Note: All Scripture quotations found in this article are from the text of the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.
Many Christians often ask what the Lord's will is for them in their life. In this article, I will try to help you see the will of God for your life. Jesus Christ is a great example for doing the Lord's will. He knew why He was here, what He was to do and how He was to do it.
John 17:4 "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do."
John 18:37 "..for this cause came I into the world.."
The biggest reason that Christians do not find the will of God is because they are not in opposition to the world system. No one can find the will of God if they are conforming to the world. The Lord's will is not what we want, it is what God wants. God's will is a life of faith, not sight.
Romans 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
By reading Romans 12:1-2, one sees that there are three wills of God for a Christian. There is the good will, which is living a good life, but not actually living for Jesus Christ. Many lost people can live "good lives", but do not listen for the instruction of God. There is the acceptable will, which God will accept, but is not what God wanted you to do exactly.
This is like what Paul did in Acts 18-21. Paul went to Jerusalem even though God told him not to, but God blessed him and used it as a good testimony. What Paul did was good and acceptable, but it was not the perfect will of God for him. It also resulted with him spending two years of his life in jail.
Many people get deceived and listen to an unclean spirit instead of the Holy Spirit in regards of the Lord's will. They falsely think that some "inner voice" is the will of God without consulting with the scriptures. Always search the scriptures when trying to find the will of God.
2 Corinthians 11:4 "For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him."
One thing is for sure, God has a plan for every Christian. His plan for a person is usually suited to their particular talents, personality, potential, environment and needs.
Ephesians 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
The will of God is different for every Christian. God's plan for you is personal, just like it was with Paul. We all have our own race to run for the Lord Jesus Christ. Like Paul, we should be determined as Christians to finish our race.
2 Timothy 4:7 "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:"
God deals with people day by day and step by step. He does not deal with them by the distant future. Try not to get ahead of the Lord, instead live your life for Him now. God's will is definite, specific and continuous.
Psalms 32:8 "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye."
Psalms 37:23 "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way."
Isaiah 58:11 "And the LORD shall guide thee continually.."
Do not miss God's perfect will for you because you want to do things in your own stubborn and selfish way. Do not trust in yourself, rather put all of your trust in God for everything in your life. Only God knows the future and we must always remember that.
Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
Jeremiah 10:23 "O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps."
The man that does not take up his cross and deny his flesh will never find the will of God. This man will likely be led by a devil instead of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not when you surrender to an "experience" or act on an inner compulsion. Being led by the Holy Spirit and finding God's will is when a person submits to God and obeys His words.
The Lord's guidance has three conditions found in Psalms 37. You must trust the Lord, delight yourself in the Lord by being eager and willing to know and obey His will, and you must commit your way to the Lord.
Psalms 37:3 "Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."
If you keep on reading in the chapter, you will see that we are to wait patiently on the Lord. Almost every time I talk to someone that wants to know the Lord's will, they are impatient and that results to them going by their own will instead of His. Be patient!
Psalms 37:7 "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him.."
God has promised to guide the Christian according to His word, but He does not promise to reveal it in our own timing. If you are trying to find the Lord's will for your life, slow down and ask yourself if you are completely surrendered and willing to obey His word. God will only start guiding you when you forsake your ways and follow Him faithfully.
John 7:17 "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God.."
The key to finding the Lord's will is obeying Romans 12:1-2 (READ IT!). You find the Lord's will by presenting your body a living sacrifice to Jesus Christ and telling God that you are willing to serve Him in any way that glorifies Him. If you look, talk, act and think like the world, do not think God will use you. A person has to be right with God in order for God to use him.
Without knowing the word, we cannot know the Lord, so without reading the Bible, we cannot know the will of the Lord. Do not say that God has not showed you His will for your life if you do not spend time in the scriptures. God's will never goes contrary to the scriptures.
1 Samuel 3:1 "And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him. 19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. 21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD."
That means if you have an inner feeling that tells you something that goes against the Bible, do not listen to it. People that speak in tongues and kill people "for the Lord" need to listen to that advice. There is a Devil and he wants to deceive you. Do not think for one second that he has never tried to act like the Holy Spirit to trick you into doing something contrary to God's word. Try the spirits by the word! The Holy Spirit guides us only into truth and the word is truth.
1 John 4:1 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
John 16:13 "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.."
John 17:17 "..thy word is truth."
God can reveal His will by opening and closing doors in our lives. Nothing in our life that happens is an accident. Anyone that knows Romans 8:28 knows that and if you do not, you need to memorize that verse and apply it daily. Everything is either planned or allowed by God. When it is planned it is called the directive will of God. When it is allowed it is called the permissive will of God.
Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
Some TV preachers will tell people that it is God's plan for every Christian to be in good health always and always be happy. That is a lie. Paul, one of the best Christians to ever live was sick all his life and God permitted it.
2 Corinthians 12:5 "Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Just as we observe both green and red lights when we drive, we should observe when God opens and closes doors in our life. When God closes a door that is when we should wait and thank God for closing it, while praying for God to open another door to serve Him.
Sometimes God will show us His will by the advice of godly council. Before we do things, we should ask the godly people in our life, whether it be our parents, our friends, our family, church members, or Pastor. Make sure their advice lines up with the Bible though.
Proverbs 11:14 "Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety."
Take life one step at a time. If God has not shown you something you want to know just keep busy with what He has already shown you. If God has given you something to do and you do not do it, why would He give you something else to do? Never reject light that God gives you because it goes against your culture or feelings. Most of the time our feelings and culture is the most devilish things we can listen to.
In conclusion, the best way to know the will of God for your life is to ask God to show you and when you feel the Holy Spirit telling you to do something and it is in accordance with the word of God, that is God's will. Be patient with God when you are seeking His will and do what you ought to today because that is the best preparation for tomorrow.
Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles.."
