Knowing and Doing the Will of God

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The Process of Biblical Decision Making in light of God’s will

Introduction: There are many important decisions that must be made during a person’s life. These decisions will affect his life not only in the immediate present, but also for years to come. Questions such as “Who should I marry?”, “What job should I take?”, and “Where should I live?” are frequently asked. For a Christian these questions are even more important since every Christian should want to make his life count for God. Furthermore, every Christian should desire a life characterized by joy, peace, and contentment. However, it is impossible to make one’s life count for God or have a life full of peace and joy if one is out of God’s will. Therefore it is imperative that we understand how to know and do the will of God. The following case study will serve as an example of a dilemma a typical Christian college student might face.

Case Study: Jim is ready to graduate from college. He has two good job opportunities to consider. One of them is near his home town, where his girl friend is still attending college. Another is far from home in another state, but it is a better position with better pay. Jim has been dating his girl friend, Laura, for about a year. They would like to get married some day, but there are a couple problems. One would be the distance if Jim were to take the better job in the distant state. The second problem is that Laura had “surrendered her life to the mission field” a few years earlier at a youth camp. At that time she had felt that the Lord would have her to serve as a missionary, but now she’s struggling with that previous decision. She would like to marry Jim, but she doesn’t want to be out of God’s will. Furthermore, she’s second-guessing the wisdom of the decision she made at camp. It’s not that she’s no longer willing to go, it’s just that she’s no longer positive she’s supposed to go! Jim, in contrast, has never felt a specific “call” to the ministry or the mission field, although he would be more than willing to go if God would call him. As a matter of fact, Jim has even inquired about seminary training after he graduates, although he has made no definite plans. What should Jim and Laura do? How can they determine God’s will for their lives? What steps should they take? How can they make Biblically-based decisions concerning their future?

What is “God’s Will”?

What is the meaning of the term “will”?

  • There are two Greek roots often translated as “will” in the New Testament.
    • The verb boulomai can be translated as:
      • To will deliberately; have a purpose
      • To desire
    • The verb thelo can be translated as:
      • To purpose
      • To desire
      • To take pleasure in
    • The nouns Boule and Boulema can be translated as will, volition, intention, counsel, decision, purpose or plan.
    • The noun thelema can be translated by similar terms but a good working definition is: what one wishes or has determined shall be done.
  • The two roots are obviously synonymous with only minute differences in their meaning. According to some of the experts thelo follows inclination and presses on to action, while boulomai follows deliberation and only decides. Thelo is the more common of the two, and is used more frequently in reference to God.
  • In spite of any minute differences, both words seem to have the nuances to will and to wish. Examples where the nuance seems to be will include:
    • In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose (Boulh) of his will : (Ephesians 1:11).
    • For prophecy never had its origin in the will (qelhma) of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:21).
  • Examples where the nuance seems to be wish include:
    • The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting (boulomai) anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9).
    • In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing (qelw) that any of these little ones should be lost. (Matthew 18:14).

What is “God’s will”?

In light of our definitions in the previous section “God’s will” can be defined as that which God wills or that which God wishes. In other words it is that which God has determined shall be done or that which God would desire to be done by others.

God’s Sovereign Will

That which God wills is often referred to as the “sovereign will” of God. This is God’s volitional plan that determines everything that will come to pass in His created Universe. God’s sovereign will can never be thwarted or avoided by man. Scriptural references referring to God’s sovereign will include:

  1. Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?” But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, `Why did you make me like this?’ “Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? (Romans 9:18-21).
  2. Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen (Acts 4:27 28).
  3. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will (Ephesians 1:11).
  4. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” (Daniel 4:35).
  5.  The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.(Proverbs 21:1).

From these references and others it should be clear that the Bible teaches the sovereign will of God. This certainly should be a comforting truth to the believer in times of trial (Romans 8:28-29), but does this help us in our decision making? Only if God would choose to reveal His sovereign will to us, and the Scriptures clearly teach that He does not! Note the following references.

  1. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? (Romans 11:33-34).
  2. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).
  3. Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. (Job 9:10).

God’s Moral Will

That which God wishes is often referred to as the “moral will” of God. It is God’s revealed precepts for mankind that teach us how we should live. Scripture references which speak of God’s moral will include:

  1. For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother. (Mark 3:35).
  2. And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; (Romans 2:18).
  3. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
  4. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:17).
  • Does God’s moral will help us in decision making? Yes, but only in moral areas (those areas which Scripture addresses either directly by precept or indirectly by principle). If God’s Word prohibits a certain action, or if a principle in God’s Word properly applied prohibits a certain action, then our decision as an obedient believer is already made for us. Likewise, if God’s Word commands a certain action from believers, then our decision on whether to participate in that action should be very simple.
  • The following diagram may help to illustrate the difference between the sovereign and moral will of God.
  • The solid circle represents the sovereign will of God. It represents God’s plan for your life. There is nothing you can do to “miss the circle.” Everything that happens in your life is either appointed or allowed by God; therefore, it falls inside the circle. All hypothetical events in your life, those that never actually happen, fall outside of the circle.
  • The dotted circle represents the moral will of God. It represents God’s revealed boundaries of right and wrong as recorded in His Word. Anything inside the circle would be pleasing to God and morally right for you to participate in. Anything outside of the circle would be displeasing to God and morally wrong for you to participate in. The circle is dotted because it is only hypothetical. Not everything in the circle will actually happen. Only that part of the circle that is also inside “the circle” of the sovereign will of God will actually occur. In other words, there are many moral things in our life that we could do that we, in fact, do not do. God would be pleased if we would do them, but he knows that we will not and has always purposed that we would not. Confused? Don’t feel alone. It is impossible for any man to completely understand and reconcile the parallel truths of the sovereignty of God and the free will of man. At any rate, it is the intersection of the two circles that we are interested in.
  • The question that we must now answer gets to the core of our dilemma. When it comes to Biblical decision making, is the Christian free to choose any option inside the boundaries of God’s moral will (keep in mind that any option we “choose” will still be inside the “circle” of God’s sovereign will, so it is somewhere inside the intersection of the two circles that will actually be chosen)? If that is the case, then we need not concern ourselves with seeking God’s specific will for our lives, because their is none! However, if there is a third type of God’s will (i.e., the “individual will” of God for each believer) then that is an entirely different story.

Is there an “Individual Will” of God?

