About to make a decision?About to take a very crucial step in your life?
Care about knowing what the will of God for you is?
Standing at a crossroad?
Today's edition is for you. Welcome!
We have learnt in a previous study how that you are compulsorily led by the Spirit of God if you are born again; and how that that is an act of grace, giving you the options of receiving the leading or rejecting it. Whether you have always been rejecting the will of God up till now or not, you will testify if you are a child of God how that God has been faithful in ensuring He has continued to lead you in spite of your seldom disobedience. Thank God for that testimony. If you do not have such testimony, ah! You're not born again! Because:
Now if you are exempt from correction and left without discipline in which all [of God's children] share, then you are illegitimate offspring and not true sons [at all]. (Hebrews 12:8 AMP)
He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself... (1 John 5:10 KJV)So don't you think it's high time you received Jesus? Come on!
We've dealt with all these in that edition [you are led by God – an act of grace], therefore let's move on.
But before you seek the mind of God,
Would you listen?
Hmm! How to know the will of God in a situation! God can see that situation ahead of us far before we know it, and He is faithful to lead us in the best path for our lives. But we will follow when we hear His voice? I think this is very important for that mind that is so eager to know the will of God, for that soul that do not want to fall into mistakes in choice-making. Are you seeking to know the will of God for knowledge sake or to follow it? Would you follow when it is revealed to you? Are you sure? Do you give me a "yes"? I tell you if you can set this foundation right, it will make your heart and eyes ready, meek and simple enough to receive that leading.The MEEK will he guide in judgment: and the MEEK will he teach his way. (Psalms 25:9 KJV)
The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding UNTO THE SIMPLE. (Psalms 119:130 KJV)So "Be ye not as the horse, [or] as the mule, [which] have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee." (Psalms 32:9 KJV)
So be simple, be meek, be receptive.
Most often when we seek the mind of God concerning a matter, we already have some choice forming up in our hearts. This won't be too bad if only we will be willing to set aside our own desires for the divine will. The best of us may have our own natural tendencies/likeness, but they must never prevail that they keep us bound away from the divine will. So are you willing to give up your will for God's?Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: (1 Peter 5:6 KJV)
He has filled and satisfied the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty-handed [without a gift]. (Luke 1:53 AMP)
…the proud he knoweth afar off. (Psalms 138:6 KJV)
Be a sheep and be a sheep; so let Him shepherd you. A sheep only turns where he is led. Will you listen to the Shepherd of your soul?
Now do a test on your mind
Examine the entire options you are considering one after the other. Ask yourself in each case, "what if God says this is what I should go for?" what's your answer? Do you think you will be willing to follow that way? Is there not one of the ways in which you are saying "God forbid"?Done a first-hand scriptural scrutiny?
At this stage you are expected to have relieved yourself of some unnecessary headache by having done a first-hand scrutiny of all the options. Knowing there are certain things that God can never say because it negates His word (the Scriptures), fling out all that does not conform to the standard of God's glory and character. Ask yourself the following questions.- Will this please the Lord?
- Will the Lord be happy to see me in this?
- If He comes today and finds me in this, will He approve of it?
- Can I have His full backing if I embark on this journey?
Searching now for that Plan that God endorses
Present all options, facts and figures before the Spirit
Lest you take a decision and it seem to you that you took an uninformed decision and you give up on the way, see how much you can know humanly about those options before you, and present them before God.Note that here we've assumed that all the options that are being considered here are biblical, just, good and of good report (Phil 4:8).
So we continue. This is what I'm saying. You are seeking the best thing to invest your business in, and you only know about one option, you are not likely to do well in getting the mind of God. Or for example, you are seeking what school to put in for whatever course, and you don't know about more than the school in your backyard, then you probably haven't explored well to sense where the Lord will have you go. Then you aren't making a choice: you have decided already, because you've got no options.
Learn from the error of Prophet Samuel. The first man Eliab he saw, he hastily concluded: "Surely the LORD'S anointed [is] before him" let all of the facts be presented before the Spirit in you.
