The California Collection/TheCaliforniaCollection.cdr/his101/insp119.arj/INSP119.TXT

Text File | 1991-03-19 | 19KB | 322 lines

                          Knowing God's Will
                          By: Winkie Pratney


    "How can I know the will of God?" If you haven't asked this question openly
or secretly, you are probably not a Christian.
    Walk through the halls of time and you will see the men of God who changed
history. Look at them carefully. They were not special men. You will not often
find the naturally gifted among their ranks. But all had one thing in common
they knew and did the will of God in their generation, and God did a work
through them to shape the course of history.

    Those that God used in the past were just ordinary people with an
extraordinary Master. They were not all champions of great faith, but little
people who saw their own need, and put their small faith in a great God. The
driving force in their lives was the sure conviction that God had called them
to His work-and that as long as they were faithful to that call, He would work
with them and through them against impossible odds to victory. They KNEW His
will! Living in HIs purpose, they could be natural and let Him be supernatural.

    Scripture is a record of common people who found the will of God. Jacob met
an angel. Joseph with is multi-colored coat had a dream. Paul saw a blinding
light. Samuel heard a voice. John had a vision. God is wholly involved with us
as human beings! He spoke to men then, and He has not changed. At every point
of history, He waits to show the way.

    God is looking for willing hearts-those who whole-heartedly decide to do
the will of God. (2 Chron. 16:9) You can know God's will! God has no favorites.
You do not have to be special, but you have to be available. You do not have to
be clever, but you must be willing to learn from Him. You do not have to have
to be talented , but you must be willing to obey whatever He commands. You do
not have to possess much, but you must give everything you have.

    Has the "will of God" been a mystery to you? Have you longed to know what
He wants for you, but somehow never found the way? Then read on. If you will
faithfully apply these Biblical principles of guidance to your life, you can
know the voice of God and do His will, as surely as any man or woman of God
that ever lived.

Goal and Plan

    God's will for your life is a GOAL, not a blueprint. His one ultimate
 goal, or purpose, is for you to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus.
 God's goal NEVER changes. A goal is the point you are trying to get to-it
 sets your direction. While on your way to this ultimate goal, you will
 encounter many smaller goals and purposes along the way.

    Guidance is a lifelong process. God will reveal goals, help you reach them,
 then set new, higher ones. Therefore, knowing God's will for your life is a
 continued discovery of the present most effective plan to help you eventually
 reach (through a series of sub-stages) His ultimate goal for you. Should you
 miss God and make a wrong decision at one of these sub-stages, all is not not
 lost.

    However, many times there are consequences to pay. Sometimes you may
 miss an opportunity that may never again come your way .. and many times good
 years that belong to God are simply wasted. But the moment our self-
 dependence or mistakes are confessed to God, and His pardon obtained, He
 will take you where you are at and work with you, daily pointing out the
 best course to take in order for you to reach His ultimate goal for you-to
 be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus.

Conditions

    You cannot expect to hear from God until you are fulfilling these
 essential conditions for knowing His will. Check you life against these
 before you ask for guidance:

    1. A Desire To Know And Do All The Will Of God.
       Don't ASK for guidance unless you are prepared to ACT on it! God
       is always willing to make His purpose known. If you "cannot" find
       an answer, it may be that you have some secret reservation in your
       heart. God will not show you His will if you are merely
       considering doing it. Unless you are prepared to trust His wisdom
       and love, and DO what He shows you, don't ask Him. Many say they
       can't get God's guidance, when they really mean they wish He would
       show them an easier way. God promises to show us only if we are ready
       to act on His revelation. (John 7:17)

    2. Be A Love-Slave.
       God guides the meek, or those with yielded wills. If we have unyielded
       rights or stubborn wills, we cannot expect His guidance. A love-slave
       lives to serve, not be served. He owns nothing of power, possessions,
       or personal rights. He has no plans of his own that are not subject
       to the command of His master. God does not guide those who want to run
       their own life. He only guides those who admit their need of His
       direction and rely on His wisdom. (Matt 10:24,37-39; Phil. 2:5-8).

