The vastness of God's sovereign will is like an ever-expanding outer circle, encompassing all things. This circle represents His eternal decree, His predetermined plan that works out everything in agreement with the purpose of His will. Nothing escapes His governance, from the grand sweep of nations to the smallest particle of dust. This is God's secret, and we are not meant to know or change it. It is His prerogative, and He always wins. Rest in the assurance that this outer circle is secure, and you are held within it. [18:53]
Ephesians 1:11 (ESV)
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.
Reflection: When you consider the immense scope of God's sovereign will, what aspect brings you the most comfort, and why?
Within the grand design of God's sovereign will lies His revealed moral will, represented by an inner circle. This is not a hidden secret to be decoded, but a clear command to obey. It encompasses His explicit desires for how we are to live: to be sanctified, to give thanks in all things, and to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This inner circle is where we have the freedom to live our lives, making wise and faithful choices that align with His word. [24:17]
1 Thessalonians 4:3 (ESV)
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;
Reflection: Reflect on a recent decision you made. How did you check if it aligned with God's revealed moral will, and what was the outcome?
The common misconception of God's will as a narrow bull's-eye can lead to anxiety and a sense of missing out. This theology suggests that only hitting the exact center guarantees blessing, while any deviation leads to mediocrity or "plan B." However, the scriptures present a more liberating view of concentric circles. This approach frees us from the pressure of decoding God's secret plans and instead calls us to walk faithfully within His revealed will. [29:18]
Deuteronomy 29:29 (ESV)
The hidden things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may make our whole lives obey the words of this law.
Reflection: In what ways has the idea of a "bull's-eye" for God's will created pressure or anxiety in your life, and how can embracing the "concentric circles" imagery offer relief?
When faced with decisions, we are not left to guess God's secret preferences. Instead, we are equipped with wisdom and the call to action. The path forward involves a moral check to ensure we are not sinning, a wisdom check where we seek God's guidance through prayer and counsel, and a desire check where our affections are increasingly aligned with God's glory. Ultimately, God guides moving feet; He does not steer parked cars. [38:15]
James 1:5 (ESV)
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Reflection: When you are facing a significant decision, what is one practical step you can take to actively seek wisdom from God and trusted advisors?
Stepping outside the inner circle of God's moral will is sin, and it carries consequences. However, even in our failures, we do not exit God's sovereign will. The path forward is always repentance, confession, and a return to obedience. God's grace is sufficient to restore what has been lost, and He can bring more blessing into one year of restored obedience than decades of striving. You cannot miss God's sovereign will, and through Christ, you can always return to His revealed will. [45:52]
Joel 2:25 (ESV)
I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army that I sent among you.
Reflection: If you have recently stepped outside the inner circle of God's revealed will, what is one concrete action you can take this week to move back into obedience and experience His restorative grace?
The speaker reframes the common anxiety about "missing God's will" by replacing a narrow bull's-eye image with a pair of concentric circles: an outer circle of God's sovereign will (hidden, all-encompassing, unbreakable) and an inner circle of God's moral will (revealed, commanded, and subject to human obedience or rebellion). The outer circle contains God's eternal decree that accomplishes all things—even human sin—so believers are ultimately held within a providential plan they cannot undo. The inner circle contains explicit biblical commands and ethical demands (sanctification, gratitude, holiness) that people are responsible to obey; stepping outside this circle produces real consequences and divine discipline. Practical counsel follows: when facing choices, apply four checks—moral (is it sin?), wisdom (seek Godly counsel and Scripture), desire (are affections reordered toward God?), and action (move forward; God guides moving feet). The preacher reassures that sin does not eject a person from God’s sovereign plan; biblical examples (David, Peter, Jonah, Joseph) and the cross itself demonstrate that God weaves even rebellion into his redemptive design. Yet moral failure brings consequences and requires repentance, restitution, and restoration into the inner circle through faith. The central pastoral encouragement is restful: believers are already within God’s outer purpose, so stop decoding a secret destiny and instead walk faithfully in the revealed will—take the next obedient step, receive wisdom, and trust God to steer providentially. An appeal to gospel repentance and the next step of baptism closes the exhortation, urging those outside the inner circle to return and those uncertain to rest in God’s sovereign grace that can restore and even reclaim lost years.
``Circle theology, what I'm giving you, is wanting you to ask the right question. Not decode God's secret will for your life. It's just simply this. Am I walking inside the inner circle of God's revealed will? Am I walking according to his word? If you're walking according to his word, you are in his will. I need you to hear that. Okay?
[00:29:43]
(27 seconds)
#WalkInGodsWill
God's will is not some mystery to decode. It's a command to obey. Here is the crucial difference. Listen. You cannot break that outer circle. It's impossible to break God's sovereign will. Anything that God wants to come to pass will come to pass. But you can step outside of the inner circle. Do you see that? You actually can break his moral will for your life. And the name for that in the Bible is called sin.
[00:23:55]
(36 seconds)
#DontDecodeGodsWill
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