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Lifeıs
Greatest Questions Answered
How Does God Guide Us?
Faith Community Church,
Pipestone, MN
October 21, 2001
Philippians 2:13; For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to
do
of his good pleasure.
Throughout the individualıs life, decisions must be made;
decisions
about relationships, marriage, children, use of time, jobs, home, money,
holidays, possessions, giving, and so on. Some decisions, which are made,
are very important. Others are of lesser importance. In all cases, it is of
utmost importance that Christians make the right choices and life-decisions.
For an example, the Christian needs divine help, direction and guidance in
the choice of the right marriage partner. Guidance from God only comes
through a personal relationship with the Lord. The Lord promises to guide
those who are walking with Him. Listen to the precious promises on guidance;
Psalm 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way
which thou shalt
go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
Psalm 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD:
and he
delighteth in his way.
Isaiah 30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee,
saying, This is
the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to
the left.
Psalm 25:9; 48:14; Psalm 73:24;
Proverbs 3:5-6; 11:5; 16:9.
The Lord is concerned about each of us as individuals. He loves us and wants
to speak to us about what we should be doing with our lives; about little
things as well as big things. The Lord wants to offer guidance.
The Lord not only wants to guide us, but also He wants to
accomplish the
special plan which He has for our individual lives. You may say, ³Iım not
sure that I want Godıs plan for my life. Will Godıs plan be good?² You need
not fear. The Lord loves you and wants the very best for your lives. Paul
tells you that Godıs will for your life is good, pleasing and perfect,
Romans 12:2. Here is what the Lord says about the plans which He has for
your life;
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,
saith the
LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus unto
good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
The Lord is saying, ³Donıt you realize that I have a really great plan for
your life? I have prepared something wonderful.² All around us, we see
people whose lives are in a muddle or a mess. How sad that Christians often
make life-decisions without consulting the Lord or His Word. Bad decisions
bring bad consequences into our lives.
The life of Jesus is a supreme example of doing the will of
the Father.
Jesus was consistently led by the Spirit, Luke 4:1, and did what He saw His
Father doing, John 5:19. Thus the Lord will guide you when you are prepared
to do the Lordıs will.
It is important for you to consult the Lord as you make
important
decisions. The Bible encourages you with its promise; Commit thy way unto
the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass, Psalm 37:5. If,
as a Christian, you are willing to do the Lordıs will, then you must realize
that there are six ways in which the Lord speaks to you, today. We will look
at each of these ways that God guides us.
I. The Lord Guides You Through The Commands Of Scripture.
As you walk in an intimate love relationship with the Lord,
you will
come to recognize His voice. One of the ways in which the Lord can speak to
you is by the Holy Spirit through the Bible. The Bible is Godıs Holy Word.
It describes Godıs complete revelation of Himself to humanity. Here is how
the Lord speaks to you through the Bible by the Holy Spirit;
1. You read, study and meditate upon the Word of God, the Bible.
2. The Holy Spirit speaks to you through the Bible
3. The Spirit of Truth reveals a certain truth to you
4. You must adjust your life to the revealed truth of God.
5. By the truth,you are challenged to obey God.
6. Through obedience, God accomplishes His will through you.
7. By doing the will of God, God gets the glory!
The Words of Jesus affirm' He that is of God heareth God's
words: ye
therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God, John 8:47. Sometimes a
verse seems almost to leap off the pages of Scripture at you and you sense
that God is speaking to you directly from His Word.
II. The Lord Guides You Through The Compelling Of The Spirit
Only the Holy Spirit knows what God is doing or purposing in
your life,
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth
all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of
a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God
knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit
of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things
that are freely given to us of God, I Corinthians 2:10-12.
Understand that when the Lord speaks, the Holy Spirit is
working in your
life to bring you spiritual insight and to reveal Godıs will. Remember what
Jesus taught about the Holy Spirit in John 14-16;
▪The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, John 14:17; 15:26;
16:13.
▪The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth, John
16:13-14.
▪ The Holy Spirit will teach you all things, John
14:26.
▪The Holy Spirit will reveal Jesus, John 15:26.
▪The Holy Spirit always reveals truth, and Truth is a
person, the Lord Jesus
Christ. An encounter with the Holy Spirit is an encounter
with God, Himself.
III. The Lord Guides You Through The Common Sense Of Life Situations
When we become Christians, we are not called to abandon
common sense.
The New Testament writers often encourage us to think and never discourage
us from using our minds, II Timothy 2:7. John Wesley, the great Evangelist
of Americaıs Great Awakening, stated that the Lord usually guided him by
presenting reasons to his mind for acting in a certain way.
IV. The Lord Guides You Through The Counsel Of The Saints
The Book of Proverbs is full of injunctions to seek wise
advice. The
writer asserts that a wise man listens to advice, Proverbs 12:15. The
Christian will always make plans by seeking advice, Proverbs 20:18. You
should consult people on the basis of their spiritual authority or their
relationship to you, regardless of what you may anticipate their views to
be. The Bible affirms that there is safety in the multitude of counselors,
Proverbs 11:14; 15:22; 24:6.
V. The Lord Guides You Through The Circumstantial Signs
God used circumstances to reveal to Jesus what He was to do.
The
circumstances were the things Jesus saw the Father doing. There are some
things that only the Father can do. Jesus explained how He came to know the
Fatherıs will in John 5:17, 19-20. His explanation can be summarized as
follows;
1. The Father has been working right up until
now.
2. Now God has Me
working.
3. I do nothing on my own
initiative.
4. I watch to see
what the Father is doing.
5. I work where the Father is
working.
6. You see, the
Father loves Me.
7. He shows Me everything that He, Himself, is doing.
This model can work for you as you look at the circumstances in your life.
When the Son saw the Fatherıs activity, that was the Fatherıs invitation for
the Son to join Him. Jesus watched to see what the Father was doing around
His life. Then Jesus put His life there. The Father, therefore, could
accomplish His will through Jesus. This is exactly what Jesus wants you to
do with His Lordship in your life. When you see what He is doing, then
adjust your life, plans, and goals to Him. You are to place your life at His
disposal; where He is working
VI. The Lord Guides You Through The Catalyst Of Supplication
Another way in which the Lord can speak to you is by the
Holy Spirit
through prayer. Prayer is a relationship with the Lord, not just a religious
activity. Prayer is two way fellowship and communication with God. You
speak to the Lord and He speaks to you. What God says in prayer is far more
important than what you say! Prayer is designed to adjust you to Godıs will.
It is NOT a time to call on God to adjust to your will! God doesnıt need
your prayers, but He wants you to pray! You need to pray because of what God
wants to do in and through your life during prayer. God speaks to His people
by the Holy Spirit through prayer.
Life Application
Because the Lord loves you, He has a plan and purpose for
your life. To
do Godıs will, you must learn to surrender your own will to Him and then
look for His guidance in your life, Proverbs 16:9.
Sometimes Godıs guidance seems to come immediately when it
is asked for,
but often it takes much longer; sometimes months or even years. We may have
a sense that God is going to do something in our lives but have to wait a
long time for the fulfillment.
It is always good to have this guidance confirmed through
several means.
Never make an important life-decision until the guidance is clear. Donıt be
in a hurry. Sometimes we hear God correctly, but we get the timing wrong.
Throughout your life, you must trust that the Lord is making something
beautiful out of your life; And we know that all things work together for
good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose, Romans 8:28. When you give your life to the Lord, you must
remember; For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his
good pleasure, Philippians 2:13. Let God do His work in time and space
through your life. This is Godıs will and His good pleasure!