11-15-2020
November Theme: Discovering the Will of God
Title: How to Be Sure of God's Will
Scripture : Psalm 40:8
I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is within my heart.”
Introduction:
Connect through the past few days, Super Typhoon Ulyses… who are affected?
There were lots of fellow citizen in Cagayan and nearby provinces were victims of this typhoon.
Pray ( a minute) for the victims of the typhoon… HELP from all over the country comes.
What does it mean, when we say will of God or God’s will?
The will of God refers to His purpose, plan, and desire for our lives.
But how can we be certain we are walking in His will, especially in times of difficulty, suffering, or pain?
It’s clear in the word of God, that even in the times of difficulty, God is there. And He is for us, guiding us, comforting us, loving us, protecting us.
Roma 8:28
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
We can be sure that whatever He allows, He wills, for a certain and good purpose.
Yes, even in our painful experiences, heartaches and hardships
Illustration: The tragic story behind the song “God will make a way.” Isaiah 43… by Don Moen
Not a desperation, but a declaration that God will make a way.”
Categories of God’s Will
1. The Predetermined Will of God. (Mula pa noong una, niloob na ni Lord)
There are certain events that the Lord has predestined to occur, and no one can prevent His sovereignty.
(Eph1:5) 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
Roma 8:28
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
2. His Moral Will. (Ethical, Principled, Good, Honorable, Prinsipyo ng Diyos)
These are the righteous standards by which God intends for mankind to live. A good example is the Ten Commandments, which apply to all people.
3. His Desired Will.
God specifies how He wants us to live as Christians.
His “desired will” is to bless us, for our eternal good, for our success, and even for our physical healing, spiritual and emotional healing as well.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
This is conditional in the sense that, we also have our own will, if we want to follow/obey God’s “Desired Will” and “Moral Will”
Problem comes when we go against the will of God for us, meaning, when we disobey God’s principles or commands.
4. His Circumstantial Will. (contingent, incidental, second Best)
When we “fail to live up to God’s standards”, He wants us to know how we should respond to these circumstances.
When we fail to live up to God’s standards, normally, we suffer the consequence of disobedience. It opens space for satan to move ugly things into our life.
Like for example: from God’s moral will, in fact, man derived that moral will into its own moral law. It stated “Do not commit adultery”
And a believer person committed that, what will happen
It will serve a lot of consequence for that like hide himself always from his wife,from other people. Why? Because sin is a shameful thing to be exposed. It is normally done secretly.
Another problem is that he may be sued by doing it. And another problem is the gossip of people surrounding the person. See, a lot of difficulty, when we fail against living up to God’s standard.
That’s only one example, but we can state a lot.
5. God’s Immediate Will.
Ex. Today is Sunday, we should be in the Worship service. That’s the will of God for us today, worshipping Him together in the house of Worship like this.
This covers what the Lord desires us to do today in our current situation.
How can we be sure that what we are considering is the will of God?
Every aspect of our lives should be submitted to the will of God because He has already chosen the best possible course for us.
To help us confirm whether our decisions align with God’s will, we should ask the following questions:
Five possible Questions to ask , when we want to know that we are align in God’s will.
1. Is this decision consistent with God’s Word? His will and His Word always agree.
Is this choice consistent with the way God works? Throughout Scripture, God’s ways are revealed, especially how He worked in the lives of biblical characters.
2. Will this decision honor God?
The Lord is honored when our choices align with His Word, but if we have unrest in our hearts, and the situation keeps us awake at night, then we need to reconsider our decision.
3. Do I have genuine peace about this decision?
When we are walking in God’s will, we will have peace, quietness in our spirit, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude for His guidance.
Is it a wise choice? An initial consideration should be the consequences. Every decision comes with consequences—some we like, and others we don’t.
The time to consider this question is before acting on a decision because if it’s not God’s will, the regret and heartache we feel afterward may last a lifetime.
4. Does this decision fit who I am as a follower of Jesus Christ? If we are truly born again and following Jesus, we will want to do His will by adapting our behaviors and attitudes to fit our identity in Christ. If our choices aren’t consistent with who we are in Christ, then they are not God’s will.
5. Does this idea fit God’s overall plan for my life?
Our choice must reveal consistently our claim as a Christian and our behavior. Because hypocrisy damages our testimony, witness, and influence for Christ.
CONNECT :
Now, that we know the categories of God’s will…
God wants us to submit our own will unto Him
3 Things that we can do:
1. Discover God’s will (continually)
2. Love God’s will
3. Apply it in your life.
Do these 3 things with having an intimate relationship with our God.
Source: outlined sermon of Dr. Charles Stanley “How to Be Sure of God’s Will”
