“How Do I Find God’s Will for My Life?”

            A famous preacher once said a successful man is a man who finds out what God wants him to accomplish with his life and then fulfills it. This is a very profound statement. The true measure of a person’s success is not social status, a bank account, influence, or fame. It is simply doing what God wants.

            The purpose of this lesson is to give you a clear understanding of what the will of Gods is, as revealed in the Bible, so you can begin to accomplish those things that are important to Him.

I.              Understand the difference between God’s will and God’s plan.

A.           The will of God concerns our spiritual development.

It is never connected with a set of rules, a geographical location, or a specific ministry.

B.           The plan of God concerns our spiritual deployment.

God has a specific plan for you as an individual. This plan is the specific direction God will give in the circumstances of your life.

II.            Understand the biblical dimensions of God’s will.

A.           God wills specific things for your life.

1.            I Thessalonians 4:3-7 - We are to live holy lives. God desires our sanctification.

2.            II Peter 3:9 - We are to be witnesses as we understand God is not willing that any should perish.  All lost people are out of the will of God, regardless of what else they may do.

3.            I Thessalonians 5:18 - We are to give thanks in everything.

4.            I Peter 2:13-15 - We are to submit to every ordinance of man. However, this must be balanced by the next point.

5.            Romans 12:1-2 – We are not to be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds. (Submission to the ordinances of man is to maintain a proper testimony to lead others to Christ. At the same time, your life is to be transformed to live by a higher standard to please God.)

6.            Ephesians 6:5-8 – We are to serve those in authority from the heart, with pure motives, as if we are serving Jesus Christ.

7.            Ephesians 5:15-17– We are to redeem the time. Quitwasting time! Make use of the small amount God has given you.

B.           God’s will for every believer is to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ and can be summarized as follows:

1.            I Timothy 2:3-4 - SALVATION

2.            I Peter 4:1-2 - SANCTIFICATION

3.            Ephesians 1:3-5 - GLORIFICATION

III.           Understand God’s direction in your life by three resources He has provided:

A.           He has given you the Holy Spirit to indwell you and direct your life. Galatians 5:25, John 16:13, I Corinthians 2:9-10

B.           He has given you the Word of God as your absolute authority in every detail of life. You must learn to saturate your mind with God’s thoughts. Philippians 2:5;
Romans12:1-2; Isaiah 55:6-11

C.           He has given you the local church, which is organized to equip your life and ministry. Through other believers He has provided you with wise counsel. Ephesians 4:11-12

IV.          Understand God’s priority in the details of your life.

A.           Obedience to God’s will is more important than the discovery of God’s plan.

You must be in conformity with the will of God before He will direct you in the specifics of your life. Your priority should be to fulfill the will of God in your daily life and then trust Him to guide you in the detailed plan, step by step.

B.           God is more interested in what you are than in what you do.

He is infinitely more interested in your being the type of person He wants you to be rather than in your doing “mighty works” for Him. Be what He wants you to be and He will show you what to do. Philippians 2:13.

V.           Basic questions

A.           Why doesn’t God reveal all the details of His direction for me now?

1.            It would overwhelm you before you got started.

2.            You may not be equipped to handle it now. God will reveal what you can handle when you are ready.

3.            You may not be the type of person God wants you to be yet.

4.            God wants you to be patient as He works in your life spiritually. As time goes on and you begin to grow in your Christian walk, your interests, talents and desires will grow and change. This is illustrated by the old question asked of children, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” If all the five-year-olds in America were surveyed on this question, then forced to stick with their answers, in 20 years there would be nothing but firemen, policemen, and nurses. Be patient and consistent in fulfilling God’s will for your life. He will be faithful to guide you.

B.           Why does God allow seemingly “bad” things to happen in my life?

1.            Occasionally things happen in a Christian’s life which do not appear to be good.

a.            God will allow suffering in the lives of His children to perfect them, although He would prefer they did not have to suffer.
I Peter 3:15-18, 5:10; II Corinthians 12:6-10

b.            In Lesson 1 we learned that our Heavenly Father will never make a mistake as He deals with His children. Matthew 7:11; Romans 8:28.

2.            God allows all of us to make our own choices in life – both good and bad.

a.            We have a free will. Revelation 22;17

b.            God will not force anyone to do anything. God offers salvation and lays down the principles for a godly life. However, if we exercise our free will and reject salvation, the result is suffering the consequences. Galatians 6:7-8