1.KNOWING WHAT GOD’S WILL IS:
In Colossians 1:9-10, firstly, we see that we need to KNOW what God’s will is before we can live it out (See also Romans 12:2, Ephesians 5:17)! The apostle Paul prayed that God would fill the Colossians with a knowledge of His will, so that they could live out a life pleasing to Jesus! This comes through all spiritual wisdom and understanding through the Holy Spirit and being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 1:17)!
We can know God’s GENERAL/SEEN WILL through the SCRIPTURES (Eg. 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5:16-18, 1 Peter 2:15, 4:19, Ephesians 1:1) and His UNSEEN, SPECIFIC WILL for our lives through The Holy Spirit renewing our minds and speaking to us (Romans 12:2)!
While the WORD OF GOD helps reveal to us God’s GENERAL WILL for our lives, it doesn’t always reveal to us God’s SPECIFIC WILL (although it can. Eg. In Matthew 24/book of Revelation-Jesus mentions the signs of the end times)
but it can also confirm His specific will since The Holy Spirit will never contradict His word!
For example: The Bible gives us direction on the type of qualities to look for in a godly wife/husband (see 1 Corinthians 9:5, 2 Corinthians 6:14-17, Proverbs 31, Ephesians 5:22-33), but notice the Bible doesn’t tell us the specific name of who our husband/wife will be?
Or notice that the Bible tells us of the importance of working hard in a job (1 Thessalonians 5:11-12, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10) but it doesn’t tell us the name of the company of job we are to specially work in! This is where we need to listen to The Holy Spirit to find out!!
We also see that Jesus told us in the great commission in Matthew 28:19-20 to make disciples of the nations, but the bible doesn’t specifically tell us where our personal evangelistic harvest field will be as part of that process!!
SO, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS IN WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN REVEAL GOD’S SPECIFIC WILL FOR YOUR LIFE?
-DREAMS, VISIONS AND PROPHETIC WORDS (Acts 2:17, Acts 21:10-14, Acts 10:3-20,34, Acts 16:9, Acts 9:10-16, Matthew 1:19-21)
-PEACE OF MIND (Colossians 3:15, 2 Corinthians 2:12-13)
-OPEN AND CLOSED DOORS (Revelation 3:7-8, 2 Corinthians 2:12, 1 Corinthians 16:9)
-THOUGHTS IN YOUR MIND (Romans 8:6, 9:1, 1 Corinthians 2:10-16)
All of these must be tested against the truth of God’s word as The Holy Spirit will never contradict His word!! (Eg. Deuteronomy 13:1-4, Exodus 20:3-6)
As you find out God’s seen will through His word and are faithful in living that out by The Holy Spirit, trust that at the right time as you seek Jesus more and more through The Holy Spirit, He will reveal His specific will for your life!!
2.PRAYING IN LINE WITH GOD’S WILL:
(1 John 5:14-15) Once we know what God’s will is, then we can PRAY ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL (Matthew 6:10, Matthew 26:39)! The prophet Daniel understood this in Daniel 9:1-3 and so he was able to intercede and pray for Israel’s restoration after the 70 years of exile because he understood the WILL of God from the scriptures (Daniel 9:2)! LEARN TO QUOTE GOD’S WORD AS YOU PRAY!!
3.BEING EQUIPPED TO DO GOD’S WILL:
(Read Hebrews 13:20-21, Philippians 2:13 and Colossians 1:10) It is comforting to know that if God has asked you to do something for Him (no matter how impossible it seems), He will EQUIP YOU WITH EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO DO IT (the provision, resources and empowerment to do it)! The very fact that He has asked you to do it, means The Holy Spirit will empower you to be able to carry it out!! (1 Peter 4:11, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Corinthians 9:8, 2 Peter 1:3-4) BE EQUIPPED BY GOD TO DO HIS WILL!!
4.PERSEVERING IN GOD’S WILL:
In Hebrews 10:36 we are told of the importance to PERSEVERE IN DOING God’s will to RECEIVE God’s promised REWARD!!
2 Timothy 4:7-8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.”
May we be able to live out God’s will for our lives in Jesus, by the power of The Holy Spirit!!
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