Dave’s Monday Blast – February 15, 2016
We have spent the last three weeks exploring some practical keys to understanding God’s will for our lives. In review, here are the first six:
1. Walk with your God: We must seek to know Him and not just seek to know about Him.
2. Surrender your will to God’s: Before God will begin to reveal His will to you, you must be committed to doing whatever it is that HE desires for you to do.
3. Obey what you already know to be God’s will: His will is clearly delineated throughout His word so you must be obedient to His instructions.
4. Seek Godly input: Choose relationships carefully. Seek godly mentors and advisors.
5. Pay attention to how God has wired you: God has created and equipped you to fulfill a specific function for His Kingdom.
6. Listen to the Holy Spirit: You must create times of silence and solitude over prayer and the Word so the Spirit of God can speak to you and you are prepared to hear Him.
I wanted to expand on this idea briefly. When we spend consistent time in prayer and in the Word we need to be actively listening to the Spirit. I suggest that you have a notebook (yes. maybe paper and a pen) or some relevant electronic device, and write out things that you are seeking direction from the Lord over like the following:
“What is the next step in my ministry/service?”
“What is the next step in my relationship with my family?”
“What is the next step in my relationship with my bride?”
“What is the next step in my vocation?”
“What is the next step in my finances?”
“What is the next step in my education/training?”
“What is my next step in resolving a current conflict?”
Pastor Chris Russell says, “During your prayer time and Scripture reading, meditate on questions such as above. Expect God to begin flooding your heart with ideas and information regarding one or more of those questions. Write as fast as you can as He speaks to your heart. What a glorious experience it is to sense His Spirit on me, guiding my thoughts and words. Through experiences like this, He has shown me many times with great clarity what His will is for my life. I long for those experiences when He speaks to me like that. Those times are truly life changing.” That’s good isn’t it!
This is exactly what the writers of the Scriptures experienced as God moved upon them to pen the very words of God. In John10:27 Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” Don’t miss what He is saying: 1) We must first hear His voice. 2) Then we can follow Him. The order matters, and it begs these two questions:
Q. How do we hear His voice?
A. By INTENTIONALLY listening for it.
Q. Where is it spoken?
A. Through the Word and by the “STILL SMALL VOICE” (Holy Spirit).
We will finish up next week, but take the time this week for some silence and solitude before the Father.
