Speaker: Sis. Techie Rodriguez ,Elder, The Lord's Flcok Catholic Charismatic Community

“Finding God's Will - Part 2 ”

I ntroduction : T he first four keys to finding God's will were listed in the Volume 7, No. 48 issue ( January 25, 2006 ) of Growth Digest. They are the following:

1. TRUST IN THE LORD – When we have trust in the Lord and in his words and promises, we will find God's will.

2. KNOWING GOD – By hearing the word, we develop our faith. By studying the Holy Bible, we know more about God and find his will for us.

3. HUMILITY – By being humble like our Lord Jesus Christ, we discover God's will for us. Without humility in our heart, it is impossible to know God's plan for us.

4. PRAYER – Before doing anything else, we should seek God's help by praying. We listen faithfully to his answer and we will find his will.

Other Keys To Finding God's Will

T he two other important keys to finding God's will are the following:

5. ACTION (After Prayer)

A fter our prayer, we should act and “go forward”. “Then the Lord said to Moses ‘Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward.' ” (Exodus 14:15).

God Gives Us More Than What We Ask In Prayers

G od is able to give far more than what we are asking in prayers . “Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine, by the power at work within us.” (Ephesians 3:20).

W hen God gives us the answer to “go forward” and walk with the Lord, let us do so and stride together with him. We should neither walk ahead of God, nor walk behind. Let us walk hand-in-hand with the Holy Spirit.

When We Do Not Receive What We Ask In Prayers

S ometimes, what we ask in prayer, we do not receive. This happens when our motivation for praying is selfish and wrong. “You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:3). Let us examine our motives and avoid selfish enjoyment.

When God Gives Us A Substitute Answer

S ometimes, God gives us an answer different from what we are expecting. Let us accept his substitute answer. God knows what is best for us.

When God's Answer Does Not Come Immediately

S ometimes, God's answer to our prayers does not come immediately. Are we willing to wait for his answer? When we wait, God will give us peace while waiting. We should keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. (Hebrews 12:2). We should let his will be done. He is never late – always on time.

Shut The Door Of Our Heart And Mind From External Noises

W hen we want to hear the voice of God to find his will, we should shut the door of our heart and mind from external noises. Often, we have too many concerns in our lives; we could not hear God's voice.

Find A Quiet Place To Pray

W hen we seek God's will, let us find a quiet place to pray in order to insulate ourselves from the outside world. “But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” (Matthew 6:6).

Open Our Hearts To God To Receive His Wisdom

L et us open our hearts to God in order to receive his wisdom. Let us emulate the example of Jesus who always sought his Father's guidance and will (Luke 6:12 ). “And we have this confidence in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” (1 John 5:14).

Action Should Accompany Our Study Of The Bible

A ction should accompany our study of the Bible. We should be doers of the word and not hearers only. (James 1:22). Let us act on the word.

• “But you, remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known [the] sacred scripture, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:14-17).

• “Be eager to present yourself as acceptable to God, a workman who causes no disgrace, imparting the word of truth without deviation.” (2 Timothy 2:15). We need to know God's will and commands through the Bible. We should be always ready to act on them.

G od fulfills all his promises such as his promise to Abraham to be the father of many nations. (Romans 4:16-21). When we study the word of God and act on it, we are doing something according to God's will. We are sure to find God's will by acting on his word! His word is truth. (John 17:17).

6. Seeking Godly Counsel

I n finding God's will, it is important to seek godly counsel.

T here are many warnings about failure to seek counsel:

• “For lack of guidance a people falls; security lies in many counselors.” (Proverbs 11:14).

• “The way of the fool seems right in his own eyes, but he who listens to advice is wise.” (Proverbs 12:15).

• An author wrote: “If you are the only one who thinks that a particular action is right, you better stop and pray about it some more.”

Admonish One Another

S t. Paul wrote that we should admonish one another. (Colossians 3:16). He would like us to warn one another and to comfort, encourage and urge one another. We will feel comforted when we follow other person's advice even if we do not like it. We usually feel disturbed and without peace if we do not follow the counsel given to us.

H aving peace does not always mean we are following the will of God. In the case of Jonah, the prophet, he was peacefully sleeping while trying to run away from the will of God. (Jonah 2:5). Sometimes, we think we are doing God's will when we feel momentary peace. When we do not follow God's will, we can never have true and lasting peace!

How To Seek Godly Counsel

H ow do we seek godly counsel?

1) W e should seek advice from experienced counselors. We should go to the right authorities. Children should seek the advice of their parents. Those who are sick should consult doctors. (Sirach 38.1).

2) W e should heed the counsel that we receive. It is unfair to seek counsel if you only want the counselor to agree with a decision that you have already made.

A hab, king of Israel, did not heed the advice of Micaiah, a prophet. As a result, he was defeated in battle. He was hit by an arrow and he died. (1 Kings 22:1-35).

S ome people avoid seeking counsel. They think seeking advice is a sign of their weakness or immaturity. They disagree with the counsel. They are full of pride. They are inviting fall and tragedy in their lives.

Seek Counseling With Power

W hen we seek God's will, let us not hesitate to approach experienced counselors. We pray to the Lord first and document our pleading with the word of God. In this way, we are assured of counseling with power from God and from godly counselors!