This is nothing new, just a review.  

Matthew 22:14 because many are invited {or called}, but few are chosen.”

Then I realize this will be a lifetime commitment to follow the Way of Life that Jesus offered us.  It is a lifetime of overcoming.  To endure until the end.

Matthew 24:13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

• I’m “old” now (currently 77 years old)
• still wrestle with doing His will in my life
• learn not just for that a young person, a lifelong pursuit, endurance,
• We need to stay in the exact center of His plan for our life.

May I ask, how can we know God’s plan for our lives? 

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece, created in the Messiah Jesus to perform good actions that God prepared long ago to be our Way of Life.

Proverbs 10:17 He who keeps instruction is in the Way of Life, But he who refuses correction goes astray.

Jeremiah 21:8 “Now you shall say to this people, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I set before you the Way of Life and the Way of Death.

This verse tells me that God has something He wants me to do and it tells us, because we are Christians, that there is something that God wants all of us to do as well.

First, the Father’ wants each of us to be saved, which is important to each of us.

John 3:16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his unique Son so that everyone who believes in him might not be lost but have eternal life.

The Father wants us to live as a model for the world to see.

1 Peter 2:15 For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.

Over the past years that we have been in, Jesus’ ministry, we have seen there are some vital keys to knowing God’s will. Let’s looks at a few of them.

We need to walk with God

If we are truly interested in knowing God’s plan for our lives, then we must learn to walk with Lord Jesus. We need to develop a relationship with Jesus. Christianity is all about relationship rather than just religion.

So we must work on our relationship with Lord Jesus. We must seek to know Him and not just seek to know about Him.  We need to listen to the Scriptures and share things, align with His will and walk in His Way of Life and our focus should be on Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not depend on your own understanding. (6) In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

Deuteronomy 8:6 Observe the commands of the LORD your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him,

We can build that relationship best by spending time in His Word, taking time for mediation and prayer, and taking every opportunity to be in service to others.

John 4:34 Jesus told them, “My food is doing the will of the one who sent me and completing his work.

1 John 2:6 The one who says that he abides in him must live the same way he himself lived.

When we walk with the Lord, we draw closer to the Lord with all our heart. He becomes our focus. Our desire to have fellowship with Christ and be like Him will grow while our worldly desires will decrease. 

Our will needs to match God’s will

Many times, when we say we are seeking God’s will, what we are really wanting to say to God is this: “OK, God, here’s what I’m planning to do.

Now I need you to rubber stamp this, all right?” I must tell you that this is not really effective in finding His true 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. God will likely be slow to show you His plan if He knows you will likely not do that plan anyway.

Romans 12:1-2 I therefore urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercies, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God, for this is the reasonable way for you to worship. (2) Do not be conformed to this world, but continually be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God’s will is; what is proper, pleasing, and perfect.

Jesus was willing to die for us, so shouldn’t we be willing to live for Him? When we surrender to Him, that is when He really begins to direct our steps.

Obey what you already know to be God’s Will

Most Christians would like to know what God’s plan is for their lives, but they overlook the fact that 98% of His will is already shown in the Scriptures if we read and study His Word. Jesus is very clear about many, many aspects of His will.

A Life Pleasing to God

1 Thessalonians 4:1-3 Now then, brothers, you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God, as in fact you are doing. We ask and encourage you in the Lord to do so even more. (2) You know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. (3) For it is God’s will that you be sanctified: You must abstain from sexual immorality.

1 Thessalonians 4:4-5 Each of you must know how to control his own body in a holy and honorable manner, (5) not with passion and lust like the gentiles who do not know God.

This has happen to us in the past

1 Thessalonians 4:6-7 Furthermore, you must never take advantage of or exploit a brother in this regard, because the Lord avenges all these things, just as we already told you and warned you. (7) For God did not call us to be impure, but to be holy.

1 Thessalonians 4:8-9 Therefore, whoever rejects this instruction is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. (9) Now you do not need anyone to write to you about brotherly love, since you have been taught by God to love each other.

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? Obedience is an important first step.

We need advice from God

One key component to finding God’s will is to seek the input of righteous advisors in your life.

Proverbs 19:20 Listen to advice and accept discipline, and you’ll be wise for the rest of your life.

Isaiah 55:6-7 “Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. (7) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous person his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD, So he’ll have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he’ll pardon abundantly.

Think of it this way: we should understand that, if you choose to surround yourself with God fearing advisors, they will be instrumental in helping us to discern God’s plan for our life. But if we surround yourself with people who are far from God, your hope of finding His best for our life will be greatly hurt.

