“5 WAYS TO KNOW THE WILL OF GOD”
“5 WAYS TO KNOW THE WILL OF GOD”
One of the most recurring questions we have as christians is: “How can I know (and be sure) of the will of God for my life?
Even though this is not a simple inquiry, it is possible to extract some answers from the Word of God in order to experience a life under the “good, acceptable and perfect will of God”.
Therefore, in light of the Scriptures themselves, let’s examine 5 ways to be sure about the will of God for my life:
1. His Word
Psalm 119:105 says that “the Word of God is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”. Whatever decision we make that somehow is in disagreement or not aligned with the will of God revealed in His Word, it will translate into a bad decision.
The Word of God must be our first stop when considering something, because it holds all the complete revelation of God to His people; every single subject and answer is included in that which should be our “Owner’s Manual” of reference. Any decision we will make which is not in clear accordance with the Word of God, it is not His will, for sure.
2. Peace of mind
Colossians 3:15 teaches us that “the peace of God should rule our hearts”. The word here in the original language is that this peace should work as the “referee, judge”, the very thing that guides every decision we make. If we do not feel peace of mind in choices we make, most likely, it is not the will of God. That is because His will is always clear and brings peace into our hearts, meaning in this case, our mind.
3. The voice of Mistakes
Oftentimes in life we incur in the error of falling always in the same trap. In order to avoid those mistakes, we should ask the Lord for the strength and wisdom to not abide in our failures, but to learn with them.
Philippians 3:13-14 says something we like to quote a lot, and it is:
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
However, the Apostle does not stop here, he continues on verse 16:
“Only let us live up to what we have already attained.”
That means: yes, let’s keep moving forward, but experience from our past is a crucially important element in our decision-making process, when it comes to pleasing God and knowing His will. Someone already said: “let history be our teacher, not our gravedigger”.
4. Life at the altar
Romans 12:1-2 states that when we are living constantly at the altar of God, we will experience the “good, acceptable and perfect will of God”. That is because the closer we are to light, the better we will see clearly to take wisdom-centered resolutions.
Experiencing the perfect will of God demands being a “living sacrifice daily, in a lifestyle that doesn’t allow our lives to be shaped by the world, but instead, reproaching and renouncing its values.
5. Communication of the Spirit
We read in John 16:13 that “the Spirit of Truth will guide us into all truth”. The Holy Spirit is the very Spirit of God Himself, and as such, He knows it all. Living under His counsel and guidance and listening to His gentle whispers will save us from great troubles. That’s why the Apostle Paul recommends us “being filled with the Spirit” all the time, and living under His guidance.
Remember this: there was a time that even the experienced Joshua, the great general who led the People of Israel into Canaan, trained by Moses himself, made a wrong ruling about the enemy nation of the Gibeonites, which was about to be taken, and that decision negatively and deeply impacted the whole Nation of Israel, not for years, but for centuries. On that occasion, the Bible states the verdict that Joshua’s mistake happened because “he did not consult the Lord”. We must ALWAYS be sure of the Lord’s approval on everything in our lives, because He has always the best for us!
Dear friend, if we carefully follow these 5 steps, along with honest, simple prayer and genuine submission to the Lord, His will certainly will be unmistakably manifested. Our God is not a God of confusion, His ways are clear, His will is perfect, and most of all, our Heavenly Father WANTS us to know how to live a life led by His Spirit, filled with purpose and abundant in every way, like the Lord Jesus lived.
Let us submit ourselves to Him, and He will make Himself - and His will, known to us.
Wishing peace, health and many blessings to your body and soul,
Pr. Joshua