Teague Bible Church

Teague Bible Church Jimmy Petty

Is That Decision God’s Will For You?
(Do you want the best out of this study? Read the verses as they come up, then move on to the next point.)
True believers in Christ are concerned about making decisions that will be pleasing to God. A lot of unnecessary guilt is experienced by believers in making decisions because they have not been taught the process of making God-honoring decisions. I hope this clears up our understanding.

“ I have just graduated; what career should I enter? What place should I live to do that?”
“ I am considering marrying this person. How do I know he/she is the right one for me?”
“ I am in the middle of my life and thinking of making a complete career change. Do I just pray about it and the right thing will come along? Or do I take action on the impressions I have now, and trust God will give me help along the way?”
“I need to buy a major item. Which one is the best one?”
How do we make decisions that are in God’s will? ****************************
“Do we look for a good feeling or a feeling of peace after we have prayed about it? What if I do not get a feeling?”
“Do I ‘lay a fleece?’ ” Judges 6
“Do I wait for a sign?”
“ Will God take all obstacles out of the way? How can faith be tested if that is true?”
The N.T. is full of situations where God’s will was followed and bad things happen within the will of God. An example is the three missionary journeys in Acts.
Let us look at the “General Will of God” then look at the “Specific Will Of God.”
General Will Of God************************
Question: “Why does God not give me a detailed 10 or 20- year plan for my life?”
Answer: John 17:3 The core of “eternal life” is to get to know God through
different adventures, over time. Revelation 2:4, 3:20, 7:15-17, 21:3,22 John 14:23

Ex. Abraham had advanced info and tried to fill it out himself, Eliezer and Ishmael.
The advanced info was not an automatic help, in his case.
God’s purpose for creating us and redeeming us is so that He can fellowship with us. He created us in His image. That means , among other things, that we can choose; we are given power to make decisions with consequences.
To gain insight into God’s will a necessary element is needed. FAITH Hebrews 11:6
Faith builds Christ-likeness Romans 10:17
**************************************************
Usually when we say ,”What is God’s will for me?,” we mean, “Is this the right person to marry, the right job, the right place to live?” (That is, the “Specific” will of God.)
No Christian should be in doubt on what THE will of God is. It is something that can be measured daily. It is something that if focused upon will bring the greatest blessings to your life, even if you are not so sure that you had found the details of God’s will for your life.
C.S. Lewis Matthew 6:33 “You put first things first; you get second things thrown in for free.
You put second things first; and you lose both first and second things.”
Ex. Solomon’s Prayer I Kings 3:5 He got what he never ask for because he put first things first.
Ephesians 3:20
THE will of God, for every Christian, is to be Christ-like in character.
Romans 8:28-29 The “ good” is not necessarily your pleasure, or convenience,
or worldly-looking success, but rather to be a new creation.
II Corinthians 5:14-17, Colossians 3:10, Romans 5:3-5, II Peter 1:5-10
If this is not your major concern, then you can forget about finding the “specific” will of God in decisions.
Your “world –view” affects the way you see yourself in the world. If you see life through the wrong grid it affects every decision, and the way you formulate choices.
What you become is more important than the thing you do as a vocation. The thing you do is simply the arena you reflect your character into. If that character is not increasingly Christ-like, within that vocation, then what is the point of our activities?

(There is the “Judgment Seat Of Christ” coming, which is a judgment of “rewards” for people who served the Lord by fulfilling THE will of God.)
I Corinthians 3:1-15 II Corinthians 5:10

***The Principles Of Decision-Making In The “SPECIFIC” Will Of God***
1. In those areas specifically addressed by the Bible, the revealed commands and
principles of God (His moral will) are to be obeyed.
Ex. “I really love this guy but I am a believer and he is not.”
No matter what the feeling; an absolutely wrong decision!
I Corinthians 7:12, 39 II Corinthians 6:14-16
Ex. “Is it o.k. for a Christian to get drunk?” NO! Ephesians 5:18, Proverbs 20:1, 23:29-35
Ex. “Is it o.k. for a Christian to drink some, if he does not get drunk?” Yes, but this reservation,,,
Doctrine of the Weaker Brother I Corinthians 8, Romans 14
This basically means not to hurt the faith of another believer by doing something that you may have a right to do, and is not opposed to the will of God on moral grounds, but is an unwise decision.
Ex. Based on this I have personally given up my right to drink, even a little,
for the sake of not offending other believers.

Ex. I knew a man who said, “Now that I am a believer I want to leave my unbelieving wife
and find a Christian woman to marry!” Wrong decision I Corinthians 7:12-15
Going by a subjective feeling, minus a knowledge of the Word of God = a bad decision.