    3. A Willingness To Be Counted A Fool.
       Doing God's will often conflicts with what's going on in our
       surrounding selfish world. Some Christians don't really do anything
       for the Lord, excusing themselves by saying they are "not sure of Gods
       will." We need not always expect a voice from the sky when the path of
       service is clear. God gave gave us common sense, and He expects us to
       use it.

       Most of the time, His will makes sense to our reason and
       intelligence. God's will is usually an area of general direction,
       within which He leaves us relatively free to work for Him.
       (Proverbs 6:20-22,22:3) However, sometimes His direction cuts across
       all human reason, and even goes totally contrary to it! When the inner
       voice of God speaks clearly, obedience may be counted as madness in
       the eyes of the world. But if you are willing to be God's fool, then
       you will see His power. (Matt 11:25; Acts 26:24-25; Mark 3:21;
       1 Cor 3:18-20)

    4. A Clean Conscience From The Past
       Guidance will always be hindered or misunderstood if there are still
       sinful things in your life that God has urged you to get right. How can
       He show you more if you have not obeyed the things He has already
       shown you? Luke 16:10) Every time you kneel to pray, the finger of His
       Spirit will point back to that thing He wants you to get right. A Clear
       conscience is absolutely essential for distinguishing between the
       voice of God and the voice of the enemy. Unconfessed sin is a prime
       reason why many do not know God's will. It is the "pure in heart"
       who will see Him. (Matt 5:8, 23-24; Psalms 24:3-6)

    5. Regular Time Of Prayer And Reading The Word Of God.
       God's will is expressly revealed in His Word. It is indeed a foolish
       and inexcusable thing to neglect the Scriptures if you have access
       to them. Bible study shows us what God expects in daily living. No
       guidance will ever go against Scriptural principle. Prayer teaches
       us by experience what the presence of God is like, and how His voice
       sounds. Many do not recognize the call of God simply because they
       have never taken the time to really talk with Him long enough to know
       what He is like. It is not enough to know about Him-you must know
       HIM! (Proverbs 6:23; Isaiah 58:9-11; John 17:3)


                                Methods

    God speaks and has spoken in many different ways. Guidance breaks down
    into three basic categories-personal, corporeal, and supernatural. Study
    the following examples in Scripture.

                              1. Personal
                       (Individual Direct Guidance)

    1. The Word Of God - The Holy Scriptures, the foundation of all guidance.
       A. Regular Bible Reading - The "jigsaw" principle. You fill in a portion
          of a "puzzle" each time you read a section of the Bible. A key
          piece fitted in will suddenly reveal a whole picture.

       B. Open Page Method - Definitely not to be abused! Ask God in faith
          to guide you to the right Scripture for your need. Open the Bible,
          trusting Him to speak to you from it.

       C. Mental Suggestion - In prayer God will sometimes bring to mind
          a verse, a chapter, or a book of the Bible. Turn to the place
          and begin to read until God speaks to you.

       D. Recalled Memory Verse - Often, during a time of temptation or
          difficulty, God will bring to your min a verse of scripture that
          will give clear instruction. It is your benefit to know and memorize
          parts of the Word of God. (Psalm 119:9-11, 15-16, 33-35, 65-68,97-105
          Proverbs 2:1-20,3:1-6,4:1-13; 2 Tim. 3:14-17)

    2. The Witness Of the Holy Spirit - An inner voice known by all
                                        true children of God.