Proverbs 11:14 Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

The church body is designed to help us greatly with this.

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us continue to consider how to motivate one another to love and good deeds, (25) not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another even more as you see the day of the Lord coming nearer.

What type of personality did God give us

God has created you to fulfill a specific role in this world. There is no one else who can achieve completely what God has purposely created you to do.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

The Apostle Peter gives us this instruction:

1 Peter 4:10 As good servant managers of God’s grace in its various forms, serve one another with the gift each of you has received.

God has gifted every one of us to perform a special mission for which we alone were created. How amazing is that? Wow!

So, when we seek to discover God’s will for our life, pay attention to how He has gifted you. His plan for you will always be directly related to the gifts that He has bestowed upon you.

The great news is that you will become good at whatever it is that He has called you to do!

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit, (5) and there are varieties of ministries, but the same Lord. (6) There are varieties of results, but it is the same God who produces all the results in everyone.

1 Corinthians 12:7-8 To each person has been given the ability to manifest the Spirit for the common good. (8) To one has been given a message of wisdom by the Spirit; to another the ability to speak with knowledge according to the same Spirit; 

1 Corinthians 12:9-11 (9) to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit; (10) to another working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another the ability to distinguish between spirits; to another various kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages. (11) But one and the same Spirit produces all these results and gives what he wants to each person.

{Holy Spirit know what gift is best for our personality for each of us}

What is the greatest gift the Father, can give us?  The Holy Spirit.

Luke 11:13 So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who keep asking him!”

God’s Holy Spirit will let us know 

God wants to speak to us.  How, by prayer and by reading the Scriptures.  Prayer is a two-way conversation, a fellowship with the Father and is how we have access to God’s very presence. 

Hebrews 10:19-20 Therefore, my brothers, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, (20) the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)

Jesus tells us:

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.

The Apostle Paul tells us: 

Romans 8:14-15 For all who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s children. (15) For you have not received a spirit of slavery that leads you into fear again. Instead, you have received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

God speaks to us through Scriptures which is why we should read it daily.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (17) so that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good action.

What does our heart say

In addition to listening to the Spirit, I also recommend listening to your heart. To understand this, let’s look at:

Psalms 37:4-5 Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (5) Commit your way to the LORD; Trust him, and he will act.

When I am close to Jesus, He lets me do many really cool things that I actually love to do!

When we are close to Him, He actually begins to shape my desire so that I desire the things that He has already called me to do.

I have fun in life, mainly peace when I am doing God’s will.

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of the Messiah also rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body, and be thankful.

Philippians 4:7 Then God’s peace, which goes far beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your hearts and minds in union with the Messiah Jesus.

John 14:27 I am leaving you at peace. I am giving you my own peace. I am not giving it to you as the world gives. So don’t let your hearts be troubled, and don’t be afraid.

What are our circumstances like

• God often clearly demonstrates His plan for our lives by lining up circumstances in obvious ways.
• We know God is pretty good at opening and closing doors.
• We are to be content with where we are today. 

Matthew 6:25 “That’s why I’m telling you to stop worrying about your life; what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body; what you will wear. Life is more than food, isn’t it, and the body more than clothing?

Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds in the sky. They don’t plant or harvest or gather food into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. You are more valuable than they are, aren’t you?

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for God has said, “I will never leave you or abandon you.“     {Be content} 

The Father wants us to live grateful lives focused on God’s blessings. We shouldn’t be known as complainers.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 In everything be thankful, because this is God’s will for you in the Messiah Jesus.

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

Of course, this does not mean that every open door is definitely God’s plan, but it does help to give us some basic direction. 

A Closing Thought: 

Science says that we need at least 4 basic elements to survive.

Water, Air, Food, Light 

What does the Scriptures tells us.  

1. Water: Jesus said: I am the Living Water {John 7:37-39, John 4:10}
2. Air: Jesus said: I am the Breath of Life {Genesis 2:7; Revelation 11:11}
3. Food: Jesus said: I am the Bread of Life {John 6:35}
4. Light: Jesus said: I am the light of the World {John 8:12}

Yes, science was right, we do need these 4 items to Live

The next time we begin to ponder God’s plan for our life, I would encourage us to mediate on what we just covered by reading our Bible, prayer, in other words, soak God’s thinking into your mind.

Let’s use these principles to help us to understand the Father’s plan for each of us. Remember, God will work at His pace, not ours. 

We need to be satisfied to just “wait” on God and His timing.  And when we seek His will earnestly, we will find it!  It is a lifetime of overcoming.