  • The traditional view says “yes.” Traditionally, most theologians have taught that God has a specific, individual will that lies within the moral will of God. In other words, out of all the various ways within God’s moral will that one could choose to seek to serve and please God, God has one specific plan that makes up His individual will for each of us. Furthermore, this individual will of God can be known (at least partially) by each believer, and should be sought before making any major decisions.
  • The following diagram represents the relationship between the moral and individual will of God as traditionally taught. The individual will of God is much like a “bull’s eye” within the moral will of God. “Hitting the bull’s eye” in one’s life is often referred to as “being in the center of God’s will”. If one misses the “bull’s eye” then one is either out of God’s individual will altogether or is in God’s “permissive will” (God’s second best, third best, fourth best, etc.). It should be noted, however, that not all men that teach an individual will of God hold to a “permissive will” of God.
  • In relation to the sovereign will of God the individual will of God would look something like the diagram on the following page.
  • Notice that the individual will of God is fully within the moral will of God and only partially within His sovereign will. This means that like God’s moral will, God’s individual will can be rejected by man. God determines what it is. Man chooses whether or not to obey. Theoretically the dot could be fully inside the sovereign will circle if an individual completely followed all of God’s individual will for his life. Some Scripture references traditionally used to support God’s individual will include the following:
    • I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. (Psalm 32:8).
    • Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6).
    • A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. (Proverbs 16:9).
    • 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. (Romans 12:2).
    • Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:17).
    • For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; (Colossians 1:9).
  • The “Wisdom View” as espoused by Garry Friesen in his book Decision Making and the Will of God. says “no”. In this controversial work that has been well received by many, the author espouses his view that God has no “individual will.” In other words, man is free to make any decision that is inside the moral will of God. In the diagram above, there would simply be no dot, since there is no “bull’s eye” to search for. The author calls his view the “wisdom view” because he believes that sound Biblical wisdom should be applied to every decision, but that God does not obligate Himself to make our decisions for us or show us a particular path to take. We are expected to use good judgment to make our own decisions. For anyone with much Biblical knowledge this probably sounds ludicrous at first since there are clearly Biblical examples of God leading specific individuals to perform a certain task, marry a certain person, etc. The author does acknowledge these examples, but he argues that they are not normative. He points out that these individuals were generally “called” to their specific tasks by supernatural revelation and that they had special functions to perform in God’s overall plan for the world. In other words, God can reveal through special revelation a specific will for a specific individual, but that He normally permits a freedom of choice. He also argues that many of the texts used to support the traditional view are either referring to God’s moral will or are in fact referring to human instruction and guidance rather than God’s (pp. 97-115). Finally the author points out many of the applicational difficulties of the traditional view including; anxiety about finding the “bull’s eye”, the inconsistency of simply applying wisdom for ordinary decisions while having to search for God’s individual will on major ones, and the problems associated with the subjective means generally used to determine God’s specific will.

Conclusion: Which is the correct view?

Does God Have an “Individual Will”?

  • Arguments Against the “Individual Will” of God
    • Scriptural arguments
      • And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: (Genesis 2:16): God gave Adam and Eve much freedom of choice in the garden of Eden.
      • And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the LORD shall choose; Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the LORD. (Deuteronomy 18:6-7): The Levites seemed to have the freedom to choose whether or not they wanted to minister in the tabernacle or temple.
      • Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee: He shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him. (Deuteronomy 23:15-16). The former slave could live anywhere he chose in Israel.
      • The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 7:39-40): The widow has the freedom to marry who she wants as long as it is “in the Lord” (i.e., she marries another believer).
      • And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me. (1 Corinthians 16:3-4): Paul would accompany the messengers and their gift to Jerusalem if it seemed fitting or appropriate to do so.
      • Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. (Philippians 2:25-26): Paul seemed to use wisdom and not direct guidance from the Holy Spirit to make this decision.
      • Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone; And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith: (1 Thessalonians 3:1-2). Again, Paul and his companions seem to use wisdom to make this important decision.
      • This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. (1 Timothy 3:1): There is nothing here mentioned about the necessity of a “call” to the ministry.
    • Practical Arguments
      • If God has an individual will, why don’t we seek it in minor decisions as well as major ones? For instance, no one seeks God’s will about which shoe to put on first in the mornings! Furthermore, how do we know the difference between a major decision and a minor one if God’s individual will must be determined before making major decisions? There seems to be an inconsistency here.
      • The anxiety often associated with seeking the “bull’s eye” of God’s individual will is a second problem. What happens if one has two seemingly equal options, but no clear leading from the Lord? Granted, it could be that one is simply not close enough to God to discern His will, but most people who care enough to truly seek God’s will are probably not completely insensitive to His leading. Practically, this has been a major problem for many sincere believers, and many have been paralyzed in their decision making process because they have no clear leading from the Lord.
      • The subjective means often used to discern God’s individual will also have some problems associated with them. These means often include:
        • Biblical references taken out of context and subsequently spiritualized and/or personalized. This “what does this passage say to me” approach to Biblical hermeneutics (interpretation) can be dangerous and closely resembles a false theological system know as “Neo-Orthodoxy”.
        • Circumstances in one’s life that can be interpreted in more than one way
        • The inner witness of the Holy Spirit that is often equated with peace (Col 3:15)
        • Mature counsel from other believers that is helpful but not infallible
        • Personal desires that can be from God, but might be from the flesh
        • Fleeces

We will discuss many of these means in greater details in the following lessons, but for now let it suffice to say that these means can be very subjective, can be interpreted in more than way, often conflict, and are extremely hard to verify.

  • The problem of missing God’s will is also an argument against the individual will of God as traditionally viewed. How do we ever get back in God’s will if we have blown it? It seems that once we’ve missed it, we’ve missed it!
  • Arguments Supporting the Individual Will of God
    • Scriptural arguments

Although it is true that a few of the verses traditionally used to support an individual will of God may refer to God’s sovereign will, God’s moral will or even to human guidance (i.e., the speaker in Psalm 32:8 may well be David himself and in Isaiah 30:20-21 it could be a human teacher), but regardless, there are still an abundance of verses that imply a specific, individual will of God. For instance:

  • All verses that speak of God’s sovereign will logically imply God’s individual will since each individual is obviously a part of God’s overall plan.
    • Biblical examples of God calling individual men to perform specific tasks point to the individual will of God. Some would argue that these examples weren’t normative since they were a special part of God’s redemptive program, but Scripture does not specify this. A normal reading of Scripture would lead one to believe that God does call individuals to specific tasks. A good example is the prophet Jeremiah:

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5).

  • The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. (Psalms 37:23-24).

