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Christian lives, marriages and homes are collapsing in epidemic numbers. Christians are making foolish and even sinful decisions and regretting the terrible consequences. The problem? They don’t know how to find God’s will before they act. Of course, some did know God’s will, disobeyed and are now paying, or will pay, the sad consequences. To many, God’s will is not the critical desire of their hearts because they are determined to do what they want. “Don’t bother me with biblical facts—my mind is made up,” has been the tragic attitude of great numbers of Christians.
FOR SERIOUS CHRISTIANS ONLY
This message is not for dishonest Christians. It’s also not for Christians who, though honest enough to admit they are living in sin, still rebel against asking God for grace and new desires pleasing to Him. This teaching is for the Christian who is serious with God and who desires practical help in how to know God’s will in small and great decisions that will bring either happiness or heartache—victory or defeat—peace or turmoil—God’s will or Satan’s trap.
It is not so easy to know God’s will in the many decisions we have to make which are not covered by a specific scripture verse. Of course, many decisions we must make are covered clearly in the Bible—if we only know where to find it. I know enough about walking with God to realize that hearing Him is not always as easy as some of us try to pretend. After all, He does not generally speak out loud, write words across the sky or send an angel with an envelope containing the orders of each day. God gives His Holy Spirit the tremendous task of teaching human beings (who have always lived by our senses) the ways of the fourth dimension—the world of the spirit. Such lessons are not learned in a day.
DECISIONS, DECISIONS
I’m going to share nine simple points for you to grasp if you want to know how to truly seek God’s will—before you act. Perhaps you’re contemplating changing jobs. Or the situation is even more serious—you are thinking about getting married? Is this the right person? Or perhaps you wonder if it’s time to buy that new car. Or your schedule is already so busy but you are being asked to do something else. Should you say yes or no? Perhaps your marriage is failing. Some people tell you it’s too far gone and you should give up. Others say you should endure at any cost. What to do? Or maybe it’s witnessing to your loved ones. Should you try to approach those hard cases again—or wait a while? Perhaps you’re wondering if the Lord wants you to serve Him full time as a missionary or minister. Is it God’s call? Or only your desire?
Difficult decisions—all of them. See how easy one can experience a tragedy if a wrong decision is made? We have enough of the foundation. Let’s get started. FINDING GOD’S WILL
1. DESIRE GOD’S WILL ABOVE ANYTHING ELSE
This first point determines whether or not you even need to study the other eight that will be covered. Some people only wish to know God’s will if it agrees with what they have already determined they are going to do. That won’t work. If I claim Christ as Lord, then my only choice is to want God’s will for my life—at any cost.
God only shares His heart with those who really want it. We also find the Lord Jesus carrying out His earthly ministry with an emphatic, “I come to do thy will O God.” (Hebrews 10:9) That’s it! A delight to know God’s will, regardless of whether or not it requires sacrifice or even possible “loss” as far as the world is concerned. Whenever you face a decision, quiet your heart by reminding the Lord that all you want is His will in the matter and that you are counting on Him showing you His will at any cost. With that kind of a foundation, we are ready for step two.
2. DEVELOP A STRONG FOUNDATION OF SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES
God has put into a love letter of sixty-six books all the material you will ever need on every issue you will ever face. If you don’t have a working knowledge of the Bible, you are at a disadvantage. It’s like a blind man feeling his way and hoping he doesn’t stumble.
The Lord does not cater to lazy people. He loves them—but lazy Christians pay a terrible price for neglecting to study the Word. Begin immediately morning and evening devotions and travel through both Old and New Testaments. I suggest moving rapidly through it the first time just to get a total view of what’s in your Bible. You’ll be amazed at how much sticks in the computer of your mind. Then you can begin again in meditation and deeper study.
Scripture says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6) God spoke of the Jewish people then—but He is speaking today of Christians. Lack of knowledge of the Word of God can be catastrophic. “But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18) is not a suggestion but a command. So along with point one of desiring God’s will above anything, remember step two of gaining a basic foundation of the main teaching of the mind of God as found in the Bible.
3. INNER IMPRESSION
A powerful idea or thought comes into your mind or heart that lets you think God is talking to you. Maybe He is and maybe He isn’t. Check it out. Those thoughts or desires can come from one of three directions—God, Satan, or your own human spirit. The first will make you a winner but the second two will lead you into the wilderness.
Many Christians run on their inner impressions. Case in point: one woman poured out a tormented heart. Her husband is confused, doesn’t meet her needs and she feels forced into the arms of a lover. When even non-Christians accuse her of hypocrisy, she salves her conscience by telling them Christians are not perfect and that her sin is the whole reason for the grace of God anyway. See the trap this dear lady walked into? She ran on inner impression but didn’t bother with the fourth step that I will share in a moment.
Then there was the deceived young man who had a lust problem. He excused himself by telling me that God knew that he had a even greater problem with pride. Thus, when his “pride level” rose dangerously high, he said God would allow him to carry out this lustful urge in order to humble him so he would have to confess his sin and be broken. In other words, his thoughts, desires inner impressions and reasonings became the controlling force of his life. He ran on those impressions and was tragically shattered. Once again, this person failed to check out step three of “inner impressions” with step four.
4. THE WORD OF GOD
The Bible is the final Supreme Court. There are no higher appeals. This Book settles everything. In other words, even if I am convinced that God has spoken to me—whether through impression, word, prophecy, dream, vision, etc., and I find that the Bible tells me the very opposite—I don’t even have to pray about what came into my heart or mind. God’s Word is the final umpire of God’s will, and anything that contradicts it is from the flesh and the devil.
There is a precious lady whom Norma and I dearly loved who endured a broken heart before she died. On her 25th wedding anniversary, her husband informed her that he had found another woman. Our friend was crushed.
Her husband’s reasoning? His wife had prayed for him for many years and he had finally been led to Christ by a woman in the church. That woman became his spiritual teacher (see the trap that was set?) and the two grew dependent on each other. Satan’s web of deceit grew thicker. Our friend and her husband had also wanted a son and even had chosen a name. They never did get their baby but this other woman had a son by that same name. The husband put these “miracles” together and figured this just had to be God leading him to this other woman. He never arrived at step four or he would have learned that God’s Word calls what he did adultery.
One more example. Many times young Christians come to me with the strong desire to date or marry non-believers. I always point them to the “Supreme Court” of 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers…” Those who obeyed God’s Word later found that they had been saved from a horrible trap. Those who rebelled against the Scriptures often paid a terrible price.
The Word of God. What a Supreme Court! “Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.” (Psalm 119:89) “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35) Of all nine steps that I will give you in knowing God’s will before you act, the fourth step—the Word of God—is the one that stands out as the most important!
Part 2 of HOW TO SEEK GOD’S WILL—BEFORE YOU ACT, in our next lesson! | 
