In today’s podcast, we examine one of the most well-known questions that Jesus’ followers pose — how do I discern the will of God for life? We could simply ask the question what is God’s will for my life? This is an essential question that you must walk out in your everyday life. The answer to this question doesn’t come by wondering — it comes by an active, diligent, heartfelt seeking of God. One godly man from the mid-twentieth century had this to say about this area. His name was Dr. Truett. He died in July 1944. One of his most memorable statements was about the will of God. He said, “To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge; to do the will of God is the greatest achievement.” Then he added, “The will of God is not always easy, but it is always right.” One gentleman attended his funeral. He said, ‘As I viewed him in his casket, he held an open New Testament in his left hand. The index finger of his right hand pointed to Matthew 6:10: “Thy will be done.” It was the motto of his life. We should make it ours.’[Herschel H. Hobbs, My Favorite Illustrations (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1990), 124.] How to Absolutely Discern the Will of God: What the Bible Says, this is our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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The Secret to Discerning of Spirits

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You can view a basic transcript of this podcast at the bottom of this section.

Accept the Challenge

Each week’s podcast contains a call to action. The Word of God will not produce in your life unless you put it into operation.
This week’s call is:

There are many other questions you will face in life that need to be answered — that need to be discerned. The Spirit of God is there to help guide you into all the truth. He will show you God’s will.

Join the Conversation

Testimony is vital to a believer’s life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11). Each week’s podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony.
This week’s question is:

Question: What was your expereince in locating God’s will?  Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Episode Resources:

We are currently teaching in the book of Ephesians. You can click on the links below to listen to some of these podcasts.

1. #S9-48: Ten People Who Will Not Inherit The Kingdom Of God: What You Should Know [Podcast]
2. #S9-047:Why the Holy Spirit Connection between Morals and Thanksgiving Matters [Podcast]
3. #S9-046:How to Live a Victorious Life in a Morally Bankrupt World [Podcast]
4. #S9-043:Why the Supreme Need Is that Jesus Followers Imitate God [Podcast]
5. #S9-042: Why Hardheartedness is Not Part of the Abundant Life of Jesus [Podcast]
6. #S9-041: Why Bitterness Is Not Better in the Realm of the Emotions [Podcast]
7. #S9-039: Why You Need to Know About How God Brings Correction to His Kids [Podcast]
8. #S9-038: Why It’s Vital Not to Grieve the Spirit of God [Podcast]
9. #S9-037: More of Putting on the New Man in Christ? What’s Your Next Move? [Podcast]
10. #S9-036: Putting on the New Man in Christ? What’s Your Next Move? [Podcast]
11. #S9-035: Why You Should Learn Christ and Understand It’s Not Jesus Last Name [Podcast]
12. #S9-033: Why God Despises Impurity and Why You Should as Well [Podcast]
13. #S9-031: Why Callousness and Sensuality Are Not Part of the Abundant Life of Jesus [Podcast]
14. #S9-029: Why Hardheartedness is Not Part of the Abundant Life of Jesus [Podcast]
15. #S9-028: More of Why the Dark Life Is Not the High Life in God [Podcast]
16. #S9-027: Why the Dark Life Is Not the High Life in God [Podcast]
17. #S9-025: More of Eight Ways to Fulfill God’s Purpose for Your Life [Podcast]
18. #S9-024: Eight Ways to Fulfill God’s Purpose for Your Life [Podcast]
19. #S9-021: Why God Believes in Church and Why You Need to Be There [Podcast]
20. #S9-20: What Jesus Teaches about Who Is Locked Away in the Lower Regions [Podcast]
21. #S9-019: What is the Value of God’s Ministry Grace Gifts to Us? [Podcast]
22. #S9-018: Why Holy Spirit Inspired Hope is the Anchor of the Soul [Podcast]
23. #S9-016: Why the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace Matters [Podcast]
24. #S9-013: How to Get to Be the Strong Man God Wants You to Be [Podcast]
25. #S9-012: More of the Real Scoop on Teaching Angels and Heavenly Host University [Podcast]
26. #S9-011: The Real Scoop on Teaching Angels and Heavenly Host University [Podcast]
27. #S9-010: Why Jesus Breaking Down the Walls Between Men and Races Matters [Podcast]
28. #S9-008: Connectedness: How We Are Powerfully Joined to Jesus and to One Another [Podcast]
29. #S9-007: Why Unity Is Essential in All Things God [Podcast]
30. #S9-002: Why It’s Vital to See Yourself as God’s High Powered Creative Workmanship [Podcast]
31. #S8-50: Why the Name of Jesus and Gifts of the Spirit Is All God’s Grace [Podcast]
32. #S8-049: More of Why You Should Latch on to God’s Grace [Podcast]
33. #S8-048: Why Grace Is a Place to Which You Can Cling [Podcast]
34. #S8-047: Why You Should Thank God for Delivering You from Your Ginormous Mess [Podcast]
35. #S8-043: Your Inheritance in Christ: Why It’s Super Marvelous [Podcast]
36. #S8-040: Why God Is the Greatest Mystery Writer of All Time [Podcast]
37. #S8-039: Why Redemption Through the Blood of Jesus Is God’s Way [Podcast]
38. #S8-038: How Predestination and God’s Foreknowledge Elevates Your Everyday Life [Podcast]
39. #S8-037: Walking Worthy of the Lord: What It Means for Your Everyday Life [Podcast]
40. #S8-035: Why Your Holy Spirit Preparation Is Part of Your God Story [Podcast]
41. #S8-033: How God Grows A Courageous Church and Why It Matters [Podcast]
42. #S8-032: The Powerful Authority Resident in Being Seated with Christ [Podcast]
43. #S8-030: Why God Wants You to Have Spiritual Revelation Flowing In Your Life [Podcast]