The word “ordered” has the idea of established or made firm and sure. Inherent in the word, however, is the preparation and formation of the “ordered” object as well as its fixed establishment. This reference, then, speaks of the confidence a believer can enjoy knowing that he is under God’s sovereign hand and that his steps (path in life) are indeed established by the Lord. Also see Proverbs 16:3, 9.

  • For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. (Psalms 48:14).

The word “guide” means to drive or to lead as in driving animals. This would certainly include guidance in moral areas but why should we limit it to that? Guidance means guidance, and this verse says that God is our guide. Also see Isaiah 58:11.

  • Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Some object that “direct” would be more accurately translated make straight or make smooth. Even though such a translation would be more technically accurate, it still should be obvious that if we fail to trust the Lord and lean unto our own understanding we will have twisted paths. If we trust the Lord we will have smooth, ordered paths.

  • For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (John 6:38).

Jesus obviously believed in the Father’s individual will for His own life. See also John 4:34 and 5:30.

  • Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. (Romans 1:10).

Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, (1 Corinthians 1:1).

Paul obviously believed in God’s specific, individual will for his life. See also (Romans 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:1)

  • As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. (Acts 13:2-3).

God specifically called Paul and Barnabas to be missionaries. Some would object that they were the first missionaries and this was not normative. But how do we know that? Acts 20:28 definitely implies that God had called the elders of the Ephesian church. Others might object that God no longer speaks audibly. True enough (although we don’t want to limit God from the possibility of still speaking audibly), but does that mean that He doesn’t still speak? Notice also Romans 8:14 and Acts 16:6 ,7.

  • Practical Arguments

1.        If God has no individual will then we are totally responsible for making all of our important decisions. This places quite a bit of pressure on the decision maker, for many major decisions, such as marriage, can not be undone! It seems inconsistent to think that God would protect Isaac (in his selection of Rebecca for a wife) from making a bad decision, but would leave us on our own.

2.        Decision making without reliance on God’s specific guidance fails to “acknowledge God” and His sovereignty.

3.        The “wisdom view” as espoused by Friesen fails to account for the numerous examples form church history in which godly men have testified of God’s specific leading to a specific work. Examples include Hudson Taylor, William Carey, George Muller, etc.

4.        The “wisdom view” also fails to account for modern testimonies of God’s specific leading in specific ways. If God has no individual will then each of these testimonies are only based on fortunate circumstances or are only examples of God’s general blessings on those who obey His moral will.

Conclusion: Does God have an individual will? Which view is correct, the traditional view or the “wisdom view”? Technically, the answer is the traditional view, although in a way the answer is “both”. There seems to be far to much Scriptural evidence for God’s guidance and specific leading to deny an “individual will” of God. It seems clear that God has a specific plan for each of our lives. However, it also seems clear that God often gives a freedom of choice in our decision making? How can this be? How can we reconcile these two truths? In our finite minds we can’t. It’s just like the parallel truths of God’s gracious election and man’s responsibility in salvation. Both are true even though we can never reconcile the two in our minds.

A good way to explain it is this: If we are doing right and acknowledging God in our decision making then our decisions based on wisdom and common sense should conform to God’s individual will for our lives. In other words we don’t always have to know God’s individual will to do it! Keep in mind, God is sovereign! He is perfectly capable of giving us the right desires and the appropriate wisdom to make decisions that would conform to His individual will. Besides, to demand that God always clearly show us the next step in our lives would be equivalent to insisting on walking by sight instead of walking by faith.

Practically then, there are two dangers. One danger is to insist on fully knowing God’s individual will before preceding with any decision. One with this attitude will often experience much anxiety and will become paralyzed in their decision making because they are simply not sure of God’s will. Instead of planning for the future and following the course that seems most expedient at the moment they simply do nothing.

An equal but opposite danger is the danger of leaving God out of our decision making process. We must acknowledge God’s sovereignty and seek for His guidance in all major decisions. Furthermore, we must allow for God to change and/or cancel any of our plans in any way that He might choose. This may be by simply changing our desires and/or circumstances or it may be by some sort of direct guidance from His Spirit. We must always be willing and ready to change our plans if God leads us to do so! A couple of passages can be used to show the proper balance that should exist in our decision making process.

  • A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps (Proverbs 16:9). Note that it is man that makes the plans, but it is God that ultimately decides the outcome of those plans.
  • Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that (James 4:13-15). Note that it is not the business plans that are condemned, but rather the process of planning without acknowledging the will of God in the plans.
  • Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass (Psalms 37:4-5). Notice that God graciously gives us the desires of our heart when we delight in Him, but it is also true that we must commit our ways (actions, behaviors, plans, etc.) unto Him. In other words, we must submit all our plans and desires to His will. How can this be? Simple, it is God who gives us the right desires in the first place. If our desires don’t match His will then He can change them, and we must be willing to let Him change them.

In the next lesson we will examine some of the misunderstandings and myths about finding and/or recognizing God’s individual will for our lives.

