Elder Chew Chong Kiat

 

Discerning God's Will: The Right Way

INTRODUCTION
An obedient child of God desires to know the will of God in his life because he knows that what God wants for him is always good, acceptable and perfect and he wants to surrender his life to do His will. (Rom 12:1-2)
He accepts all the providence of God toward him, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health; he knows that all things work together for good toward him because God is His loving heavenly Father who spared not His only begotten Son to redeem him.

 

How Then Shall a Child of God Discern the Will of God In His Life?

Prov 3:1-7 is very instructive on this matter.

Most are familiar with verses 5 and 6, a promise of God to lead us when we seek Him. But let us first consider verses 1-5, "My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."

 

We are instructed to remember the law and commandments of God. They are road maps to lead us in the way we should go. If we are obedient to the law and commandments of God, they will lead us in the way according to God's will. Forget them not, keep them, be reminded of them, and check all our decisions against them.

 

Notice the results of so doing: "length of days, and long life, and peace, ...find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man". This verse is not to be understood as a promise to individual Israelites who if they obeyed God's Word would thus live a long and healthy life, as if those who did not live a long life meant that they did not obey God's Word. What it means is that Israel, as a nation, would remain long in the Promised Land as a godly nation to witness to a world that is dying in sin. If the Israelites did not obey God's Word, then she would cease in her function as God's witnesses on earth. God would remove her from the Promised Land, which He did in the period of the kings. When Israel obeyed God's Word, then she would find favour, i.e. grace and good understanding, i.e. the truth and wisdom of God before God and man. God would be pleased with Israel's godly witness. Man would be pleased, for they have found salvation in Christ through Israel's witness.

Aren't these blessed and eternal goals sufficient for us to seek the will of God?

 

Where Does he Begin?

Always begin with the known or revealed will of God. God will show him that which is not yet known when he obeys that which is known.
Deut 29:29 "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."

 

Where is the Known Will of God?

a) The direct command and prohibition in God's Word. The 10 commandments are particularly useful. If our decision agrees with all the commandments of God, we have found God's will.

b) The principles of the Scriptures. They must govern how we live.
Some examples: [Emphasis added]
Col 1:18 "... that in all things he might have the preeminence."
1Cor 10:31 "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
1 Pet 2:15 "For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:"
1 The 4:3 "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:"
1 The 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
1Cor 7:39 "The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord."

c) The examples and illustrations from Scriptures. Positively, in how they live well. Think of how Abraham's faith was tested by God and how God was very merciful to him. Negatively, how he failed when he lied that his wife was his sister and he was rebuked and shamed.

How Else?

There are occasions when we seek to know the will of God in critical matters of life but it is not explicitly revealed in the Word of God. E.g. Career choice, who to marry, to remain single or not. God will reveal to us His specific will as we seek and submit to Him, for He knows best.

 

A Promise- Proverbs 3:5-7

Thank God for this promise.

 

1). Trust in the LORD with all thine heart

We are saved by the grace of God through faith, therefore let us live our lives by grace through faith.

Trust in the LORD – Jehovah - the covenantal or relational word for God which emphasises that He is a strong, faithful and promise-keeping God.

And that with ALL our heart and not half-heartedly. Do not doubt God and His promises.

 

2) Lean not unto thine own understanding

It is a contrast to the first statement. Don't lean on our own understanding but on the LORD's. Not our will but the LORD's. Not our wisdom but the LORD's. It takes humility. We acknowledge that God's way is the best. We want His will to be done and not ours.

 

3). In all thy ways acknowledge Him

Step by step, day by day acknowledge Him.IN ALL OUR WAYS...Factor Him into our plans so that He has the pre-eminence. Don't be like the one who says "To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil." (Jas 4:13-15) [Emphasis added]

 

4). And He shall direct thy paths

This is a promise.

Where He will direct, He does not tell specifically and that is why we are to trust in Him. He only promises to direct our paths, step by step.

 

5). Be not wise in thine own eyes.

Prov 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

Be wise in the Lord and not in our own eyes.

Don't have a high view of ourselves and of our opinions. If it is not what God says, or is not supported by the Word of God, or is contrary to it, be not wise in our own eyes, depart from evil!
Don't be a fool. Fear God! Stand in awe because of Him. He knows exactly what is best for us.

All loving earthly fathers will only give what is good to their sons. How much more our heavenly Father, who gave His only Son for us that we might be redeemed and adopted to be His children. He wants to direct our path, trust in Him.

When we are wise in our own eyes, we are arrogant. Keep in mind that God's Word says, "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God." (Jas 4:6-7)

When we are wise in our own eyes, it is like kicking against the prick or goad, the sharp object used to prod the ox to move ahead.

Ten Questions to Discern the Will of God

Each will shed light to the right path to discern the will of God.

1) Are we depending on the Holy Spirit? He will lead and teach us His ways (Rom 8:14, 1 Jn 2:27).

2) Are we maintaining biblical standards and commitments and NOT compromising?

3) Will the proposed job, action or life partner, etc. improve or damage or dull our spiritual life? Will it impede our growth in the Word of God, and prayer life and love for God?

4) Is it lawful? 1Cor 6:12 "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."

5) Is it enslaving? Does it bring glory to God?

6) Is it beneficial? 1Cor 10:23 "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not."

7) Is it consistent with biblical examples?

8) How will the proposed action impact other people for Christ?

9) Is our action affected by negative peer pressure or God's Truth?

10) How will it impact our use of time?

 

Three Things Needed to Discern God's Will

1) Faith. Trust God that He has a good, acceptable and perfect will and He will lead us into it if we trust and seek Him.Ps 37:3 "Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."

2) Obedience of faith. When the Lord reveals His will to us, be obedient even if it seems 'evil'. Never pray for something that God prohibits; He will not go against His law.

3) Patience. It often takes time. Don't rush it. Wait on the Lord (Psa 27:14) and He will make everything beautiful in His time (Ecc 3:11).