Matthew 16:1-3 NKJV Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. (2) He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; (3) and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.
Ephesians 5:15-17 AMPC Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), (16) Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil. (17) Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is.
Colossians 1:9-10 AMPC For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things– (10) That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition].
Romans 12:1-2 NKJV I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
- Renewing your mind is a primary way that you will discern the times and seasons of the Lord AKA the perfect will of God.
If you want to know what the perfect will of God looks like, you just have to go back to Genesis and see what things were like before the fall of man.
Then you can go to the end of the Book, after the enemy has been removed, and see what the world looks like once the fullness of redemption has taken place and there is no more curse, sorrow, sickness, pain, and dying.
Everything that happened in between the beginning and the end is not the perfect will of God.
It is not the will of God for us to decide what we want to do in our lives. It is the will of God for us to discover what the will of God is for our lives and walk it out.
The Word is the Will of God
I do not believe that God desires for us to have to seek after the knowledge of His will like an Easter egg hunt where we waste so much time trying to figure out what it is but rather just walking in it.
The will of God for us can be divided into two categories:
- The general will of God that is made known unto us by His Word.
The Bible is filled with things that God tells us in His Word that are His will, His desire for our lives:
It is the will of God that we be saved, healed, delivered, and blessed.
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- It is the will of God for all men to be saved.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 NKJV For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, (4) who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2 Peter 3:9 NKJV The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
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- It is the will of God for men to be healed.
John 8:28-29 NKJV Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. (29) And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”
1 Peter 2:24 NKJV who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness–by whose stripes you were healed.
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- It is the will of God for you to prosper and increase so that you can be a greater blessing.
Psalms 35:27 NKJV Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, “Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
3 John 1:2 NKJV Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
2 Corinthians 8:9 TPT For you have experienced the extravagant grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was infinitely rich, he impoverished himself for our sake, so that by his poverty, we could become rich beyond measure.
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- It is the will of God for you to have peace and live free from worry and anxiety.
Matthew 6:25 NKJV “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (7) and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 5:6-7 NKJV Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, (7) casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
John 14:27 AMPC Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]
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- It is the will of God that we have love and peace in our homes and families.
Proverbs 15:17 NKJV Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, Than a fatted calf with hatred.
Proverbs 17:1 NKJV Better is a dry morsel with quietness, Than a house full of feasting with strife.
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- Though we all encounter tough times, and pressures in life, it is the will of God that we win and overcome every time.
John 16:33 AMPC I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
2 Corinthians 2:14 BBE But praise be to God who makes us strong to overcome in Christ, and makes clear through us in every place the value of the knowledge of him.
Romans 8:35 BBE Who will come between us and the love of Christ? Will trouble, or pain, or cruel acts, or the need of food or of clothing, or danger, or the sword?
Romans 8:37-39 BBE But we are able to overcome all these things and more through his love. (38) For I am certain that not death, or life, or angels, or rulers, or things present, or things to come, or powers, (39) Or things on high, or things under the earth, or anything which is made, will be able to come between us and the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Everything that Jesus suffered on the cross for us was the will of God so that we could be free from everything that He suffered!
- The specific will of God for our individual lives – where do we live, where do we work, who am I supposed to marry?
Some of these questions are narrowed for us with the word of God.
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- We are told in the Bible that we should work and provide for our families.
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1 Timothy 5:8 NKJV But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Ephesians 4:28 NKJV Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. We are told to not marry an unbeliever or someone that does not believe as we do.
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- We are told not to marry unbelievers.
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2 Corinthians 6:14 NKJV (14) Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
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- We should pursue the spiritual interests for our family and then find a job that fits accordingly.
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Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. (25) And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.
Ephesians 4:16 TPT For his “body” has been formed in his image and is closely joined together and constantly connected as one. And every member has been given divine gifts to contribute to the growth of all; and as these gifts operate effectively throughout the whole body, we are built up and made perfect in love.
But even with this kind of help, there are going to be things that we will not be able to find in the Bible about our lives, yet God desires for us to know these things as much as we know the Word of God.
In the things that God has not given us direction for in His Word, He wants us to be led by His Spirit in our spirits.
We must recognize that God is interested in all the intimate details of our lives, not just the big things.
Luke 12:7 MSG And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail–even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries.
Psalms 121:8 TPT You will be guarded by God himself. You will be safe when you leave your home and safely you will return. He will protect you now, and he’ll protect you forevermore!
Psalms 40:2 AMPC He drew me up out of a horrible pit [a pit of tumult and of destruction], out of the miry clay (froth and slime), and set my feet upon a rock, steadying my steps and establishing my goings.
God is interested in you being successful in every area of your life; in your business deals, in your trips to the grocery store, on your job…
Before God can direct our paths, we must first be willing to acknowledge Him in every area of our lives.
Proverbs 3:6 NKJV In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:6 MSG Listen for GOD’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.
How Does the Holy Spirit Lead Me?
The four primary ways that God will lead the Born-Again believer are:
- The Written Word of God
- The Inward Witness
- The Inward Voice or Voice of Your Spirit
- The Voice of the Holy Spirit
- The Written Word of God
- After the Word of God, God will lead you first and foremost through the inward witness.
Romans 8:16 | NKJV (16) The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
1 John 5:10 | NKJV (10) He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself…
His Spirit, God’s Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are His children. There is a knowing that is right down on the inside of you.
If He will bear witness in our spirits about being Born Again, the most important decision that we could have possibly made, then surely, He will bear witness about all the decisions in our lives.
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- He will warn you of impending danger or harm in the same way.
Acts 27:9-11 | NKJV (9) Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, (10) saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.” (11) Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul.
Paul had a knowing that the trip would not go well because the Spirit of God bore witness to that in his spirit.
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- He will confirm that something is good, proper and in His will by a peace in your spirit.
Colossians 3:15 | AMP (15) And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].
God will lead you in this way as you pursue a “peaceful knowing” in your spirit.
- The third way the Holy Spirit will lead you is through the inward voice or the voice of your recreated human spirit.
Sometimes we call this our conscience. We must realize that our physical bodies have a voice called your senses and our soul has a voice called our emotions.
Your conscience is the voice of your spirit, and it is your conscience that will relate to your mind what the Spirit of God is saying to you in your spirit.
Romans 9:1-2 | NKJV (1) I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, (2) that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.
Paul, speaking of the burden he felt for the Jews, said that his conscience bears witness by the Holy Spirit that this was the truth.
Let’s look at the working of our conscience.
- The Holy Spirit does not convict us of sin. It is our spirit that convicts us of sin in our lives.
1 John 3:20-21 | GNB (20) If our conscience condemns us, we know that God is greater than our conscience and that he knows everything. (21) And so, my dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, we have courage in God’s presence.
- The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin.
John 16:7-9 | NLT (7) But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send Him to you. (8) And when He comes, He will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. (9) The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in Me.
- It is very important that we remain tenderhearted especially in the things of God.
1 Timothy 4:1-2 | NIV (1) The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. (2) Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. (lost all feeling)
1 Timothy 4:2 | TPT …and their consciences won’t bother them at all!
Unless you keep a tender conscience, spiritual things will become indistinct to you.