Misunderstandings About the Will of God

  1. Misunderstandings about Finding the Will of God
    1. I must fully know God’s will before I can precede with any decision.
      Problems:
      1. This attitude removes the element of faith from the Christian life and places an unwarranted and unbiblical demand upon God. If God always allowed us to walk by sight there would be no need for faith (II Cor. 5:7; Heb 11:1, 8-10).
      1. This attitude actually hinders us in our quest to determine God’s will, for typically God only reveals His will one step at a time. It is similar to the process of steering a car. It is much easier to steer a moving car than one that is standing still!
    1. I can determine God’s will through random Bible passages. (For example, “I will simply ask God to reveal His will through the first verse I see after opening my Bible.”)
      Problems:
      1. As mentioned in lesson #2 this method of Biblical hermeneutics is very dangerous, because passages can easily be taken out of context and misapplied. When this happens the intended meaning of the passage is lost and our own subjective interpretation is substituted.
      1. We should always ask “What does the passage say?”, before we ask “What does the passage say to me?” The latter question is fine for Biblical applications when answered in light of the former question, but it is very dangerous for Biblical interpretations when asked instead of the former question. Neo-orthodox theologians do just this. To the neo-orthodox interpreter the Bible is not God’s Word, it only becomes God’s Word as it speaks to him. Thus, everything is subjective. There is no objective truth in the Bible.
    1. I can determine God’s will by putting out a fleece-like Gideon.
      Problems:
    1. Gideon did not use a fleece to discover God’s will, because he already know God’s will. Gideon was using a fleece to confirm God’s will (Judges 6).
      1. Even in using a fleece for confirmation, Gideon seemed to be apologetic to God (vs. 39). He seemed to realize that he was testing God and that he should simply do what God has said without insisting on a sign.
      1. Scripture nowhere tells us that we should emulate Gideon’s example.
    1. I can determine God’s will through circumstances alone. (“I will look for open and closed doors and precede through the open doors.”)
      1. Benefits:
        1. God does open and close “doors of opportunities” (I Cor 16:9; II Cor 2:12; Col 4:3).
        1. God can sovereignly change our plans by closing doors that are not in line with His will or opening doors that are in line with His will.
      1. Problems:
        1. One cannot assume that every open door represents God’s will. Some open doors may actually be snares of Satan to keep you out of God’s will. Other open doors may represent good opportunities for service, but not the best opportunity for service. (Example: Paul left an “open door” in Troas to look for Titus in Macedonia [II Cor 2:12-13]).
        1. It is nearly impossible to determine God’s will from circumstances alone, since circumstances can be interpreted in so many different ways. For instance a “closed door” to a particular mission field for a missionary candidate could be interpreted as God’s leading to a different field, God’s leading to a different board, God’s leading to wait until the door reopens, God’s call to a different vocation, etc., etc.
    1. I can determine God’s will through peace alone. (“If I have peace about a decision then it must be God’s will. If I don’t have peace then it must not be God’s will.”)
      1. Benefits
        1. Every believer has peace with God which is received at salvation (Romans 5:1).
        1. All believers can have the peace of God that that comforts us even in the midst of difficult circumstances (Isa 26:3; John 14:27; Gal 5:22; Phil 4:6-7).
        1. All believers should strive for peace with others-especially other believers (Rom 14:19; Col 3:15).
        1. Sometimes believers can lose their peace because they are violating clear Biblical principles. This is indeed a clear indication that they are out of God’s will.
        1. God’s children are said to be led by the Spirit of God (Rom 8:14), and God’s Spirit does bear witness to us of our salvation (Rom 8:16). It is difficult if not impossible to deny that God sometimes guides us by direct communication from His Spirit to ours. The feelings associated with both of these acts of God’s Spirit could be described as peace.
      1. Problems
        1. The Bible nowhere specifically states that the mere presence or absence of peace is a sure indicator of God’s will in a matter (Colossians 3:15 is referring to peace with others not peace with God-note the context)..
        1. Peace can be a very subjective feeling that can be described in many different ways. Furthermore it is very hard to differentiate peace from good feelings and the lack of peace from bad feelings. Feelings come from many different sources, so we should be wary of relying on “peace” alone when it is not confirmed by other indicators of God’s will.
    1. I can determine God’s will through my desires alone.
      1. Benefits
        1. Oftentimes God does graciously lead us by giving us godly desires that confirm to His will (Psalm 37:4).
        1. This method of determining God’s will greatly simplifies the process of determining His will. You simply do what you want!
      1. Problems
        1. All desires are not godly desires! Some desires come from the world, the flesh, or Satan himself, and we are commanded to avoid these kinds of desires (I John 2:15-16).
        1. Not every godly desire is in line with God’s will. For instance, David’s desire to build the temple was a godly desire, but it was not God’s will for David. We must always leave room for God to change our desires. God never promises to grant our every whim. Oftentimes He will change our desires (even inherently good ones) to be in line with His desires.
        1. The promise of Psalm 37:4 is a conditional promise. Before we can expect to receive the desires of our heart we must first delight! We will look at the exact meaning of the word “delight” in a later lesson, but for now suffice it to say that if we are delighting in God we are putting Him first in our lives. Just as Matthew 6:33 states if we seek first the kingdom of God, then all the other things will be added unto us.
    1. If I want to discover God’s will, I must first discover my spiritual gift.
      1. Benefits
        1. The Bible does teach that each believer has at least one spiritual gift (I Cor 12:7; I Pet 4:10) .
        1. There are several of these gifts listed in Scripture. Note for instance Romans 12:6-8, I Corinthians 12:8-10, and Ephesians 4:11.
        1. We should seek to employ our spiritual gifts in the service of others (I Peter 4:10).
      1. Problems
        1. The Bible never encourages us to seek to discover our spiritual gifts.
        1. The Bible never tells us how to discover our spiritual gifts.
        1. The lists of spiritual gifts found in the Bible may not be exhaustive.
        1. Most scholars believe that some of the spiritual gifts have ceased, since they were sign gifts for the early church. They were intended to supernaturally confirm the apostolic teaching (I Corinthians 14:22).
        1. Those who think they must first discover their spiritual gift before serving God may well become preoccupied with self instead of serving others, may become frustrated if their gift is not “discovered”, and will often miss opportunities of service. A better question than “What is my spiritual gift?” is “How can I glorify God by serving others?” (I Peter 4:10-11). If there is a need that you can meet, don’t worry if you have the appropriate gift, simply seek to meet that need! If you are unable to meet the need then search for someone else who can. Either way you will be a blessing to the one(s) in need.
  2. Misunderstandings about Doing the Will of God
    1. God’s will is never joyful. It will likely be the direct opposite of what I want to do. (“If I surrender fully to God I will never have fun or enjoy life again. God will probably make me become a foreign missionary and sleep in a grass hut with snakes and mosquitoes!”)
      Problems:
      1. This attitude denies the goodness of God. (Psalm 34:8-10; Psalm 84:11; Matthew 7:7-11)
      1. This attitude implies that being in God’s will is more difficult than being out of God’s will! This is definitely unscriptural and against logic. Note Heb 11:25, Proverbs 13:15, Hebrews 12:6, etc.
      1. This attitude implies that trials are something bad, and that they have no beneficial purpose. Compare this attitude with Romans 8:28-29 and James 1: 2-4.
      1. This attitude denies God’s ability to change our desires and our wills to be in line with His desires and will.
    1. God’s will is accompanied by material blessings and/or outward success.
      Problems:
      1. Many people who are prospering financially and materially are clearly out of God’s will (Note Asaph’s complaint in Psalm 73:12).
      1. Many people who have virtually nothing materially are clearly in God’s will. The Lord Himself was not wealthy (Luke 10:58). The disciples were poor. Men and women of God throughout church history have seldom been materially wealthy.
      1. The Bible never commands us to seek for earthly treasures. Rather we are to seek to accumulate heavenly treasures (Matthew 6:19-20; Luke 12:15; I Timothy 4:8-10). Material blessings are never an indication that one is in or out of God’s will.
      1. Many of God’s servants such as Jeremiah and Ezekiel were clearly in God’s will, but enjoyed little to no outward success in their ministries. Modern missionaries such as Adoniram Judson (7 years in Burma before seeing his first convert) could also be cited as examples.
    1. I’ve already missed God’s will. (“There’s no hope for me ever being in God’s will again.”)
      Problems:
      1. This attitude fails to recognize that God’s will is always present.
      1. This attitude denies God’s sovereignty. It’s as if God has only one plan for our lives and if we blow it He is unable to amend His plan. We must realize that in God’s sovereign will He has accounted for all of our shortcomings and mistakes. He has always known how we would respond in each and every situation and has accounted for that in His sovereign will. We can clearly say that there are no surprises to God!

