What do I do with God’s Will Acts 21: 14 & Romans 12:1-2
I pulled up this old Road Runner cartoon and watched as Wiley Coyote finally caught the road runner. He is standing there next to the giant sized road runner and holds up a sign that reads; “Okay, wise guys, you always wanted me to catch him.” He then holds up another sign that reads; “Now what do I do?”
Last week we looked at understanding God’s will… “God’ what do You want me to do right here right now that will honor You?”
This week I want us to consider something else. Once I understand God’s will, what do I do with it?
1. Once I understand His will, I must decide to do His will.
If you remember from last week, I said that many, myself included, limit God as to how much He can expect from us. “God I’ll do whatever You ask and go wherever You send me; as long as it fits my schedule and my map.” What we should be saying is: “God whatever it cost me, wherever it takes me, whatever I must do I want nothing for me but what You have for me.”
I read from Exodus 33 this past week about a conversation between God and Moses… [Exo 33:13, 15 NKJV] “13 "Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation [is] Your people." ...
15 Then he said to Him, "If Your Presence does not go [with us], do not bring us up from here.” What Moses is saying here is “God if You’re not going with us I don’t want to go.”
Doing God’s will is about getting to know God and experiencing His presence in ways we never dreamed possible, with no limitations and no safety devises.
Our prayer should be: “God if You don’t take me there, I don’t want to go BUT if I have found favor in your sight then take me wherever You will.”
We’ve all seen the high flying trapeze artist, who don’t work with a net. They fly back and forth, jumping from swing to swing; with nothing to catch them if they fall.
God doesn’t us working with a net either. In other words, we tell God we will do what He asks as long as we have something to hold on to. If I need something to fall back on I’m not totally surrendering to God’s will.
Jesus met with Saul on the Damascus road. After revealing Himself to this murder of believers, Saul surrendered to the authority and the will of God.
[Acts 9:5-6 NKJV] “5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting…" 6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord [said] to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’”
He asked God the 2 most important questions any of us can ask: “Who are you Lord?” & “What do you want me to do?”
Many approach God’s will like they’re at some buffet restaurant. When I go to a buffet I’m ALWAYS taking what I like and leaving what I don’t! Some of what I leave I’ve never tried and others have told me to trust them, it’s good.
We must decide in advance to trust God because He is trustworthy.
God does not make known His will to us so that we may think about it!
You’ll never know the fullness of God’s will for your life if you have “buffet” attitude.
We say “but I’m afraid to do it because I’m not sure it’s His will.” But if we study the Scriptures we can find God’s will for our lives, especially in the teachings of Jesus.
Could it be, the reason He doesn’t reveal His will is because He knows we won’t do it anyway?
Jesus said in [John 7:17 NLT] “Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.”
Jesus also tells us that the Holy Spirit is not going to speak on His own but only what the Father tells Him to say.
Some people are afraid of God’s will because they are afraid He’ll call them to Africa, or make me do something strange and out of character.
Our God is not some evil person whose goal is to make you miserable…He loves you, and has a wonderful plan, and wants you to know it…He’s not disguising it, like a fish hook in a lure, hoping you’ll bite it and then He’s got you…
No if you really want to know it and are willing to do it, He’ll answer you and say…my will is: _____________________________.
I remember praying about going to Africa and the inner joy and excitement I felt those days leading up the day I walked in my first village. If God’s will is for you to go to Africa, then you’ll be happy with that decision and, like Paul in Acts 21, no one will be able to talk you out of it!
BUT Africa is dangerous! You’re right it is very dangerous but the safest place any of us could ever be is smack dab in the middle of God’s will!
One day a grandfather told his grandson, “I’m leaving to run some errands, do you want to come with me so we can spend some time together?” The grandson asked, “Where are you going?” The grandfather replied, “If you want to be with me, then it doesn’t matter where we go!”
God says, “Will you surrender to my will?” You say, “Well, what is it?” His reply, “If you want to be with Me then it shouldn’t matter!”
From last week we saw that you must understand that God has a will for you. Today we see that we must decide that you will do God’s will.
And finally understanding that;
2. If we’ll just walk in the light we have…more light will be given.
It could be that we don’t know God’s will for our future because we’re not doing God’s will right now!
Why should He reveal His will about tomorrow if you’re not obeying Him today? That’s why He said, “If I can trust you with the little things then I’ll be able to trust you with the big stuff. BUT if you’re not faithful in the little how can I trust you with a lot?”
I read this statement: “The way to know God’s will tomorrow is to do His will today!”
Let’s see if I can explain it this way. God’s will is sort of like headlights on a car. We know that the headlights on any vehicle will only shine a little ways in front… Just for the sake of argument, let’s say that your headlights can shine 50 yards but you can’t see past that 50 yard point. Still you will put the vehicle in gear and move forward.
Now what happens when you get to that 50 yard mark? You never actually realize it do you? That’s because your headlights continue to reveal 50 yards in front, without you missing a thing. And every time you move forward, they reveal more of the journey for you! You don’t need to stop and wait for the headlights to catch up because they are ever present in front of you…
[Psa 37:23 NKJV] Doesn’t say that the JOURNEY of a good man is ordered by God. No it says: “The steps of a [good] man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.” But listen!! Those steps become the journey, when we look back and see where we’ve been with God, as we move forward, one step at a time! Moving forward as God illuminates each step.
God called me to be a pastor, but for years I worked on the church bus. I worked in children’s Church, I taught Sunday school, Bible studies and Discipleship classes and then, when I was ready, He took me to the next level, and the next! But He did it one step, one phase at a time.
“Pastor can you tell me God’s will for me?” Here’s what I know about God’s will for you. God desires that you pray daily, that you read your Bible every day, and that you be faithful to Him and your church.
He desires for you to be honest and hardworking and that you be a builder of the kingdom and not a wrecking crew.
And I also know something else. If you don’t, you won’t find out what else He had in store for you!
You cannot know God’s personal will for your life if you disregard God’s moral will for your life.
Being right with God comes before being “right in the middle of His will”.
If we have unconfessed sin in our lives and pray for God’s will and direction, it’s a mockery!
You must walk in His moral will which you already know!
**Many couples are praying for God to show them His will, while they live in sexual sin.
Yet Scripture tells us clearly in, [1Th 4:3 NLT] “God's will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.”
**Sin in the life of a believer stalls communication between us and His Throne.
[Psa 66:18 NET] “If I had harbored sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”
I wish each of us would make this our prayer. “Lord, I want to know and do your will…nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else! And if you'll reveal it to me I promise in advance to do it because there is an anointing on my life. God You are going before me, making crooked places straight. Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. I will not struggle. What was difficult will no longer be difficult Your favor and blessings, God, are on my life.”
Invitation:
