We are deep into looking at discovering God’s will and how to know His will for your personal and unique life. Let’s start with this thought…

God’s will is more concerned about your “who” than your “do.” God wants you to “be” in His will, not just “do” His will. Listen carefully, who you are determines what you do. Your behavior and decisions are a reflection of who you are. Your character determines your choices. Who you are influences what you do. Someone once said, “When a person behaves a certain, believe them.”  This is why God’s will is more concerned about your “who” than your “do.” If you get the “who” right, then you will get the “do” right. Let me show you what I mean from God’s Word.

God’s word says in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, “God’s will is for you to be holy [then God gives us an example], so stay away from all sexual sin” (NLT). God’s will is for you to be holy (that the “who”) so that you can be sexually pure (that’s the “do”). That’s who God wants you to be. He wants you to be holy because God knows that who you are will determine what you do and how you behave. If you are holy in your mind and heart then you will make holy decisions, like sexual purity. Your “who” will determine what you “do.” God’s will is more concerned about your “who” than your “do.” If you get the “who” right, then you get the “do” right.

God’s word says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (NLT). God’s will is more concerned about your “who” than your “do.” God wants you to “be” in His will, not just “do” His will. God’s will is for you to “be thankful” that’s the “who.” Who are you? You are a thankful person and because you are a grateful person you will see a way to have gratitude “in all circumstances.” You will not be a complainer, whiner, or have a victim mentality.  If you get the “who” right, then you will get the “do” right. If you get the “who” wrong, then you will get the “do” wrong. God’s will is more concerned about your “who” than your “do.”

Even though we are seeking God’s will about what He wants us to do, we must not forget that God is more concerned about who you are than what you do. This is one reason why God’s Word tells us things like… be holy, be thankful, be kind, be loving, be forgiving, be strong, be patient, and be joyful. God’s will is not only concerned about what you do, but who you are. God wants your behavior to be in His will, but He also wants your heart to be in His will.

The five filters of determining God’s will and what He wants you to do in your personal life are these.

  • The first one is Principles: What does God’s Word say? Does God’s word say anything about the decision I need to make? We look at this one in detail last week.
  • Number two, People: What do God’s people say? God’s word tells us to get advice, to get counsel, and to listen to wise people. Who do you need to talk to get good information regarding the decision you are making.
  • Number three, Providence: What does your circumstances say? Is it the right time? Is your situation in life telling you to move forward with this decision or to wait?
  • Number four, Peace: What does your conscience say? Do you have a peace about the decision you are trying to make? Do you have a clear conscience before others and God about this decision?
  • Finally, last but not least is Prayer: What are you hearing from God? Prayer is talking to God and listening to God. You are going to be asking God and talking to God and listening to God through all these filters.

Pay attention. What I’m about to say is extremely important. All five of these filters for God’s will, will agree with each other. If you are going through these and one of them says “no” then you have your answer. God does not want you to do it. They will not contradict each other. If it’s God’s will all five will be telling you the same thing. The Holy Spirit is going to use all five to tell you the same thing. If four out five of these agree and one of them disagree with the others, then it’s a no. Depending on that “no” it may mean wait, not right now.

We already looked at Principles: What does God’s Word say? So let’s move on to the next filter.  

People: What do God’s people say?

The second filter is People: What do God’s people say? This is where you get needed advice and good counsel.

  • Proverbs 12:15 says, “Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others” (NLT). Some people think their way is right even when it’s wrong. They keep making the same poor decision over and over, but they think it’s the right one, even when they keep getting the same bad results. This is true in finances, relationships, health, ministry, and so on. But the wise listen to others. But the wise will hear what others have to say and take it seriously. When you listen to others you get another perspective and more insight. God gives wisdom through others. God speaks through others. God’s will is often revealed through others.
  • Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success” (NLT). What plans do you have? Do you have plans to be financially free? Plans to have a healthy and vibrate marriage? Plans to train up confident children? Plans to grow a ministry? Plans to be healthy? One of the reasons your plans are not working out is because of the lack of advice. However, many advisors bring success. Seek God’s will through getting many advisors about financial freedom, about marriage, about training up children, about being healthy, about being single, or about growing a ministry. God speaks through and guides you through many advisors. God uses many advisors to reveal His will for you.
  • Proverbs 20:18 says, “Plans succeed through good counsel” (NLT). God says, “If you want your plans to succeed get good counsel.” Listen to others.

God is telling you to get advice and talk to others. God talks through His people. Think about this truth: Get advice from people who are where you want to be. But also, get advice from people who will tell you the truth and challenge you. If you want to be a strong, confident, and godly person… then get advice from one. If you want to be a better caregiver of your spouse who has dementia, get advice from those who have already traveled that road.

  • If you are thinking about marrying someone, study God’s Word and see what God has to say about it in His Word. If you think you have found Mr. or Mrs. Right go and talk to some godly people and get their advice. What do they think about the person? What do they think about you getting married now?
  • If you are thinking about getting involved in a ministry, study God’s Word about it, and go get some godly advice. Your counsel may affirm what you are sensing or they may say you are way off or they may say you need to wait.
  • If you are having difficulties with your health, study God’s Word on health and then listen to advice from others regarding your health concerns and some possible changes you might need to make.

This applies to every area of your life. What job you should take, what college you should go to, who you should date, who you let your kids hangout with, how you manage your time, how you lead, how you follow, buying a house, buying a car, etc.

Providence: What do my circumstances say?