[Note: Much of this material was taken from a lecture by Dr. Greg Mazak presented at the Wilds Christian Camp.]

Finding the Will of God
Step 1 – Obey God’s Commands

Introduction: Before discussing God’s will in the difficult areas of life, it is first imperative that we discuss God’s will in the simple areas. The simple areas refer to those areas of life in which God’s will has already been clearly spelled out in His Word. In other words, God’s moral will is known and we have a choice to obey or disobey. If we choose to obey, this will open up the door for further guidance in more difficult areas. However, if we choose to disobey God’s revealed will, we should not expect God to give us any guidance in more difficult areas. We can’t know God’s will in difficult areas until we are obeying God in the clear ones! Two illustrations can be used to magnify this point. One was mentioned in lesson 3. It is much easier to steer a moving vehicle then one that is standing still. Likewise, it is difficult if not impossible to determine God’s specific individual will for our lives if we are not obeying His revealed moral will. A second illustration is that of light. If we are already “walking in the light” (I John 1:7), then it will be much easier to see the path God wants us to take. If we are walking in darkness, however, we can very easily miss God’s intended path. That’s why it is imperative for us to be obeying God’s moral will, if we hope to discern God’s individual will.

  1. Hindrances to Guidance
    One should not expect clear guidance from God if one is not already walking in the light of God’s revealed will. Hindrances to guidance include::
    1. Idolatry [Note Ezekiel 14:3; Matthew 6:33]
    1. Insincerity [Note James 1:5-8]
      Example: Jeremiah 42:2-6; 43:2-7
    1. Disobedience/ Unconfessed Sin [Note Psalm 66:18; Ezekiel 12:2]
  2. Prerequisites to Guidance
    I must seek to learn and obey God’s moral will found in His Word before concerning myself about His individual will for my life. Therefore, I must ask,”What is God’s revealed will for me in His Word?”
    1. God’s will is that I be saved . [I Timothy 2:3-4]
      II Peter 3:9: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
    1. God’s will is that I be sanctified .
      I Thessalonians 4:3: For this is the will of God, [even] your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
    1. God’s will is that I be Spirit filled .
      Ephesians 5:17-18: Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord [is]. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
    1. God’s Will is that I maintain a spiritual attitude in all circumstances.
      I Thessalonians 5:16-18: Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
      1. Rejoicing evermore . [vs. 16]
      1. Pray without ceasing . [vs. 17]
      1. Give thanks in everything. [vs. 18]
    1. God’s will is that I submit to human authorities.
      I Peter 2:13-15: Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
    1. God’s will is that some suffer for well doing. [II Timothy 2:12]
      I Peter 3:17: For [it is] better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
      I Peter 4:19: Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls [to him] in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
    1. God’s will is that I submit to all the other commands of God as found in His Word.
      I John 2:3-4: And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Conclusion: Step 1 in determining God’s will for our lives must always be to obey the commands He has already given us. If we don’t obey His previously revealed will, why should we expect Him to reveal more?

Finding the Will of God
Step 2 – Apply God’s Principles

Introduction: After we have followed Step 1, and are actively seeking to obey God’s commands, what next? Unfortunately, there are many decisions that arise in our lives that are not addressed directly by Biblical commands. How do we know what to do in such areas? How do we know right from wrong in “grey” areas? Fortunately, the Bible does not leave us without guidance here. For what it does not address by specific command it often addresses by general principle. If there is no command to obey we should always seek for a principle to apply. Unfortunately, many believers skip this step altogether. If there is no specific Biblical command relating to their decision they either seek for “the inward voice of the Spirit” without consulting Scripture or else “do as they please.” Both of these options are very dangerous, however. The first option leaves one open to all sorts of inward inclinations that may not be from God at all, and the second option fails to acknowledge God and leaves oneself open to fulfill all sorts of carnal desires. The key point here is that God will never guide us contrary to principles found in His Word. J. I Packer states, “The fundamental guidance which God gives to shape our lives – the instilling, that is, of the basic convictions, attitudes, ideals, and value-judgments, in terms, of which we are to live – is not a matter of inward promptings apart from the Word but of the pressure on our consciences of the portrayal of God’s character and will in the Word, which the Spirit enlightens us to understand and apply to ourselves.” (J. I Packer, Knowing God, p. 214)