2. In those areas where the Bible gives no direct command or principle (non-moral decisions)
the believer is free and responsible to choose his own course of action.
Any decision made within the moral will of God is acceptable to God.
Trying to make a distinction between the “perfect” will of God and the “permissive” will of God in those non-moral areas is not backed up by Scripture.
Don’t torture yourself when you are choosing between two good things.

A. In non-moral decisions the objective is to make wise decisions that are spiritually beneficial.
Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ (asking how this will honor God through this decision) giving thanks through Him
to God the Father. (This is a continual way of saying thanks to God for this
life and eternal life via good decision-making.)

Question: How does God guide us so that we make good decisions?
Answer: As a father guides his children. By giving principles by which to choose the wisest path.
A personal value system to approach every situation.
Ex. A child must have close supervision, little responsibility, detailed instruction,
extrinsic motivation.
As a child moves toward maturity he has freedom to decide, total responsibility,
general principles and personal values, and intrinsic motivation.
B. The Details
1. Have the humility to get biblical counseling from mature, Bible-knowledgeable believers.
You will always need others in the body of Christ to help you along.
Proverbs 15:22, 1 Corinthians 8:1, Galatians 2:2

2. Use good common sense within God’s moral law looking for the long-range good.

3. The personal desires of the “surrendered” believer should be given serious
consideration in determining God’s will.
Philippians 2:13 “for It is God who is at work in you, both to WILL and to WORK for His good pleasure.”
If God gets a kick out of it, so will you!
WILL- gives you the desire to do it WORK- gives you the power to do it
God is not in the business of twisting people’s arms to get them to do something that they will hate to do!
It does not mean that there will not be very hard times! That is true of every arena of life lived by faith.
But overall the vocation should be characterized by fulfillment. Psalms 37:4
Ex. Choosing between two mission fields
After determining that both would give glory to God, then choose the one you like best for personal reasons.
Ex. Lake Victoria or Botswana?
Having a choice between two good things is something to praise God for; not something to be anxious about.
Reflecting back, saying “what if” over past decisions concerning non-moral decisions is a waste of time.
Ex. Adam and Eve- Genesis 3:2-3 They could eat from any tree except one.
Did Adam and Eve go out each day saying, “Lord should I eat the bananas or the oranges today?”
God let Adam name the animals also. He decided!
Don’t miss a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity because you were waiting for a sign or a feeling. Some decisions cannot wait. Ephesians 5:15-17
What about signs from God?
Ex. Ca. 1980 Roof fell in on church in Dallas area. News interview with 3 people:
1st person “God is showing us that we are on the right track because look at how Satan
is trying to stop the work here!”
2nd person “ God is punishing us for not being as faithful as we should!”
3rd person (pastor) “ God can use this bad situation and financial hardship to strengthen us if we
trust Him through it. The immediate sign from God is that we need to
determine good contractors from bad ones.
Different people see different things through signs. It is too subjective a process. Usually the most emotionally powerful person sways the group based on his sign or vision.
II John 9, Colossians 2:18, I Corinthians 4:6,
Acts 28:1-6 snake bite- bad,,,no wait,,,good!, John 9:1-3 blind man, Luke 13: 1-5 blood and tower
What about “laying a fleece?” Judges 6:11-40
Not applicable. God already told Gideon directly what he was to do. This was to give Gideon confirmation, not to be done to find out what decision to make.
Ex. Job in Chicago. Funny thing,,, now you are doubting God; when you should
be doubting your impulses!
*These direct, supernatural signs for direction are not normal for our decisions. With the completion of
the New Testament most of our decisions can be the right decisions based on the Word of God.
Review the process:
Ex. Choosing a college?
Ex. Stay single or get married?
Ex. Should two believers get married?
Nothing runs on autopilot in marriage, even if the “right” one was dropped out of
heaven into your lap! Everything takes Desire/ Training/ Endurance.
Ex. Calling a Pastor?
Ex. Allow drug -addicted relative to spend time with your kids during the holidays?
Ex. Should wife go to drunken office party to help husband’s career?
Ex. Should I hang around my wife’s family even if I do not like them? Is that hypocritical?
Ex. What are the things you believe are “deal-breakers” with another person?
*(Of course this does not cover all subtle situations. You still need the prompting of the Holy Spirit in all this, that is part of the adventure, but the Holy Spirit will not violate the Word of God. In conversations, particularly, you so desperately need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit s He gives you words to speak. Check out, “Too Busy Not To Pray” Bill Hybels. Good on listening to God, being still before God, promptings of the Holy Spirit, and what to do with promptings of the Holy Spirit.)