7 Keys to Discerning God’s Will {1 Chronicles 17-21}
7:30 PM
I’m sure all of us at some point have found ourselves wondering
just what God’s will was in certain situations – Should you take the job? Move?
Marry? Which schools? Church? Ministry? What to say or not to say? The list is
almost as long as the advice we’ve probably received at one time or another!
Even David can relate! Suddenly he had come up with what he
thought was a great idea: “And it came about, when David dwelt in his house
that David said to Nathan the prophet, ‘Behold, I am dwelling in a house of
cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under
curtains.’” – (1 Chronicles 17:1). David decided it was time to
build God a beautiful temple, for why should David be afforded the luxury of a
beautiful home while the Ark of the Covenant was still housed in a tent? It sounded like such a great idea that even
Nathan the prophet encouraged David to move ahead with it; “Then Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart,
for God is with you.” (17:2)
That was until the Lord came to Nathan that same
night, “Go and tell David My servant, ‘Thus says the Lord, “You shall not
build a house for Me to dwell in; for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought
up Israel to this day, but I have gone from tent to tent and from one dwelling place to another.”-1 Chronicles
17:4-5That got me thinking…how can we be sure that even our great ideas are God’s will? I’ve come up with a few, “keys” to unlocking His will that have worked for me and should you think of others, I hope you’ll share them with us as well.
Keys to Discerning God’s Will
1.) Walk Closely with God (probably the
most important key)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and
lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He
shall direct your paths.”- Pr 3:5-6
The very best ways of growing to know Him more is by spending time in His Word, taking time to pray, and taking every opportunity you can to be involved with other believers who are also seeking to know Him more.
2.)
Surrender
Our Will to Him.
“ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove
what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”- Romans 12:1-2
3.)
Walk in
Obedience to All You Know He Wants You to Be Doing
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever
does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine
but the Father's who sent me.” – John 14:23-24
4.)
Ask
Expecting to Hear from Him
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to
everyone liberally and ungrudgingly,
without reproaching or
faultfinding, and it will be given him. Only
it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting).
For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at
sea that is blown hither and
thither and tossed by the wind.- James 1:5-6 (AMP)
If you’ve followed the top
three than go on and ask Him in faith, claiming James 1:5-6 and expecting Him
to answer. I can honestly say in all the years I’ve gone before Him seeking His
will and claiming these verses He has never failed to answer! Never! Though,
the answer has always come, it has never come the same way twice, or right
away. Sometimes it comes through His Word, sometimes through other. Sometimes
it’s come right away and other times I may have to wait days, weeks, even months,
but when His answers do come I’ve always known it was my answer from Him!
5.) Seek the Counsel of
other Godly People
“Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of
counselors there is safety.”- Proverbs 11:14Once you’ve done steps 1-4, and you’re continuing to seek His will, perhaps it’s time to seek godly wisdom from others. The church (body) is designed to help you. The more you involve yourself with a community of believers, the greater your chances will be of finding godly men and women who can help you discern God’s will.
6.)
Listen to
The Holy Spirit
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”- John 8:27When you are seeking, be sure to be in tuned to His Spirit and you will be able to recognize when the wisdom you’ve been seeking comes. The greatest turning point in my own prayer life came when I began taking time to simply listen while I was praying. I began keeping a journal and I would write down specific question I needed answers to. Often, as I meditated on the questions, God would start speaking to my heart with ideas and information and I’d write it all down as fast as I could. (I love when He does that!)
7.)
Thank Him
and Give Him Praise!
Devoted yourselves
to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” – Col 4:2
And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do
everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and
in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him.”
–Col 3:17 (AMP)
Sometimes I don’t think we do enough of this last
key. I know I’ve been guilty myself a time or two, which is another reason why
I like keeping a journal, for this way I can look back and see all He has
done for me and give Him the thanks and praise He is so very worthy of!
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I'd like to share a time when God took six weeks to finally give me the answer I was seeking, but when He did, He did it in a most powerful way! So powerful, we couldn't possibly refute it! I hope you'll join me today on The Women in the Word Bulletin Board!
Till then,
sue
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I'd like to share a time when God took six weeks to finally give me the answer I was seeking, but when He did, He did it in a most powerful way! So powerful, we couldn't possibly refute it! I hope you'll join me today on The Women in the Word Bulletin Board!
Till then,
sue
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