Knowing God’s Will
John 1:18
How do you know what you can’t see?
John 3:8 "The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know from where it comes or to where it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit."
John 4:23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him."
I. Barriers to Hearing God
A. Sin
Isaiah 6:9-10 "And he said, "Go, and say to this people: ‘Hear and hear, but do not understand; see and see, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.""
Matthew 13:14-15 "With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: ‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.’"
B. Distractions:
1. Family, friends
2. Occupation
3. Personal interests/ hobbies
C. Doing instead of Being
D. Health
II. Means by which we can hear God and know his will
A. Scripture
II Timothy 3:16-17 "All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."
Psalm 119:9-16, 97-105
B. Prayer (Purposeful)
Romans 8:26-27 "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."
I Corinthians 2:11-13 "For what person knows a man’s thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit."
1. Select time (morning, afternoon, or evening)
Psalm 55:16-17 "But I call upon God; and the Lord will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he will hear my voice."
Morning Psalm 5:3 "O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you, and watch."
Psalm 143:8 "Let me hear in the morning of thy steadfast love, for in you I put my trust."
Evening Psalm 141:1-2 "I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me! Give ear to my voice, when I call to you! Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice!
2. Minimize distractions
Notepad-for interrupting thoughts
Quiet room -soft music is OK
Let family know this is your private time
3. Get plenty of Rest
Matthew 26:36-41; Mark 14:32-38
4. Diet -not too full; not too empty- except for fasting
C. Music
D. Ministry
E. Fellow Believers
Ephesians 4:15-16 "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love."
F. Circumstances
Three Big Don’ts
1. Don’t be legalistic
2. Don’t be hasty
3. Don’t neglect the moment
