm 32:8 (NASB)
Step 4: Develop the Habit of Bible Reading & Biblical Thinking. We all know the importance of Bible reading on a daily basis. This idea goes beyond that elementary principle. Thinking biblically means that we are analyzing and interpreting situations from a biblical point of view.
Joshua1:7-8 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. (NKJV)
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.(NKJV)
Romans 8:5-6 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (NKJV)Step 5: Follow the steps to experiencing God. This is the method I learned years ago, I still glean from it today. So I offer it to you.
1. God is always at work around you.
2. God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.
3. God invites you to become involved with Him in His work.
4. God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways.
5. God's invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.
6. You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing.
7. You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you.
*Based on and modified from Experiencing God by Henry T. Blackaby and Claude V. King. Compiled by Trent Butler. ©1995 by Broadman & Holman Publishers All rights reserved. For Personal use and edification only.
So by now you might be thinking, all this information is nice, but how will I know if I'm listening to God or my own heart? Some of that comes from practice and experience, but it's not all trial and error there are some key criterion that I use to see if something is God's will or not. These are in addition to doing the things I've mentioned above.
There are several key standards that I use when trying to discern God's direction in our personal life.
1. Is that path or choice I'm considering, heading in the direction of love? (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
2. Is the path or choice that I'm considering going to require faith, or does it appeal more to my desire for security? Whatever we do should be motivated by love and faith above all (Romans 14:23).
3. Is the path or choice that I'm considering motivated by a desire to be obedient or is there rebelliousness and resistance? (1 Samuel 15:22; John 14:21)
4. Is that path or choice that I'm considering consistent with what I already know of God's written word? (Mark 13:31; Psalm 119:9).
5. Is the path or choice that I'm considering reflective of Christ and his character? (Colossians 1:10).
6. Is the path or choice I'm considering encouraging me to live by my sinful nature or my new nature in Christ? (Galatians 5:16-25).
7. Is the path or choice I'm considering selfish or giving? (Philippians 1:16)
Remember also to learn from the experiences of others who have walked with God. Romans 15:4 tells us that the things that were written before hand, were written for our instruction. What that means is that while Scriptures do have deep spiritual meaning, God also allowed some things to remain in the Scriptures so that we could learn either from the good or the bad examples contained therein. As long as you are earnestly seeking God's will and direction for your life, God guarantees that you will succeed in that endeavor. the key is to properly apply some basic biblical foundations to the search, then apply your will and diligent perseverance to the task.
Thank you for joining mein studying God's word. until then, may you grow even more successful in diligently seeking and obeying God's direction for your life . God be with you.
Brother Michel Lankford
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