  1. Ask Appropriate Questions
    Before preceding with any plan in which God’s will is in doubt, we should ask ourselves at least three questions relating to our plans. We should ask:
    1. What do I plan/desire to do?
    1. Why do I plan to do it?
    1. How do I plan to do it?
    1. The first question deals with our actions. The second deals with our motives. The third deals with our means. Contrary to what many would have us believe today, God is concerned with each of these questions, not just the first two! God does not espouse a “the ends justify the means philosophy” (Note the story of Uzzah and the ark in II Samuel 6). After honesty answering each of these questions we should examine our responses in light of Biblical principles. They are certain Biblical principles that deal with our actions. There are others that can be applied to our motives. Still others can be applied to our means. Some principles can be applied to two or three of the above questions. We will examine many of these principles in the next point.
    1. Example: Is it God’s will for me to buy a new Ferrari?
      1. What: Purchase the car
      1. Why: Because I’m tired of my Chevette and I’ll look really good in a Ferrari.
      1. How: I’ll finance the whole thing and work two jobs to pay for it.
      1. Although there’s clearly nothing inherently sinful about answer #1, are there Biblical principles that we could apply to answers #2 and #3 that might give us a hint to God’s will in this matter?
  2. Apply Appropriate Principles
    The following list of principles is not intended to be all inclusive. However, it represents some of the many Biblical principles that can be applied to our decision-making process. If our actions, motives, or means are in violation of any of these principles then it is clearly not God’s will for us to participate in the questioned activity or to precede with the questioned plan.
    1. Principle #1: CHRIST-LIKENESS- Are you unable to imitate Christ while participating in the questioned activity [I John 2:6]? As Christians, our goal in life should be to become more like Christ (Romans 8:29). Do you think Christ would be unable to participate in the questioned activity? Would you be ashamed if Christ returned while you were participating in the questioned activity? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then you have no business participating in the questioned activity, because you are unable to imitate Christ.
    1. Principle #2: CONFORMITY- Will the action in question conform you to the world in any way [Romans 12:2; I John 2:15]? Is there anything in your life that makes you appear to be no different from the ungodly, world system? Is there anything in your life that attracts you to the ungodly, world system? If so, you are becoming conformed to the world and the action in question has become wrong for you. The believer should strive to be like Christ, not the world (Romans 8:29)!
    1. Principle #3: DOUBT- Are you having serious doubts about whether you should participate in the questioned activity [Romans 14:23]? Is it a “grey area” to you? If it is, then you have no business participating in the questioned activity, because Romans 14:23 makes it very clear that it is “sin” for you to do so. You should first study God’s Word using these principles and others. After doing so, if you are “fully persuaded” (Romans 14:5) that the activity is permissible in God’s sight then you can participate in it with a clear conscience. But until that point, we should always give God the benefit of the doubt, because the goal should be to determine God’s best for our lives, not to see how close we can get to sin and still be “OK”!
    1. Principle #4: ENCUMBRANCE- Will the action in question slow you down spiritually [Hebrews 12:1]? The word picture in this verse is of a runner encumbered by unnecessary baggage. Such “weights” will obviously slow him down, and prevent him from winning the race. Is there anything in your life that is slowing down your spiritual growth? If so, then you need to follow the advice of the author of Hebrews and “lay aside every weight” because this action is not best for you.
    1. Principle #5: ENSLAVEMENT- Does the action in question (even if it is not inherently wrong) tend to enslave you or to become an idol (i.e., anything that takes God’s rightful place in your life or anything that you rely on to do for you what only God can do) in your life [I Corinthians 6:12; I Cor. 10:14; I John 5:21]? Is there anyone or anything in your life more important to you than God? Is there anything you can’t give up or would refuse to give up if the Lord asked you to? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then you have a problem with idolatry and are enslaved by the particular action. If this is the case then you should give up the action in question because it has taken God’s rightful place in your life.
    1. Principle #6: EXALTATION- Are you unable to glorify God while participating in the questioned activity [I Cor. 10:31]? In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for glory (kabod) refers to weight, honor, esteem and majesty. In the New Testament, the Greek word doxa (doxa) includes the idea of “opinion”. So when we glorify God we give the right opinion of the excellent, honorable and majestic character of Christ. Are you unable to give the right opinion of the excellent character of our Lord in each and every (“. . . eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do . . .”) activity you engage in? If this is true, then you need to drop the activities in which you can’t glorify God.
    1. Principle #7: EXAMPLE- Could the action in question be a bad example to another or possibly cause another to stumble [Romans 14:13, 20-21; I Corinthians 8]? In the example of Romans 14 and I Corinthians 8, the question was whether it was right to eat meat (because of the Jewish background of some of the early believers as well as the fact that much of the meat available in that day was offered to idols before going on sale in the marketplace). Paul’s conclusion was that there was nothing inherently wrong with eating the meat, but if it offended a brother or caused him to stumble then he would simply refuse to eat it (If a brother has doubts about an action then it is sin for him to do it, regardless of your convictions; see verse 23). Is there anything in your life that might offend a brother who does not share your convictions about a certain action? If so, then it is wrong for you to participate in the questioned action while in the presence of the more sensitive brother.
    1. Principle #8: EXPEDIENCE- Is the questioned activity unproductive and/or unprofitable [I Corinthians 6:12; 10:23; Ephesians 5:16]? Are you wasting valuable time by participating in unnecessary activities that have no value (be it spiritual, physical, social, intellectual or otherwise) whatsoever ? If so, then you should drop the activities that are counter-productive and make better use of your time.
    1. Principle #9: HOLINESS-Will you be unable to emulate God’s holiness as you participate in the questioned activity (I Peter 1:14-16)? Holiness is being sanctified or set apart from all that is ungodly, worldly or sinful. If your course of action needlessly associates you with what is ungodly, worldly or sinful then the action is certainly not God’s will for your life.
    1. Principle #10: LUST- Will this action tempt you to fulfill ungodly lusts [II Timothy 2:22; Romans 13:14; I John 2:16; I Timothy 2:9]? In other words, will it arouse fleshly desires that cannot be fulfilled within the bounds of God’s Word? Is there any activity in your life that tempts your flesh? Is there anything in your life that might tempt the fleshly desires of others (such as immodest dress standards)? If there is, then the questioned action is wrong for you and you need to “flee” from it because it is leading you or another directly into sin [James 1:14-15].
    1. Principle #11: PHYSICAL HEALTH- Will the action in question harm your body in any way [I Corinthians 6:19-20]? Since our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and since we are to glorify God with our bodies, we should naturally avoid those things that will harm our bodies. Are you participating in any avoidable action that is detrimental to your physical health? If so, you should seek to avoid it, since the action is obviously not in your best interest.
    1. Principle #12: PRIDE- Is your course of action motivated by pride or selfish ambition [Proverbs 16:18; I John 2:10]? Could your course of action be a major and unnecessary stimulus to your ego? If so, then your course of action is clearly not God’s will for your life. God’s Word clearly reveals that pride is a sin.
    1. Principle #13: PRIORITIES- Will your course of action lead to misplaced priorities? Will God and His kingdom be relegated to secondary status if you follow through with your plans (Matthew 6:33)? If so, then the questioned course of action is clearly not God’s will for your life?
    1. Principle #14: TESTIMONY- Could the action in question appear questionable to others and thus damage your Christian testimony [Romans 14:16; Romans 12:17; Proverbs 22:1; I Thessalonians 5:22 (note: even though “appearance” would be better translated “every kind”, this reference still commands us to avoid each and every kind of evil, be it overt or obscure, and thus suggests a wisdom in avoiding even those activities which would appear questionable)]? In our day, one can never be too concerned about his testimony! Although it is true that we must not be obsessed with what others think and it is true that we will never please everyone with our actions, it is nonetheless wise to avoid providing ammunition for “would-be accusers”. Is there anything in your life that might legitimately give others an opportunity to destroy your testimony? If yes, then you need to follow the advice of Scripture and “abstain” from the action in question, regardless of its inherent validity.
    1. Principle #15: THOUGHT LIFE- Will the activity in question pollute your mind with stimulants for improper or impure thoughts [Philippians 4:8; II Corinthians 10:5]? Is there anything in your life that stimulates an impure thought life? If so, you need to remove that activity from your life and replace it with activities that promote a wholesome thought life.
    1. Principle #16: VISION- Will the questioned activity allow you to view anything that could potentially turn your heart from God [Psalm 101:3; Job 31:1]? We should not intentionally allow wicked or immoral images to enter our eye-gates. In this day and age, this is a very important principle! Are you currently viewing things that are wicked or immoral? If so, you need to eliminate this problem (either by tighter controls of the questioned activity or elimination of the questioned activity).