About Emery

Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 45 years ago and has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. He and his wife Sharon of 40 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.

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Podcast Notes

How to Absolutely Discern the Will of God: What the Bible Says

Ephesians 5:5–10 (ESV): 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

• Discerning the Will of God: Opening Matters

  • There are several words that we want to look at here.
  • And, with the thought, here’s the Definition of the Day.
  • The word ‘discern,’ and the word ‘pleasing’ are the two words that we want to look at to start out.
  • The word discern means to to make a critical examination of something, to determine genuineness, to put to the test, to examine [BDAG]
  • The word means to verify, or to examine prior to approval.
  • The NASB has it has ‘to try to learn.’
  • The next word, the word pleasing, means what is acceptable, pleasing, or well-pleasing.
  • So, putting these two words together, we understand that our job is to make a critical examination of what will make God happy.
  • We need to do this for our own selves, in the every day situations that we face.
  • No one can do this for you, this is something you must do for yourself.
  • And really, do you want to do this for yourself.
  • You don’t want someone else finding the will of God for you because what if they miss it?
  • Or, what if they are lacking some understanding in the thing that God is wanting you to do?
  • No one has perfect understanding of all things.
  • No, this is a work that each individual believer has to do because it has to do with your relationship with God.
  • What is pleasing to God here?
  • Is this path, is this choice acceptable to Him?
  • So, here’s what’s absolutely apparent here: it’s not self evident with the will of God is.
  • We we have to do some work to find it out.
  • There’s some testing that needs to take place.
  • That means time and effort must be invested on our part.
  • Speed is something that we must be mindful of.
  • I know that this is an area of struggle for me because my time is so limited.
  • How about you?
  • Is your schedule putting the squeeze on you?
  • Notice that God’s word doesn’t make a provision for your schedule.
  • We must align our lives with His Word.
  • So, that means we have to make time to test, analyze and find what’s acceptable to the Lord.
  • And sometimes, to do this, we must slow down.
  • Have you ever watched a prospector panhandle for gold?
  • Maybe you have engaging in this yourself.
  • It takes some effort.
  • It takes some knowledge, – knowledge like gold is six times heavier than the normal sediment in a river.
  • You must know where to look.
  • The inside bends of a river, are some of the best places to look.
  • To acquire the nugget takes time, effort, and a disciplined approach.
  • Gold is not just going to jump up out of the ground into your pocket.
  • The will of God is not going to be written across the sky or be sent by text message to your cell phone.

  Discerning the Will of God: A Characteristic of God’s People

  • This discerning the will of God in verse ten ties back to verse eight.
  • Listen to these verses again.

  8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

  • Notice verse nine is parenthetical – in your Bible, verse nine is encapsulated by parenthesis.
  • So, if you took the statement in parenthesis out, you would read this as:

  8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light… 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

  • What’s the point?
  • Children of light discern the will of God — that’s one of their traits.
  • We could say it this way: children of Light discern the light.

  Romans 8:14 (ESV): 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

  • Children of darkness discern nothing.
  • They make no attempt towards God.

