When it comes to God’s Will, we can quickly become suspended between over-confidence and confusion. Basic life questions such as: “Do I take this job? Pursue this career change? Move to this city? Marry this person? Get involved in this ministry or that activity? and so on…”, demand an answer—a biblical road map. As Christians, we know that God’s will is provided in the Bible and is ultimately revealed for His glory, but how does one flesh this out in everyday life? How do we find and know we are walking in God’s Will?
Finding God’s Will mini-series explores the sometimes fleeting and oscillating path one navigates in order to find and determine God’s will for their life. As we get started, it is important to give credit to John MacArthur and his handling of this topic HERE. This mini-series has adapted some of his content, and has benefited from his work on the topic.
Let’s begin by looking back in time in order to glean truth’s from an ancient follower of God. What we find in Ezra 7:10 is that, “…Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. That’s it…
Ezra’s heart was:
- SET (on God),
- he STUDIED (God’s Word),
- he PRACTICED (God’s Word), and
- he TAUGHT (God’s Word).
The fact is we need practical biblical guidance to navigate life, and the four elements expressed in Ezra’s life provide a general template for Finding God’s Will today.
Let’s begin…
Part 1 – SET
Before Ezra began to study, live, or teach God’s Word and live out God’s will his heart was set on God. What does it mean to have a heart set on God?
- Saved
- The reality for every human being is that we’re born with an insatiable desire to define right and wrong, as well as a burning passion to justify our actions, thoughts, and words. It starts with food, moves to toys, and then goes to money and another person’s spouse. In essence, we’re born wanting to be god, and when we fail we justify our mistakes.
- The problem is…this is a problem. See also all of human history. Humans cannot get out of this predicament. The sad reality is that this predicament separates us from our holy and perfectly righteous Creator.
- Thus, left to us…we’re lost with no hope. We simply cannot rescue ourselves from this position. We’ve tried. We’ve failed. We need someone else to step in and save us from ourselves. We need someone to make us right with the One who created us. We need something or someone outside of us that has lived our life perfectly, and then offers His life in exchange for our life.
- Enter Jesus Christ. He is the second person in the Triune God-head who died in our place to assume upon Himself the consequences of our sin. In essence, He is our only hope of being rescued.
- The person who believes this for themselves has moved from being lost to being found…from disregarded to saved.
- 2 Peter 3:9 – God’s will…man’s salvation…John 6:44
- Matthew 18:11 – Christ came to save the lost…goes after one lost sheep
- 1 Timothy 2:4 – Desires men to be saved
- Mark 3:34-35 – God’s family…saved
- The first aspect of finding God’s will is having a heart set on God. The first step in having a heart that set on God is becoming a child of God and being saved from eternal separation from God.
- The incredible thing is…God calls you to this…come home!
- Sanctified
- God did not merely save us to set us aside for future display in heaven. No, no. He saved us to then conform us to His Image (Romans 8:29).
- In essence, biblical sanctification is the daily revealing of our great need (which brings humility), and the daily revealing of God’s great solution (which brings gratitude).
- The human that is being sanctified walks in humble gratitude. They are not characterized by pretension, fear, grumbling, insecurity, jealously, etc. No, no, they are characterized by confession and understanding, grace and mercy, love and peace, and humility and gratitude.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8…they are vessels of honor
- Abstain from sex sin – Protect marriage bed (Hebrews 13:4)
- Control body – Your body is to honor God (2 Corinthians 7:1)
- Don’t act like pagans – Not to be guided by impulses and glands (physical)
- Don’t defraud a brother – Not to take advantage of mentally/physically
- 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8…they are vessels of honor
- Thus, the second aspect of finding God’s will by having a heart set on Him is viewing all of life’s circumstances as God’s means of sanctifying us (making us look more life Christ) through humbling us and teaching us a heart of gratitude, as well as God’s gift for us to example Him to a lost and dying world in need of salvation.
- Surrendered
- A heart set on God is saved, is being sanctified, and is surrendered. To be surrendered means to give up the battle. You can’t win. You throw in the towel…you raise the white flag…you stop trying to accomplish God’s work for Him in your own strength.
- In other words, you are no longer dependent upon yourself for God’s work to occur, but on prayer. You recognize that taking up your cross means dying to your desires, and placing the good of others in your sphere of influence above your own. You say no (and walk in confession when you stumble) to the flesh and besetting sins, and instead have a faraway gaze to heaven.
- You also recognize that God will one day bring to light all the deeds done in the body (whether good or bad) and will judge our lives and distribute rewards to you based upon how you live this life–there is an echo.
- Luke 9:23 – Take up the cross
- Matthew 6:19 – Treasures are in Heaven
- 2 Corinthians 5:10 – Bema seat judgment for Christians
- Thus, a heart set on God is saved, is being sanctified, and is surrendered to God. That is to say, his time, treasures, and talents are placed on the altar and declared to be God’s…to be used according to His pleasure.
That’s part one…SET. Next time, we’ll examine Part 2…STUDY.
— August 7, 2020