How Can I Hear From God
Now I told you that I heard God speak to my spirit. How do I know it was God? First and foremost I have to line it up with the Word. There will never be a discrepancy between God and his Word. So God will not tell you have an affair, take money that is not yours or lie, etc.
Its important to read your Bible daily so that you know what it says. The answers to most everything are there! He will most likely answer you through scripture.
- It gives us perspective. We dont want to make decisions from a worldly view, but a heavenly one.
- It gives us peace. We dont want to make decisions from fear.
- It gives us a personal relationship with God. We can make decisions with godly wisdom!
- It is our weapon against spiritual warfare. This prevents making decisions from confusion.
Take time making decisions. Sit in prayer. Sit in silence. Wait upon the Lord. Plan to obey when you do hear from him.
That time spent in prayer is not wasted. It builds a faithful relationship seeing an answer over time, seeing he has a plan and that his timing is best. What we learn during that time is valuable!
What To Do With Truth
Life is full of the unexpected, good and bad. God is trustworthy in all situations. His Word is a way for Him to communicate all He desires for you to navigate life. Explore His promises through His Word.
These verses are a great place to start. But the truth of Gods Word becomes much richer when you study it in context. Take these verses and go back to the Bible. Read the chapters they are found in for deeper insight. Read this article for tips on studying the Bible.
God Is A Source Of Courage
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.
This verse appears at a crucial moment in the history of Gods people. Having spent 40 years living in the wilderness, they are about to enter the land God Has promised to them, but they expect to face a fierce fight for that land.
God is always with you no matter what you face. He does not command you to be courageous in your own strength. Take courage in the knowledge of His presence and power with you.
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Submission Is The Will Of God
Submitting to authority is Gods will for every believer. This may be tough if youre underneath the authority of an obstinate, obnoxious, or overbearing person at home, church, government, school, or at work. But God wants us to be humble like Jesus and obey our earthly authorities, because it draws the lost to Christ.
Submission requires humility, meekness, and spiritual discipline. Our flesh wont like it, but God has given us His Spirit to be able to obey His word, for His glory.
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.
If we want to be in Gods will for our lives, we have to obey His word, walk in His ways, and surrender our own will. And we must do that with the right heart attitude.
Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
What Does The Will Of God Mean
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven .
Jesus taught the disciples to pray for Gods will to be done, and by extension, He is teaching us the same thing. The will of God consists of things that are in line with Gods plan and purpose. Simply stated, it is the things that God wants, and God is unafraid to communicate these things to us. For example, the Bible tells us that it is Gods will that none would perish , and we understand this to mean that salvation for everyone is what God wants. Throughout history, we see that God reveals His will to all who truly seek Him.
Scripture gives us many clear examples of God revealing His will to people such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Gideon, and many others. Henry Blackaby has written that with all these examples, the pattern was the same. 1) He came to them 2) He revealed His planned activity 3) They believed Him and adjusted their lives to Him 4) they obeyed Him and 5) They experienced God doing His will through them. God still comes to us and speaks to us through prayer and through His Word, and enables us to adjust our lives to Him and see His will lived out in us.
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When People Speak Of Gods Will What Do They Mean
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God .
We often speak of a desire for Gods will to be done in many of the big decisions in our lives: asking His guidance in who we marry, where we live, where we work, and for the salvation of those we love. These are perfectly good places to seek out His will, and He is glorified when we pray for His will to be done in us. However, we must be aware that He may not answer when we expect or in the way that we expect.
God reveals much of His will for us in verses like Micah 6:8, which teaches us that He wills for us to be humble, merciful, and just. It isnt some great mystical discovery, but it is exactly what we need to do in order do see, understand, and do His will.
As we pray for Gods will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, we must accept that His will may not look like our will. Perhaps the most astonishing example of Gods will being different from our own comes from Jesus Himself on the night He was betrayed.
Christ The Wisdom And Power Of God
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.19 For it is written,
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.
20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Footnotes
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Let God Make Your Way
Commit your way to the LORD trust in Him, and He will act.
You may not understand the difficult or uncertain situation you find yourself in, but God does. His track record in your life and in the Bible is one of faithfulness. If you give your life to Him, you can rest assured that He will keep up His end of the bargain. God cannot lie, so when He says that He will act on your behalf, you can believe Him.
Bible Verses About Discovering Gods Will
At some point, most Christians wrestle with questions about Gods will. These questions often arise when we have to make critical decisions about school, marriage, or our vocation. Being unsure of what God expects and how we fit into His plan can often cause feelings of paralysis: what if you make the wrong choice?
As we read through biblical passages about Gods will, we discover that as we grow closer to God, His will comes into focus. In the meantime, the Lord has expressed His will for us, and these are things we can focus on as we make plans.
Lets take a look at 20 Bible verses about finding Gods will.