       The Holy Spirit is able to "check" you inside as to whether or not
       something is of God. You must NEVER act on a doubtful impression,
       especially if it is accompanied by haste. God leads, not pushes!
       Rushed urgings are usually of the enemy. There is never a feeling
       of worry or fear with the voice of Good Shepherd. His Voice is gentle
       familar-sounding, loving, and leaves you with a sense of spiritual
       uplift and rejoicing, never fright. (John 10:3-5,14-16,27-28) Test
       all of your spiritual leadings by the Word of God, especially whenever
       you feel a sense of uneasiness or fear. (Rom 8:14-16;John 14:16-17;
       1 John 2:27, 4:1-3,13; Col 1:9-11)

    3. Waiting On God - Listening to Him in prayer and getting to know His Voice
       God has three answers in guidance-(1) "Yes" (2) "No" and (3) "Wait."
       We cannot have a demanding attitude towards God. Sometimes there
       be delays. Our lives are bound up with others, and many times God
       has to wait until they are ready (or until we are), before giving
       us the go-ahead. "Wait" is the most difficult of all answers, but
       sometimes it's the most necessary. Here is the test of a love-
       slave. (Psalm 62:1,5 33:20, 25:5, 27:14, 40:1, 130:5; Isiah 40:31,
       49:23, Hosea 12:6; 1 Cron. 28:9)

                               2. Corporeal
                           (Other Christians)

    Although God greatly desires to speak to each of us personally, He also
likes to use other members of the Body of Christ to pass on needed pieces
of the "puzzle" to us. This helps teach us gratitude for His work in the
lives of others, and the needed lesson that none of us are law or light
to ourselves. We can learn a lot from other Christians, although in the
end, we are responsible to no one but Him.

    1. Godly Men And Women - The advice of experienced Christians sought
       as conformation. Counsel from those who are known to have a pure and
       trustworthy walk with God is often of great value when is seeking
       further light on some major decision. This counsel should be more in
       the area of principles, not pronouncements. carefully concerned and
       loving suggestions aren't necessarily final or direct statements from
       the Lord. True godly counsel will of course always line up with the Word
       of God and Scriptural principles. (Proverbs 15:22, 12:15, 13:10,
       11:14, 24:6 1 Thess. 2:11-15)

    2. God's Servants In The Ministry - Preaching under the guidance of
       the Holy Spirit. Sometimes God will use a message or sermon anointed
       by the Holy Spirit to bring needed light when you are facing a difficult
       decision. Perhaps the word you need to help give you direction is
       waiting for you at the next meeting! (Exodus 4:10-12 I Samuel 3:10-21;
       Isiah 6:8-9; Rom 10:14-15; 1 Cor 2:1-2; 1 Pet 4:11)

    3. The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit - In line with the previous leadings
       from the Lord and the Word of God. Scripture records incidents where
       God has confirmed direction through such gifts in His Body as prophesy,
       words of knowledge, and words of wisdom. Study their function in
       Scripture. Such words are simply spiritual parallels to individual
       godly counsel and preached messages, and should not be looked on with
       more authority than any of the other means the Lord chooses to use.
       Never act solely on a "word" given to you by another. Remember, the
       key is individual responsibility for our own actions, and it is you
       that must make the final decision, and not someone else for you.
       (Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cron 12:1-12,27-31, 14:12,26-33,39-40; Eph 4:8-11;
       2 Tim 1:6)

                               3. Supernatural

    The instances of "supernatural" guidance, or special Divine Intervention
in our lives are more rarely recorded. These cases are rare, but not because
there are only a few who ever reach the "exalted height" of such direct
contact. In fact, God may sometimes choose to act in this way because those
on the receiving end are so spiritually insensitive and dull that they might
otherwise never hear or understand! Although it is not wise to generalize
principles from such occasional interventions, it is certainly clear through
Scripture and history that men and women have received authentic direction
from such Divine channels of contact.

    1. The Audible Voice Of God. God can and has spoken to people audibly.
       I know a very trustworthy person who became a Christian as a result
       of God answering his prayer for help in this way. He described the
       voice like this: "Like everyone I had ever loved in my life all
       my life, yet I knew I had never met." As in the case of Saul and the
       crowd that witnessed the Lord's baptism, it is apparently a real
       sound and not just a mental impression. Examples: Samuel
       (1 Samuel 3:1-10); Elijah (1 Kings 19:9-13); Saul (Acts 9:1-7);
       the Lord Jesus and the multitude (John 12:27-30)

