Specific Steps in Knowing & Doing the Will of God

Specific Steps in Knowing and Doing the Will of God

In order to fulfill God’s calling and his purpose for your life, one must also be working daily and even moment to moment on finding God‘s will. We all want to know God’s will for our lives and for specific issues we face. We can rest knowing that God is not playing a game and wants to reveal His will to us. The following items act as runway lights. When they all turn on and line up, We can be confident the Lord is directing you.

1.  Total Surrender

If we are not neutral before God (dead to self), it is easy to manipulate or rationalize our own desires and give God the credit for it.

2.  Confirmation from God’s word.

Careful attention needs to be given to God and His word for the confirmation. God will speak if we will but listen. The call is never outside a biblical foundation.

3.  Peace

God does not bring confusion (a lack of peace) when calling someone. If there is confusion, lack of peace, in the message - you can conclude God is not moving yet (it is either not yet the time or not His direction).This peace comes from God, in spite of our ability to logically explain the details.

4.   Confirmation of the call by others.  (Counsel is sought)  (Proverbs 15:22)

There is wisdom in many counselors. Make sure you have Godly counselors that know you, that don’t have a vested interest in the outcome (objective 3^rd party) and will not just say yes. After receiving counsel, you are ultimately responsible for the decision before God.

5.  Pray, Pray, Pray

Much prayer is fundamental to hearing the call of God. In fact, it would be hard to pray too much. Prayer is the real work. God is not playing games with us - He will make His will known.

6.  Circumstances

Circumstances play a significant role in the direction and timing of God’s call. We must be careful not to manipulate the circumstances, or force our desire for a certain outcome.

The most difficult step is number one – becoming neutral. Why is this important?

 

How could you use this in a situation you are facing?

Broken People vs. Proud People (Psalm 51)

Broken People vs. Proud People

Nancy Leigh DeMoss contrasts broken people and proud people. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou will not despise. (Psalms 51:17) This list is from a talk given to the leadership of Campus Crusade for Christ.

See if you can identify yourself in either or both lists:

Proud People	Broken People
Focus on the failure of others	Overwhelmed with a sense of their own spiritual need
A critical, fault finding spirit; looking at everyone else’s faults with a microscope, but their own with a telescope	Compassionate; can forgive much because they know how much they have been forgiven
Self-righteous; look down on others	Esteem all others better than themselves
Independent, self sufficient spirit	Have a dependent spirit; recognize a need for others
Have to prove they are right; Claim rights; have a demanding spirit	Willing to yield the right to be right
Self protective of their time, their rights and their reputation	Self-denying
Desire to be served	Motivated to serve others
Desire to be a success	Motivated to be faithful and to make others a success
Have a drive to be recognized and appreciated	Have a sense of their own unworthiness; thrilled that God would use them at all
Wounded when others are promoted and they are overlooked	Eager for others to get the credit, rejoice when others are lifted up
Have a subconscious feeling that this ministry is privileged to have me and my gifts	Heart attitude is, “I don’t deserve to have a part of this ministry”
Think of what they can do for God	Know they have nothing to offer God except Jesus flowing through their broken lives

"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." James 4:6

Which of these do you identify with?