  Discerning the Will of God: What’s Already Evident

  • This verse is not referring to the areas already listed in the Word as pleasing to the Lord.
  • We know that faith is pleasing to God, we have a reference for that in Hebrews 11:1.
  • Doing good and sharing is acceptable to God.
  • We have that reference in Hebrews 13:16.
  • Making a return to parents, 1 Timothy 5:4, is powerfully pleasing to the Lord.
  • Praying for rulers is good, and well pleasing to God that’s found in 1 Timothy 2:1–3.
  • You should be praying for your leaders, whether you agree with them or not.
  • Being filled with spiritual wisdom, increasing in the knowledge of God, walking in a manner worthy bearing fruit; giving to support the ministry are all super acceptable to our Father in heaven – see Phillipians 4:18.
  • All of these things are self evident, that is, they are plainly stated in God’s Word.
  • You don’t have to pray about obeying Bible verses.
  • Just do them.
  • Now, you may have to pray and ask God what your part is in some of these verses.
  • Like how do you pray for your president/prime minister/ king or what do you pray for them?
  • Make sure you don’t just pray across party lines.
  • Our job is not only to pray for our country’s leader — it’s to bring Jesus back.
  • Maybe the Lord wants you to pray something specific.
  • Trying to discern what is pleasing to the Lord refers to the unique areas of your life.
  • In the Bible, we have general guidelines.
  • How they apply specifically to you and to your walk is a matter of finding out and discerning what God’s will is.
  • We surely need God’s wisdom here.
  • Now, in the context of the verses that we’ve been reading, in Ephesians four and five, it is obvious what the will of God is not.
  • It’s not any of the sin lists that Paul warned the Ephesian Church about.
  • Obviously, sin is never the will of God — we need to stay far away from it.
  • But, sometimes those newly come to the faith either do not know or are wondering whether a certain activity is acceptable to heaven or not.
  • I was in that case when I came to Jesus and one of the brethren helped me in that area. They told, ‘Emery, you are going to give this up now.’
  • That’s why these sinlists are helpful.
  • God put them in the Word for your benefit.
  • That’s also the reason why you have the failures of men recorded in the scriptures.
  • You need to know that what happened to them because of their sin can happen to you if you engage in the same activity.

  1 Corinthians 10:1–6 (ESV): For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.

  • You see the love of God at work here.
  • The Lord, does not want you to be overcome or overthrown.
  • Because of this, the Holy Spirit inspired Moses to record the happenings concerning the children of Israel.
  • So, what not to do is as powerful a lesson as what to do.
  • So, we know what to do — that is — the list we’ve already given, which is operating in faith, sharing, and doing good, understanding what the world of the Lord is, etc.
  • And, we know what not to do — that is — we know not to engage in sinful activities.
  • What’s left is the every day stuff of life unique to your purpose on planet earth.
  • So, trying to discern what is pleasing to the Lord, references the daily, hourly walk of the believer.

  Discerning the Will of God: Being Led by the Holy Spirit in Your Spirit.

  • The question now remains how do you do it?
  • How do you absolutely discern the will of God?
  • Should I take this job I am being offered?
  • Is it a good move?
  • And, with that thought, here is the Illustration of the Day.

  I was working a particular job back in 2001 and I had the thought that I wanted to leave that job and go find something else. The Spirit of God prompted me and told me not to do it. I’ obeyed Him and stayed put. Later on that year, Sharon suffered a brain aneurysm, and the insurance that we had made all the difference in our being able to survive that financially. If I had taken a new job, I would have had to go through the waiting period required by the new job to get the insurance that I needed to cover our family. The huge financial burden that I would have been saddled with would have impacted God’s will for my life.

  • He was trying to help me avoid that.
  • We would have went bankrupt.
  • Now, there is no verse in the Bible that says, Emery you should not take another job, just stay put.
  • These areas peculiar to you need to be discerned.
  • Do I move or do I not move?
  • There are many other questions you will face in life that need to be answered — that need to be discerned.
  • But, even in the smallest areas, the Spirit of God will lead you.
  • Where should I go to church?
  • What local assembly should I attend join myself to?
  • You know you should be led not just pick a church out of the phonebook.
  • Should I marry this person?
  • Is this person the will of God for me?
  • Oh boy is this a big area!
  • Many a man’s purpose have totally been derailed because they married the wrong person.
  • Some have even died before their time.
  • What about my doctor’s diagnosis?
  • You know occasionally the doctor’s diagnosis is inaccurate.
  • Medical science only knows so much.
  • How do you discern these things ?
  • How do I find the will of God?
  • You do it by the witness of the Holy Spirit in your spirit.

  Discerning the Will of God: How Jesus Walked

  • Jesus walked this way of discerning God’s will.

  John 8:29 (ESV): 29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

  • Jesus always did what was pleasing to God.
  • How did He know what was pleasing?
  • Jesus didn’t even have the benefit of the New Testament — those words had not even been written yet.
  • Jesus judged what was the right thing to do at the right time.

  Luke 12:57 (ESV): And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?

  • Jesus knew the will of God the same way that you are going to know it by judging what is right.
  • Judging for yourselves what is right is another way of saying discerning or proving God’s will. All of this is accomplished by the Holy Spirit in your spirit.

  Discerning the Will of God: The What and the How

  • We already quoted verse fourteen of Romans but, it bears repetition.

