Knowing the Will of God, Pt. 5

We should not be surprised when the devil tries to trip us up and confuse us while we are trying to hear from God and do His will for our lives.

Knowing the Will of God, Pt. 5

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths."

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

I referenced this wonderful promise from the Book of Proverbs on Monday, but I wanted you to read it with me again. These are my wife Ashley's favorite verses in the Bible. They contain clear instructions on what we are to do, and they provide a promise from God. This is one of the most instructive passages in the Bible related to knowing God's will for your life.

With a subject so vital to us as followers of Jesus, we should not be surprised when the devil tries to trip us up and confuse us while we are trying to hear from God and do His will for our lives. Dr. Stanley, in his message on the will of God, says we should look out for what he calls "hindrances" to us knowing the will of God. He lists 6 such hindrances:

Self-will. If we are too fixated on what we want, we will miss out on what God is trying to show us. Selfishness is a major problem in us hearing God clearly and doing what He tells us.
The influence of others. People mean well, but they can give you all the reasons you cannot do what you should do. They might say, "Certainly God would not ask you to do that!" We should listen to people we trust and who walk with God, but more importantly, we must pray and listen to Him. What He is leading you to do may not make sense to others.
People ignorant of God's Word. Do not seek out godly counsel from someone who does not know Scripture. That would be like me asking detailed directions to a certain part of a city from someone clueless about the city.
Doubt. James 1:6-8 states, "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
Feelings of unworthiness. God is equally active in all our lives because He loves us all the same. As Stanley puts it, "God does not have favorites; He has intimates."
Willful known sin. We must deal with our sin by confessing it to God and repenting, turning away from the sin. Sin is the loud noise that prevents us from hearing the still small voice of the Holy Spirit.

Here are my closing thoughts on this important principle of knowing God's will for your life: God loves us and has a great plan for us. He wants us to know it more than we want to know it. He is a good Father and will not lead us astray but will clearly show us the way to go. That is on His line; what is on our line is to read the Bible, pray, seek godly counsel, and wait on Him... then watch Him work in wonderful ways and confirm what He has shown you to be His will.