A third filter to determine God’s will for your life is God’s Providence: What do my circumstances say? What is going on around you? What is happening in your world right now? God’s providence involves His timing and provision in your life. God’s providence and circumstances can involve a lot of things like…

  • Your age: There are some things you cannot do at 13 that God wants you to wait on until you are 31. God’s Word has various instructions to various age groups and how they should behave and things they should focus on. God’s providence caused you to be born when you were born and you are the age you are now.
  • Your gender: Male or female. Even though we are created equally, we have different roles given to us by God. God’s Word has specific instructions for men and women, for husbands and wives, and for fathers and mothers. God’s providence decided that you would be either a woman or a man. That is part of your circumstances.
  • Your marital status: You are either single and never married, single but divorced, married, widowed and God’s Word addresses all those difference scenarios. You find yourself in one of those circumstances. In some cases, that matters.
  • Your health: Your health can often be a determining factor of where you serve or what God has planned for you.
  • Your financial status: If you have a limited amount of income vs being very wealthy can have an impact on what God would have you to do. Those are your circumstances.
  • Your spiritual maturity: Where you are spiritually. Are you a spiritual infant or are you fully mature as a follower of Jesus?

Listen up… Your circumstances are a clue to what God would have you to do. Don’t ignore the circumstances in your life. God will use them to help guide you through your decision.

Now pay attention to this… by God’s providence, your circumstances will put you in the right place at the right time with the right resources for you to hear and accomplish God’s will for your life and to allow you to make a decision to follow God’s direction.

Let me show you from the Bible how circumstances can affect you and determining God’s will.

Nehemiah’s circumstances

  • Let me give you an example from God’s word from the life of Nehemiah. Let’s look at his circumstances and how God used it in his life and led him to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem.
  • Right place: He was a cup bearer for the king. He was well trusted. Because of his position, he had contacts that would help him later.
  • Right time: He was in the throne room with the king when someone approached the king and gave a horrible report about the walls and city of Jerusalem and people of God scattered.
  • Right resources: Through his connections he had access to the King’s lumber yard and construction material.
  • His conscience: It broke his heart. He was moved with compassion and grief. His conscience would not let him rest until he did what was right.
  • His prayer: He went to God about this and sensed God wanted him to lead a building campaign to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Which he eventually did.
  • You actually see five filters of God’s will in Nehemiah’s life in rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem. God spoke to him, he confided in people, his conscience, his circumstances, and he had a peace to move forward.
  • God used the circumstances in Nehemiah’s life to guide him where he needed to be and to do what he needed to do.

By God’s providence, your circumstances will put you in in the right place at the right time with the right resources for you to hear God’s will for your life and to allow you to make a decision to follow God’s direction. God will often use the circumstances in your life to guide you into His will. Pay attention to what God is doing right in front of you and around you. God is always at work. His providence is always active.

Let me give you a warning. Never determine God’s will based only on circumstances. You can easily misinterpret your circumstances if you don’t filter them through God’s word and godly counsel as well.

Peace: What does my conscience say?

The fourth filter to help you determine God’s will for your life is Peace: what does my conscience say? This is an often-overlooked aspect of seeking God’s will. Often times you will hear someone say, “I have peace about this.” What they usually mean is they have a clear conscience about it. They have a clear conscience about what they are going to do or say. Even if what they are going to do is difficult or scary, they have a peace about it. God gave you a conscience, and His Holy Spirit uses your conscience to let you know what you are doing is either right or wrong. God uses your conscience to guide you into His will for your life.

You will hear people refer to their conscience when they say things like…

  • I have peace about going into the mission field.
  • I have peace about buying this house.
  • I have peace about leaving my job and taking the new one.
  • I have peace about adopting these children.
  • I have peace with giving this money.
  • I have peace about leaving this relationship.
  • I have peace about going to this college.

The Bible has a lot to say about our conscience. Let me show you this in God’s Word. The apostle Paul would refer to his conscience a lot.

Look at Romans 9:1, “With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it” (NLT). This explains why Paul was willing to be beaten, stoned, imprisoned and eventually killed for the cause of Christ. He was willing to sacrifice everything in order to make disciples of Christ. He was so dedicated and committed to reaching the lost and making disciples that if it were possible he would give up his own salvation for the salvation of others. He had a clear conscience about what he was doing and how he was doing it. He was right in the center of God’s will and his conscience knew it! Let me say that again, when you are in the center of God’s will, your conscience knows it. When you are out of God’s will, your conscience knows it as well. When you are trying to make a tough decision, God will use your conscience to point you in the right direction.

Look at what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:12, “We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings” (NLT). Paul had to make some tough decisions and say some things that stung some people. But he knew he was doing what God wanted him to do because he had a clear conscience about it. He had an inner peace about it. He knew that what he did and what he said some people would not immediately understand it or like it and he was okay with that. When you are in the center of God’s will, your conscience knows it.

When you have a clear conscience about what you are doing you will sense the Holy Spirit more deeply, you will have more confidence, and you will experience a greater level of authenticity and sincerity in what you are doing. God uses your conscience to guide you further into His personal will for your life.  

Conclusion

You are seeking God’s will about a decision in your life.

  • You have looked into God’s Word and it gave you some direction.
  • Then you got good advice and good counsel about your decision and God’s Word, and good counsel agreed with each other.
  • Then you are looked at your circumstances and situation, and it seems like the timing and the resources are all there and it agrees with God’s Word and good counsel.
  • Then you evaluated your conscience.
  • Your conscience is clear and confident, and you are at peace with what God is telling you to do.
  • The first four filters in determining God’s will are all agreeing.

But we have one more filter we will look at next week, but until then I want to ask you this question. Where are you waiting for a sign when God has already given you a step? When you hear God say to you through His Word, “Be holy” or “Be thankful” or “Be kind” or Be loving,” then go ahead and take the next step in being holy or being thankful while you are seeking His will through counsel, and through your circumstances. Where are you waiting for a sign when God has already given you a step?