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What Does The Nt Say About Gods Will
As we seek to understand what Scripture reveals about Gods will, its important to keep in mind the big picture that Scripture reveals about our purpose as human beings. Scripture reveals that God created us, in the first place, to be in relationship with him, and with each other. Jesus said that the greatest commandment of all is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourself . As we consider texts that speak more specifically of Gods will, its important to remember the overarching purpose of our lives: loving God and loving people.
Second, Scripture reveals that well need wisdom as we seek to discern Gods will, because there will be times we just wont know why some things have happened . Its equally important to acknowledge that, although God is always sovereignly at work, not everything that happens in this world or in our lives is the direct will of God. Gods will includes provision for human freedom, for example. Living in a broken world, we struggle against spiritual enemies and real evil. Thankfully, God is always at work to bring redemption out of our brokenness . So, as we seek to make wise choices, there are some helpful principles we can rely on, as well as practical questions we can ask, but we also need to remember that there will always be some things we simply wont know this side of heaven.
Bible Verses About Guidance / Finding Gods Will For Your Life
What does the Bible say about guidance and finding Gods will? More than you might expect. Enjoy this sampling of Bible verses, quotes, and suggested resources on seeking Gods guidance.
While the Bible may not specifically direct you on who to marry, what college to attend, or which career path to choose, it does share everything you need to follow His leading in life.
May the rich truths of the Scriptures below cause your heart to rejoice in the grace and help of our Lord!
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God Wills We Avoid Sexual Immorality
It is Gods will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God.
When we think about Gods will, we tend to think about big questions like, What does God want me to do for a living? But there are many areas where God has already revealed His will for us, and when we are attentive to those areas, the others become a little easier to discern.
The first step to discerning Gods will is to obey Him in the things Hes already communicated to us.
Bible Verses To Encourage You
Concordia University Texas is a Christ-centered community it’s our first core value. We strive to be a place where Christ is honored and all are welcome. During these unprecedented times, CTX is committed to supporting students in their academics and their faith.
Here’s a message from CTX President Don Christian:
We pray that the following Bible verses will encourage you and remind you of the hope we have in Christ.
Note: Unless otherwise indicated, the following verses are from the English Standard Version Bible.
John 16:33
“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart I have overcome the world.”
Isaiah 41:10
“So do not fear, for I am with you do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Philippians 4:67
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 34:45, 8
I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.
Joshua 1:9
Matthew 6:3134
Proverbs 3:56
Romans 15:13
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Not My Will But The Will Of The One Who Sent Me
For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Fathers will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.
Jesuss entire life was marked by a steady inclination to do Gods will. Nothing would distract or deter Him from fulfilling what God had called Him to do. This is a critical mindset for us to have, even when we dont have complete clarity on Gods plans. We need to be committed to being obedient to what we know. And as we obey, the next steps become more explicit.
What Is Gods Will And What Is Free Will
I read a book about Gods will and it said that theres no use even praying or asking others to pray for decisions in your life because its up to you. The author said God doesnt necessarily care who you marry, what school you go to, what house you buy etc. I threw the book away. I believe thats contrary to what the Bible says and contrary to my own testimony.
How could one say God doesnt doesnt care about major moments in our lives? The God who knows the number of hairs on our heads and collects our tears in a bottle doesnt care about our loved ones, our dreams, our goals or life events? Impossible.
God is in the details. He is in ALL of the details. He is the reason a fern unfurls at a perfect 2:3 ratio. The reason the earth orbits at the perfect distance from the sun. The reason a 3 billion letter code exists in the human cell. God laid the foundations of the earth and sustains them.
I think the confusion comes when we need to make decisions. What if I make the wrong decision and am outside Gods will? How will I know which way he wants me to go?
Several years ago I faced a dilemma, and as I prayed to God I felt him speak to my spirit. He said Child, if I went to all this trouble for free will, dont you think I would give you a choice?
Sometimes when there is a choice to make there is no right or wrong answer. It can simply be a matter of preference.
Sometimes there are choices that right and wrong. And the primary way we know Gods will is through the Bible.
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How To Pray To Follow Gods Will For Our Lives
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us .
We can pray in confidence for Gods will to be done in us. We can ask Him to reveal Himself to us by the power of the Holy Spirit through prayer and His Word. We follow the example of Colossians 4:12, which reveals that early believers fervently prayed Gods will for one another Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
In the same way, I pray that you will find Gods will where He has revealed it to you through His Word and through time spent with Him in prayer. I pray that your relationship with God be intimate, that your faith may be strengthened, your heart deeply rooted in the truth that is only found in Christ, and that your mind would be fully renewed by His love and mercy. I ask that you would stand firm, fully trusting in God and faithfully following Him, even when you cannot see beyond the next step. May you seek to live out love, justice and humility in all of your relationships, and in so doing be prepared and ready to live out Gods good and perfect will. I pray that as you seek Him, you will find Him and that His will be accomplished in you. Amen.