Principles for Determining Right from Wrong

ReferencePrincipleQuestionYesNo
I John 2:6Christ-likenessAm I unable to imitate Christ in this?  
Romans 12:2ConformityDoes it conform me to the world?  
Romans 14:23DoubtDo I have doubts that it is right?  
Hebrews 12:1EncumbranceDoes it slow me down spiritually?  
I Corinthians 6:12EnslavementHas it enslaved me or become an idol?  
I Corinthians 10:31ExaltationDoes it give a wrong opinion of Christ?  
Romans 14:13,20-21ExampleCould it cause a brother to stumble?  
I Corinthians 10:23ExpedienceIs it unproductive or in appropriate?  
I Peter 1:14-16HolinessAm I unable to emulate God’s holiness?  
II Timothy 2:22LustCould it tempt me or another to lust?  
I Corinthians 6:19-20Physical HealthDoes it harm my body in any way?  
Proverbs 16:5PrideAre my plans motivated by pride or selfishness.  
Matthew 6:33PrioritiesWould it lead to misplaced priorities?  
Romans 14:16TestimonyCould it harm my testimony?  
Philippians 4:8Thought LifeCould it bring impure or evil thoughts?  
Psalm 101:3VisionDoes it involve viewing evil or immoral material?  

This chart should be helpful in determining God’s will for most of the decisions that arise in our lives. If a believer answers “YES” to any of the above questions then it is clearly not God’s will for him to follow the questioned course of action. We can determine God’s will in the vast majority of our decisions by simply obeying God’s commands and applying God’s principles (these and others found in God’s Word). However, in cases where two seemingly equal options still exist we must go to a third step which will be discussed in future lessons.

Finding the Will of God: Step 3
Seek God’s Specific Guidance

Introduction: After following steps #1 and #2 what do we do if we still have a decision to make? In other words, what do we do if we are obeying God’s commands and applying God’s principles, but we still do not have specific guidance on a particular decision (note for example the case study in the introduction to these lessons)? Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. God often works in mysterious ways, and his means of guiding one individual may not conform entirely to his means of guiding another. However, the key point is that He will always guide if we are willing to be led (Prov. 3:5-6)! As obedient believers, our responsibility is to actively seek His guidance with a submissive attitude which will seek to obey His will once it is revealed. If we have this type of attitude then there are several indicators that God will often use to guide His children. As we examined in lesson #3, we must be wary of placing too much stock in any one of these indicators, because there are dangers involved with each. However, taken as a whole, these indicators can be of great assistance to us in our process of decision making. Therefore, in step #3 of our decision making process we should seek God’s specific guidance through the following:

God’s Word and Prayer [Psalm 119:105; James 1:5; Jer 33:3]

We have already discussed the process of obeying God’s Biblical commands and applying God’s Biblical principles in lessons #3 and #4. These steps should obviously be taken before seeking further guidance. In addition, the Bible can guide us through biographical and/or historical example (I Cor 10:11). In addition to seeking for commands, principles, and examples from God’s Word we should seek to spend regular periods of time in devotions/meditations from God’s Word. This should be coupled with regular seasons of prayer, including prayers requesting guidance in our lives (James 1:5; Jer 33:3). Often times God will impress His will on our hearts and minds through a specific Scriptural passage. Prayer is our means of communicating with God, God’s Word is one of His means of communicating with us, and often He will answer our prayers for guidance through His written Word.

Warning: Never take a Biblical reference out of context and seek to apply it to your life. Some Christians try to force guidance out of texts which have absolutely no relevancy to the issue at hand. We should always interpret the Bible in light of the historical and grammatical setting in which it was written. In other words we should always keep in mind the original intent of the author, and not attempt to twist the text to apply to our situation. Guidance from God’s Word, in this sense, seldom, if ever, comes from rushed emergency consultations. As a matter of fact, it often comes when we are not even looking for it or when we least expect it. For instance, God may choose to give us guidance through our daily devotions. In such a scenario, we were not going to the Word specifically for guidance, yet God chose to reveal a portion of His will through His Word.

The Inner Witness of the Holy Spirit [Romans 8:14; John 16:13; Gal 5:18-25; Acts 16:6,7]

In Romans 8:14, Galatians 5:18 and other Scripture references we are said to be “led by the Spirit.” In Acts 13:2, 16:7 and other passages in Acts, believers in the early church were guided directly by the Spirit (how this guidance came we are not told). Furthermore, in Romans 8:16 the Holy Spirit bears direct witness to our human spirits concerning our salvation. Clearly, Scripture does seem to imply that God sometimes guides by direct communication from His Spirit to ours. We see examples of this in the Bible (Acts 8:29, Acts 13:2; Acts 16:6-7, etc.), and God nowhere states that He will cease to use this type of guidance. This type of guidance is not necessarily a regular experience for God’s children, but does that mean that God never uses it? The belief that God still guides by direct communication with our spirits is backed up by the testimonies of countless Christians who testify of this type of guidance. For instance, many Christians can testify of times when the Lord seems to burden them to witness to a specific individual or to engage in a specific ministry.

Example: D.L. Moody and R.A. Torrey were once counseling after an evangelistic meeting in Illinois. Moody was downstairs while Torrey was upstairs. At one point a message arrived for Torrey from Moody requesting his help downstairs. When Torrey arrived, Moody instructed him that he was to counsel a certain man. Torrey did so and found that the man had experienced the death of his son about a year earlier and was bitter towards God. Torrey, in amazement, related how that he had just recently lost his precious daughter. After leading the grieving father to Christ, Torrey asked Moody how he had known about the tragedy. Moody replied that he hadn’t. God had simply impressed upon his heart that Torrey should be the one to counsel with the particular man.

