Coming To Know The Will Of God For Our Life And Our Daily Decisions
Gtcotr/ss080104
Before we begin, allow me to give you a list of seven things which I believe keep people from knowing and embracing the will of God for their life and for their daily decisions:
1. Fear
2. Blatant Disregard
3. False Prophets
4. Temporal Reason & Logic - Justification
5. Earthly Wisdom - Stinking Thinking
6. Seducing Spirits & Doctrines Of Devils
7. Lack Of Knowledge
Also, there are three time honored ways to finding the Will of God
1. Prayer
2. The Word
3. Christian Counsel
More than just sending you out on a search for God’s will for your life and daily decisions, let me give you a head start, a push in the right direction if you will, to get you going … because people are desperate for a move of God --- but:
A move of God is not a great church service rather, it’s a great life.
Jesus on the cross - now there’s a move of God!
It may take us 20, 30, 50 years to truly testify that we had a move of God in our lifetime. A true move of God changes lives forever!
I am frustrated with Christians and churches whose only goal is to have a great Sunday Morning church service. People jumping around praising God, laying on their faces crying out for His presence, singing endless worship courses with smiling faces and raised hands, hearing words of prophecy, knowledge, tongues and interpretation, laying hands on the sick, making bible confessions, casting out devils and basking in the Glory of God. Sounds like a pretty good Sunday huh?
… not if that’s all there is to it! Where are they on Monday?
I am looking to be a church that rather than focusing all the attention, godliness and spirituality on that 1 sacred Sunday morning hour, will have as it’s goal for the people of the church, members and visitors alike, the young and the old, new converts and seasoned believers, to have what I just described as their greatly desired, much sought after and hotly pursued normal Tuesday morning and Friday morning experience before they start their day, go out into the world and take on the challenges of work or school. This is the church that will change lives and change nations and change the world. This is the church that will please God and see the return of Christ to the earth.
The value of a church is not determined by what happens on Sunday morning, but rather by what happens on Monday morning.
If Sunday morning is anything other than a celebration of what happened last week and/or a preparation for what will happen next week, that church has failed and is a church in name only, and not in function.
With that in mind, let me get into the message which will, as God intends, prepare you for your week of kingdom living.
The Question:
I. What is the will of God for my life? It’s A Three Part Answer.
A. First to die to myself and come alive in Christ.
1. Conversion To Christianity
* Salvation
* Born Again
2. The old you dies and a brand new person is born
3. It comes from a sincere application: Romans 10:9-10
* Believe in your heart that Jesus is the Son of God
* Pledge with your mouth to live under His Lordship
B. Next is to be made into a Christian - Basic Discipleship
1. Like Christ
* Changed into His image by the Spirit of God
2. Renewed In Your Mind
* Change the way one thinks
3. A Yielding Of Your Will
* Daily Submission To His Lordship
* Daily Inclusion With The Body of Christ
C. Finally there is Sacrificial Service To God
1. Time
2. Talent
3. Resources
* Sacrificial living and sacrificial giving
Remember --- It’s not about you!
II. How can we find the will of God for our daily decisions?
A. God’s Word Is God’s Will
1. Find it in bible principles
* God’s First Will and Testament
* God’s Last Will and Testament
2. If anyone preaches or counsels any other thing Galatians 1
3. If anyone adds to or takes away from Revelation 22:18
B. Greater wisdom comes with greater maturity in Christ
* Grow Up! Ephesians 4:15
C. Test The Spirits 1 John 4:1
1. If they agree with
* The Revealed Word God
* The Known Will God
* The Accepted Way God
2. If they violate these things - don’t be deceived
So, where do we begin?
Where is a good starting place to find God’s will for my life and for my daily decisions?
Romans 12 (NIV)
1 ¶ Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,
5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.
7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach;
8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves.
11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord.
12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
13 Share with God’s people who are in need. Practise hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
20 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 13
1 ¶ Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities …
This should be enough to get us started!
