Title: How Can We Discover The Will of God For Our Lives?
Text: Ephesians 5:15-17
Date: November 26, 2023
Introduction: There is no single phrase more often used in Christian thought and speech than the term, “God’s will” or “the will of God.” Adrian Rogers wrote, “Your great delight will be to do His will. Your great danger is to refuse His will. Nothing is right for you if it is not God’s will.” (What Every Christian Ought to Know, p.131). What do we mean when we speak about the will of God? What is the will of God like? The will of god is personal. We are unique. We are different from everybody else who has ever lived and God made us that way. God didn’t waste time making duplicates. He made us as individuals. So, God’s will for us is not to be like others, nor to emulate other people. God’s will for us is for us to realize the unique potential which he planned within our lives. God’s will is that our practice should match up to our potential. It is personal.
The will of God is present. Numerous believers view God’s will as a distant possibility in the future, something that they will experience someday. God does have a will for our future, but He also has a plan for our present. God’s will is for now. It is present.
The will of God is progressive. We do not discern all of God’s will at once. The will of God is not so much a completed road map with all the details of the journey marked in red and the final destination described. Rather, it is an open door which invites you to enter. The will of God is an appeal to obey what we know so that we might learn what we do not know. God does not always reveal all we want to know right now, but He does reveal all that we need to know at each point along the way. As we respond to the light that He gives and launch out in faith for Him, more light about God’s will be given. It is progressive.
The will of God is perfect. How many times do we avoid the will of God because we fear it will ruin our lives? Sometimes we surrender to it with great reluctance as if to say, “We wanted to enjoy life, but instead we are going to do God’s will. We want to do God’s will, but we are afraid we will have to give up all the things we enjoy. What a tragic misconception. The happiest people in the world are individuals who know they are in the center of God’s will. It is perfect.
Understanding all of the above, it should be our desire, after we become believers, to discern the will of God. Such was the case for the Apostle Paul. In Acts 9, we have the record of the conversion of this amazing man. It is clear after his life-changing experience that he wanted to discern God’s will in his life. Paul said, “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” (Ephesians 5:17)
How? What are the resources? Where can we look to discern the will of God for our lives?
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Larry Gipson
First Baptist Church Oneonta