This past weekend's sermon was on "Knowing God's Will". I know we all want to know the Will God has planned for us and sometimes it's really hard to decipher against our own mind talking and the Holy Spirit's voice talking.
I've discovered that prayer is the first step we should be taking. 1 Samuel 23:1-2 talks about how the Philistines were fighting against Keilah and David asked God if he should go and fight the Philistines. Then the Lord told him to go fight them and save Keilah. David didn't rush into it or panic but instead went, first, to the Lord in prayer and asked Him what he should do next. Often times we lean on our own understanding and we get ourselves into hot water. This can all be avoided with a simple act of prayer. Our society thinks calling out for help is a sign of weakness but it really is a sign of strength and maturity in our walk with God.
We must pray first but then we also have to have patience for an answer. Psalm 27:14 says, "Wait for the Lord; Be strong , and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!". Patience is extremely hard for me to grasp. It is definitely not my thing, but I try hard to make it my thing. God is trying to develop our character within the time we are WAITING for the His answer to our prayer. When we don't wait on the Lord and rush into things, thinking that we know best, then we are disregarding His power. We are setting ourselves up for ruin when we don't wait on the Lord's answer.
Providence is the third step. Acts 16:6-10 talks about the journey of Paul and fellow believers and their providential experience. The providential hand of God is going to lead us and guide us, only if we are praying before we make a decision and have patience for the Lord's timing. Look at it this way, Say you went to school in a different city or even state that your parents lived in. One day you got in trouble at your college and got kicked out. You ended up having to move back to your parent's house in a totally different city than you were born in. You started classes at ta near by community college and went to a church down the road. You didn't have any Christian friends in this new city but one day you met a girl/guy your age at the church you attend and found out she/he goes to the same school as you and became good friends after awhile.
All of this didn't happen on chance. This was the providential hand of the Holy Spirit guiding your steps closer to the Will of God.
Finding peace about a situation is key to knowing God's Will for us. Colossians 3:15 says, "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called to one body.And be thankful". Don't make a decision to go down a path that you don't feel peace about. Sometimes we get this funny, uneasy feeling when we need to make a big decision. That's the feeling I'm talking about! The decision you felt uneasy about is NOT God's Will. When it is the Lord's Will you WILL feel peace about making that decision. There are no doubts about it that you will notice a peace when it's His Will for you.
Consulting other Christian and trusted friends to help you make a decision is another step for us to understand His Will. People who know you really well will tell you if your decision actually sounds like something you'd do or not. God speaks through people so often and we overlook it quite a bit. So next time you bring up a prayer request or are just talking with a friend about a decision you have to make, don't ignore those "light bulbs" that flash on when your friend says something to you. That could be God speaking through them. Just listen.
Last but not least, purity plays a big role in understanding the Will of God. We can't expect to know His Will if we are sitting in front of the computer looking at inappropriate websites, sitting in front of the television watching filth on MTV or other channels, or listening to music that cusses and talks about inappropriate behaviors. All of this will get you right back to where you started, which is nowhere! I know it's kind of hard to not watch and listen to the things that all of your friends listen to but in all reality, if you want to know God's Will for you then, I'll say it bluntly, STOP LISTENING AND WATCHING THAT CRAP! Get your priorities straight and it'll come naturally to you.
Pray, have patience, know the Lord's peace, consult with fellow believers for help, and put your life in a pure place without filth or else you won't understand the Will of God.