Warning: The inner witness of the Spirit can be easily confused with simple human impressions. Therefore, we must guard against “snap decisions” made only on the basis of sudden feelings or impressions. Feelings and impressions can come from many different sources. Therefore, we should seek to evaluate our impressions using sound reason. We can be confident that an impression that comes from God will not violate Biblical principles. Furthermore, we should see if there are indeed other indicators of God’s will that would substantiate our impressions. Finally, a burden or impression that is from God will not come and go as to human feelings, and it will often be overwhelming (I Corinthians 9:16).

Note: These first two means of God’s guidance emphasize the importance of a daily, consistent walk with God. The closer we get to God the easier it will be to discover His will. For those in close communion with God, His will becomes almost second nature. Our very thoughts and instincts will typically conform to God’s if we are indeed walking in the light as He is in the light”.

Outward Circumstances [I Cor 16:8-9; Col 4:3; Pro 16:9]

A third indicator of God’s will is outward circumstances. Since God is sovereign and has a sovereign will for His creation, it is only logical that He would arrange our circumstances such that we would naturally find His will. Paul, himself, spoke of open and closed doors of opportunities. If God sovereignly changes our circumstances so that we cannot do as we had originally planned, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to determine that our original plan was not God’s will! The key here is to submit all of our goals and plans to the sovereign will of God (James 4:15).

Warning: Not all open doors are God’s will [II Cor 2:12-13] and not all doors initially closed are not God’s will. Furthermore, circumstances that show us what God’s will is not, do not necessarily show us what God’’s will is. Therefore, it is imperative that we evaluate our circumstance in light of the other indicators of God’s will.

Godly Counsel [Proverbs 11:14; 15:22; 24:6]

A fourth indicator of God’s will is godly counsel. These passages in Proverbs clearly indicate the wisdom in seeking counsel from other mature believers before making a major decision. Oftentimes, others will have different perspectives and/or insights that will be of great assistance in our decision making process. For young believers it is very important to seek counsel from those with a more thorough Biblical knowledge. Perhaps the more mature believer will have knowledge of Biblical principles that can be applied to the young believer’s scenario.

Warning: Counsel, even from mature believers, is not infallible. Therefore, as with each of the other indicators of God’s will, we must be careful to evaluate counsel in light of the Bible and the other indicators of God’s will.

Common Sense/Past Experience [Phil 4:11-12; Proverbs 3:21]

Yet another indicator of God’s will is so simple that it’s often overlooked. That indicator is simply common sense. We should make good use of the wisdom God has graciously given us through past learning or past experiences to help us in our decision making processes.

Warning: We don’t want to assume that God will never lead contrary to common sense. In most circumstances He certainly won’t, but God often works in unusual ways (Isaiah 55:8-9)! Common sense would not have told Philip to leave a revival in Samaria to go to an isolated desert road for no apparent reason (Acts 8:26). Common sense certainly would not have dictated that Adoniram Judson leave the comfort and security of the States to minister the rest of his life in Burma (as a result he lost several loved ones, was imprisoned, etc.), but who would be willing to argue that Burma was not God’s will for Adoniram Judson?

Personal Desires [Psalm 37:4-5; I Timothy 3:1]

Yet another indicator of God’s will is the desires of a godly man’s heart. If one is truly delighting in the Lord then God promises to grant him the desires of his heart. This does not mean that God will grant every passing whim, but rather that God will either grant a godly man’s strong desires or change a godly man’s desires to be in line with His own. Any desires that are out of God’s will can easily be changed by a sovereign God (such as David’s desire to build the temple-II Sam 7:18-29). If we are truly delighting in the Lord we will only want what God wants!

Warning: Psalm 37:4 is a conditional promise. It only applies if we are delighting. If we are not delighting then we open ourselves up to all sorts of carnal desires that are clearly not God’s will for our lives. What, then does it mean to delight? The Hebrew verb gnu (‘anag) is an interesting verb that is not easy to define. It’s primary meaning seems to be “pampered” or “spoiled.” Notice for instance Deuteronomy 28:56. The word is here translated “delicateness” and the related adjective translated “delicate.” It refers here to a pampered, refined lady (Note also Isaiah 47:1). A second nuance is found in Psalm 37:4 and other passages (note for instance Isaiah 55:2, Psalm 37:11, and Job 27:10), where the meaning seems to be “to be happy about” or “to take exquisite delight in.” Yet a third nuance is found in Isaiah 57:4 where the meaning seems to be “make sport of” or “make merry over.” The question we must ask is how do we get from pamper to delight? The answer seems to be that to delight in a person or thing is to pamper or refresh ourselves with or in that purpose or thing. For instance, to delight ourselves in the spring season would be to spend most of our time outdoors admiring God’s creation and enjoying the beautiful weather. For a baseball fan to delight himself in baseball would mean to watch every game possible in person and on television. It might also include the memorization of all the statistics of all the players on his favorite team. It would likely include a collection of baseball cards and baseball memorabilia that may be strung all across the individual’s room. To delight then is to pamper ourselves with or in the thing we are delighting. However, it is interesting to observe that when we pamper ourselves with a certain object we typically engage in the pampering of that object in return. For instance how would the afore-mentioned baseball fan treat an autographed card of his favorite player? How would a car enthusiast treat an antique car which he has labored diligently to restore? How should a husband treat his wife or vice versa? All of these are good examples of delighting in something. It goes both ways. Therefore, if we are truly delighting in God we will pamper ourselves by spending time with Him (prayer, meditation, etc) and learning about Him (Bible study, church, etc.) and we will seek to pamper Him by living for Him, giving to Him, serving Him, etc. The person truly delighting in God will have the attitude of “Anything you want, I will do.”

Conclusion: Having examined each of these six indicators of God’s specific, individual will for our lives, we note that there are dangers associated with each. That’s why it is imperative that we avoid placing too much trust in any one indicator (Review lesson 3 for the misunderstandings associated with attempting to find God’s will through a single “sure-fire” method.). It is wise to evaluate our decisions in light of each of these indicators. If all of the indicators point in the same direction we would be wise to precede in that direction, realizing that God in His sovereignty can still stop us if we are making a mistake. If however, the indicators are mixed, we should likely wait before making any life-changing decisions. In other words, we should continue on the path we are on until God clearly changes our path. Waiting on God is never easy, but oftentimes, waiting on the Lord, is itself, God’s will for our lives. Waiting will typically strengthen our faith, improve our patience, and rid us of our self-reliance. Therefore, if God’s will is not quick in coming we should learn to simply wait on the Lord (Psalm 27:14; Isaiah 40:31), and serve Him to the best of our abilities where we are at now. At the same time, we can take comfort in God’s promises to guide in His time! (as in Proverbs 3:5-6)