  ** Romans 8:14–16 (ESV):** 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

  • Bearing witness with your spirit – listening to your heart is the way you discern the will of God.
  • Now, we have several podcasts already written that speak of being led by the Spirit.
  • There are also books that have been written by people experienced along this line.
  • The most notable of these is ‘How to Be Led by the Spirit of God’ written by Kenneth E. Hagin.
  • So, there is a plenty of material out there that can and should apply yourself to.
  • Your goal should be to become a mavin — an expert — at being led.

  Discerning the Will of God: A Life Long Process

  • This path of educating ourselves, working with the Word, learning to listen to the voice of our spirits, and engaging God’s wisdom is a life long process.
  • First Thessalonians puts it this way.

  1 Thessalonians 5:21 (ESV): but test everything; hold fast what is good.

  • The word test — test everything — is the same word ‘discern’ that we have been looking at in Ephesians 5:10.
  • We must test everything.
  • Everything means several things.
  • First, it means just what it says — everything or no area left out.
  • Second it implies a life-long process — that is — when you have finished discerning the will of God today, tomorrow is coming.
  • There will always be a tomorrow until your time on earth is complete and you have fulfilled God’s purpose for your life.

  1 Corinthians 2:11 (ESV): 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

  • The word ‘comprehends’ is a Greek word whose context in ancient writings refers to familiarity acquired through experience or association with a person or thing.
  • You comprehend the thoughts of God by being familiar with God and His ways.
  • The Greek definition of ‘comprehend’ means to arrive at a knowledge of someone or something.
  • It means to know, know about, to make the acquaintance of.
  • It’s time to get busy in this area.
  • Don’t just show up to church.

  Discerning the Will of God: Tapping God’s Wisdom

  • You have a choice on how you solve life’s questions.
  • Either you will tap into God’s wisdom — or you will tap into your wits.
  • Just remember that by apart from God you are not that good.
  • Jesus said it this way.

  John 5:19 (ESV): 19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.

  • God alone is wise.
  • He is the one that has all discernment.
  • Your wits are often unable or unwilling to understand His ways.
  • And, with the thought, here is the Quote of the Day.

  Wisdom is that attribute of God whereby He produces the best possible results with the best possible means” (H. B. Smith).

  • Again, you are not that good.
  • Your earthy makeup is hardwired with the sin nature.
  • You should not operate by your wits alone.
  • We already know this verse in Isaiah.

  Isaiah 55:7–9 (ESV): let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

  • Your ways, your wit’s won’t work.
  • His ways, His thoughts will work.

  Isaiah 55:8–11 (ESV): For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

  • So again, God’s word always works — your wits don’t have the same track record.
  • Now, look at the next verse in Isaiah fifty-five – verse twelve.

  Isaiah 55:12–13 (ESV): For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

  • Listen to it: you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace.
  • Because you have tapped into God’s wisdom instead of your wits, peace is the result.
  • Joy is the result.
  • This references how the witness of the Spirit works.
  • When you have God’s positive yes, or we can say it this way, — when you have listened to the check in your spirit — the outcome of that is joy and peace.

  Discerning the Will of God: A Matter of Mind Renewal

  • Now, no discussion of discerning the will of God would be complete without this passage in Romans twelve.

  Romans 12:1–2 (ESV): I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

  • Renewing the mind, which is a constant continual process, is part of discerning the will of God.
  • Repeating this yet again — we must get busy in this area — we have some work to do.
  • Bill Johnson said the following about renewing the mind:
  • He said, ‘I can’t afford to have a thought in my head about me that He doesn’t have in His head about me. Thinking independently of God is not freedom. In fact, it is the worst possible bondage imaginable to think outside of the purpose and design set in place by the greatest creative genius ever to exist.¹
  • I like that quote: you cannot afford to have a thought in your head about you that God doesn’t have about you.
  • You can not afford to walk by your wits, by your wisdom, or by your ways.
  • You must learn to think God’s thoughts after Him and yield unto the Holy Spirit of God.

  Yield your thoughts to his thoughts. Yield your ways to His ways. Allow his thoughts to permeate your very being. Cause the wisdom of God to arise from the inside of you. Allow it to give illumination to your mind and direction to your spirit. Cause that which is confused to become plain and clear. All of that comes by the light of the Word of God dawning on the inside of you. For He is your light and the length of your days. He is your life. He is your way.

  • That’s what the Spirit of God is saying today.

  , > Now Father in the Name of Jesus, thank you for your Word. Thank for the Spirit of God inside our spirits. Thank you for the marvelous privilege of being able to discern the will of God. Grant unto us all a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of you. Let the eyes of our hearts be enlightened so that we may may be able to prove what is the good, the acceptable and the prefect will of God in our every day life. We thank you for leading us — guiding us — and showing us the way we should go in Jesus Name Amen.

  • How to Absolutely Discern the Will of God: What the Bible Says
  • You guys have a great God-week and we will see you next time for another edition of Light on Life.

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References:

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