Are You In the Center of God’s Will? (Part 4)

Sermon Notes: 16 Oct 2022

Allow me to ask you two difficult questions:

Are you in the center of God’s will?

What exactly is God’s will for your life?

Romans 12:1-2 (nlt)

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Jeremiah 29:11 (nlt)

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

How can we know God’s will for our lives?

1. WALK with God.

You must have and develop a relationship with Christ. How?

Trust in Christ as your Savior
Spend time in God’s Word
Take time for prayer
Take every opportunity to be involved in your local church ministries and Bible studies

Proverbs 3:5-6 (nlt)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

6 Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.

2. SURRENDER your will to God’s will.

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.

Romans 12:1-2 (nlt)

3. OBEY what you already know to be God’s will.

Turn in your Bible and read the following Old Testament passage of Scripture with me – 1 Samuel 15:1-23.

I Samuel 15:22 (nlt)

But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.

1 Samuel 15:22 (Msg)

Do you think all God wants are sacrifices—empty rituals just for show?

He wants you to listen to him! Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production.

Not doing what God tells you is far worse than fooling around in the occult.

Getting self-important around God is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors.

Because you said No to God’s command, he says No to your kingship.

Many people seem to want to know what God’s plan is for their lives, but they overlook the fact that 98% of His will is already spelled out carefully through His Word.

4. SEEK Godly advice

If we do not obey the things that God has shown us clearly to be His will, why would we think He would reveal any further information regarding His plan for our lives?

You are basically a composite of the five people with whom you spend the most time.

Proverbs 11:14 (kjv)

Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

5. PAY ATTENTION to how God has wired you

1 Peter 4:10 (ncv)

Each of you has received a gift to use to serve others. Be good servants of God’s various gifts of grace.

God has gifted every one of us to perform a special mission for which we alone were created.

6. LISTEN to the Holy Spirit

John 10:27 (kjv)

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

7. LISTEN to your HEART

Psalm 37:4 (nkjv)

Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

8. LOOK at your circumstances

Acts 16:6-10 (nlt)

6 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.

7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there.

8 So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.

9 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!”

10 So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.

God often uses closed doors to show us clearly what He does NOT want us to do.
He also uses open doors at times to show us what He DOES want us to do.