    2. Visions And Dreams. The early Church gave much more attention to this
       subject than do most Christians today. A dream is like a spiritual T.V.
       comercial-short, easy to understand, and given at the time when our
       whole attention is undistracted. Visions, on the other hand, are
       superimposed over the normal visual reality around us, and do not have
       to happen when we are asleep. If you believe that God may be trying to
       speak to you in this way, prayerfully consider the details of your
       dream or vision, remembering that they may represent symbols or
       principles-not necessarily absolutes. And finally, talk it over with
       a trusted and mature friend in Christ. Both dreams and visions, when
       inspired by the Holy Spirit, can be powerful means by which God speaks
       to His people. Examples:  Peter (Acts 10:9-16); Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-8);
       Daniel (Daniel 8:1-27, 7:1-28, 10:1-9); John (Rev. 1-20); Elihu
       (Job 33:14-18); Joesph (Matt. 1:19-21).

    3. Visitation. It appears that angels in Scripture do not "guide" in the
       same way as the Holy Spirit Himself does, but they have been sent to
       warn believers of danger, as well as provide for their physical needs
       and safety. They also have made significant announcements, as in the
       case of Mary. Many believers throughout history have had authentic
       visions or visitations-and many numbers of Christians have seen either
       Jesus or minstering angels at their deathbeds. Examples: Abraham
       (Genesis 18:1-33); Moses (Exodus 33:19-23); Joshua (Joshua 5:13-15);
       Jacob (Genesis 32:24-30); Manoah (Judges 13:2-23); Zacherias
       (Luke 1:8-20); Mary (Luke 1:26-38).

    A Word Of Warning before we leave this area. Young Christians can easily
become fascinated with the "special cases," and exalt these above the more
simple and ordinary daily ways God uses to speak to us. To deliberately seek
or glorify any form of guidance is an outright invitation to spiritual
deception. We are not to seek or specify how God should speak, but only seek
Him in any way that He wishes to make Himself known. And as previously
mentioned, for God to have to use such methods is no guarantee at all of our
superior spiritually-it may instead be an indication of spiritual immaturity.

                                    Steps

    The following method of receiving guidance combines most guidance
principles into three basic steps.

    1. Give Up Your Own Desires. Take your own desires to God in prayer and
       place them aside for the LOrd to crucify. In prayer, give your desires
       to Him, and ask Him to give you His desires. Tell Him that you are
       willing to "die" to the things you want most to do, in order to do the
       things He has for you.

    2. Resist The Devil. Be on guard against the tactics of the enemy, and the
       temptations that mat come your way. Each child of God has been given
       power over sin through Christ. Standing in His authority, drive back
       the enemy's voice. As Jesus did in the wilderness, you can quote an
       approoriate Scripture, and like the thrust of a sword, it will force
       the enemy to retreat. Do it simply and clearly, trusting that the
       power of Christ will back you up. (Proverbs 18:10; Eph. 1:17-23;
       James 4:5-10; 1 John 3:7-8; 1 Peter 5:6-9).

    3. Listen To The Voice Of God. The Lord wants to speak to you-He doesn't
       want to hide or make you play guessing games. If you have fulfilled His
       conditions, the lines of communication between you are open. Ask God to
       show you, in faith, expecting Him to answer. Look for an immediate,
       definate impression. Do what He tells you to do. If nothing comes
       immediately-thank God for His answer of "wait." Be faithful to what the
       Lord has shown you, and patient as you wait for futher guidance. If you
       are being tempted, cry out to the Lord, for it is through Him that you
       will find your strength to stand firm in righteousness.

                                  Your Move

    Ahead of you is a generation that desperately needs a voice of authority.
Men are tired of the constant failure of human wisdom-what they need most of
all is to hear from Heaven. Can you be His vessel to proclaim "Thus saith the
Lord!" to a lost and dying world? Dare YOU be guided by God? Will you accept
the challenge to hear His voice and do His will?


From Last Days Ministries
P.O. Box 40
Lindale, Tx    75771-0040