Discerning God's Will: Principles for Spiritual Growth

 

Summary

In our journey as Christians, one of the most pressing questions we face is how to discern God's will for our lives. This is a question that resonates deeply, especially with younger believers navigating a complex world. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, emphasizes the importance of being filled with the knowledge of God's will through spiritual wisdom and understanding. This knowledge is not about uncovering God's secret will but understanding His revealed will through Scripture.

The Bible provides us with principles and precepts that guide us in applying God's will to our lives. It's crucial to resist the temptation to seek God's secret will, as our task is to discover and live by His revealed will. This process is akin to learning a musical instrument, where understanding the score allows for freedom and growth. Similarly, as we immerse ourselves in God's Word, we begin to think His thoughts and discern between good, better, and best.

God desires for us to grow in maturity, making decisions that align with His will. This growth involves understanding the directives and precepts found in Scripture. The Ten Commandments, for instance, serve as foundational principles that apply to various aspects of life. Despite their simplicity, they provide a framework for making decisions that honor God.

Moreover, the book of Proverbs offers precepts that guide us in practical situations, teaching us to navigate life's complexities with wisdom. The New Testament, particularly in Paul's letters to the Corinthians, provides principles for discerning God's will. These include questions about the lawfulness, benefit, potential enslavement, consistency with Christ's lordship, helpfulness to others, alignment with biblical examples, and promotion of God's glory.

Ultimately, discerning God's will is about growing in our understanding of His Word and applying it to our lives. It's a journey of maturity, where we learn to trust in God's guidance and make decisions that reflect His character and purpose.

Key Takeaways:

- Resist the Urge for Secret Knowledge: Our focus should be on understanding God's revealed will rather than seeking His secret will. This approach fosters maturity and responsibility, as we learn to apply biblical principles to our lives. [04:31]

- Scripture as Our Guide: The Bible provides directives and precepts that guide us in discerning God's will. Immersing ourselves in Scripture helps us think God's thoughts and make decisions that honor Him. [06:55]

- Principles Over Specifics: While the Bible doesn't provide specific answers to every question, it offers principles that guide us in making wise decisions. Understanding these principles is crucial for spiritual growth. [10:26]

- Questions for Discernment: Paul provides questions to help us discern God's will, such as whether an action is lawful, beneficial, enslaving, consistent with Christ's lordship, helpful to others, aligned with biblical examples, and promotes God's glory. [19:34]

- Growth Through Decision-Making: God desires for us to grow in maturity by making decisions that align with His will. This process involves trusting in His guidance and learning from our experiences. [09:37]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:21] - Introduction to God's Will
- [00:58] - Paul's Prayer for the Colossians
- [01:55] - The Question of God's Will
- [03:00] - Principles Over Specifics
- [04:31] - Revealed vs. Secret Will
- [06:07] - Learning God's Will Like Music
- [08:04] - Growth Through Decision-Making
- [10:26] - Directives and Precepts
- [11:56] - The Role of the Ten Commandments
- [14:32] - Wisdom from Proverbs
- [19:34] - Questions for Discernment
- [22:48] - Promoting God's Glory

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Colossians 1:9-14
2. Colossians 4:12
3. Deuteronomy 29:29

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Observation Questions:

1. What does Paul pray for the Colossians in Colossians 1:9-14, and why is this significant for understanding God's will? [00:21]

2. How does the relationship between Paul and Epaphras, as mentioned in Colossians 4:12, illustrate the importance of prayer in discerning God's will? [00:58]

3. According to Deuteronomy 29:29, what is the distinction between God's secret will and His revealed will, and why is this important for Christians? [03:59]

4. What analogy does John Newton use to describe learning God's will, and how does this relate to spiritual growth? [06:07]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does Paul's prayer for the Colossians to be filled with the knowledge of God's will relate to the concept of spiritual maturity? [01:55]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that seeking God's secret will can hinder spiritual growth and maturity? [04:31]

3. How do the Ten Commandments serve as foundational principles for discerning God's will in various aspects of life? [11:56]

4. What role do the principles found in the book of Proverbs play in helping believers navigate life's complexities with wisdom? [16:28]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a recent decision you made. How did you discern whether it aligned with God's revealed will? What principles or precepts guided you? [10:26]

2. Consider a situation where you were tempted to seek God's secret will. How might focusing on His revealed will have changed your approach? [03:59]

3. Identify a specific area in your life where you struggle to apply biblical principles. What steps can you take to immerse yourself more in Scripture to gain clarity? [06:55]

4. Think about a decision you need to make soon. How can you use the questions for discernment mentioned in the sermon to guide your decision-making process? [19:34]

5. How can you incorporate the wisdom from Proverbs into your daily life to better navigate complex situations? Share a specific example. [16:59]

6. Reflect on a time when you felt God's guidance in a decision. How did that experience strengthen your trust in His will? [09:37]

7. Choose one of the Ten Commandments and consider how it applies to a current challenge you are facing. How can you honor God through your actions in this situation? [11:56]

Devotional

Day 1: Embrace God's Revealed Will
Understanding God's will involves focusing on His revealed will through Scripture, rather than seeking secret knowledge. This approach encourages spiritual maturity and responsibility, as believers learn to apply biblical principles to their lives. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, emphasizes the importance of being filled with the knowledge of God's will through spiritual wisdom and understanding. This knowledge is not about uncovering God's secret will but understanding His revealed will through Scripture. By immersing oneself in God's Word, believers begin to think His thoughts and discern between good, better, and best. [04:31]

"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives." (Colossians 1:9, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have been seeking secret knowledge or answers? How can you shift your focus to understanding and applying God's revealed will in that area today?


