I. Was Paul In God’s Will?
A. Some Say No; He Should Not Have Gone To Jerusalem
1. Some say he was blinded by his love for the Jews. See Romans 9:1-4a
2. Some say that he disregarded the prophetic warnings
3. He wanted desperately to reach the Jews w/ the gospel
4. Peter had preached to the commoners, but the religious Jews weren’t yet reached
5. Perhaps Paul thought he could reach his former colleagues
6. Perhaps Paul thought himself more “qualified” to reach them than was Peter
7. Perhaps he was so emotionally involved that he couldn’t be reasoned with
8. Acts 21:4 speaks strongly that this prophecy was by the Holy Spirit
B. Some Say He Was In God’s Will
1. Prophecies were given as warnings and preparations for difficulties
2. Paul was delivering a financial gift to Jewish Christians, in order to help unite the church; build a bridge between Gentile & Jewish Christians
3. Some say that it is wrong to accuse Paul of deliberate disobedience to God
a. It doesn’t have to be considered as deliberate disobedience
b. We can have the best motives in our desire to serve God
4. Paul may have thought that his friends were simply trying to protect him, and that they were out of God’s will in saying these things
5. His friends were being moved emotionally, but not spiritually
C. Godly People Disagree About God’s Will
D. Whatever The Case, God Worked It For Good
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
II. How To Know The Will Of God
A. Obey That Which Is Clearly Revealed Romans 12:1,2
1. Knowing God’s will begins by understanding what Jesus has done for us
a. Therefore…speaks of Romans 1-8
b. All mankind guilty before God & deserving of eternal judgment
c. God’s mercy & grace offers man salvation thru faith in Jesus’ sacrifice
2. Knowing God’s will comes through complete surrender to God
a. O.T. sacrifices were given to God, but were killed
b. We are to give ourselves to God, and to die to self-will
c. We are to view our lives NOT as ours, but as belonging to God
d. Following our self-will will keep us from knowing God’s will
e. Knowing God’s will means we don’t try to get God to approve our will
3. Don’t be conformed to this world
a. Conformed– to another’s pattern
b. This world is not neutral or tolerant
c. People insist on pushing through their value systems
d. Knowing God’s will means that we do not allow the world’s values to be the dominating influence in our lives
4. Be transformed by the Word
a. Transformed- metamorphoo-metamorphis
b. Renewing of the mind
c. As a caterpillar becomes a butterfly…
d. The mind renewed by God’s word is the path to the superior life
e. The renewed mind test every thought & idea by God’s word
f. 2 Corinthians 10: 4,5 4For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
i. How many live consumed by wrong thinking-wrong doing
g. Psalm 1:1-3 The person who lives by the Word prospers in everything
h. To the degree that we ignore the Word, we don’t prosper
i. If we live by God’s word, we prove God’s will is good, acceptable, perfect
i. Prove- dokimazo– to prove as genuine
5. Live a life of obedience. Obedience brings more understanding of God’s will
a. Obey what you know
b. Why would God disclose more of His will if we disobey what we know?
c. John 14:21 Knowing & keeping God’s word will receive more revelation
d. Philip- Acts 8. Obedience led to further understanding of God’s will
e. Disobedience brings only one revelation from God: Repent, change
B. Know God’s Will By Taking Time To Listen To God
1. We live in a noisy culture. We are addicted to noise, sound.
2. Believer’s Meetings- how awkward for us to sit in silence
3. We need a devotional life of quiet listening before the Lord
C. Know God’s Will By His Peace Colossians 3:15
1. Rule– to umpire. To call things safe or out.
2. Some questions we have re. God’s will are not clearly revealed in God’s word
3. We have these forks in the road that we must decide upon
4. Yogi Berra- “When you hit a fork in the road, take it.” (Not much help)
5. God’s peace can rule things safe or out.
6. If we are…
a. Obeying that which is clearly revealed
b. Having our minds renewed through Bible reading & study
c. Taking time to listen to the Lord. Quiet prayer, meditation, contemplation
d. God will give us His peace about which direction to take
e. Be patient until you have peace to go in a direction. Go with the peace
D. Know God’s Will By Receiving His Wisdom James 3:13-18
1. Test your motives. (The Wisdom Sifter)
2. Verse 14- What God’s will doesn’t look like.
God doesn’t lead us into His will when we are being driven by these emotions.
3. Verse 17- What God’s will does look like. These emotions lead to God’s will
E. Circumstances-Joseph Stay faithful where you are
F. Prophecy- Always test prophecy by the word of God
1. Prophecy should confirm what God has already planted in your heart
G. Seek God’s Will With Confidence James 1:5-8
1. God wants us to ask in faith.
2. He wants us in the center of His will more than we want it