And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed [is] before him. (1 Samuel 16:6 KJV)
And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed [is] before him. But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:6-7 KJV)
Then Jesse called Abinadab, and MADE HIM PASS BEFORE SAMUEL. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. Then Jesse made Shammah to PASS BY. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. AGAIN, JESSE MADE SEVEN OF HIS SONS TO PASS BEFORE SAMUEL. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all [thy] children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. And he sent, and brought him in. Now he [was] ruddy, [and] withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this [is] he. (1 Samuel 16:8-12 KJV)
Make all the options pass before you while paying attention to the reaction from the Holy Spirit who lives in you. Sometimes, like Samuel, all the options will pass before you, but you won't get any yes tone from the Spirit. Perhaps, you have not met the right option. Wait like Samuel; or ask for what options have not been reached by you.It's not that the Spirit of God does not know the hidden things about every situation. The presentation is only to help you, because it's from what you open up to the Spirit of God, that He will answer you: correct you, deny you, or approve you. Let the Spirit see your honesty and sincerity of mind. It's not that you should "pray with only one eye closed". No! That is lack of faith. People who are unable to wholly trust God practise the "shine your eyes" lifestyle. They can never rely on whatever God says to them on any situation until they "prove" and find things out themselves. That is walking by sight. But we walk by faith… (2 Cor. 5:7)
Be patient
Be patient to let things settle before your eyes. Be patient to let your arrogance or self will lose its predominance on you. Don't ever rush! Don't ever rush!For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me] you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength. But you would not, (Isaiah 30:15 AMP)
Don't make an uninformed decision. Don't decide in haste. Wait till all the "sons of Jesse" pass before you before you return to your closet and patiently ask what His will is. Don't rely on experience to hastily jump into conclusion.
Stand at the crossroad…
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where [is] the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls... (Jeremiah 6:16 KJV)
Stand at that decision juncture doing nothing but waiting on God. Don't let men condemn you for being non-reactive. Don't rush: that you may not rush into the wrong path. Remember Saul. He feared that the people will shout at him for inactivity, and therefore rushed into doing the wrong thing. He never regained the kingdom he lost there. Beware! Some mistakes are irrecoverable!
And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and [that] thou camest not within the days appointed, and [that] the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. (1 Samuel 13:11-13 KJV)
But I "will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me…" (Habakkuk 2:1)And ask…
Seek counsel, ask questions, and improve your information depth about what you are about going into.
For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors [there is] safety. (Proverbs 24:6 KJV)
Some may ask, "why seeking counsel about? Isn't it God that is to decide? And shouldn't God know all about it Himself? Why then do I need to consult the Spirit when I have my facts already?" oh no! You are not seeking counsel to choose for yourself, because after all your counsel, all counsel, facts and figures must yet be subject to whatever the Spirit says. You are seeking counsel so you can know right from the start the implications of whatever decision you are taking, lest you see what will befall you in the way God is leading you, and you quickly call it quit. Seek information.Ask "where is the good way?"
Do a second (final) screening
If there still exist any option that has not being buried in the screening process, consider the options left again. Bring them one by one in your heart to the Spirit and listen to the reaction in your spirit man. There could be three kinds of reaction; and this is called the Inner Witness. It exists in every believer; and it is the reaction the Holy Spirit gives to whatever is placed before it. You could have:- Yes,
- No, or
- Silence
- Go on,
- Disapproving, DO NOT
- Wait (no decision yet)
Being fully persuaded…
You MUST be very convinced with whatever you perceive God is leading you into. Therefore you must WAIT till you get that CONVINCTION. This is one very good evidence that you have found the right thing God has for you: you are persuaded and tenacious about it. You should come out boldly, assured of what you're being led into. Because you might meet contradictions on the way; but conviction surmounts contradictions.And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. (Romans 4:21 KJV)
Wait for one or more confirmations
In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established (2 Corinthians 13:1 KJV)
Therefore oh son, don't be too much in a hurry to take a decision. Wait for confirmation(s).It pays to wait on God
Finally, remember the words of the loving Father.
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31 KJV)
Jeremiah says, "and ye shall find rest for your souls." (Jeremiah 6:16 KJV)When God leads you, you are safe. When He leads you, your needs are supplied. You enjoy His support. You don't want when He shepherds you (Psalms 23). You enjoy divine provisions in His will.
And they thirsted not [when] he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out. (Isaiah 48:21 KJV)
Pay the price to get things right for your life friend: and you'll overtake the man who chose on his own. Stay blessed!Don't forget to share this.
