How Do I Know Gods Will

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How Do I Know Gods Will

• Pastor Cook

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Questions to Consider Concerning Gods Will

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Does God have a specific will for us?

• Scripture teaches that God works all things after
  the counsel of His own will.
• Ephesians 111 In whom also we have obtained an
  inheritance, being predestinated according to the
  purpose of him who worketh all things after the
  counsel of his own will

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Does God have a specific will for us? (cont.)

• Old Testament saints believed in Gods specific
  guidance
• David
• Asaph
• Solomon
• Isaiah

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Does God have a specific will for us? (cont.)

• Christ stated His purpose to do Gods will.
• New Testament Christians believed in Gods
  specific guidance.

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Does Gods will cover all areas of our lives?

• Does His will cover moral areas?
• Does His will cover other areas that dont
  seemingly have a moral answer?

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How does God lead us?

• Christ was led by the Holy Spirit.
• The Apostles were led by the Holy Spirit.
• We are led by the Holy Spirit.

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How does the Holy Spirit lead us today?

• The Holy Spirit leads us principally through the
  Word of God.

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Questions Recap

• Does God have a specific will for us?
• Does Gods will cover all areas of our lives?
• How does God lead us?
• Does the Holy Spirit lead us today?

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Myths Concerning Gods Will
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Myth 1

• Gods will is never joyful, but always difficult,
  characterized by suffering, pain and sorrow.
• Denies the goodness of God.
• Implies that being in Gods will is more
  difficult than being out of Gods will.
• Implies that trials are bad and should be avoided
  at all costs.

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Myth 2

• Gods will is always the opposite of what I would
  naturally want to do.
• Assumes that Gods will and my will are always
  opposite.
• Denies the ability of God to change a persons
  will.

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Myth 3

• I find Gods Will by putting out a fleece like
  Gideon did.
• Gideon did not use a fleece to discover Gods
  will.
• Gideon used a fleece to confirm Gods Will and
  not to reveal it.
• Gideon use of a fleece for confirmation is not an
  example we should follow.

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Myth 4

• I find Gods Will through circumstances through
  open or closed doors.
• The Bible does use the door metaphor to refer to
  spiritual opportunities.
• The door metaphor teaches us at least two key
  principles.
• A sovereign God is in control of the
  circumstances in our lives.
• No man is strong enough to close the doors that
  God opens.

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Myth 4 (cont.)

• Seeking to determine Gods will through open
  closed doors can be spiritually dangerous.
• The Bible doesnt require us to go through every
  open door.
• We cannot always read divine revelation into
  every daily circumstance.
• Seeking to discern Gods will solely through
  circumstances is frequently limited only by our
  imagination.

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Myth 5

• I can find Gods Will from the presence or
  absence of peace.
• Types of peace for believer.
• The Bible does not instruct us to use the
  presence or absence of peace as an indication of
  Gods Will.

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Myth 6

• Before I can know Gods Will, I must know my
  spiritual gift.
• Scripture teaches that all believers have a
  spiritual gift
• The Bible never tells us to discover our
  spiritual gift.
• The Bible never claims to provide an exhaustive
  list of gifts.
• We can find our spiritual gift by asking
  questions related to what the gifts are meant to
  accomplish.

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Myth 7

• I determine Gods Will through the presence or
  absence of blessing.
• Many people experience great prosperity and are
  clearly out of Gods Will.
• Many people clearly are in the Will of God and
  have virtually no material possessions.
• Faithfulness is the standard of measurement for
  the believer.

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Steps to Biblical Decision Making In the Will
of God
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Biblical Decision Making

• Follow Gods Word Identify every Biblical
  command and obey it.
• Follow Gods Principles Identify Biblical
  principles and apply them.
• Rely on Gods Promises Trust Gods promise of
  guidance.