Lesson #8: THE WILL OF GOD

“How Do I Find God’s Will for My Life?”

A famous preacher once said a successful man is a man who finds out what God wants him to accomplish with his life and then fulfills it. This is a very profound statement. The true measure of a person’s success is not social status, a bank account, influence, or fame. It is simply doing what God wants.

The purpose of this lesson is to give you a clear understand-

ing of what the will of God is, as revealed in the Bible, so you can begin to accomplish those things that are important to Him.

1. Understand the difference between God’s will and God’s plan.

1. The will of God concerns our spiritual development.

It is never connected with a set of rules, a geographical

location, or a specific ministry.

2. The plan of God concerns our spiritual deployment.

God has a specific plan for you as an individual. This plan

is the specific directions God will give in the circumstances

of your life.

2. Understand the biblical dimension of God’s will.

1. God wills specific things for your life.

1. I Thessalonians 4:3-7 - We are to live holy lives.

God desires our sanctification.

2. II Peter 3:9 - We are to be witnesses as we under-

stand God is not willing that any should perish.

All lost people are out of the will of God regardless

of what else they may do.

3. I Thessalonians 5:18 - We are to give thanks in

everything.

4. I Peter 2:13-15 We are to submit to every ordinance

of man. However this must be balanced by the next

point.

5. Romans 12:1-2 - We are not to be conformed to this

world but transformed by the renewing of our minds.

(Submission to the ordinances of man is to maintain

a proper testimony to lead others to Christ. At the

same time, your life is to be transformed to live by

a higher standard to please God.)

6. Ephesians 6:5-8 - We are to serve those in authority from

the heart, with pure motives, as if we are serving Jesus

Christ.

7. Ephesians 5:15-17 - We are to redeem the time. Quit

wasting time! Make use of the small amount God has

given you.

B. God’s will for every believer is to be conformed to the

image of the Lord Jesus Christ and can be summarized

as follows.

1. I Timothy 2:3-4 SALVATION

2. I Peter 4:1-2 SANCTIFICATION

3. Ephesians 1:3-5 GLORIFICATION

3. Understand God’s direction in your life by the three resources

He has provided.

1. He has given you the Holy Spirit to indwell you and

direct your life.

Galatians 5:25; John 16:13; I Corinthians 2:9-10

2. He has given you the Word of God as your absolute

authority in every detail of life. You must learn to

saturate your mind with God’s thoughts.

Philippians 2:5; Romans 12:1-2; Isaiah 55:6-11

3. He has given you the local church which is organized to

equip you for life and ministry. Through other believers

He provides you wise counsel.

Ephesians 4:11-12

4. Understand God’s priority in the details of your life.

1. Obedience to God’s will is more important than the

discovery of God’s plan.

You must be in conformity to the will of God before

He will direct you in the specifics of life. Your priority

should be to fulfill the will of God in your daily life

and then trust Him to guide you in the detailed plan,

step by step.

2. God is more interested in what you are than in what you

do.

He is infinitely more interested in your being the type

of person He wants you to be rather than your doing

“mighty works for Him.” Be what He wants you to be

and he will show you what to do.

Philippians 2:13

5. Basic questions

1. Why doesn’t God reveal all the details of His direction

for me now?

1. It would overwhelm you before you got started.

2. You may not be equipped to handle it now. God will

reveal what you can handle when you are ready.

3. You may not be the type of person God wants you to

be yet.

4. God wants you to be patient as He works in your life

spiritually. As time goes on and you begin to grow

in your Christian walk, your interests, talents and desires

will grow and change. This is illustrated by the old

questions asked of children, “What do you want to be

when you grow up?” If all the five-year olds in America

were surveyed on this question, then forced to stick with

their answer, in 20 years there would be nothing but

firemen, policemen, and nurses. Be patient and

consistent in fulfilling God’s will for your life.

He will be faithful to guide.

B. Why does God allow seemingly “bad” things to happen

in my life?

1. Occasionally things happen in a Christian’s life which

do not appear to be good.

1. God will allow suffering in the lives of His children

to perfect them, although He would prefer they did

not have to suffer.

I Peter 3:15-18, 5:10; II Corinthians 12:6-10

2. From Lesson 1, we learned our Heavenly Father will

never make a mistake as He deals with His children.

Matthew 7:11; Romans 8:28

2. God allows all of us to make our own choices in life - both

good and bad.

1. We have a free will.

Revelation 22:17

2. God will not force anyone to do anything. God offers

salvation and lays down the principles for a godly

life. However, if we exercise our free will and reject

salvation, the result is suffering the consequences.

Galatians 6:7-8