Day 2: Scripture as the Foundation for Decision-Making
The Bible provides directives and precepts that guide believers in discerning God's will. Immersing oneself in Scripture helps to think God's thoughts and make decisions that honor Him. The process of understanding God's will is akin to learning a musical instrument, where understanding the score allows for freedom and growth. As believers immerse themselves in God's Word, they begin to think His thoughts and discern between good, better, and best. This growth involves understanding the directives and precepts found in Scripture, such as the Ten Commandments, which serve as foundational principles that apply to various aspects of life. [06:55]

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105, ESV)

Reflection: How can you incorporate a daily practice of reading and meditating on Scripture to guide your decision-making? What specific steps will you take to make this a consistent habit?


Day 3: Principles Over Specifics in God's Guidance
While the Bible doesn't provide specific answers to every question, it offers principles that guide believers in making wise decisions. Understanding these principles is crucial for spiritual growth. The book of Proverbs, for instance, offers precepts that guide believers in practical situations, teaching them to navigate life's complexities with wisdom. The New Testament, particularly in Paul's letters to the Corinthians, provides principles for discerning God's will, such as questions about the lawfulness, benefit, potential enslavement, consistency with Christ's lordship, helpfulness to others, alignment with biblical examples, and promotion of God's glory. [10:26]

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a decision you are currently facing. How can you apply biblical principles to guide your choice, rather than seeking a specific answer? What steps will you take to ensure your decision aligns with God's will?


Day 4: Questions for Discernment in Decision-Making
Paul provides questions to help believers discern God's will, such as whether an action is lawful, beneficial, enslaving, consistent with Christ's lordship, helpful to others, aligned with biblical examples, and promotes God's glory. These questions serve as a framework for making decisions that honor God. By considering these questions, believers can navigate life's complexities with wisdom and make choices that reflect God's character and purpose. This process involves trusting in God's guidance and learning from experiences. [19:34]

"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (2 Corinthians 13:5, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a recent decision you made. How did you discern whether it was in line with God's will? What questions can you ask yourself in future decisions to ensure they align with God's character and purpose?


Day 5: Growth Through Trusting God's Guidance
God desires for believers to grow in maturity by making decisions that align with His will. This process involves trusting in His guidance and learning from experiences. As believers immerse themselves in God's Word, they begin to think His thoughts and discern between good, better, and best. This growth involves understanding the directives and precepts found in Scripture, such as the Ten Commandments, which serve as foundational principles that apply to various aspects of life. By trusting in God's guidance, believers can make decisions that reflect His character and purpose. [09:37]

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to trust God's guidance more fully? How can you actively practice trusting Him in that area today, and what steps will you take to grow in maturity through this process?

Quotes


In Colossians chapter 1 and verses 9 through 14, Paul says that since the first day he heard about the Colossians, he had not ceased to pray for them, asking that they may be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding so that they can walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. [00:00:27]

And so, at the end of the letter to the Colossians in chapter 4, verse 12, Paul says something about this man who was probably one of the pastors of the church. "Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God." [00:01:17]

And the answer to that question is both definite and indefinite. It's definite in the sense that the Scriptures tell us how we will discover the will of God in our lives and for our lives, but the Scriptures do not themselves give us that will, do they? So, if somebody says to me, "Whom should I marry?" you shouldn't be raking around in the Bible and finding somewhere you can point, "Well, it looks as though you're supposed to marry Mary. No, no, it looks as though it's Martha." [00:02:29]

Our task as Christians is not to discover what the secret will of God is. Our task as Christians is to discover what the revealed will of God is. And it's been fascinating to me throughout the course of Christian life and ministry how many Christians want to discover the secret will of God, who have got no interest in discovering the revealed will of God. [00:04:14]

And in many ways, living within the will of God is like that, that the instruction manual so becomes part of my life it gets into my bloodstream that I begin to think God's thoughts after Him. I begin to discern the difference between good and evil and also between good and better and also between better and best in order that I may live for God's glory. [00:07:09]

God really does want you to make the right decisions because if you're not capable of making right decisions you haven't really grown as a Christian. You've become wrongly dependent on a crutch, and you remain a spiritual infant because you're not able to discern and do God's will. [00:08:30]

And yes, in the amazing fatherly provision He makes, He apparently sometimes lets us make mistakes. But then He comes with his Shepherd's crook and He draws us back and we know that we can trust Him. Well, what does this look like in practice? Let me focus on what I said earlier on. [00:09:50]

The first principle is this, God gives us specific directives. There are many places in Scripture where He actually says, "Do this." It's an interesting thing to me that when you look back through the story of the church from the Reformation onwards, there comes a point in church history when people started writing books on how you get guidance and how you discover God's will. [00:10:26]

And you remember how the catechism works with that. Here are the principles God has given to us. How do those principles apply in daily life, what are we to avoid, and what are we to do? And you know, when you think about these youngsters being taught these principles, you begin to understand why it was that Christian authors didn't need to write books on how do you discover the will of God. [00:12:09]

And interestingly, it begins with what looks like a series of outline talks that a godly father would give to his son. Now, a godly mother could transpose them into counsel for a godly daughter, but they're the kind of elongated sections where great principles of knowing God's will are expounded. [00:16:37]

And in the course of his teaching to them, Paul throws out a number of principles that seem to me to be really helpful for us as we negotiate difficult questions about the will of God. So, let me finish this session simply by enumerating seven of them. Seven's the perfect number. I'm not saying that this will perfectly guide you into the will of God, but I have myself found them particularly helpful. [00:19:17]

The fifth question is this, and he asks it in 1 Corinthians 10, verse 33, "Will this be helpful to others?" That's a testing question, isn’t it? It's okay for me to do this, it's legitimate for me to do this, I want to do this, it would be good for us if we did this, but will it be good for others because we don't live to ourselves or for ourselves. [00:22:16]

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Transcript
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