1. FINDING THE WILL OF GOD Decision-Making for a Christian

2. Finding the Path & Making Choices Finding God’s will often means that we are trying to obtain God mind or knowledge about an issue. We want to know the hidden knowledge. People who think they know God often want to know God’s plan more than they want to know God. Pagans (non-Christians) seek to find their path acknowledging their own perception of God (i.e. themselves, idols, nature, spirit world, the stars, fate, etc.)

3. Finding the Path & Making Choices Why? We fear mistakes and mistrust our own perceptions; we recognize there are spiritual forces at work in the earth. Sometimes people think that the Bible is a magical book for opening and finding what choices to make in our present situation. Example: Matthew 27:5; Luke 10:37; Matthew 28:7 (Randomly selecting passages from Scripture can get you in deep trouble!)

4. How not to make choices! Wait for an open door Listen to an “inner voice” Listen to others’ opinions Do what you desire Use common sense Flip a coin Origami Fortune Teller Augury Extispicy Oneiromancy I Ching Fortune Telling –Tarot cards –Ouija boars –Crystal balls –Palm reading Looking for signs Watching the stars Contacting spirits Dowsing / Witching for water? Superstition

5. God’s Will Sovereign Will Everything that has and will happen both bad and good. Moral Will What God has revealed that He wants us to do

7. God’s Sovereign Will 1.Submit to it. It will be for us anyway. If you don’t cooperate you’ll find conflict 2.You can’t usually know it ahead of time (Jas. 4:13-15; Ro. 1:10-15; 1 Cor. 4:19) 3.Can be revealed ahead of time (Abraham’s son, the Flood; Acts 23:11) 4.God has planned it to perfection. We are not omniscient, etc. 1 Pt. 1:18-20; Acts 4:27; Dan. 4:34-35; Ps. 115:3)

8. God’s Moral Will 1.Submit to it. God wants you to understand and know it – the Bible (Eph. 5:17; Col. 1:9-12 ;1 Cor. 2:9-10; Ps. 119:105) 2.You can find it out by reading the Scriptures (Jn. 5:39; Ro. 12:1-2) 3.You can do it by obeying God’s Word

9. Prerequisites for making right decisions Walking in the Spirit (Ro. 12:1-2) –Born Again Believer (Jn. 3) –Open Fellowship (I Jn. 1) –Willing to do God’s Will –No Sin (Jms. 4:1-3) Recognizing God’s Sovereignty (Jms. 4:15) Praying & meditating on God’s moral will for Guidance (Jms. 1:5; Phil. 4:6-8)

10. What Does the Bible Say? Be wise. Those who don’t know His will are unwise (Pr. 2; Eph. 5:17-18) Be pure (1 Thess. 4:3-7) Flee temptation (1 Cor. 6:18) Submit to authority (1 Pt. 2:13-15) Suffer (1 Peter 3:17; 4:19) Give thanks (1 Thes. 5:18; 1 Pt. 2:18) Tell the truth (Eph. 4:25) Don’t be sinfully angry (Eph. 4:26) Don’t steal (Eph. 4:28) Be saved! (1 Pt. 3:9)

11. Line of Freedom It might be true that neither choice is morally wrong. What is the wisest choice? (Which would give God the most glory?) What do I want to do (comes near the end of the decision-making process) (Ps. 37:4) Seek wise counsel (Pr. 12:15; 13:10; 15:22; 19:20; 20:18; 27:9) “You can go to anyone who will give you the counsel you want to hear, but you should go to someone who will give you objective counsel from the Bible.”

12. Overarching Guides Glory. Gospel. church How can I give God the most glory? (2 Cor. 4:15; Rev. 4:11) What will best advance the gospel? (1 Cor. 9:12) How can I help the body? (1 Cor. 9:23)

13. Still Doubting? What if I’ve been going through the process of right decision-making and am still overwhelmed with doubt? –Faith (Hebrews 11-12) –Press toward the mark (1 Cor. 9:24-27; Phil. 3) –God will lead you one step at a time – He will not show you His whole plan (1 Ki. 17; Heb. 11) –MAKE A DECISION!